Description

With the Canon VIXIA HF R100 Flash Memory Camcorder, you'll find that high definition video has hit new levels of convenience, ease, performance- and value. The VIXIA HF R100 records to SD memory cards and features Canon's Smart Auto. A Genuine Canon 20x HD Video Lens and Dynamic IS works in combination with our sophisticated Canon HD image processing to deliver the sharp, vivid, lifelike video you want to see on your HDTV. Advanced Video Snapshot lets you create 2-, 4- or 8-second movie clips, with music, that are perfect for sharing. And advanced easy-to-operate control features of the VIXIA HF R100 help to make high-quality video that can turn the casual shooter into the family cinematographer, at our most affordable HD price.

Customer Reviews

 Great image and features but the autofocus makes some noise in quiet scenes - Aug 18, 2010

At least one reviewer mentioned that the camera makes a clicking or whirring noise when recording quiet scenes. This is true and is due to the autofocus. When switched to manual focus the noise goes away completely. This doesn't help matters much, but if you're recording something that doesn't require constant focus changes (e.g. far away objects where the focus is at infinity anyway) then you can let it focus automatically first then switch it to manual focus before starting recording. If you're into video editing and plan on having music or narration over the original audio track then I wouldn't consider the noise a point against buying this camera.

Noise aside, the 'Instant Autofocus' really is instant. I let it focus on my hand very close up and as soon as I pulled it away it snapped the other end of the room right into focus.

Other than that the camera is great for the price. The picture is amazing on the highest quality setting but still very good at the lowest setting. The automatic lens cover (though fairly ubiquitous now) is awesome. It comes out of standby almost instantly and allows you to start recording while barely missing any action. The 20x optical zoom is quick and great to have as it makes composition more versatile. The camera itself is tiny (and I have small hands), so it's very easy to hold and operate.

One thing to note about the image stabilization is that when you're playing back something in slow motion (that was recorded using high zoom) the image can look slightly wavy and distorted occasionally, but it's not that bad (due to the image stabilization doing its job). When watching at normal speed, though, it's unnoticeable. If you plan on doing a lot of slow motion playback, I'd recommend using a tripod with the image stabilization turned off.

Battery life is pretty much what the Canon specs state, which is decent but not amazing. I'd recommend buying a couple more (if you're out in the boonies with no electricity) on [...] or Amazon. DON'T buy Canon batteries as they're way overpriced. I got a 1700 mAh battery and car/wall charger for $15 on [...] and haven't had any problems.

The manual states that not all HDTVs will work with the camera when using an HDMI cable. I have a 32" Toshiba and it doesn't work. It could be the model or the brand, who knows. The camera does work fine with the supplied component cables. This doesn't bother me as I usually transfer the video to my computer and put it on a flash drive, which I then plug into my Blu-Ray and play from there. It's a much better interface as I can use the remote just like I'm watching a movie and don't have to fuss with the limited camera controls.

Overall I'd highly recommend this camera, especially if you live in the U.S. where everything is so ridiculously cheap. I live in Canada where prices tend to be a bit higher and many companies don't ship here or the customs fees basically negate any savings from the lower base price.

 Decent Picture, Audio annoyances - Jul 05, 2010

I Received the HFR100 as an early birthday gift and at first it seemed alright. But then i really started testing it,and came up with an overall conclusion to the camera. It's not all it's cracked out to be, and could be better for the price.

Reasons:

The 60i Frame rate is pointless. If you're going to shoot shoot with this camera shoot in 24p or 30p. At highest quality it's not too bad... If you're in bright light scenarios. Once you get regular light (i.e. a typically lit indoor room, or a room with natural light coming in) and low light, it gets really grainy. I also realized that you don't get 1080 unless u use the FXP 12mbps mode. Otherwise it's slightly less resolution and not true 1080.

But the biggest kicker that made me really dislike this camera was the noise that comes from the camera and manages to seep into your video. Unless you're shooting a loud scene, you will notice an audible, fast, repeating "Clacking" sound seep into your video. This was the killer for me. I plan on using my next camera for some semi-professional projects. The part that I don't get is why it makes this kind of noise from a Flash Based camera!?

Additionally i don't like that you can't put on additional lenses, the auto focus is pretty slow to react. Image stabilization is useless even slightly zoomed in (Dynamic IS helps a little but not much). No place for a light attachment. The microphone input is nice, but if you're using a wireless mic, the camera person is going to have to hold in his hand or pocket the receiver.

I didn't try the editing software that came with the Camera and used Final Cut Pro instead. It worked fine with that using the "Log and Transfer" option. FCP works with the files just fine. The drawback to the file format that this file uses is that it needs to be converted for a mac to read it by default. Didn't try any other programs to view the video so i can't comment on which programs will work on the Mac.

