 Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom digital cameras, camcorders for sale |
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Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
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List Price: $1,299.99
Our Price:
$764.45
You Save: $535.54
Features
• Record up to 15 hours of high-definition video to 40 GB hard disk drive
• Canon full-HD CMOS sensor; 24p Cinema Mode
• High-definition 10x optical zoom lens; 2.7-inch widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD
• SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer; simulatneous still-photo capture
• HDMI terminal; advanced accessory shoe |
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Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥
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Excellent Compact HD Camcorder
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I have been using the Canon HG10 for a month now and couldn't be happier with the quality of the recordings. This camcorder has many useful features and no fatal flaws. I'm basing the five stars on the price/performance ratio. I'm not basing the rating on the supplied software and editing capabilities because there are too many variables with computer configurations and I just want to focus on the camera's performance. I have owned an 8mm and two Mini DV camcorders over the last twenty years and have never seen results that are anything close to what I get with this camcorder. Most of my shooting has been done with full automatic mode.
Here are the features and characteristics I really like:
First and foremost, color saturation and accuracy. Even if this wasn't high definition, I'd be pleased with it for the realistic color rendition alone.
It has very good low light shooting capability. Don't expect the crisp, smooth, colorful images you get under bright lighting, but this will pick up viewable images under candlelight and outside images at night under a bright moon. It works well under normal indoor lighting at night which is where I shoot a lot of video.
The auto focus is lightning fast. You won't see a lot of "hunting" to focus. The image stabilization works amazingly well. My videos haven't looked this steady since I was using my big, heavy 8mm camcorder years ago. The automatic white balance is very fast and accurate too.
The hard drive is quick, quiet, and a real convenience after dealing with tapes for years. All of the important data is embedded in the video. No more writing information on tiny cassette labels. Finding a particular clip by viewing thumbnails is a huge improvement over winding a tape back and forth.
The controls are well placed and easy to use. The variable speed zoom is excellent and I really like having the option of using a viewfinder or LCD screen when shooting.
There are more manual options than I'm used to seeing in a compact camcorder. If you've ever used a Canon digital still camera, you'll be in familiar territory with the manual settings and effects. Check out cinema mode. It looks great but it does reduce the contrast and brightness slightly.
The still photo mode produces very good pictures. At about 2.7 megapixels, it won't compete with most current dedicated digital still cameras for resolution, but the results are fine if you don't blow the pictures up too big. The excellent optics and image sensor really help here.
A few things I don't like:
Having to plug in the AC adapter to transfer video files to a computer. I know this is to protect the hard drive, but it is a nuisance. Still images can be transfered under battery power.
Mini SD card for storing still images. Storing still images on the hard drive would be tidy but might complicate playback. My gripe is that you have to use a mini and not a regular SD card. Regular SD cards are generally cheaper and easier to find. The memory card was not included. Including a small capacity card wouldn't add much to the cost of the camera and would mean the still photo mode will work right out of the box. I had to order a card and wait an extra week before I could use the still photo mode. Not a big deal, but I think everything should be ready to go right away.
Specialized connections for HDMI and component video. Mini to standard HDMI cables are more expensive and harder to find than standard to standard HDMI cables. Component video is accessed by a special type of mini plug for the camera. The cable is included, but if it's lost or damaged, it could be difficult to find a replacement. Using the composite video output downconverts the resolution to 480p. Even at 480p, the video still looks very good.
These aren't fatal flaws, but they are minor drawbacks; not quite enough for me to dock the rating by a star.
A couple of things that I'm nutral on are the flash and the built in microphone. The built in microphone I would consider good, but average. The flash works well for still images but seems to have a somewhat shorter useful range than the built in flash on a lot of dedicated digital cameras. You can attach a stronger flash to the hot shoe.
To sum everything up;
Stunning video quality
Good sound. Can be improved by using an external microphone.
Easy to use. Good control layout. You can hold and operate it with one hand.
Automatic mode works really well and there are lots of manual control options if you want to tweak them.
For the first time, I'm getting video that looks as good or better than anything I see on broadcast television!
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