Canon VIXIA HF S100

When Canon released the Canon HF S100 they stated it was “easy and convenient to share HD video,” and they were right. The connections such as the HDMI port make it easy to hook up to other technological components and upload videos to your computer. Overall the S100 has excellent image quality, accurate capture, vibrant color, a compact design, and an easy to use style. There are drawbacks to this early version of the VIXIA HF S series. It has a relatively short battery life, limited software, disappointing low- light performance, sound/ audio, and for some it is uncomfortable to hold.

Canon VIXIA HF S100

Features

The S100 series comes with Canon’s exclusive 8.59 Megapixel CMOS image sensor and DIGIC DV III processor. It is light weight, compact, and has convenient flash memory. It can be used with laptops, MP3 players, PDA’s, and cell phones. This model will record up to 6 hours of video with the SDHC memory card. It also has an extended recording space option if needed. You can record at a rate of 24Mbps in AVCHD format for high quality images. To add to the rest of the features it has the 10x HD video lens, face detection, optical image stabilization, and other options.

It is necessary to be more specific on some of the top features we have listed above. The memory of the Canon HF S100 can be up to 32GB with the removable SDHC memory card. When using the 24Mbps and 32GB memory card it is possible to obtain 2 hours and 55 minutes of video. If you use the LP mode at 5Mbps you can increase your recording time to 12 hours and 15 minutes. The S100 does not have dual memory, which means there is no internal memory, just external. To obtain 1920×1080 resolution with your S100 you need a Class 4 or higher memory card.

The lens of any camera is important to ensure you obtain the best shots, no matter where you are in the room. Canon S100 Camcorder comes with the 10x HD video lens providing you with the distance you need for recording a child playing on a soccer field or on stage. There are four zoom speeds: three pre-set and one variable speed. The setup allows for a smooth, professional appearing zoom shot. The lens is coated with Super Spectra Coating to reduce flair and ghosting. The lens’ aspheric structure decreases aberration and helps resolution be clear and sharp. The S100 has a built in 1.7x Tele-converter to increase the telephoto range it has, offering the 200x digital zoom.

The image stabilization mentioned above is worth delving into. You may remember photographs or videos you took ten or twenty years ago. You were angry because you were not able to catch the blurred video you made until it was too late. A small shake of your hand could instantly throw the image into a blurred mess. Luckily with Canon those days are over. The image stabilization holds the camera steady for small movements, such as a shaking hand. You also have the replay option to ensure you have clear video as you tape. The added editing features on the camera will help you cut out the significant bobbles made. Any slight motion or vibration of the camera will be stabilized by the optical image stabilization feature.

Specifications

Specifications regarding the Canon HF S100 include manual exposure settings for the focusing system. You have Instant AF, Face Priority AF, and TTL. There are also programmed AE’s like auto, P, Av, Tv, Portrait, Sports, Night, etc. The minimum focusing distance is 10mm wide and 1m telephoto with a max shutter speed of 1/2000 for movies and 1/500 still image.

There are USB, Video, and Microphone terminals to help increase its usability. The USB and Video terminals make it easy to hook up the camera to other components and share the video. The microphone terminal allows for an external device to be added for better sound quality and noise reduction when needed.

Price

Canon’s VIXIA HF S100 series is $1099.99 at suggested retail. The features and specifications of the camcorder account for the high price. If you take the occasional video and are not looking for professional recordings this is not the camera for you. The HF S100 presents a professional, clean, and sharp image of the moments you wish to record. While there are newer models on the market with dual memory, if you can only afford the Canon HF S100 you are getting a great camera.

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