Camcorder Reviews

Overview: Every Video Aficionado’s Dream

The VIXIA HF G10 packs just about every single feature that a video aficionado could ask for. This flash Memory camcorder is Canon’s new flagship model that provides ultimate HD quality and performance with its ability to shoot in 24p cinematic frame rate. Also onboard is a 32GB internal flash drive along with dual card slots that is SDXC-compatible. Recording 1920 x 1080 full HD video, it also features an authentic Canon 10x HD lens with the background blur seamlessly smoothened by the 8-blade iris together with a manual focus ring enhancing control. Driving all of the above stunning detail and vivid images would be the heart of the camcorder, the Canon HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor. This 1.3-inch image sensor is responsible for a stunning low-light performance and a wide dynamic range, offering the kind of flexibility that no other consumer camcorder offers.

Working hand in hand with the sensor creating each such great shot would be Canon’s DIGIC III Image Processor. This takes care of minimizing noise, correcting colour giving out life-like images together with powering a great deal of features like Cinema-look Filters and Smart Auto. There is also a generous 3.5-inch Hi-Res LCD Touch Panel providing chunky, crisp and easy navigation of the menu. Additionally, features such as the native 24p recording, inbuilt microphone, Cinema-Look filters and thorough manual control guides astute users with wide level of creative management.

In terms of shooting functions, well the Canon Vixia HF G10 Flash Memory Camcorder has a whole host of them up its sleeve. For starters, there are this conventional functions found on most consumer camcorders like the Shooting Assist that makes shooting a cakewalk, Composition Aids, Custom Key and Dial. When it comes to advanced controls, there is this Aperture Priority, Manual Exposure and Shutter Priority, to name a few. Amongst the prosaic features, you get to see Instant AF, Advanced Video Snapshot, Face detection, so on and so forth. As expected, it also packs the Pixela Video Browser Software from Canon that is Windows 7, XP (SP2 ad 3) and Vista compatible. Needless to say, it comes in handy with sharing and editing videos post production.

Well, all great stuff does come with a little amount of shortcomings, don’t they? And the Canon G10 is no exception to this! But then, the drawbacks are fairly minor and definitely do not make you regret your purchase. Of course, you might think twice before experimenting on this great piece of equipment when you see its price tag, but if you do not mind splurging on a good camcorder, then the G10 is definitely the way to go!  So let us take a virtual tour of the same, Shall we?

Box Contents

• VIXIA HF G10 Camcorder
• Stylus pen
• Lens Hood
• Remote control
• Compact Power Adaptor CA-570
• Stereo Video cable STV-250N
• Mini HDMI cable HTC-100/S
• Battery pack BP-808
• Wireless Controller WL-D89
• USB cable IFC-300PCU
• AV cable
• Instruction Manual
• 3 Discs worth of software:
• -    Photo applications/music disc
  -    Pixela video browser software disc
  -    Pixels transfer utility disc

Design and Build

The Canon VIXIA HF G10 is definitely not the sleekest camcorder that you would have laid your eyes on, particularly with its hefty dimensions of 77 x 78 x 151 mm and with a weight of 20.8oz (with the battery). A good deal of its bulk is the result of its attractive features like the huge, wide-angle lens, 1/3-inch CMOS sensor, 32GB built-in storage etc. Despite the size, it still is fairly comfy to hold even for someone with the smallest of hands. Complying with the industry standards, the Start and Stop record buttons is located on the rear that can be easily grasped with the thumb. The rear also houses controls like the charging port, battery mounting area, the viewfinder (that needs to be pulled out in order to be activated), and a programmable wheel and button that can be designated to perform different tasks like tweaking the AGC Limit, Exposure, Aperture etc. Towards the right one can find a Single Speaker, the Handstrap and a door that can be flipped out, which neatly camouflages the HDMI, microUSB and the Remote Control ports. On the same side towards the rear one can find a switch that toggles between Manual, Intelligent Auto and Cinema Shooting modes, with the front housing a jack for external mic. A nice and handy inclusion here would be a hot shoe that is perched on top of the G10 that proves to be perfect for mics or other accessories. You will find this right behind the zoom controls, but then you don’t really require an external microphone. Again, towards the front are two onboard mics on the left and right. At the bottom is the battery release switch together with a tripod mount. Moving on to the left, you might see the power switch and obviously the 3.5-inch flip-out LCD touchscreen display. Right on the display itself is two physical buttons, one that switches between Manual and Auto focus and another than can be held down to enhance image stabilization. But then, these are just the default assignment and can be re-programmed for various tasks like the custom button and wheel in the rear. Finally, concealed behind the display against the body are two toggle switches, one that toggles between playback and shooting and the other that turns on onscreen info like battery life, AV Out/Component Out ports, and 2 SDXC slots.

