Canon VIXIA HF10 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 16 GB Internal Flash Memory and 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
by Canon
|
List Price: Our Price: $299.00 You Save: $800.99 (73%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Digital Camera See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon VIXIA HF10 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 16 GB Internal Flash Memory and 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Customer Review: Amazing little camera with excellent video quality
Summary: 5 Stars
The Canon HF10 is on amazing piece of technology wrapped up in a small and very versatile camera body. This camera along with a Mac will make you into a very proficient video artist.
Hardware:
From the start having a flash based camera is a tremendous advantage over the HDD and tape based cameras simply because of speed and reliability. Not to mention you don't have that annoying humming sound in your videos. More importantly, if you're going to take this with you on trips, you will drop your camera...but with a flash based camera it's no big deal, just dust it off and start shooting again. Lastly, you can record to the on board memory (16GB) or you can record to SD memory cards...instant expandability!
Video Quality:
I was extremely impressed with this consumer focused camera that shot very well for a 'point and shoot' camcorder. The cinema mode (24p) comes out very crystal clear and looks great on any HDTV (via HDMI or Component cables).
Software:
The PC Software is OK, but thankfully it works like a charm with my Mac and iMovie. It's basically plug, play and create a movie. It doesn't get any easier than this combination. Yes, it will take some time to export this in full HD format, but you get a great video that you can burn to DVD and share. Additionally you can export to a smaller resolution and post it on YouTube, or have it export to your iPod.
Overall:
This camera is great if you're going on a trip and want to take stunning video and have a simple way to share it. For this price point (~$680) this is a very good camera and performs unbelievably well. You will NOT have any buyers regret after you buy and use this camera.
Other Cameras:
I looked at the FlipVideo and the Kodak Zi6 but decided to spend a little more for a camera with Image Stabilization and a good (12x) zoom.
Customer Review: great compact HD camcorder
Summary: 5 Stars
After one day of use I'm pretty astounded that such a high quality image can come from such a small device. As another reviewer mentioned the video files stored on the SD card can be played using the PS3 directly off the card. I have a PS3 connected to a 1080P projector projecting to a 100" screen and the images are stunning from this camcorder. I see no obvious artifacts even on such a large blow up of the movie files.
Positives:
The size is very comfortable to carry and the ergonomics are great. The camera controls are easy to operate and reasonably intuitive especially if you have used any canon products in the past. It feels well made and solid as well. The use of flash for storage is great makes the camera very quiet (only focus and aperture motors running). I have a Xh A1 and although the hf10 doesn't offer the same low light performance and manual control, I think under good lighting it would be hard for most people to tell the image qualities apart. The size makes this camcorder very travel friendly and easy to carry just walking around for capturing spontaneous shots.
Negatives:
Editing the avchd files can be a little bit of a hassle to deal with. Once these files are added to the computer the captured files from the card are quite large. After one evening using the avchd files with final cut studio I'm still having some problems correcting the reverse telecine on the files (the files have a interlaced frame that makes 4th and 5th frame look jaggie). This may be just a small setting that I need to correct though. Interestingly on the free iMovie editing program the files are rendered correctly and play nicely on the computer. In the present many more software editing programs are supporting avchd and I can only imagine that going forward this codec will be supported on all new programs as it becomes more popular.
Customer Review: Highest Quality, Best Value HD Video Camera
Summary: 5 Stars
After doing a lot of comparative research between the HF10, the HF11, and the comparable Sony camcorders, I purchased the HF10 for the following reasons:
Video quality. Canon has always had stunning image quality. I viewed a few sample videos on the web. It was a close call, but I concluded that Canon's video quality is better than Sony's. As an added bonus, the camera has a mini HDMI out for the best viewing experience. (note: a mini HDMI cable is not included)
Best value. It costs hundreds less than the other cameras, with no compromise on video quality.
Flash Memory. The integrated 16 Gb isn't all that impressive, sure. But you can purchase a 16 Gb card for less than $40. The flash memory makes for silent recording - no whirr of the recording motor in the background.
