Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon HF100 High Definition Camcorder - 12x Optical Zoom With 2.7 inch Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD

I bought "on spec" without visiting a shop - its much smaller and lighter than expected - the picture makes it look bigger. Superb improvement on DV quality.

£50 CASHBACK FROM CANON UNTIL END OF AUGUST 08

Can't argue with all the positive reviews, but if you want to find a catch, I will list the "less positives":-

No mini HMDI lead supplied - you get USB & Component, but not the one you really want!! Order one with the machine.

Editing and playing (other than through the camera) will be tricky for a while, but at least you will have HD content to edit in a year or two. Apparently they will play from file in full HD when copied to DVD (not blue ray) on a PS3, but I don't have one.

There is a new Canon model due Sept 08. 24MB/s vs 17MB/s, so less compression, better quality and the fastest data rate the AVCHD format will support. But more pricey. But its relative - this camera is higher resolution than Freesat HD already which is 720p. Compression is of course not the same as resolution, but I would say that this camera produces better pictures than Freesat HD so I am still happy I bought now.

MUST have extra's:-

37mm clip on lens cap - the automatic leaf shutter will allow dust in eventually, and the lens is very recessed and hard to clean. (An HMC clear filter if you want 100% dust exclusion)

Memory cards of course.

Extra Battery - I think the supplied one will be insufficient.

Today its 5* but I suspect something even better will be along very soon, probably from Canon, so I have given it 4*.

After a lot of deliberating i decided to go for the hf100 over the Sony TG3. I am quite happy with my decision. It is small and light enough to fit in the average jacket pocket quite comfortably. The video quality on my 32 Inch Sony HD ready tv is stunning. I have used the various quality settings, the highest of which is FXP. FXP is the only setting that records in full HD 1920x1080. The other settings record at a lower resolution but the difference is not noticable on my tv as it is not full HD.

I record using FXP onto 8gb sdhc cards. The reason I use 8gb cards is they will hold one hour of filming at the FXP setting, which was good enough for me in the past with tape. I can also cut and paste the folders from the card onto a dual layer dvd for archiving. I also save the files on my hard drive which i can then copy back to a SD card if i want to watch them in HD through the camera again.

I use a 20 inch imac 2.4ghz with 4gb ram. It edits no problem with Imovie 08.

Very Happy.

I had read the reviews, and decided that I needed a new camcorder as my 3CCD Sony is in storage, as is my old canon, and a spare Samsung. I have to say I was stunned by its compact size. But can it perform like a proper, big fat heavy camcorder? Oh my word it can! I have just seen the pictures on a standard 22" TV through a non-HD cable. It's fantastic. I just cannot imagine how good it will look on a proper HD television. I am just amazed as to how something this small can outperform everything before it. I am also amazed at the quality of the still frames. These are definitely acceptable for snapshots, or web based images. I am just delighted with the camcorder. I only have one small problem - I think that you need enormous computer power if you choose to edit the footage - I have a 1.8 Ghz CPU with 3 Gb RAM, but this doesn't seem anywhere near powerful enough.

Still getting to grips with this but so far very pleased. Excellent resolution, easy to use (if you have a Canon camera then menu is nearly identical) and SD cards so much better than tape or hard drives.

Worth noting that it is possible to burn videos onto a standard DVD-R that then plays back in full HD when run through some of the newer Blu-Ray player because the AVCHD coding is intact.

However (i) not all dedicated Blu-Ray players will do so and (ii) the more recent models have SD card reader built in as well.

It is easy to edit the footage in AVCHD. First of all the SD-HC memorycards plays the footage directly in a PS3 via an USB adapter to the card.
That is easy play.
Secondly in a Mac with iMovie 09 the program will take the .MTS files automatically and convert them to "Apple Intermediate codec", either from the camera or from an inserted SD-HC card. It will so to speak unravel the knot of "AVCHD" in play-time +80%. But!-silent and AUTOMATIC.No tape to control.
From there you finish in "Export in QuickTime" and choose .mp4, which will make the footage PS3 compatible.I use 1920 x 1080 8000Kbts H.264 .mp4.

In a PC You use NERO 9! Don't start up "Nero start smart" but go directly to programmes and choose "Nero Vision" in Nero Vision you choose "DVD-AVCHD" and let NV import the "AVCHD" folder from the harddrive.
You can edit every clip shown and you can proceed and choose "DVD" or film to folder.
The rendering will be fast!! Quicker than play, it will be like "fast forward"!
The "AVCHD" folders kan be thrown on top of PowerDVD Ultra's program GUI and the film will play imidiately.
The folder will also play from a PS3. Just use the "X" button and click on the "AVCHD" folder, and it plays.
The "AVCHD" DVD you make in Nero Vision have user interface with moving film icon buttons if you choose.

So now You see:"Nothing easier than "AVCHD"!"

All the troubles with this amazing successor to DVD-VOB comes from people not knowing what they are doing!;-)
Want a virtuel aquarium, if You got a PS3? Record a clip of 2 minutes of Your favorite aquarium with HF10 -use photo tripod -and transfer it to SD-HC memory stick. It has to be done this way.
Insert the SD-HC card in a USB card adapter and put it in the PS3 USB port."X" click the "AVCHD" folder and-You have an aquarium!;-)it will play perpetual.
Buy this cam or the HF100 which is the same cam, i have Canons word for it. Except HF 100 only use SD-HC, whereas the HF10 has 16GB internal memory. You can transfer footage from the internal memory in any order to the SD-HC card, which is an advantage of HF10.
You can allways write me if You want further information.[]