Canon Vixia HF100 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on May 13, 2008 3:09 PM
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Ease of Use (7.5)
Move over Sony, Canon's got Easy mode too. The HF100 (Review, Specs, Recent News, ) and HF10 are both equipped with the new system, which simplifies all action to the basest consumer level. In Canon's version of Easy mode, the Function menu, Joystick menu, and Administrative menu have all gone out to lunch--Record Start/Stop is the only control you'll need. Autopilot is the name of the game here, and most beginners will revel in a simplicity originally pioneered by Sony.
Outside of Easy mode, beginners will stumble upon some road blocks. Take, for instance, the HF100's menu. Yes, it's designed well and easy to navigate. But what's with the vague "P" and "Av" modes? There's also a plethora image adjustments like Soft Skin mode and Cine mode--what's a novice to do? Our recommendation to is remain in "P" mode and Auto everything else. As you blossom into a pro, introduce new levels of manual control into your shooting lifestyle.
The primary difference between the HF100 and the HF10 is the lack of Internal Flash memory. 16GB of extra onboard memory is handy dandy when you've run out of space on a memory card. A 16GB SDHC card will run you anywhere from $60-$150 online. SDHC cards are actually one of the easiest forms of media to work with, though the AVCHD compression will require a computer on steroids.
Joining the ultra compact HD brigade is the HF100. It shares the same dimensions with the HF10, which means both camcorders handle identically. In the neighborhood is the Panasonic HDC-SD9 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $525.97), which is currently one of the smallest HD cams out there, though the HDC-SD9 lacks in terms of grip and construction. The HF100 is a bit of a different story. Its microphone is mounted to the front, so as not to interfere with the fingers that overshoot the top. Ports are divvied up into convenient clusters that are easily accessible. The hand strap is well padded and constructed using a breathable mesh material for those 90 degree days. Panasonic cannot answer to this architecture, offering a cheap hand strap, poorly placed ports, and a microphone mounted to the top. For their size, the HF100 and HF10 are unbeatable in the handling department.
The Canon HF100 in hand
At first glance, the HF100 looks to be a dud as far as handling goes. How can a camcorder this tiny offer the weight and gripability needed for those long shoots? In hand, the HF100 will dispel any apprehensions based solely on appearance--this camcorder can hold its own. When you first slip your hand into the HF100's hand strap you'll notice that your fingers succeed in overshooting the top of the camcorder. Have no fear--Canon implemented a fingertip groove above the LCD screen to catch them on the other side. There's no microphone on top to obstruct and the right side is ergonomically crafted to fit the concave nature of the palm of the hand.
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| The joystick on the edge of the LCD panel | |
Menu (6.5)
The HF100, like all Canons, features three different menus—the Joystick menu, Function menu, and Administrative menu. You'll find that the The Function and Administrative menus are easy to navigate, but the Joystick menu will require a little additional time in order to master its controls. Panasonic’s menus excel as far as design and response time, but the newest wave HDC-SD9 and HDC-HS9 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $644.98) are not fun to operate, thanks to their LCD cavity Joystick placement. Sony’s Home menu is gaining popularity because of its intuitive interface, though advanced shooters are typically opposed to the smudgy touch screen. Canon’s menus are rife with options, however, they are easy to navigate.
The Joystick menu is accessed by pressing the center of the Joystick. In the bottom right hand corner, small square box will appear containing four pages. The Joystick menu offers the following options:
| Joystick Menu |
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| Page 1 | Instant Playback, Digital Effects, Video Light |
| Page 2 | Exposure |
| Page 3 | Focus |
| Page 4 | Microphone |
The Joystick Menu
The Function menu, which contains more advanced options, can be accessed by pressing the Function button. Option categories are located along the left side of the screen while their corresponding options line the bottom of the screen. The Function menu contains the following options:
| Function Menu |
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| Shooting Modes | Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Cine Mode, Portrait |
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Manual |
| Image Effects | Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Soft Skin Detail, Custom |
| Digital Effects | Fade-T, Wipe, Black & White, Sepia, Art |
| Image Quality | FXP (17Mbps), XP+ (12 Mbps), SP (7Mbps), LP (5Mbps) |
| Photo Quality | LW (1920 x 1080), SW (848 x 480) |
The Function menu
Finally, the Administrative menu can be selected from the Function menu. The Administrative menu contains the following options:
| Video Administrative Menu |
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| Camera Setup | Self Timer, Digital Zoom, Zoom Speed, AF Mode, Focus Assist, Image Stabilization, Frame Rate, Auto Slow Shutter, Wind Screen, Mic Attenuator |
| Memory Operations | Card Info, Initialize |
| Display Setup | Brightness, Audio Level, , TV Screen, Markers, Language, Demo Mode |
| System Setup | Battery Info, Wireless Remote, Beep, Power Save, Quick Start, AV/Phones, Phones Volume, Image Numbers, Component Out, HDMI Status |
| Date/Time Setup | Time Zone/District, Date/Time, Date Format |
Portability (8.5)
Sony's new HDR-TG1 is extrememly compact, and is a prime example of just how small HD can be. Like the HF10, the HF100 is almost identical in size to the Sony HDR-CX7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $644.98) (Review, Specs, Recent News, $593.41), a camcorder that is sligthtly larger than the Panasonic HDC-SD9. The HF100 won't fit in a pant pocket, but it will fit snugly inside a small camcorder bag. The HF100 weighs in at 380g (13.4 oz.) without the battery pack and lens and measures 73mm x 64mm x 129mm (2.9 in. x 2.5 in. x 5.1 in.). There's no need to purchase DVDs or tapes to fill the camcorder bag up, but a couple of backup batteries and large capacity SDHC cards will do the trick.
The 2.7-inch LCD screen
LCD and Viewfinder(5.75)
The HF100 sports a 2.7-inch Multi-Angle Vivid Widescreen LCD with a 211,000 pixel display. The LCD screen flips out 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates up to 270 degrees. The HF100’s only monitor displays a sharp image with a decent color palette, though it's not as crisp as Sony's new LCD screens. Canon's new breed of LCD screens resist solarization at steep angles. Many controls are available along the along the bottom of the LCD panel: Function, Play/Pause/Record Start/Stop, Rewind/Zoom Out, Fast Forward/Zoom In, Stop/BLC. The HF100 is devoid of a viewfinder.
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| The battery and chamber |
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We tested the lifespan of the HF100’s BP-809 battery pack by recording continuously in Manual mode 1080/60i with the LCD flipped open. The HF100 held out for 85 minutes (1 hour, 25 minutes). This is a fairly underwhelming performance for a camcorder with no moving parts. Canon offers the BP-819 battery pack, which will be a necessity if you want the HF100 to last throughout the day.