Canon HF10 First Impressions Camcorder Review

Video Performance
The Canon Vixia HF10 has a smaller CMOS sensor than the HG10 or HR10, which both sported a 1/2.7-inch sensor. By contrast the HF10 has a 1/3.2 inch CMOS sensor with and RGB Primary Color Filter. Gross pixel count on the Canon Vixia HF10 is 3,300,000 pixels with an effective pixel count of 2,070,000 pixels at 1920 x 1080. The gross pixel count is slightly higher than the HR10 & HG10’s 2,960,000 pixels, but the effective pixel count remains the same.

An increase in pixel count and a decrease in chip surface area is always disconcerting to imaging critics like ourselves. Manufacturers will always cite new noise suppression systems or processing enhancements, and you can be sure than the Canon HF10 has them. But the truth comes out in the testing room. On the show floor, and when we saw the HF10 in Japan, we could see no discernable difference from past camcorders. However, that hardly constitutes full testing. The new ability to record in full 1920 x 1080 (rather than an anamorphically stretched 1440 x 1080) actually made some improvements in detail along horizontal lines, reducing the stair-stepping effect.

Low Light Performance
When the pixel density increases and individual pixels shrink, we’re typically concerned with a decrease in low light performance. Smaller pixels mean a reduced ability to capture incoming light. As stated above, Canon has tinkered with the processor to try and offset the increased noise that’s likely to occur. We cannot state as to the veracity of these claims yet. What we can do is hope that Canon knows what they’re doing. The imaging system used on the HV20, HG10, and HR10 was a competition-killer, producing the cleanest, most vivid pictures of the year. If the new system deviates from the high standard they’ve set, we’re not going to be pleased.