Questions on the Canon vixia hf 100?

Question

Im thinking about getting a canon vixia hf 100 but i have a few questions.

Question 1: What are some cons/bad things about the hf 100

Question 2: Is it a good camcorder to film skateboarding or other sports?

Answer 1

Let's start with the good:

This camcorder is a High Definition video camera.  The greatest advantage for your situations is that HD will be able to show all the details of your skateboarder's lifestyle very well.  All the artwork, clothing, images, logos, and different looks and tricks individual to each skateboarder will be shown with true to life detail.

The camcorder can also be adjusted to various frame rates and between recording interlaced or progressive video frames.  This may help improve recording different types of action of different types of sports - depending on the story you want to tell.

Canon also has some very good technology in the camcorder that will assist you to take very good videos even if you are not particularly experienced in recording sports documentaries or similar type videos.  The optical stabilizer is one of the best available.  You will want to use a tripod or monopod as often as possible, but you will also be able to do some handheld work with very stable video if necessary.  The instant autofocus is also very good if you don't want to worry about adjusting focus on the fly while your subject is doing rapid or spontaneous tricks.

This CMOS camera is very lightweight and compact, so you can take it almost anywhere and use it in tight places. There is also an external microphone connection, so you can attach a wireless mic to your skateboarder or attach a shotgun mic for recording sound a few feet away from the video camera.

This camcorder uses the AVCHD codec which records the same video to a smaller space than HDV and miniDV tape.  AVCHD files can also be moved and accessed faster than real time - faster than HDV or miniDV tape.  The files are stored on SDHC memory cards which are quick and easy to use or store.

Now for the bad news:

Most home users and some professional users are having problems with the AVCHD files.  Some users are also having a hard time getting the video from the camcorder to the computer.

AVCHD also compresses the video into a tighter format that HDV and miniDV.  This will definitely make your editing and rendering times longer than if you were using video from HDV or miniDV.  Some users are having difficulty capturing and editing the AVCHS files in their current editing programs.  If you are using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, you may have some problems.  Some users have had to purchase  to a more powerful editing program such as Apple's Final Cut Express, Sony Vegas, or Avid's Pinnacle Studio (all available for less tan $100), and some users have had to move to higher, more powerful editing programs in some cases (costing several hundred dollars or more).

If you want an hour of good video, Canon's website explains that you will need to use an 8GB SDHC card from Toshiba, SanDisk, or Matsushita (also known as Panasonic or Technics). This will probably cost $30-$50 or more depending on where you purchase the card.  16gb cards are available for a higher price and 4gb are also available for a more economical price.  Regardless of the size you choose, you will want to get at least 2 memory cards.  If you do not want to use the camcorder as the SDHC card reader, you will need to purchase a newer card reader which specifically states it can read SDHC cards.  This will also cost $30-$50 or more depending on where you buy it and what other features are on the reader.

There are some serious pros and cons here.  Depending on your budget and experience, each of these issues can be overcome in different ways.   Take your time and Choose Wisely