The lens cap on the G10 is prone to being misplaced as it is removable.

Ergonomics and Controls

By and large, the HF G10 doesn’t leave any stone unturned in impressing users with its straight forward and simple design with aptly-located and easy to reach buttons. This might sound a little weird, but we really appreciate the fact that Canon preferred to use tiny sliding doors for covering majority of the slots and ports. It is a minor thing, alright, but only a true enthusiast can really feel the gracefulness of having things covered as against having them open or just having them covered for the sake of it by cheap rubber nubs that tend to dangle upon being pulled out. That said, while we appreciate Canon for sticking to a minimalist design by keeping a dozen physical buttons from scourging the camera, we would have loved to see a physical camera button in place of the virtual button on the touchscreen display to snap photos. We have too good reasons for the same – one being it gets real clumsy when you try steadying the camera even as you are attempting to poke at the screen with the other hand. The second reason is the sensitivity of the screen doesn’t really measure up to your expectations (more on that later). Again, having to pull the viewfinder out in order to activate it might really not seem to be the best design out there, but guess that is yet another way of keeping things compact or avoiding another physical button to get that task done. Now,  there seems to be a little amount of resistance shown by the manual focus ring on the lens upon being turned on, but then it gives you enough time to tighten your grasp and all set to use the camera.

Menus and Modes

While the Canon Vixia HF G10 High Definition Video Camcorder brims with a variety of features and modes all ready to be explored, which really seems exciting, it is unfortunate to note that the menu system is kind of convoluted and not well streamlined making it tedious to find and use some features when you really need to. Well, no big deal though, once you get the hang of it, you will be amazed at the kind of stuff that the G10 has on offer including Watermarks, Stamps, Decorations that allows for addition of various graphical elements to your pictures and finally Freehand Drawings that you can doodle on the touchscreen with the stylus provided. The touchscreen also comes in handy with the zoom controls and choosing the subjects that you need to bring into focus. The Decorations in the video snapshot mode allows you to take video snippets of 2, 4, or 8 secs a piece that can be played back to any music of your choice. Likewise there is this Story Creator mode that comes up with scene suggestions depending on the kind of story that you wish to make. Now all that needs to be done is you filling in such suggestions with your own video footage and playing it in the chronological order, thus creating your desired story. Again, there is this Ceremony template wherein you are provided with a list of scenes namely “Interviewing a main character,” “What is the kind of occasion?” “Planning a Ceremony” etc., wherein you are required to tap on any of the above descriptions and you will be guided to the recording mode that is comprehensive in suggesting the times span of a particular scene for shooting your video within the storyline for that scene. You are also allowed to add any number of scenes within a particular story.

There is also automatic face detection on-board in the G10 with the option to set priorities for focusing various faces on screen. The autofocus can be adjusted too by limiting the same and is applicable to faces only and lets you to utilize manual focus for the remaining scenes. As always there are the other standard settings of camera functionality like Date/Time, Language, Battery Info, Power Save Mode, Zoom and Focus Speeds and HDMI 1080p output, etc.

Display

The Canon Vixia HF G10 boasts of a massive display and measures a roomy 3.5” which justifies a lot of usage of the touchscreen controls in place of the physical buttons. Again, the settings can also be tweaked, which is actually nice as few other handycams lack this feature; information icons can be turned On/Off as per your convenience. Likewise, set the screen automatically to dim and adjust the brightness during an outdoor shoot. The display is colourful and crisp featuring 922,000 dots TFT colour. Well, the only hitch that is associated with the display would be the poor touchscreen sensitivity. You might have to tap it more than once to check if your commands are registered and majority of the time the accuracy is Off too. This can be extremely annoying especially while navigating menus wherein the poor sensitivity makes scrolling a literal chore and erroneously registered taps resulting in choosing the wrong options.

Lens and Imaging

The HF G10 comes with a redesigned image sensor, a HDMI cable and a removable lens cap. Featuring a brand new sensor system and lens (first of its kind to be incorporated in a Canon consumer camcorder), it is pretty much similar to HF S21, released last year, boasting of the same Filter Diameter, Max Aperture and 10x Optical Zoom with the exception of a slight variable focal range. However, the sensor is very different from its siblings released last year. It is still very much the CMOS imager, but sized 1/3rd of an inch and a pixel count of 2.30Mp, a significant drop from what was on offer in the HF S21. Well, looks like Canon has a valid explanation for this – it feels like high pixel count doesn’t really help with video performance as much as it does with still images. Moreover, with the G10 being a high-end camcorder, it doesn’t really attach much of importance to still features as it does with quality video images. Nevertheless, the 1/3” CMOS is pretty much the same CMOS used by Canon in their professional camcorders.