Bottom Line: If you are just shooting to shoot family vacations or something that may not be seen by a bunch of people? This isn't that bad of a camera for that. However if you care about the quality and the ability to do more than just point and shoot, skip this and spring for a higher model like the HF-M30.

 Great camera But - Jun 14, 2010

THIS CAMERA TAKES GREAT HD VIDEO.
It is simple to use and connects by hdmi directly to your TV. The video is stunning. Please , I don't want to hear that the cable did not come with the camera. When you buy the camera order the cable. I purchased three on Amazon for $.59 each and the shipping still cost more than the cables and they work great. Buy an extra battery they also can be found inexpensively along with an external battery charger.

My only complaints about the camera are the wide angle at zero zoom is pretty tight ( I should have checked the specs more carefully ) and since the camera only has the lcd screen - pointing it in bright sunlight and getting what you want in the picture can be a challenge. Practice shooting without using the screen until you know where to point it without looking at the screen.( its digital and does not cost anything to practice ) By the way the camera stays in the zoom position it is in when you turn it off and when you turn it back on it is still in the same position. The size and weight make the camera pocketable if you are wearing a mans shirt with pockets just put a neck strap through the hand grip to prevent accidents

That being said, understand unless you have made or are going to make the investment in a HD dvd player and HD dvd burner , software that can edit and burn HD video disks you will only see DVD quality video on the disks that you burn. The software that comes with the camera did not need to be in the box. Go buy hd editing software.

Final verdict. Good camera, light weight, small but not to small, great quality video, still pic quality good for what it is ( steal frames from video just as good ) just understand the HD camera is just the beginning if you want HD on your tv screen ,unless your tv has a card reader then you store your HD video on HDMC cards and eat the cost of cards.

 Warning, lacks Mac software - Jun 06, 2010

REVIEW REVISED 6/8/10

I've been using the Vixia HF R100 camcorder for a few days now and the camera itself works fine. But I'm giving it two stars (up from one in the first version of this review) as a way to ding Canon for leaving out software that would make it more practical to transfer and use video files on a Macintosh.

The camcorder comes with software from Pixela that lets you transfer files from the camera to a Windows PC, edit your videos, and export to common formats like WMV or MPEG-2. But it doesn't include a Mac version of this software -- if you want that, you have to go to Pixela and buy it separately for $100. I don't see why Mac owners should be penalized, and there's no warning in the product description that the software supplied is Windows-only.

If I'd done more homework before my purchase I would have learned that the Vixia HF R100 records in a newish high-definition format called AVCHD and outputs a file format, "mts," that can't be viewed or edited directly on a Mac. You have to import and convert your .mts files using Pixela, Roxio's Toast, or an editing program like iMovie or Final Cut Pro before you can work with them. None of this is explained in the advertising for the Vixia or even in the instruction manuals.

My whole experience with the software side of the Vixia makes me ache to be back in the land of Apple products, where everything just works.

 Great camera - Jun 04, 2010

This digital video camera is great for a person on the go. The images are clear, the size is small enough to fit in my purse, the video is sharp, the camera images are very clear also. The zoom feature gives you the ability to get close without moving or changing lenses. The camera is hard to stablize due to it's smallness, a slight move creates an obvious shake effect. I prefer to use a tripod with the camera or at minmum a monopod which allows me a more fluid motion in my movies.

 Unacceptable sound, average video - Jun 03, 2010

I bought this for my kids who previously used a Sanyo Xacti with zero complaints other than motion blur..... I'm a Canon DSLR devotee so expected excellent quality only to be 'shocked' at the audio noise - exactly as posted by the other reviewer. Mechanical noise, very audible and frankly surprised this product had been allowed to leave the factory... also very disappointed with the video quality... will be returning and suggest you pass on this one. Canon has done itself no favours in rushing a sub-standard budget product to market.

 battery only good for 45 minutes - May 31, 2010

battery could be longer, video is better than SD though, maybe HD video is taking too much battery comparing to SD?
my wife is complaining the software is terrible, very hard to use.
returning it.

 not as good as expected - May 22, 2010

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1FW471OXORL8H I give a 2-star because of the excessive noise in quiet scenes and less than expected image quality (daylight or lowlight).

The noise came from inside the camcorder body. There must be a motor inside it. I don't understand why a flash card based camcorder has to run a motor all the time. I compared the recorded noise to my old Sony tape camcorder. I also asked my friend recorded a testing video in quiet room (He has a Vixia HF 100#. Unlike this HF R100, those two don't have any audible noises.

When I recorded the first video, I didn't notice this problem. But then the battery quickly ran out of its initial charge, so I had to charge it for a few hours. When the battery was ready, it was already near midnight. Duh! The noise is the only sound in the video!! The uploaded video shows how the noise sounds.

