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Note: this camcorder was first sold in Apr 2008. There may be newer versions available.
Canon Vixia HF100 Camcorder
Canon Vixia HF100 Camcorder
D+
HQ Grade: D+
A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of camcorders.
B means they are good, with some standout features.
C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they are worth.
D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs.
  • 4 out of 5
"An excellent camcorder"
  • 5 out of 5
"Best in Show"
See rating based on 480 user reviews
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Question Answered!
Justin (gogomez1) 0 pts
June 27, 2008 10:43 AM
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Need opinions/suggestions on buying my first post-8mm camcorder.

I'm looking for a basic camcorder to document family events. My primary reason for purchasing a new camera is to have a medium that we can keep for decades to show our kids themselves growing up. I don't think I'll be doing any editing, simply recording and saving for the future. Obviously, money is always an issue, but I do want to buy something that will a) Meet my needs for a next generation camcorder and b) Not pay to have a lot of options/accessories that I'll never end up using.

Any suggestions much appreciated, thank you.
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Answers This question has been answered!
Aditya D (Adhere) 7462 pts
July 8, 2008 11:46 AM
1 people rated this answer helpful, 0 people rated this answer not helpful
 
Justin, I would take a look at some digital camcorders with Hard Drives, and possibly High Definition. With the big switch in Feb 2009 to all digital signals, TVs are going to have to start becoming high def, because thats how signals will be transmitted. Along with the change comes high definition camcorders that can now play on these TVs, so High Definition is the way to go. It will be a bit more expensive, but definitely worth the jump. I recommend hard drive because you can record several hours of video (30+ hours) at a time before downloading it to a computer, which will allow you to not have to carry a bunch of tapes or mini-dvds around. There are several brands to choose from, all with different options as far as price, size, and features go, but I would start by taking a look at Sony, Canon, and Panasonic, in the respective cameras at your price range. Hope this helps, if you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Best Answer
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by James DeRuvo (byjamesderuvo) 58448 pts
July 8, 2008 1:00 PM
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The downside of hard drive based camcorders are, however, that they are rather finicky in extreme temperatures and altitudes. So don't take it skiing or in the desert anytime soon. Convenience is the basic watchword here. My suggestion is to take a look at the flash based camcorders like the Canon Vixia HF100 or the miniDV tape based HV30.

The nice thing about the HF100 is that you can use existing SDHC cards and transferring to the PC is easy. Then it's a simple burn to DVD. And at around $600 for HD, it's very affordable. As for the HV30, you can't go wrong with miniDV tape. Tried and true.
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