Handling and Ease of Use

Let us get one thing straight here, the G10 is not geared towards tyros and is more for professionals. It packs a lot of features, especially advanced, that in all probabilities might be ignored by some novice user. Regardless all of the above, the G10 is simple and fairly straightforward to use and is no different from the rest of its Canon siblings. Experts might feel the camcorder a wee bit awkward and constricted owing to the cramped design, but Canon offers assignable buttons for customization and the huge manual focus ring sure does give a professional feel. Again, Canon is pretty famous for their comprehensive user manuals and for the kind of complex camcorder that the G10 proves to be, the manual sure does prove to be fairly handy in helping you figure out everything that you need to know. Nevertheless, we would have appreciated if the camcorder itself had couple of info boxes or tool tips onboard in the menu system.

The menu of the HF G10 could turn out to be a little overwhelming particularly with it being loaded with controls and too many things being crammed into the little camcorder making it look like feature flooded. Well, no big deal here, it is just matter of time before you get the hang of it, though it could prove to be really confusing at a first glance. Again, there is not much of help from Canon either, by way of proper labeling of icons making a couple of really difficult controls to decipher. So you might want to scrutinize the manual thoroughly if you are looking at mastering the menus of this G10.

Now the menus are categorised into two in the G10. Upon pressing the function key on the LCD, you are directed to a screen filled with small icons (remember the convoluted screen that we mentioned above). There are icons and buttons explaining all kinds of features on the GF10 that can be both rapidly accessed or accessed even as you shoot. The full menu, which is in the format of a scrolling list, can be accessed by clicking the menu button at the upper left of the screen upon entering the function menu.

Getting Started

The HF G10 Camcorder looks pretty much similar to the HF S21 in terms of size and shape with a round shape and a huge lens upfront. There is a thick and padded hand strap, one of the best we should say among consumer camcorder and that doesn’t surprise us one bit, as it is coming from Canon. The LCD is both functional and stylish with its flat design and lacks a raised bezel and looks pristine and expansive. The touchscreen looks no less than an iPod or iPhone, but the interface can be a wee bit annoying with the clustered onscreen buttons.

Despite being big it feels nice and good to hold the HF G10.

The only stuff that makes the G10 different would be the new lens ring, a lens hood that can be detached together with a control dial on the rear of the Camcorder. The lens ring looks fairly robust and feels great, but then with one annoying problem, which would be – as the lens doesn’t really jut out of the G10’s body, you tend to bump your fingers on the edge of the LCD panel especially if it is tilted or open while using the lens ring. Yet another problem would be the inappropriate design of the control dial at the rear. First off, we find it awkwardly placed and secondly we don’t really appreciate the roundabout practice in setting up the controls. Guess the picture below explains it better!

The control dial at the rear of the G10 is one of its big weakness when it comes to handling.

It would’ve been better if the lens ring had control of other functions too, along with focus, but guess that is not the case here and you need to have the rear-mounted control dial if you are looking at setting up the following: Exposure, Shutter Speed, Gain, Aperture etc. You need to first choose the manual options in the Menu System to get to the above controls (but for exposure), which means the dial doesn’t prove to be of much use with the LCD panel closed. Quite a confusing system that Canon needs to simplify, yet despite all of the above the amount of control on offer in the G10 is something that you cannot really ignore.

Now let us get to the positives that the G10 offers in comparison to the other models when it comes to customization and handling. For starters, the LCD panel comes with two customization buttons and allows moderating far more controls than on majority of the consumer camcorders. It also boasts of a range of expert-grade tools like the Zebra Stripes, Waveform Monitor and Advanced Controls for Audio too. Again, adjusting the said controls could pose to be an annoying problem as indicated above, particularly with the control dial, but the very fact that these tools are included in the G10 is beyond doubt a wonderful asset, making you wonder if it is a consumer a professional camcorder.

Portability

Weighing about 590g that is including the lens hood and the battery pack, the G10 is a popular one amongst consumer camcorders in today’s market. This is a solid 70 grams heavy than the HF S21 and about 100 grams bulkier than Sony and Panasonic’s 2010 flagship models. Now, the G10 is not something that can easily be slipped in your pockets as a toy cam, but has been designed to be a robust camcorder that is packed with pro-grade features. It boasts of a massive lens and LCD, a viewfinder, 2 memory card slots and a range of connectivity options.

The dual card slots are compatible with SD, SDHC and SDXC cards.

Despite the above it is much smaller than an average professional camcorder, and yet manages to pack all features and controls that you get to see in a pro camcorder. It sure does seem too be a great deal bigger in comparison to other flagship models, Sony particularly, then again when size really does matter with purchase of any high-end product. The bulkiness of the G10 brings with it a sense of sophistication and professionalism compensating the compact and lightweight design.