The noise problem might be an accidental defect. However, the image quality is not as good as expected either. I believe the quality under daylight is less than or around DVD at most #480p#. The image looks a little blurred under low light.

When I called Canon customer service for the noise problem, I was told I was the first one to complain about this. I decided to return the product. I purchased from Expo Electronics on Amzon. I want to thank them that I didn't have to pay shipping both ways.

Pros:
1. Nice menu, very easy to use.
2. Very small and light.

Cons:
1. Excessive noise in quiet scenes #as you can hear in the uploaded video#
2. Image quality less than expected at 17Mbps on HDTV

Other notes:
1. There's no separate battery charger. However, if you have a Canon SLR, depending on the model, you *might* be able to use that to recharge the HF R100 battery.
2. I forgot to check LCD screen under sunlight. I only used it in the morning. It's quite clear.
3. At 20x zoom, the image is not so stable as I expected. My hands are relatively stable compared to many others. But I guess I have to use a tripod at this zoom level.

 Poor indoor video quality. Good in day light. - May 06, 2010

I gave 4 stars because of poor indoor videos. Need to have VERY BRIGHT LIGHT to get clear videos. Low light videos have BLACK SPOTS which i didn't expect in a HD video camera for this price. I tried all the video modes in this camcorder and noticed poor video quality in medium light.

If you are planing to take videos during the day with bright light, you can go ahead with this camcorder. I won't recommend this camcorder if you are planing to take video in medium or low light. I don't see any other major issues with this camera.

- It is light weight, compact and handy
- Plan to buy large capacity SD card (min. 8GB, class 4 or more) if you plan to take more than 2 hours video
- Good video quality in day light even in 42" HDTV
- Face detection feature is great in this camcorder
- The menu controls are not user friendly and you need try couple of times to get used to the menu options
- While moving from low light to bright light, i noticed there is a delay in adjusting to the new location (around 2 sec)

 Canon Vixia HF R100 enthusiast - May 05, 2010

Since purchasing and using the Canon Vixia HF R100 (search c925-1520) for a month since 4/8/2010, my opinion has moved from doubtful skeptic to delighted enthusiast.

I am a non-professional user who has occasionally used several video machines(beta, vhs, 8mm, mini-DV, Hard Disk, DVD, and now HD to SD chip) to capture life events (gatherings, celebrations, outings, sports events, documentary of people, animals, plants, stage plays, and travel). Except for cell snapshots, The HFR100 is now my ONE camera for both video & stills.

Initially, the factory setting for video disappointed. Once the Camera was configured to HD CINE 24 frame mode, the results became much more clear, vivid, detailed & acceptable. While slow panning The DIGIC DV III processor and 2.39 megapixel HD CMOS process images fast enough to create clear individual frames without the choppiness that earlier, slower HD cams had (shots from a moving car with the Vixia actually produced some usable frames and clips).

The 20x(40-800 mm 35mm eq.), glass, canon-quality lens is not threaded to accept threaded filters or wide/tele extensions, but is recessed about 1 cm behind the camera face so it is both protected and somewhat hooded from surrounding light sources. An automatic, drop-down into the cam, lens protector operates when the cam is switched on/off. This is a great feature for protecting the lens while being quick ready. The dynamic image stabilization worked well out to 20X and was amazingly steady for videoing while walking at wide angle settings. The digital zoom (oversampling feature beyond 20X) may be set to 80X or 400X and in this camera may be good enough to produce some useful images in these ranges.

The Instant autofocus was superb. Focus was always very close to being on or slightly deep into the field. There was no "dancing-focus" or movements toward the wrong end of the focusing scale whatsoever. The manual focus automatically magnified in the LCD panel, aiding focus. The high quality LCD panel was very sharp. Its readability in direct sunlight was enhanced with the backlight turned on.

The automatic face detection autofocus did a fantastic job of keeping the focal plane on faces even in a sports action environment. This also worked somewhat to keep wildflower blossoms in focus. Menus and controls are fairly intuitive, but the disk based (also available for download feom the canon web site) .pdf instruction manual should be read to access all of the feature-rich options this unit offers.

I normally carry the camera out and off. This camera starts, focuses, rapid zooms and readies itself very quickly (about 3 sec) so it is hard to miss a shot. Additionally the new, pre-record feature carries 3 sec of video to add in front of your clips to make it difficult to miss shots as long as the camera is on and pointed in the right direction.

The Smart AUTO setting works very well for point-and-shoot capture in most any condition. For difficult environments there are 10 manual modes that can produce great results in extreme conditions. I was disappointed with the low-light results in auto mode, but in the low light mode I was astounded to see what crisp COLOR images could be made in with such little light. An on-camera light is not present nor needed with this camera unless substantial low-light action shots are desired. Campfire light, flashlight, or moonlight are plenty adequate light sources. Starlight is usable with a bipod and no panning.

