Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon HG10 Ultra-Compact High Definition HDD Camcorder (10x Optical Zoom, 2.7" widescreen Multiangle Vivid LCD)

This Canon camcorder really is a quality piece of kit. I have used a Panasonic SD5, but would put the HG10 well above it in terms of build quality, features, and video output. Some reviewers have criticised the ergonomics but after using the Canon over a short period of time I find my hands seem automatically find the start stop button and that lovely zoom rocker - no other camcorder in this price range seems to have such a great zoom rocker.
I was a little concerned that camcorderinfo gave the 25p mode a bad right up and was keen to do my own assessment. I videoed a fast moving train travelling at about 60-70mph and played it back on the camcorders LCD - the shot looked absolutely smooth -non of the jerkyness that camcorderinfo reviewer reported. I then loaded this onto my computer and played it with WMP, sure enough it was jerky and the sound was broken . I then loaded it into Studio 11+ and played it in the monitor window - it was as smooth as silk. What is happening is that WMP is using Pinnacles codec for MT2 files badly. WMP cannot, on its own play Mt2 files and is borrowing the codec. I think the reviewer should have realised something like this was happening - he is after all an expert?
For about 90% of the time I'm sure I will use the camcorder in Auto mode, and so far I have been really impressed with its performance. I took a video of the inside of our house just moving from room to room and the shots are extremely impressive - the Panasonic could not match the Canon for low light performance. In average daylight the shots are fantastic - very sharp and good rich colour.
One of the main features I particulary like is the ability to shoot using the LCD or the viewfinder - how many camcorders have both. I find it much easier to hold a steady shot with the viewfinder, combine this with the excellent optical image stabalizer and your on to a winner.
Concerns regarding the resolution of 1440 x 1080 are being over played. the camcorder records at 1920 x 1080 but compresses to 1440. when played it fills the TV screen to full HD - its all about what you see on screen and you won't be disappointed. Despite the fact there are new models being introduced by all major manufacturers I decided to purchase the HG10 after extensive research - somehow Canon seem to have got it right with this one.

I have always been a Sony man but I decided to buy this camcorder because it is very Mac friendly. I was able to import footage directly into iMovie 08 without any problems.
It is a HighDef AVCHD camcorder with a 40GB hard drive which can take from 5h 30m to 15h of recording depending on the recording mode. It also features a 3mp still camera function. It fits into the hand very nicely and comes with a wireless controller, USB cable, component cable, stereo video cable and shoulder strap.
Shooting is straightforward using the LCD screen whereas using the viewfinder is harder as it is small and if you wear spectacles, forget it. It features a Mic input port, a mini HDMI port, and a miniSD card port for still photos although a miniSD card is not included.
For Windows users, a Corel application is supplied along with Canon Backup software.

This is a really good quality,quite a sophisticated camcorder.I usually use the xp-setting which gives me 9Mbps dataflow and minimum 7 hours recording time.Of course u can opt for Hxp setting for 15Mbps but if u do not have a bigger display than 32" u won't need to use it as it's impossible to see the difference.Positive : Really superb pict quality,min 1H battery life,easy-to-use,great features,quiet operation. Negative: little heavy,could be smaller,electronic lens cover-just one more thing to go wrong. Important! This camcorder can only shot in 1440x1080i. Newer models do 1920x1080p.
ps.:I had opportunity to compare the pic quality with newer models and I can confirm that there is no significant difference between them!So no worries you can't go wrong with this one.

I got this as a more portable alternative to my Canon XH-A1. It's small but solid (feels very well built) and very easy to use. I'm especially pleased with the excellent viewfinder, which I often prefer to the LCD (which is itself pretty good), and the 3.5mm external mic connector (uncommon on consumer camcorders).

Image quality is excellent, and there's a high degree of control. I'd give this 5 stars but for 2 shortcomings: first, I always prefer to have a complete manual control option (goes back to my still photo days). Although you do have a lot of flexibility, there is no pure manual control of exposure. Second, I still have some reservations about the hard disk/AVCHD approach. It means you have to start thinking about how to archive footage, and it's not as easy to edit. Longer term, I expect some development of cards to be the way to go

Note for Mac users (includes me): do *not* buy this if you have a PPC Mac. Editing software doesn't support AVCHD on non-Intel Macs

I wanted to buy a HD camera with which I could make both home movies and short films. I opted for the Canon HG10 as I had heard so many good things about it. I was not disappointed with the purchase. A very easy interface and stunning video quality that holds up well when imported onto your computer. I would suggest looking elsewhere though as I managed to get a hold of this for under £400 brand new. This camcorder has a massive 40GB hard-drive, and I have never had a storage problem. I film quite a lot and have actually gone weeks without transferring the footage elsewhere, and not once have I come close to reaching the 40GB limit. Tinker with the frames per second and the quality settings if you really want to squeeze more footage onto the hard-drive. Go onto a popular video uploading site and type in Canon HG10 to see what footage others have captured using this incredible camcorder.

I bought this camera as I had heard that it was mac friendly, and I'm pleased to report that it is. However, if you are thinking of using it with a mac you MUST have imovie '08 or later as this camera does not work with imovie HD. I spent several days banging my head against a brick wall trying to figure out why I could not upload the videos onto my macbook pro. It was only after a visit to the Apple store that I was made aware that I would need to make the upgrade to iMovie '09. Who would have thought that a HD camera would not be compatible with iMovie HD? Now I am uploading videos easily onto my mac, though I am using final cut studio 2 in which to do my editing.

If you do encounter any problems with your camcorder- let me save you a few pence- DO NOT RING THE CANON HOTLINE! Their customer service is simply the worst that I have ever come across. I found myself conversing with someone who I could not understand for the life of me, and I was told that "No one else has had problems with this product, so it must just be you". I suggest you make sure that you have all the necessary hardware before buying this camera so that you do not find yourself stranded.

All in all I cannot recommend this cam highly enough, especially for people concerned with ease-of-use and good quality footage. Capture the footage and learn to use some decent editing software and you will be amazed at how good you can make your raw footage look. Film in cinema mode at 25 frames-per-second for best results- colour correct, edit and use suitable effects using Final Cut Express or something similar and you will have have results that look good even when blown up on a 50-inch screen. I highly recommend it, and will be making Canon my camcorder of choice in the future.