LCD and Viewfinder

Nothing seems to have changed about the LCD in terms of resolution or size and looks pretty much similar to the last year’s HF S21. Videos look awesome in the big 3.5-inch screen, but it is the touchscreen interface that seems to be problematic regardless of the hefty surface area. Now that is one thing that you might have to deal with Canon menu system and it is really annoying to note that this camcorder has a lot of menu options/onscreen buttons that you need to find your way with utilizing the touchscreen interface.

The functional and stylish 3.5 inch LCD.

One can find the EVF (electronic viewfinder) towards the rear of the G10 with little in terms of an eyepiece; then again this can be extended to about half an inch from the camcorder’s body and also has a diopter adjustment slider. Of note, the viewfinder doesn’t really lock once it has been extended fully, meaning it tends to slide around even when you don’t want it to.

It would have been nice to see the viewfinder also pivot up/down besides extending out.

Performance

When it comes to operating the camcorder, it can either be a cakewalk or tortuous, that depends on you. Now, if you are not a camcorder geek and choose to simply use the Intelligent Auto shoot mode, you will still end up getting exceptional video quality depending on how well the dummy mode moderates the settings on the fly. Low lighting conditions are handled seamlessly by the HF G10 – thanks to the 1/3-inch 2.37Mp CMOS Pro sensor, despite toggling rapidly from low to high light situations and vice versa, with minimal noise, we should say. The sensor despite being a bare 2.37Mp is way better than the rest owing to the fact that all sensors need to be of uniform size, hence fewer megapixels results in larger plates on the sensor, letting more light in, thus enhancing low-light shoots. Auto focus is kind of accurate and reliable and also allows you to prioritize the subjects that you wish to focus on by tapping the same on the touchscreen. Also white balance is great and there would be rarely any instances wherein you find whites bluish or too cool.

You might want to be aware of a couple of quirks that comes as a part of the package in terms of the default shooting modes and interface. To name a few, despite swapping the camera to the manual shooting mode, by default the focus is still set to automatic and you might have to switch over the manual mode manually, ironical huh? And as we have already mentioned above, the menus are definitely complex as all of them have to be accessed via touchscreen and are not really intuitive. Instead of keeping everything in a single place, there is the Function Menu (which in turn gets divided into numerous pages with options for settings and video effects like exposure, white balance etc) then comes the Settings Menu (which is also divided into 3 different pages that handles stuff like recording mode, self-timer, frame rate, etc.) and finally comes the Filters Menu in the cinematic mode that handles all kinds of visual filters. Woah! Incredibly complex device ain’t it?  Well, having this many options, settings and modes sure does look great, but guess it really gets a bit overwhelming at times when you have to remember what is where with majority of the options being scattered all around.

Shooting Performance & Features

While we appreciate the endless manual controls to choose from, we don’t really like the way they have to be handled via the complex onscreen menus. Adjusting and tweaking the settings pops up controls that occupy a good amount of the screen and it gets kind of difficult to even see what the new changes and adjustments look like. Aside from the annoying touchscreen sensitivity, which makes tweaking a bit of chore, you will enjoy the flexibility offered by the G10 when it comes to manual controls and still manages to aide you in all possible ways. Let us take the manual focus controls for instance, it is nothing but solid fun. The camera’s focus ring, that is in the front, is absolutely seamless to use and as you commence adjusting the focus, you will find the content on the LCD display automatically zooming in digitally helping you with the focus. Once you have your subject in precise focus and have stopped moving the ring, you will note the picture zooming back out and displays what is actually there in your frame. This comes in really handy if you wish to adjust the focus on your own and aids with setting up shots that has some real amazing depth of field (meaning your subject in perfect focus with a soft blur of the surrounding). Again, there are also few other assistive modes like the Enhanced Zebra Pattern indicating parts of the picture that are overexposed/blown out, highlighting subjects with colours of your choice like yellow, blue or red indicating what is in focus and what is not. The rest of the modes would include the Unique Story Creator, Image Effect Mode, Video Snapshot, all of which are kind of gimmicky and nothing much to it. We do not really see nerds having much of use for the above stuff, yet they definitely are cool additions, particularly for fun-loving families who would love to have more fun activity or keen on shooting home movies more often.

The shooting features generally tends to be an endless playground of any high-end camcorder and the Canon G10 looks to be no exception to this and cranks out abundant monkey bars (in the form of manual controls) to play with. To begin with, the manual exposure not only gives you 70% to 100% zebra patterns for blown highlights, but also features a waveform monitor that looks to be highly advanced than any other rival consumer camcorder. Also the gain can be adjusted to as high as 24dB that outdoes Panasonic’s 18dB. The focus assist magnification also proves to be handy, thanks to the enhanced resolution upon being magnified and you even get to have colour peaking as an alternative for focus assist.

