Canon HF10 First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby Alfredo PadillaPublished on Jan 15, 2008 4:00 PM 
|
|
The Canon Vixia HF10 is the solid state camcorder in Canon’s current high definition consumer lineup, recording to removable SDHC memory cards and a non-removable 16GB internal flash memory. The HF10 shares a similar imaging system as the HG10 (recording to hard disk drive) and the HR10 (recording to DVD). All three of these camcorders record and output in the AVCHD video format.
Not able to rest on the laurels of their award-winning imaging system, Canon has had to catch up to the latest trend in HD camcorders. The HF10 now captures and outputs in “true” HD recording at a full 1920 x 1080, with an increased bit rate of 17Mbps. In addition to 60i and 24P frame rates, the Canon Vixia HF10 adds support for 30P recording, which it indicates is a nod to the web video crowd. Since much web video is encoded at 15fps, 30P allows you to simplify the compression process by allowing you to simply remove every other frame.
For as much as the HF10 brings to the table in terms of (expected) performance and portability, Canon has taken at least one major step back. The standard accessory shoe has been replaced by a Mini Advanced Shoe. Don’t let the word “Advanced” fool you, all it really means is that you’ll have to buy all new accessories. Speaking of which, you’ll also have to dish out for a new HDMI cable as the Canon Vixia HF10 sports a Mini HDMI port.
As an explanatory aside, we should mention that the term “Vixia” is Canon’s new branding for all their high definition camcorders. The HG10 and HR10 will officially now be referred to as “Vixia,” though they won’t actually recall all the camcorders on the shelves just to stamp that on the bodies.
|
Video Preview of Canon HF10, |
The Front
From the front the Canon Vixia HF10 is dominated by the 12x lens with a filter diameter of 37mm and a focal length of 4.8 - 57mm. The aperture range is f/1.8 - f/3.0. Below the lens are the left and right microphones. To the right of the lens and slightly behind it sits the flash for still photos with the external focus above it. Between the right microphone and the flash is an LED light to indicate night mode.
The Right Side
The right side of the Canon Vixia HF10 contains the strap, which is better padded than those we saw on the Sony HDR-UX20 and Sony HDR-SR12 (Review, Specs, ). Near the back is a rotating dial to change mode to still capture, video capture, video playback or still playback. The Canon Vixia HF10 is rather short and even with the strap tight it has a tendency to flip and flop like we saw with the Sony HDR-SR12. Near the bottom are the Mini HDMI and Mini USB ports, which are protected by a plastic cover.
The Back
Most of the back is taken up by the battery on the model we saw. To the right of it is the start/stop button. To the left is the DC IN with a plastic cover near the bottom and above it the mic and headphone jacks with a separate plastic cover. Finally, up near the top is the Access/Chg LED that indicates when data is actively being transferred.
The Left Side
The left side of the Canon Vixia HF10 houses the LCD. When closed, there are no controls or ports accessible. When you open it up you reveal the 2.7-inch LCD display with a resolution of 211,000 pixels. To the left of the LCD, along the right edge of the panel, is a joystick for navigating the menus. Below it are five buttons that double as menu items and playback controls. From left to right, the buttons read: Function, Play/Pause, Rewind/Zoom Out, Fast Forward/Zoom In, and Stop/Black Light Compensation.
Inside the LCD cavity you will find the SDHC memory card slot with a small switch to open the cover. To the right of the slot and below the switch is a component out with a plastic cover. Near the top are the Easy button and a Display on/off switch.
 |
 |
|
|
The left side of the Canon HF10, |
And what lies beneath the LCD panel |
The Top
On the top you will see the zoom toggle about the middle of the barrel near the back. We found the placement to be a little awkward. In fact, the camcorder was awkward to use overall. Behind the zoom toggle is the Photo capture button and behind it the Mini Advanced Shoe, with a plastic cover that slides out and is tethered by a rather flimsy looking piece of plastic. This is better than the Canon HV20 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $903), which had a completely untethered shoe that was easily lost. To the left of the Zoom toggle is the power button.