The stereo sound is bright, adjustable and very accurate. The wind dampening filter was minimal - not adequate. I have been experimenting with sponge materials to attach over the mics. The camera records a low decibel irregular low sound (something like a 16mm film sprocket). It is noticeable when played back at high volumes, and might be objectionable if listening closely for something near the same bandwidth in a low noise recording. I found it tolerable, but I'm hoping this will be corrected in later production.

The battery lasted about two hours. By keeping the camera off, I was able to get through a full day of taking portraits and snapshots on one battery. The day I accidentally left the camera on, I had a failure, but was able to charge it quickly and adequately with a car inverter. A back-up battery would be a wise precaution. On about 38 hrs of experimentation, camera set at highest resolutions, and including several hrs. of picking "snapshots" off of 220 video clips. I have 690 HD stills and have used 6.16G of a Patriot class6 16.1G SD chip. There are plenty of connectors (mini USB (use the included cable with this camera), mini HDMI (no cable included), component out (cable included), power in (115V adapter included)(battery is small(15x32x45mm) and recharged in the camera, a switchable 1/8"(3.5mm) pin headphone/ a/v out jack ((1/8 to (3) RCA) cable is included), and an external mic port. There is no hotshoe.

Advances- on an Alaskan Cruise a few years ago I quit using a still camera, because the high zoom of the Video Cam got us close to the action. The snapshots we could pull were tolerable for computer viewing, but inadequate for blow-ups. While watching glaciers "calve", after the "crack", the challenge was to get the vid cam on and focused in the exact right direction before the ice sloughed into the sea. The canon Vixia HF R100 would have been up to the task. It's fast to start and the resulting images are HD quality.

USAGE- I set the camera for highest resolution, power saver, and keep it off until shooting. This camera will easily fit in a pocket or purse. I normally keep attached a 1 5/8 lb. 10"- 54" collapsible tripod. This added weight stabilizes the light (12 oz. with battery & chip) cam and improves results. The collapsible nature of the tripod with one, two, or three legs variously extended, greatly enhanced results.
At full zoom I found it difficult, even with the tripod, to take a still directly without shaking the camera. I find it much more effective to pull an image during playback while hooked to a monitor, using the snapshot feature. Playback speeds are 1/8 or 1/4 (a remote control is not available with this canon series), so it takes a little effort to find the best frame, but I find the result far more satisfying than trying to catch the perfect still.

Not everyone has the "photographer's eye" or the ability to catch the perfect frame of an event with a still, but most can select the best frame out of a video clip. Pixels are: 1,040,000 optical zoom dynamic image stabilization, 1,560,000 image stabilization off, 1,560,000 16:9 still, 1,730,000 4:3 still. While not exactly professionally acceptable, the 1 meg images will be acceptable for most casual user uses. Few video cams, costing much more, can offer better resolution off of a video clip than the HFR100.

What I like most about this camera is that it is small- very easy to carry every day. It is fast to prepare itself to shoot very good video. The third and most important thing is that the resulting video/still is very good. This camera does basic videography very well, and has a host of features to handle difficult light, movement or color situations even better. This camera has come a long way toward being my perfect camera, and is state of the industry in several critical areas. I kept it, use it, and recommend it. It has quality features and no weaknesses. I notice the Canon HFR 10 (the middle camera in this series) with 8G memory built in, is now selling for only $20 more. It may be a better price point. -Happy Hunting- 5/5/2010

 easy to use, great videos - May 02, 2010

We purchased this to record our daughter's wedding and for general videoing. It is super easy to set up and use, and the light weight makes it easy to use for extended periods of time. The quality of the video is very good as long as there is sufficient light. It does not have a built in flash or light so indoor evening shots are not recommended as they will be dark. However, for outdoor videos or still shots, it works very well, and if there is strong lighting, indoors use is fine. The photos are clear and with this camcorder you can get away with using it for photos as well as video, again as long as you are using it with strong light or outdoors. I strongly recommend a high speed high capacity memory card as it will fill up quickly using the video.

 Not a dual flash memory card as advertised - Mar 17, 2010

Camera seems fine and works well, but I was expecting 2 memory slots not 1, so I was disapointed since it was discribed as dual memory. Couple other negatives; you need a mini to HDMI cord (not provided) to play on your HDTV; the LCD screen not as clear as the comparable Sony.

That said, I am keeping the camera, because so far the performance of the camera is outstanding and I would recommend it for an entry level HD camcorder. The picture quality is outstanding and it is really easy to use. I have not played with the software, but I can say that you can only view the HD movies in the program provided. Again the movie quality is great!