The waveform monitor also shows up in the Manual Focus Arena letting you to use focus assist and peaking alongside it. Shots can be leveled using the Digital Level Meter, SMPTE traditional test tones and color bars, white balance adjustment in the 2,000K to 15000K range together with a slew of in-built filters like Dream, Nostalgia, Vivid and Old Movies.

Manual Exposure using the waveform monitor

Akin to the HF S21, the HF G10 also boast of 4 different framerates with a native 24p, that is, every single framerate captured by the camcorder is devoid of the interlacing process. Needless to say, there is the 60i together with the simulated 24 and 30p recorded at 60i, but if you are looking at best results, then you might want to stick to the native 24p shooting. Simulated progressive framerates come in handy only when working with other simulated framerates in a 60i timeframe or with down-converting to standard definition. Nevertheless, if you want that distinct film-like look to your work then the G10 would be your best bet. Again image stabilization on the VIXIA G10 also looks great, particularly with the Powered IS button pressed and held reducing shake to a decent extent. You will fall in the love with the versatility of the inbuilt microphone that comes with 4 settings which includes Normal, Monaural, Wide and Zoom. It also allows for adjusting the frequent response with mid and low range levels.

Audio, Video and Quality of Stills in Vixia HF G10

The quality of videos in this G10 is really captivating with the HD pictures looks ample sharp and the Intelligent Auto handling tweaks like the white balance and adjustments fairly well on the fly. When it comes to framerate the video looks buttery smooth with minimal to nil motion blur shooting in standard Intelligent Auto mode as against the Cinema Mode. It sure does impress users with the speed with which the autofocus adjusts itself when it comes to switching subjects at varying lengths from the lens. Well, the real icing on the cake would be array of filters that you can apply while shooting in the cinema mode, which includes Black and White, Dream, Memory (kind of a misty faded look) and Old Movie to name a few.

Though the G10 packs an onboard directional mic that is pragmatic, we would recommend investing on an external mic, particularly when the hot shoe gives you the provision to have one. The inbuilt mic sure does manage to detect the sound and the direction from where it is emitted fairly well, but then the quality seems kind of tinny and flat. When you can invest on a camera that shoots high quality videos, you are better off investing on a mic as well that matches it. Because the last thing you want is amazing videos with prosaic audio.

In terms of stills, well, they look okay and when we say okay you might want to understand that the G10 doesn’t impose to be something that it isn’t and it is a camcorder. To be more precise, there are not many options or settings on offer for taking a snap nor can you adjust the stills’ resolution. All that you can do is to tap the photo button onscreen and watch it click a still. Now you might want to understand the fact that this could be a little inconvenient where you might shake the camera a little bit, as it is trying to click a snap because you were pounding at the touchscreen to get your tap registered. So be prepared for the outcome too!

Operation/Extras

It is kind of shameful that the HF G10 shoots only in the AVCHD format. As much as we endorse the fact that in order to enjoy high quality videos, the camera needs to shoot to its fullest possible extent for which it needs to shoot in format like AVCHD, but we would have appreciated if there was also an option for it to shoot in a more universal format like MPEG-4. The problem with AVCHD files is that it doesn’t allow for a drag and drop of files from your camera to your system, especially if you are using MAC, Windows XP or Vista OS. It only works with Windows 7 or the Windows Live Movie Maker if you are looking at editing and is not compatible with majority of the online uploading services. So in order for you to enjoy your videos, you will either have to get your camera connected to your TV directly through an HDMI cable or make use of the included software, that might prove of be of help in pulling files and converting the same.

Battery life

The VIXIA G10 packs an intelligent Lithium-Ion battery, which precisely indicates the remaining charge right down to the minute, saving you the hassle of running out of charge when you need it the most. Talking about flagship camcorders, the Canon HF G10 seems to perform quite decently supposedly lasting for around 114 minutes of continuous recording, that is a half hour more than the Canon HF S21. Well, we are impressed, as the manufacturer transitioned from being the worst performer in terms of battery life (their flagship model in 2010) to be among the best. Though it still doesn’t match Panasonic or Sony’s performance, but the improvement sure does look to be huge. So, you can’t really categorize the battery performance as stellar, this is something that is expected of such feature-packed and high-end camcorder. With the onboard storage of 32GB and with MXP shooting (the highest quality video) you can stretch up to a 2 hour and 55 minutes, charging it like about roughly 3 times if you intend filling it up. Again fine-tuning several variables such as the recording mode, playing back instead of recording, utilizing the viewfinder in place of the LCD screen and recording directly to the memory card as against the onboard storage, all of this drain a good amount of the battery. But truth be told, the G10 hangs on to whatever is left of its charge fairy well while not in use in comparison to its rival camcorders.

