Canon Finally Releases an HDD Camcorder - the High Definition HG10

August 1, 2007 – Rounding out the last of the summer announcements, Canon unveiled the new HG10 high definition camcorder today ($1299 MSRP). Yet again, it appears AVCHD is the codec of the future, at least for today. The HG10 will record to a 40GB internal hard disk drive (HDD), a first for Canon, who has stuck to the more traditional formats of tape and DVD.

 

“Canon is always very conservative in their approach,” said Mitchell Glick, assistant manager of Product Marketing, Consumer Division for Canon USA. “We wanted to see how viable hard disk drive camcorders were in the HD space before we marketed it.”

 

Clearly, the market is there. Glick cited that in April, HDD camcorders accounted for 21 percent of sales (including HD and standard definition together). Sony unveiled its first high definition HDD more than a year ago, and have since released two more. Panasonic’s second model was announced less than a month ago. JVC has already followed up on its GZ-HD7 Everio with a less expensive sibling model.

 

Will Canon's late arrival cost it? Canon is likely hoping that its good reputation for the popular HV20 will precede it. Aside from the new recording media, the HG10 is identical in many respects to both the HV20 and the HR10, the AVCHD DVD camcorder announced in May. All feature a 1/2.7-inch CMOS sensor, with a gross pixel count of 2,960,000 and an effective pixel count of 2,070,000 (in 16:9). Other key features shared throughout all Canon HD camcorders, include 24P output (derived from 2:3 pulldown), a Digic DVII processor, a 10x optical zoom, the Instant AF auto focusing system, and optical image stabilization.

 

The HG10 offers two critical standout features compared to the HR10. First, while the HR10 has a maximum bit rate of 12Mbps, the new HG10 takes advantage of the faster HDD media and raises the top speed to 15Mbps. At this quality, the camcorder can record up to 5.5 hours of footage. Other settings include 9Mbps (for 9 hours recording), 7Mbps (12 hours recording), and 5Mbps (16.5 hours recording). The HG10 only records in AVCHD. There is no standard definition mode.

 

The second standout feature of the HG10 is the inclusion of a mic jack, located in the front near the lens, and an active accessory shoe located on top. Both features are found on the HR10 and HR20 HDV camcorders, but did not make it over to the HR10. Their inclusion on the HG10, in addition to the higher bit rate, makes them a viable choice for more ambitious videographers looking for an affordable HDD camcorder. To sweeten the pot, the HG10 offers manual audio level control, and the AV port doubles as a headphone jack.

 

Form factor is a selling point for the HG10. The camcorder weighs in at 505 grams (1.1 pounds) and measuring 81 mm x 75 mm 129 mm (3.2 x 3 x 5.1). The HG10 also features a new navigation tool. Taking their cue from Apple, like so many other electronics manufacturers, the new camcorder has a scroll wheel on the LCD cavity similar to an iPod or PIXMA printer. This control works in conjunction with the joystick, which has not been lost.

 

The 2.7-inch LCD on the Canon HG10 has been upgraded from the HV20 screen, and now offers a wider color gamut. It retains the same 211,000 pixel resolution. The camcorder also offers a 0.27-inch viewfinder with a 123,000 pixel resolution.

 

Still features on the Canon HG10 include a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536, a 9-Point AiAF system, bracketing and drive modes, image effects, a flash with red-eye reduction, and a histogram for still playback. An Aperture Priority and Still Priority mode will be available for both still and video capture.

 

The Canon HG10 includes connections for an HDMI, composite-out (doubles as headphone-out), component-out, USB 2.0, MiniSD card slot, and a mic jack. Canon has released a new battery for this camcorder. The BP-2L24H, which loads from the rear, has a longer life than the BP-2L13 that ships with the HV20. The HG10 is also the only HDD camcorder to offer a built-in video light.

 

The camcorder ships with the same software as the HR10, a Corel Application Disc offering basic editing and the ability to author AVCHD or standard definition DVDs for red-laser players. This software package will leave a lot to be desired for power users accustomed to the ease of editing standard definition footage. Currently, the editing options for AVCHD are few but growing, and require a robust computer to handle the complex codecs. The Corel software is only compatible with Windows XP and Vista systems.

 

The Canon HG10 retails for $1299 (MSRP) and is due out in stores in early October.