Canon HG10 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Aug 9, 2007 8:40 AM
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Audio (7.0)
The HG10 records audio via a two-channel stereo electret microphone mounted to the top of the camcorder. There is a hot shoe located on top of the HG10, in addition to a mic jack mounted to the front. Canon meant well, but the placement of the mic jack could lead to obstructing cables within your field of view. In addition, the hot shoe does not feature a cover that is attached to the body of the camcorder. If you lose it, the hot shoe is exposed and vulnerable to wear and tear. Nevertheless, you have two different options for mounting an external microphone. To ameliorate the audio situation a bit more, the HG10 the AV-out jack doubles as a headphone jack for monitoring audio closely. Just be sure to manually switch over to headphone mode (via the menu) before you plug in or you’ll be bombarded by an electronic cacophony. The HG10 also includes a wind screen feature that can be set to auto or turned off. The Panasonic AVCHD line boasts manual audio level control and zoom mics, though the HDC-SD1 does not have an accessory shoe at all.
Playback (5.0)
When compared to other camcorders, the HG10 provides the shooter with numerous playback options, though it is easy to get confused. From Video mode, shift the mode dial once to the left to access Playback mode. A swanky screen containing up to six thumbnails at a time appears. Each thumbnail represents a video clip. Pressing the function button cues a row of options that rests at the bottom: Add to Playlist, Delete, Select Date, and Menu. You can scroll through these options using either the scroll wheel or the D-pad and access them by pressing the select button. Pressing the function button again allows you to scroll though each individual video clip using the D-pad. The scroll wheel cycles through pages of video clips to save time. To play a clip, scroll over to it and press the set button.
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Video clips as they appear on the |
When you hit the Function button, |
The clip will begin playing in the full LCD screen. Here’s where logic takes a holiday and it’s very easy to get frustrated. Let’s walk through this slowly. A row of playback controls is located along the bottom of the LCD panel: Rewind, Fast Forward, Play/Pause, and Stop. These are easiest to use. Be careful with rewind and fast forward, though—you can reach up to an absurd 60x speed, which will basically blow through all your video clips like a freight train. You can also control playback by using the LCD control wheel, but we don’t recommend it. The scroll wheel dictates rewind and fast forward, but it’s too finicky. Left and right on the D-pad cycles through video clips, and the select button brings up a small menu consisting of playback volume and, yet again, next and previous clip control. Mastering playback is going to require some crash courses, and most point-and-shooters will experience great difficulty if they attempt to use the control wheel. This is the one time we wish for tape instead of a random-access memory.
At any given moment during clip playback, the Administrative menu can be accessed by pressing the Function menu. Here you have control over HDD operations, display setup, system setup, and date/time setup. Playing back digital stills is remarkably similar—same structure, controls, etc.
Connectivity (10.0)
Ports are located on the right side and the front of the HG10. The LCD cavity hosts the USB port and Mini SD card slot. The SD card slot is well protected and easy to open. On the right side, toward the lens, you’ll find the HDMI out, AV-out/headphones jack, and component out terminal. These ports are protected by a thin plastic cover that is easy to open, but the flimsy strips fastened to the body look as if they could snap with too much vigor. In front is the Mic jack, which is not the best placement, as the cord might interfere with your shot. However, you have the option of attaching an external mic to the hot shoe located on top of the camcorder to avoid cords altogether.
The mic input is located on the front under the lens
The hot shoe located on top is covered by a plastic shield that is not attached to the body of the HG10. It is also very tricky to open—you have to dig your fingernails underneath the side grooves and hope for the best. Once you do manage to open it, it will pop out and fly over the moon, so the probability of losing that piece is high. At the back of the camcorder to the right of the battery is the DC in jack. To view files on your computer, the HG10 must be plugged in with the power adapter.
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The hot shoe with the (too) easily |
Mini-HDMI, AV-out, and USB are located on the right side |
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