Canon VIXIA HF G10 Features at a Glance

• CMOS Pro Image Sensor
• Shock resistant
• Brilliant low-light performance
• Flash Memory
• Wide dynamic range
• 24Mbps recording
• Low power consumption
• Outstanding video resolution
• Stunning image quality
• Colour Viewfinder
• DIGIC DV III image Processor
• Genuine Canon face detection
• Smart Auto
• Dynamic SuperRange optical image stabilization powered with IS
• Focus and exposure aids
• Instant AF
• Professional shooting assist functions
• 3.5-inch touch panel LCD screen
• Custom key and dial
• Composition aids
• Advanced Control
• Advanced video snapshot
• Easy web sharing
• Frame modes
• Tele Macro
• Touch and Track
• Cinema-look filters
• A whole range of terminals
• Story creator
• Optional WD-H58W wide converter
• Pixela video browser software
• Supports 27 languages
• Intelligent Lithium-ion battery

Pros

• Abundant onboard storage
• Excellent manual controls
• Amazing video quality
• Multiple framerates and shooting modes to choose from

Cons

• Average touchscreen sensitivity
• Menu system needs a bit of streamlining
• Heavy pricing

Verdict

Well, after the review having engulfed an avalanche of your time, we will try and keep the conclusion as short and sweet as possible. Beyond doubt, the Canon VIXIA HF G10 looks to be topnotch amongst the current HD consumer camcorder produced till date. Its excellent build, stellar quality of images, and prosumer-istic manual controls sure does place it ahead in the today’s race. On the flip side, while there are a few gripe associated with it like its bulkiness, average touchscreen sensitivity, cluttered menus, extremely sparse still options, guess that really shouldn’t deter you from endorsing it as an otherwise amazing camcorder. If there is anything at all that would make you think twice before investing on the G10, it would be its price. Agreed there is a lot on offer for the kind of price tag it comes with, particularly for those who would like to posses a professional grade cam. Well, that is the price you got to pay for it. Looks like the G10 lives up to the saying “Everything comes with a price!”

Canon Vixia HF G10 HD Video Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Canon
Model Name	Canon VIXIA HF G10
Camcorder type	Full HD
Format	Flash Memory
Class	Consumer
Dimensions (W x H x D)	77 x 78 x 151mm
Weight	With battery pack 590g Without Battery pack 545g
Body Colour	Black
Body Type	Horizontal
LCD Screen	3.5-inch High Resolution Touch Panel Widescreen Colour LCD (approx 922,000 dots)
Display	LCD size: 3.5 inches LCD resolution: 922000
Filter diameter	58mm
Total pixels	Approx. 2.37 megapixel
Effective Pixels	Video: Approx. 2.07Mp (1920 x 1080) Photo: 16:9 Approx. 2.07Mp (1920 x 1080)
Focusing system	Instant AF, Medium AF, Face Priority AF, TTL (through the lens)
Manual Exposure	Yes
Programmed AE	Smart Auto, Av, Tv, P, M (Manual Exposure), Beach, Sports, Portrait, Snow, Night Scene, Sunset, Fireworks, Low Light, Spotlight
Max Shutter Speed	Movie:1/2000
Television system	NTSC
Video Recording system	MPEG4-AVC/H.264
ViewFinder	24-inch Colour Widescreen, Approx. 100% field of view, 260,000 dots
Supplied video editing software	Pixela Video Browser
Accessory shoe	mini Advanced
Image sensor	1/3-inch HD CMOS Pro, RGB Primary colour filter
Image Stabilizer	Dynamic Electronic Image Stabilizer
Image Processor	DIGIC DV III
Face Detection Technology	Yes
HDMI Terminal	HDMI Mini Connector (Output), CEC, X.V. Colour and 1080p output supported
Microphone terminal	3.5-mm stereo mini-jack
AV mini terminal/headphone terminal	3.5-mm 4 pole mini-jack (video/audio output only)
Remote control terminal	Yes (compatible with LANC protocol)
Operating Temp Range	Approx. -5° to 45° C, 60% relative humidity / Approx. 0° to 40° C, 85% relative humidity (performance)
Battery	Lithium ion BP-808
Power Supply	7.4 V DC (battery pack), 8.4 V DC (DC IN)
Warranty	One year Parts and Labour

If Apple and Flip Video have anything in common, it is the fact that they keep releasing the next generation models of their product line without much of an actual difference. The Flip Mino was a hit and has been in the market for quite a while now. It is notable here that the third generation model of the Mino HD has been released and is continuing with its evolution; it is only an evolution and definitely not a revolution. All the major areas of the product, such as, the features, operation and design remain to be the same. Instead of competing with the features of the other models, Flip video has kept it simple sticking with what they already included.

