Reviews: Canon Vixia HF S100

Many firms are SD-based camcorders for compact designs, simply because the technology to flash-based models can be much smaller than those based on the tapes, hard drives, DVD and mini. So that Canon still offers compact AVCHD models, the VIXIA HF20 and HF200 of the company branch with a little more pro prosumer offerings “in the VIXIA VIXIA HF HF S100 and S10.

These two models, which record 1,920 x1, 080 60i video, have a bigger, faster f1.8 10x HD and a relatively large, high resolution 8-megapixel 1/2.6-inch CMOS with high-end capabilities, such as the SMPTE color bars, the ability to manually stimulate up to 18 dB, fixed 70 and 100 IRE zebra, and a user-assignable button / knob combo. They differ only in the internal memory: HF S100 has none, while the S10 32GB HF.

Most controls direct fire on the LCD bezel. The function button draws both the most frequently used settings and the entire menu system to another level. In addition to the usual – white balance, image effects, digital effects, video quality and size of files, programs and a handful of scene modes – the HF S10/100 offer real trigger and opening , shutter speed priority modes options with speed range of 1 / 8-1 / 2000 seconds and aperture from f1.8 to f8, giving you more control over depth of field that you usually see in a Model semi-professional. It also provides the mode of the Canon Color adjustment and gamma Cine to go with its progressive modes 24F, 30F and if it is recorded as 60i. In fashion, you can always choose metering and drive modes as well. Other high-end features available via the menus include three fixed or variable speed zoom mode, xvColor, color bars, and a test tone.

The menu system itself has been updated for a soft feel and the ability to choose the font size. Since the 2.7-inch screen is the typical pattern of low resolution, small fonts look pixelated and would be difficult for some to read. It is fairly resistant to direct sunlight, however.

Navigate down on the joystick while shooting triggers a menu of flight to show the video light (which works in photo mode), digital effects, pre-registration for 3 seconds, the backlight and exposure compensation, up to manual focus, micro-level, face detection and a digital teleconverter. The options are slightly different in the way again, you win and lose the flash micro and teleconverter. It’s especially nice that you always have a quick access to functions that you can not assign to the knob.

The HF S10/S100 also incorporate features of this year, which include video snapshots, videos of 4 seconds to create an underlined “Reel” effect (the ship camcorders with a music CD). I like the idea but the implementation can be annoying. You enter the video mode by pressing an instant hard to feel the button on the left side of the camcorder in the LCD recess. A blue outline appears on the screen. When you press record, a peak travel through the blue outline of your count 4 seconds. He remains in Video Snapshot Mode until you spend reading or press the button again. While I like the way information display works, I think I would have preferred a separate record button, or a choice on the mode dial rather than having it isolated on the button. (For a full account of the characteristics of the HF S10/100, you can download the PDF manual.)

Performance and quality are top notch both its rate up to 24 Mbps and 17Mbps bit. (Recording Capabilities are approximately 5.5 minutes per gigabyte and 7.8 min / GB, respectively. Canon recommends Class 4 or better SDHC card.) The camera focuses quickly and accurately, even in low light. Although battery life is fairly average in its class, it recharges fairly quickly, Canon claims it takes 10 minutes per half-hour of battery life. The optical stabilizer, as usual, works well until the end of the zoom range. The video is superb: sharp, with saturated colors and excellent exposure with relatively few blown highlights. The DigicDV 3 Treatment is solid work by maximizing dynamic range. Show records light at look pretty good too. There is some noise and softness, but it is expected. Audio recordings and clear, too. The camcorder is not perfect, however. exterior shots show a bit of purple fringing on the edges of high contrast, and there is a tendency to color in shades of red and blue. The photos look a bit like overprocessed stills camera and many do, and the flash does weird things to saturation, but overall they are not bad.

If you are a video enthusiast or someone looking for something cheap and portable equipment to supplement your battle horse, identical twins Canon VIXIA HF and HF S10 S100 offers an experience of shooting much better than the harvest current $ 600 HD camcorder – as long as you can live without the viewfinder. The HF S100 is probably the best bargain since the price of a 32GB card should be less than the price difference between the two models.

Although it weighs a little over a pound, the camcorder feels kind of light for its size of 2.8 inches by 2.7 inches by 5.4 inches. Yet this is not a featherweight, and while I integrate it into a jacket pocket loose, it is not very compact. With few exceptions, the camcorder has a beautiful, functional design, with intelligently planned controls and a simplified user interface. The larger size makes it a little more comfortable to hold and operate that way.

Looking at the camera on his head, one of the first things you notice is the strange construction in lens cover that uses a type of eye closure rather than openness, the blade-type design that we usually see. It would not be notable except that when closed, the two plastic parts tend to throw off against each other, because the camcorder is off, this is not a problem just a minor irritation . Instead of putting the video light to the typical location on the side of the lens, Canon put it on the pop-up flash. The stereo microphones sitting on either side of the frame. Although they may be more susceptible to wind noise at this point (if I have no problems), it allows more microphones with better separation than the typical position above or below target . If this is not enough, you can attach a microphone via the mini accessory shoe on top of the camcorder. There is a 3.5mm microphone input on the handle side of the unit, and other connectors – USB, component and miniHDMI – sitting in a covered compartment under the strap. The belt should not interfere a bit when you’re hanging Stuff Up.

On one side of the Canon set a new custom dial, which looks, feels and works similar to the knob on the semi-professional models from Sony. You press the button to activate and use the wheel to adjust the settings you have programmed for – the choices are exposure, development, support functions (70/100 IRE Zebra art ), micro-level, and automatic gain control limit (0 to 18 dB). I like the Sony and here too is a convenient interface for setting options such as exposure and focus, if I am not a fan of it to cycle through the Zebra and advanced options.

As usual, the zoom control and photo button are on top of the camera under your index finger with the mode selector just behind where a viewfinder at eye level must be one of the biggest drawbacks of model-oriented fans, is the lack of an electronic viewfinder. The power connector and 3.5mm headphone jack on the side mode button. One of the two recording buttons located under your thumb on the back. To the left of the zoom control is the small power button is recessed a bit difficult to handle.