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Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom


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Brand: Canon
Category: Photography

List Price: $899.99
Buy New: $529.00
You Save: $370.99 (41%)



Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars 141 reviews

Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Monitor Size: 270
Includes Software: Yes
Optical Zoom: 12
Digital Zoom: 200
Display Size: 2.7
Maximum Focal Length: 57
Minimum Focal Length: 4.8
Maximum Resolution: 2070000
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 5.1 x 2.9 x 2.5
nv:Size: 1/3.2-inch
Image Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Movie Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Storage Media: SD/SDHC Memory Card
Compressed Format: DPOF
Compressed Format: DCF Exif 2.2
Movie File Format: MPEG-4
Movie File Format: AVCHD (HD)
Optical Zoom: 12x
Digital Zoom: 200x
Focal Length: f=4.8-57.6 mm
LCD Monitor: 2.7-inches
LCD Pixels: 211,000 pixels
LCD Coverage: 100%
Maximum Aperture: f 1.8 - 3.0
White Balance Control: Auto
White Balance Control: Daylight
White Balance Control: Cloudy
Warranty: 1 year warranty

MPN: HF100
Model: HF100
UPC: 013803092004
EAN: 0013803092004
ASIN: B00114162K

Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

Features:
  • Capture high-definition video to flash memory
  • 12x optical zoom; SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer
  • 24p Cinema Mode; 30p Progressive Mode
  • 2.7-inch widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD
  • Simultaneous photo capture

Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
records high-definition AVCHD video (at 1080i resolution) to SD and SDHC memory cards (not included) * 3.3-megapixel CMOS image sensor (2.07 effective in 16:9) * High Definition video lens with 12X optical zoom (digital zoom to 200X) * advanced DIGIC DV II image processor with hybrid noise reduction system * 2-11/16" widescreen LCD *


Customer Reviews:   Read 136 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars Not so amazing   December 2, 2008
Suhas Urkude
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I had expected a lot from this camera after seeing so many good reviews about the same, but that didn't really happen. Every picture i have taken with this camera has some kind of blueish-ness in it and the switch that moves from still picture to movie mode didn't work very well either. Also while reviewing the pictures/videos it took a long time to fetch them from the flash memory card. So, in short i'm not really happy with this one.


3 out of 5 stars works but has issues   December 1, 2008
Sergey Babkin (New Jersey, USA)
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Basically, it works as advertised. But with a few hiccups.

The image stabilization is poor. Combined with the light weight of the camera, it's hard to hold without jitter, practically impossible at maximum zoom. Walking with the camera makes the picture jump all over the place. And these fast movements don't make the compression algorithm happy. As a comparison point, my old Sony Hi8 camcorder can handle even the vibration in a race car without any of it showing on the screen.

Light sensitivity is poor. In low light it drops the frame rate and the video looks funny, blurred and stepped.

If you just leave the camera on without shooting, it still eats the battery like it is shooting. Turning it off and on takes a while, a few seconds. You'd think that this should not be the case in a device without mechanical moving parts but it is.

The file format is weird. There is a good reason why they sell a special DVD writer as a separate (not cheap) option. You can't just copy the files to DVD and expect them to work on normal players, you need some weird codec (I had a whole pile of them already installed on my computer, so I don't know which one did the magic). The format must be converted. This means that postprocessing and editing of the material is mandatory, I'm normally too lazy for this kind of stuff.

The editing program just hangs every time when trying to open the file, but this might be because of some conflicts with the codecs I had installed. I haven't looked deeply into it yet.

For playback, there seems to be no way to set the screen ratio, and the picture looks compressed horizontally on the normal (not-wide-screen) TV. And it has no digital output that my DVD writer could understand (it understands I think DV but not HDMI).

I don't know how does it compare to the other digital camcorders, maybe all of them have the same issues.

If you wonder, it has no inputs for external cameras (such as something you could mount outside the car), not that I had any expectations for that.

There was also a minor issue with the battery, that after a couple of days started reporting all the time that it's running out but otherwise worked fine. This issue went away by itself after a week or so. The larger extra battery I bought separately didn't have this issue.



5 out of 5 stars Quality is high and easy to use   November 24, 2008
H. ZHANG (Chanlder,AZ, UAS)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

The image quality is prety good, and it is very easy to operate. its weight is very light,I like it. The battery usually can last 80-90 minutes, if you want to take a long time video outside, you may need a spare battery.


3 out of 5 stars Great pictures for all occasions   November 24, 2008
Lee (Singapore)
0 out of 7 found this review helpful

High definition put a new level in home video quality after I've been using standard definition for the past 8 years with my Sony camcorder. What I do appreciate is the absence of moving tape mechanism and spinning disc. This would reduce noise and hopefully, improve on reliability. My last camcorder failed due to the tape mechanism. However, speaking of reliability, the battery that came with the camera failed in less than one month of usage - it just refused to be charged.


5 out of 5 stars Totally satisfied with the HF100!!   November 24, 2008
Matt R. (Nebraska)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I was a little skeptical at first. This camera seems too good to be true while reading all of the specifications listed. But I really have to say that it lived up to all of my expectations. In a well lit area the picture is absolutely stunning--a sharp and true-to-life image. In darker rooms the picture doesn't get grainy at all from my experience. Obviously a darker room isn't going to be quite as stunning as a brighter one but I'm still impressed. The mic picks up wind but not to a distracting point. Burning to DVDs/Blu-rays is actually pretty easy as well. I use Sony Vegas Movie Studio and it imports the video and is easily edited. My computer isn't the most amazing, so the video may take a second or two to buffer before I can preview it but I've been cutting videos and burning them easily since I bought the camera just a couple months ago. The battery that comes with the camera doesn't last all that long (probably an hour+). I would buy the extended battery for something like $85.00 but it's only made in black and the HF100 is silver. Kind of funky if you ask me. I may just buy a second smaller battery. The memory cards used are SUPER cheap to buy making this the camera to get!!

In summary (i.e. the only part everybody will probably read):

PROS:
- Sharp HD picture.
- Small camera size.
- Easy to edit and transfer video.
- SDHC cards are CHEAP to buy.

CONS:
- Supplied battery has a short life.
- Mic picks up some wind noises.
- You really should purchase a different editing program.



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