Design:

As we just mentioned, Flip Mino HD 3rd Gen Camcorder looks pretty much the same as its previous generations. This cannot be said to be a bad thing, as the Mino HD is really smart phone sized, in fact smaller than the Nokia N97. It has a black matte finishing with touch sensitive buttons. Flip has also given you an option to personalise it your own unique way by allowing you to design your own case cover. Just upload any pattern on the site and Flip will do the rest.

Ports and slots:

As far as input and output is concerned, you get a HDMI op and sports a flip out USB, which allows you to connect it to the PC straight away. Software wise, the Mino HD offers a very handy built-in app that enables the user to edit and upload the videos on the web. With FlipShare, it is extremely easy to share the clips on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Memory:
There is also nothing available to get in own storage. The Flip Mini HD Video Camcorder comes in two capacities of 4GB and 8GB. With 8GB memory, you will get two hours of video and that is about it. As soon as that is used up, you need to have your PC handy to load it up before you can continue shooting.

Features:

The best part of Flip Mino HD third generation is its simplicity in design and functionality. It will not be fair to say that the range of options provided is very less will be an understatement. However, this is not a criticism because as we had just mentioned previously the simplicity is the beauty of Mino HD. Taking videos with this device is just as simple as switching it on, pointing and pressing the record button. This device is absolutely fool proof as there is zilch settings to mess with. The only thing you will be able to do is, just push down the middle button at the time of start-up, which will allow you to set up the time and date, and this will also turn off the noise alerts.

Simple:

Those who worry about not having options will not buy Mino HD on the first place and those who do not like the settings will find it absolutely liberating. So, the question here is, at what settings does the device actually shoot at? The Mino HD records at 720p at a frame rate of 50fps. If you have noticed, this is the place where the third generation differs from its previous version. The 2nd gen Mino HD shot at just 30fps. This can be definitely said to be a step towards the positive direction offering a much smoother motion outdoors. The only thing that we are not able to get out heads around is, why the company did not increase the resolution, especially since most of the other manufacturer’s offer 1080i or 1080p, at a lower price mark.

Image stabilisation:

One addition that is worth mentioning is the addition of image stabilization feature. However, it is just electrical; the optical stabilizers are better. However, it is worth noting that it does a good job at stabilizing some minor shakes.

No still photos:

One of the facts that is definitely stacked against the Mino HD is its lack of a dedicated photo shoot mode. This is one of the very basic features expected and even the cheapest models in the markets seem to possess by default. This will definitely prove to be a turn off to some consumers who may wish to have one small gadget for both their photo shooting and video needs.

Performance:

Moving on to performance, we found that the Flip Mino HD performed much better than the rivals. The videos seem to be having vibrant colours and images are quite detailed too. The motions are pretty smooth and the shutter issues are quite negligible. In the low light conditions, the videos are quite grained with some visible oversaturation. However, the Mino HD still performs better than the rivals in the low light conditions.

Warranty:

The Mino HD comes with 1 year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

It is quite disappointing that the third generation Flip Mino HD has not managed to bring in a still image mode or even bumped up the resolution by a little. Since this model does not have anything drastically changed over the previous model, those who are looking for an upgrade may prefer to just skip. Yet another thing to be considered here is that, while the market is actually being flooded with pocket camcorders, the Flip Mino HD does not seem to be the best value for money. However its point and shoot simplicity will lure many consumers towards it.

Flip Mino HD 3rd Generation Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Pure Digital
Model Name	Flip Mino HD
Camcorder Type	Digital mini video camcorder
Dimensions (H x W x D)	100 x 50 x 16 mm
Weight	4.1 oz
Screen type	Transflective TFT (for bright daylight)
Screen size	2.0" (diagonal)
Resolution	320 x 240
Interface	Touch-sensitive capacitive buttons
Power-up Time	Less than 4 seconds
Integrated memory	4GB and 8GB
Camcorder internal storage type	Flash memory
Memory card support	None
Shooting modes	Normal movie mode
White balance and exposure modes	Automatic
Sensor	1/4.5 inch, 1.6 megapixel CMOS sensor (2.2 x 2.2 µm square pixels)
Lens Type	Digital Zoom
Aperture	f/2.4 (fast lens for great results in low-light environments)
Zoom	Smooth multi-step 2x digital
Recording Time	1 hr
Video resolution	1280 x 720
Light Sensitivity	Ultra low-light sensitivity (>1.4 V/lux-sec) with automatic low light detection
Set date/time function	Yes
Speakers	Built-in
PC connection	Built-in flip-out USB arm
Video Trimming	Video trim – set start and end points. Create movies with multiple video clips – add titles, music and credits.
Video Performance	Flip Video Engine 3.0
Frame Rate	50 frames per second
Average Bitrate	8.8Mbps (auto-adaptive algorithm)
Video Format	H.264 video compression, AAC audio compression, MP4 file format
White Balance & Exposure	Automatic white balance and black level calibration Automatic exposure control with dynamic exposure compensation
Battery type	Internal Lithium-Ion
Battery Life	Up to 2 hrs of use between charges
Charge Time	Via computer USB port – approx 3 hrs Via Power Adapter – approx 2 hrs
Ports and slots	HDMI (HDMI Mini) Tripod mount
Box contents	Composite TV cable, wrist strap, soft protective case, quickstart guide
Warranty	1 year