Simple Operation. I recently had the chance to fiddle with an older Vixia camcorder. Canon has made many improvements in buttons, switches and menus in the past few years. Still no touch-screen operation, but I don't find the menus over complicated or cumbersome.
Non-Linear editing. My Mac still has to "capture" the video, but there is absolutely no loss in image quality. iMovie gives you the option of importing it at full resolution with an "observed" loss in video quality, or at a lower resolution with no "observed" loss in quality. I have a feeling that Mac is working on a fix to allow you to edit full-resolution 1080i/p video in iMovie. Of course, if you have a different application to edit your film, you may not have this issue.
I would definitely recommend purchasing this camera to everyone. It is easy to use, has great image quality, is compatible with computer software... the list goes on. You can't go wrong with this camera!
Customer Review: A Superb High Definition Camcorder - More Options for Editing Now
Summary: 5 Stars
I studied the various HD Camcorder options and after three months settled on the HF-10. I almost got the HF-11 (24 mbps vs 17-18 with HF-10). but the HF-10 is so good that it really suits my needs. Superb video, great focus and zooming, Plays back in 1080i through Mini-HDMI to HDMI cable on my 1080i HD LCD TV. Component output looks great also.
I have been doing video editing as a hobby for about 10 years and I was concerned about editing the AVCHD on my PC. I am still learning various ways to edit and produce a video and then play back. So far
1. I have used Pixella Imagemixer software to trim and do limited effects and write back to the HF-10 to play over the HD TV. Works OK but the editing software is not very capable.
2. I upgraded from Ulead Video Studio 11plus to Corel's Video Studio 12 Pro X2 (Corel bought Ulead) The new package is excellent with many capabilities. I have a pretty fast Intel Core Duo with 2 MBytes of RAM
I have: Authored a 45 minute video after capturing from HF-10 and burned to an DVD+R as an AVCHD DVD. It plays great on my SONY Blue Ray Player. I used the same editing project to output to a 1080p wmv file that took about 8 hrs to render. I also could burn a regular 480p DVD so those without Blue Ray could view the video.
I understand SONY Vegas is a good package. Also Pinnacle 12 might be OK I have heard, but I have had problems in the past with stability of Pinnacle's products.
Has anyone else tried other software for editing AVCHD on a PC. What is a good fast PC and how much faster can it render video compared to the fastest core duos? Has anyone seen any benchmarks?
Anyway, I am extremely pleased with the HF-10 and plan to use it a lot for a good while.
Customer Review: Perfect. Perfect HD Camera.
Summary: 5 Stars
I work in an executive capacity at a fairly large Agency. I do a lot of video. Commercial work. Mostly interviews and work that ends up on the web. Lugging around the bigger cameras is a pain and I just could never do it. After I bought the first one, within two weeks I bought two more of these cameras. I carry extra ram, portable tripods, and along with a set of battery powered wearable mic's, two 15" Macbook Pro's, and a copy of Final Cut, I've pretty much got a studio with me at all times that will fit in a roomy laptop bag. All I have to round up is lighting, reflectors and cables.
I love Canon interfaces. Sony may produce good technology, but they do their user interfaces on some foreign planet. And as a company who produces digital interfaces I'm always surprised at how bad Sony's are. Canon and Panasonic are just the opposite. So, that said, this series of Canon video cameras is what we're using internally (I think we have a dozen now, but that number will creep upward.) And we use Canon E50 for photography.
I don't really have an complaints other than
1) the zoom 'floats' on one of the cameras, and I have to either get it repaired or tape the zoom in place.
2) the white balance on "easy" mode is too sensitive. In general, I like a camera to have white balance as a stand alone button.
There are some complaints about the use of the AVCHD format, but since it is so well compressed, and the software that I use recognizes it, and it is pretty easy to copy on and off of memory cards, I don't really have the same complaints. Sure I wish it would simply start in M4V. But I wish a lot of things.