I'm looking to getting a Canon VIXIA HF20 for my first camera, but I was also looking at the possibility of the Canon VIXIA HF S100. The two, from what I can see, are identical with the exception of the CMOS chip. The HF20 has a 1/4" chip, while the HF S100 is 1/2.6". What I'm wondering is how much of a difference this might make to video quality. My understanding is that a large chip usually means improved quality, but would it make enough of a difference to justify spending an extra $130.
Question Regarding CMOS
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I've actually never seen a camera listed with a 1/2.6" chip, but it's still technically bigger.
To be completely honest, no it's not going to make enough of a difference in the long run. Your better off at this stage to spend it else where.
If you were spending a couple grand on a camera, i'd suggest you spend the extra $130, but since your using a camcorder, it's not going to make or break our film in the slightest bit.
To be completely honest, no it's not going to make enough of a difference in the long run. Your better off at this stage to spend it else where.
If you were spending a couple grand on a camera, i'd suggest you spend the extra $130, but since your using a camcorder, it's not going to make or break our film in the slightest bit.
The HFS has a few more manual control options, and a better lens as well, so I would say that yes it actually is worth the price difference. I too was debating between the two for several weeks and settled on the HFS primarily because of the better lens. It's got basically the same lens system the old GL cameras had.
There's another difference between the HF20 and HFS100 you're overlooking. The HF20 has internal memory, the HFS100 does not (the HFS10 does).
I haven't bought it yet, and I'm still debating between the HFS10 and HFS100, but at the moment am leaning toward the HFS100 and spending the savings on SD cards and I'm also considering a mofoto for offloading sd cards in the field...
However... if you don't already have all the other gear that equally as important as a camera: lights and sound equipment, spend more money on those items than a camera.
There's another difference between the HF20 and HFS100 you're overlooking. The HF20 has internal memory, the HFS100 does not (the HFS10 does).
I haven't bought it yet, and I'm still debating between the HFS10 and HFS100, but at the moment am leaning toward the HFS100 and spending the savings on SD cards and I'm also considering a mofoto for offloading sd cards in the field...
However... if you don't already have all the other gear that equally as important as a camera: lights and sound equipment, spend more money on those items than a camera.
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Thanks, both.
Yeah, I've got some $ set aside to get audio and lighting equipment, so I should be good (not great, but good for a start) in that area.
I hadn't considered that the HF S100 doesn't have the internal memory. For some reason, I keep getting the HF S10 and HF S100 backwards. Where I'm looking the S10 is $200 more than the S100, but for that extra $200, I can get the S100 and 2 32Gb SDHC cards. Definitely a consideration. I've got at least a month to make a decision which of the 3 I'm going to grab. It probably will be the HF20, just because of cost. But, hey, who knows what I'll find on sale next month, right? After all, at one store I found an HF200 bundled with a 3' HDMI cable for $120 less than the HF200, alone. (They were sold out, and the sale ends today, but still...)
Thanks, again!
Yeah, I've got some $ set aside to get audio and lighting equipment, so I should be good (not great, but good for a start) in that area.
I hadn't considered that the HF S100 doesn't have the internal memory. For some reason, I keep getting the HF S10 and HF S100 backwards. Where I'm looking the S10 is $200 more than the S100, but for that extra $200, I can get the S100 and 2 32Gb SDHC cards. Definitely a consideration. I've got at least a month to make a decision which of the 3 I'm going to grab. It probably will be the HF20, just because of cost. But, hey, who knows what I'll find on sale next month, right? After all, at one store I found an HF200 bundled with a 3' HDMI cable for $120 less than the HF200, alone. (They were sold out, and the sale ends today, but still...)
Thanks, again!
I spotted a seller on ebay with a 100% rating and a lot of sales selling the HFS100 for $799 including shipping. Since there's generally no tax for an online purchase, and shipping is included this is the best price I've seen on it yet.
EDIT: The seller is Beach Camera out of New Jersey.. they're an authorized Canon dealer.
EDIT: The seller is Beach Camera out of New Jersey.. they're an authorized Canon dealer.
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Think I'll have to check that one out. Thanks, Will!
EDIT: I checked them out, and the prices look good. However, unfortunately, they don't ship to Canada. Ebay is still and idea, though, and I'm in the process of looking for Canadian sellers as we speak. (As we type? Whatever.
)
EDIT: I checked them out, and the prices look good. However, unfortunately, they don't ship to Canada. Ebay is still and idea, though, and I'm in the process of looking for Canadian sellers as we speak. (As we type? Whatever.
