Canon HF10

Comparison
Canon HG10
Canon’s first hard disk drive (HDD) AVCHD camcorder, the HG10 ($999 MSRP), is a black sheep in terms of architecture. With an LCD-mounted navigation wheel, advanced rocking Zoom lever, and extendable viewfinder, the HG10 holds the Royal Flush over the HF10’s Ace High. However, it’s a different story under the hood. The HG10 is equipped with the same 1/2.7-inch CMOS chip found in the HV20, but it has a 15 Mbps maximum bitrate. On the HF10, Canon slimmed down the CMOS chip to a 1/3.2-inch, but changed the processing and upped the bitrate to 17 Mbps. The HF10 offers the closest image to an HV20 and HV30 you can get, along with 24P and 30P frame rates. The HG10 has a poorer baseline performance, and only 24P as an alternate frame rate, which we found virtually unusable in tandem with that version of the AVCHD compression. These are both good camcorders, but there’s something about the compact HF10 that gives up hope for the future—a future where AVCHD runs up to 24 Mbps.

Panasonic HDC-SD9
The HDC-SD9 ($799 MSRP) is a good camcorder in many respects, but the Canon HF10 is better. The SD9 claims the "World’s Smallest Full HD Camcorder" title, and that's the largest appeal. The HDC-SD9’s three 1/6-inch CCDs hurt its low light performance significantly while the HF10 does quite well. The HDC-SD9’s petite body hampers handling—the joystick is crammed in the LCD cavity, essential ports are stuffed in the battery chamber, and the microphone is mounted on top. The HF10’s LCD-mounted joystick and revamped hand strap blow the HDC-SD9’s cramped design out of the water. Plus, no Mic jack, Headphone jack, or accessory shoe on the HDC-SD9? Come on! The HDC-SD9 is equipped with classic Panasonic manual controls, including gain, but the HF10 has multiple frame rates, Image Effects, and better manual focus tools. In this case, it’s okay to splurge on the Canon HF10.

The Canon HF10 and Panasonic HDC-SD9

Sony HDR-CX7
At certain angles, it’s almost impossible to tell apart Sony’s HDR-CX7 ($1,099.99 MSRP) and Canon’s HF10. The body design is so similar it’s frightening. Though what you will find beyond the catwalk is that these seemingly identical twins are vastly different inside. The HDR-CX7’s 1/2.9-inch CMOS chip provided a beautiful bright light image, but low light was a sad, sad performance. Like the HG10, the HDR-CX7’s maximum bitrate is 15Mbps video is recorded to Memory Stick. The HF10’s internal 16 GB of Flash and SDHC card option decimates what the CX7 has to offer. In addition, the HF10’s manual controls, Image Effects, and additional frame rates put the HDR-CX7 to shame, elucidating its extreme consumer status. Sony is formulating an upgrade to the HDR-CX7, but for now, the safest bet is the Canon HF10.

JVC-GZ-HD6
The JVC GZ-HD6 ($1,399 MSRP) is a 120GB HDD camcorder, recording in the high definition MPEG-2 TS format. (The GZ-HD5 is an identical twin, but with a 60GB HDD.) The GZ-HD6 has three 1/5-inch CCDs, each with a 570,000 pixel count. We have a model in the office right now, and it’s due for review next. So far, the performance looks quite good. The most intriguing element is that the GZ-HD6 can capture and output 1080/60P. Of course, the video is first converted to interlace for recording to the media, then reconverted to progressive for output, but 60P output is still pretty cool for a consumer camcorder. The .m2t files are not compatible with all editing software, but the camcorder can also record in 1440 x 1080 at 25 Mbps, making it compatible with any system that can handle HDV files. So far, the HD6 has proved to have fantastic image stabilization. More soon.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters
Easy mode! Canon’s got it too! Easy mode bans the shooter from accessing any menus whatsoever. Very easy indeed, perhaps too easy.

Budget Consumers
A $1,099 tag for such a revolutionary piece of AVCHD flash goodness sounds a lot better when you pin it against JVC’s $1,600 GZ-HD7. But then there’s the Panasonic HDC-SD9, which gives you Full HD for $800. If you can scrounge up the dough, go for the Canon. HD is not cheap.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
The HF10’s still photo set is pretty rockin’. You’ve got numerous shooting modes, full manual controls, and an extensive histogram/info page accompanying every image.

Gadget Freaks
Oh yeah! The HF10 is a full plate of sexy with a side of hot. Three different frame rates, multiple shooting modes, killer manual controls, and a 17 Mbps max bit rate. Gadget Freaks, this is the most action you’ve seen since the HV20.

Manual Control Freaks
Canon’s manual control suite is fierce with Exposure, Focus, Shutter Speed control, and White Balance. You also have Scene modes, Image Effects, and Instant Auto Focus mode.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists
This is a tough one. We said the HV20 could be used for b-roll in a low-budget production, but the HF10’s AVCHD format might hinder that option. Yes, the pumped-up 17 Mbps helps, but don’t pencil this into your shooting budget just yet.

Conclusion
The Canon HF10 may be the AVCHD camcorder we’ve been waiting for. The first generation of AVCHD camcorder from Sony and Panasonic were just plain no good – lots of features but short on performance. Then Canon came along shortly after with the HR10, and that wasn’t much better. Nobody liked the 20-minute maximum record time onto DVDs, and the compression quality was once again disappointing. In fact, the 24P mode was downright unusable.

The second generation of AVCHD camcorders, including the Panasonic HDC-SX5, Sony HDR-CX7, and Canon HG10, hit closer to the mark, but once again failed to match the overall image quality of the tape-based HDV format. Higher-end users were forced to choose between more convenient media like HDD and flash memory or the slower tape medium that offered better video.

Now we enter the third generation. The first model we reviewed, the Panasonic HDC-SD9, showed big improvements in the compression quality, but the camcorder as a whole left something to be desired. We’ve yet to review any of the new Sony models, such as the HDR-SR12 or HDR-UX20. The HF10 is, for most purposes, Canon’s third-generation AVCHD camcorder. They’ve finally done it.

We shot with the Canon HV20 in one hand and the HF10 in the other. In most instances, it was hard to tell the difference. The compression artifacting has gotten to the point where it looks no worse than HDV. In certain panning shots, the HV20 still keeps the upper hand in regards to sharpness, but on the whole the camcorders are matched. The HF10 has all the same great color performance as the other Canon HD camcorders, and now offers the highest resolution we’ve yet to see in a consumer camcorder. The low light performance tests higher for noise, but to the eye it looks as good, sometimes better than the HV20.

On the downside, the HF10’s small body precluded some of the more powerful handling features we’d like to see, such as the control dial from the HV20 and HV30. The joystick is fine for occasional menu operation, but performing more complex tasks like focusing are limited. The HF10 also lacks the peaking and zebra tools from the HV30 that could have helped the camcorder rise above its point-and-shoot station. The 16GB of internal memory may not be enough for some users, though SDHC cards expand the horizon, for a price. Finally, let’s not forget that editing AVCHD video is still a frustrating proposition for all but the most powerful computers.

The worst aspect is the new proprietary-fit accessory shoe. It’s not much of a way to thank loyal Canon buyers who want to upgrade and already own a bunch of accessories. We’re sure someone’s at work on an adaptor, but that’s one more thing to buy and carry around.

On the whole, the HF10 is a great camcorder, definitely the first great AVCHD camcorder. That’s no small feat.