)
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Update: B&H photo has this new for that price. Canon is offering 300 instant rebates on this camera, and 200 on hf200.. my local retailer gave me the HF200 for the $550. $1 more than the B&H price. I like to shop local when I can. (something tells me that Ill be returning it for an upgrade to the HFS100, if they can meet that price! )
For you Oregonians, I have to recommend shutter bug in Hillsboro. Gave me fair pricing, and more importantly, good staff. They may not know much about the video stuff, but they try and are honest. I paid $100 cash on my purchase, and the rest on CC. I Didnt notice till I checked the CC statement, that they charged the full amount on the CC! I went into talk to them and they were grateful! They were freaked out at having $100 overrun on the cash register and now that I showed up they could explain it. They credited my card in just a few minutes. The important thing here, is I had NO PROOF. A less honest employee or manager could have just pocketed the $100 cash and I could do nothing about it. This means a LOT to me and I will give them the first "right of refusal" every time.
Thanks
It's comforting to know there are still ethical businesses around, even in these tumultuous economic times..
No doubt..
I'm picking up my HFS100 for lunch today ($799)! (trading in the HF200, which I loved BTW) I want the additional manual controls (0 gain) zebra stripes, and the customizable wheel thing..
Since buying the hf200 last week, I saved my milk money, did a little "creative" bookkeeping and scrounged up another $250 for the upgrade. With that store I got to keep and use the HF200 while I thought about the HFs100. I like that a lot.
Basically I'm buying the most camera I can afford, future proofing my self for as long as I can. Maybe next year, AFTER, I get a new PC, Ill go down the 35mm adapter path. For now, I'm good. (though my wallet is much lighter )
I'm picking up my HFS100 for lunch today ($799)! (trading in the HF200, which I loved BTW) I want the additional manual controls (0 gain) zebra stripes, and the customizable wheel thing..
Since buying the hf200 last week, I saved my milk money, did a little "creative" bookkeeping and scrounged up another $250 for the upgrade. With that store I got to keep and use the HF200 while I thought about the HFs100. I like that a lot.
Basically I'm buying the most camera I can afford, future proofing my self for as long as I can. Maybe next year, AFTER, I get a new PC, Ill go down the 35mm adapter path. For now, I'm good. (though my wallet is much lighter )
Just ordered an HF S100 from Amazon. $795.35 with free shipping and they offered a free Canon BP-808 Lithium Ion Battery (that promotion is also offered with the HF S10). Putting this up here in case anyone is still looking for one.
I was originally thinking HV40, but decided that if I was buying new Flash memory seemed to make more sense than tape. I choose the HF S100 over the HF S10 because I just like the idea of having two card slots over one card slot and internal memory. Including the cost of 32GB of cards with HF S100, they were about the same price.
I was originally thinking HV40, but decided that if I was buying new Flash memory seemed to make more sense than tape. I choose the HF S100 over the HF S10 because I just like the idea of having two card slots over one card slot and internal memory. Including the cost of 32GB of cards with HF S100, they were about the same price.
Adam,
Sounds like we got the same cam (almost) and I look forward to learning about it. Have you taken it out of the box yet Dang its sexy compared to the HF20\200. Im looking for some filters and a hood (plus battery charger and more batteries.. ) since its 58mm all the gl1 and gl2 lens accessories should fit..
Sounds like we got the same cam (almost) and I look forward to learning about it. Have you taken it out of the box yet
Dang its sexy compared to the HF20\200. Im looking for some filters and a hood (plus battery charger and more batteries.. ) since its 58mm all the gl1 and gl2 lens accessories should fit..Adam,
Sounds like we got the same cam (almost) and I look forward to learning about it. Have you taken it out of the box yet
Don't actually have it, yet, and it probably won't be here until next week (just ordered it this morning). I'm really excited about it, though... I actually stayed up until like 2:00am so that my latest paycheck would be in the bank and I could order a few hundred worth of accessories with it.
I'm hoping that I'll be able to use my netbook to backup data to portable drives during a shoot. Basically I'm thinking something along the lines of pulling out a card when it's full, popping it into the netbook to backup the data, and continuing to shoot when a fresh card.
Im just garbing lots of smaller cards. 8gb class 4's are cheap, about $17 each. Buy one each week and by the time I'm really ready to shoot I should have 100Gb of storage (12 weeks) enough that I can dedicate a scene to each card, at least for the shooting day.. 40 mins of footage for every 1 min of final movie is about right for me.. YMMV
I think canon product names are backwards.. Seem that an HFs10 would be less desirable than an HFs100.. I mean 'comon, its like 90 more! 90 what I don't know
And the HF200 vs HFs100 is even more confusing.. should have just been HS and HF (since S is bigger than F it would be obvious to EVERYONE that HS is better than HF.. but no..