Today’s review is on Panasonic’s flagship 1MOS camcorder, the HDC-SD40. Stay tuned if you are in the market looking for a flagship lightweight High Definition camcorder at a very affordable price tag. The Panasonic HDC -SD40 Camcorder will fit in exactly in this category costing under £250. Most of its features and specifications resemble its cousin Panasonic HTC-TM40 HD camcorder, however, you will not get the eye candy of 16GB in-built memory. It is sad that the high end, highly specified models get all the limelight when majority of the consumer market are looking for something just above basic at an affordable price tag. This entry level HD camcorder has more features than what you will find in the pocket internet devices, but less than the high-end 3MOS units.

Design:

The most notable design feature of Panasonic HDC-SD40 HD is that it is one of the tiniest in its range, weighing just 211 grams including the memory card and battery. This camcorder DOES NOT have a touchscreen, unlike its HDC SD 80 camcorder.

Storage:

You will not get any internal storage with the HDC SD40 HD Camcorder, and entirely relies on the SDHC slot. At the highest quality setting, you will get about one hour of footage and since this slot supports SDXC format, you will be able to use cards of up to 64GB.

Controls:

All of the device’s setting are configured with the help of D pad, enter and menu buttons in the side of the LCD. But, the unfortunate thing here is that, this also means that you will not get a second set of controls on the edge of the LCD for operating zoom or record, also making the shooting with two hands. If you are not a big fan of controlling the camera features on your own, Panasonic has offered a lot of options for that too.

Slots and connections:

Panasonic HDC-SD40 HD camcorder comes with the zoom Mic and Wind Noise cancellation features. You will also be able to manipulate the microphone levels manually, but there is no minijack available for connecting an external mic or any other accessory, and you will not get any headphone jack too. The other ports include a proprietary AV multiport supplying composite and component analog video along with RCA audio connections, all of these in one single cable. A mini USB port has been provided to transfer the files from the camcorder.

User interface:

The menu button will get you the full settings menu, and as expected, the enter button will activate the shooting parameters, which will vary based on the fact if you are using the iA mode or manual. In the automatic mode, the only useful option you will get is that of backlight compensation, telemacro and pre-rec that will continue to buffer video and includes a few seconds additionally on the front of the shot from before you had pressed the record button. The pre rec features is a life saver for people with slow reflexes.

You get a range of settings in the manual mode including manual focus, even though it might be a bit hard to operate with the D pad. As far as the white balance options are concerned, they include a couple of presets each for outdoor and indoor conditions and also the manual and automatic modes. Panasonic has also included intelligent and soft skin contrast settings, while the former option maximises the details in places of brightness and shadow. The camcorder also included the colour night view option that drops frame rate below 1/25th, compromising on motion smoothness for visibility.

Panasonic HDC-SD40 Lens details:

Moving on to the all important lens details, the HDC SD40 includes a 1/5.8inch CMOS with a resolution of 1.5 megapixels. Does the spec seem familiar to you? Yes, it is similar to Panasonic’s HDC-SD 80. But, note that only 1.19 megapixels of the 1.5 is used while shooting a video and the SD 80 uses 1.3megapixels, which is substantially fewer than the resident resolution of 1920×1080 Full High Definition format that is used for recording. Hence, this model will not be able to provide you with the amount of detail that is offered by the higher end models including the HDC SD90. Panasonic has also shunned the 24mbps data rate to just 17mbps.

Image Stabilisation:

The good news is that Panasonic has not been skimpy as far as the shooting features of the Panasonic HDC-SD40 are concerned. You get the Power OIS type of Image Stabilisation that proved to be quite remarkable at the time of tests. We were not able to find any worrying drop in quality of image. Even though it does not seem to be as good as the Hybrid OIS that you will be able to find in most of the latest Panasonic models, it still seems to be pretty capable, especially at this budget.

Zoom:

The optical zoom is quite good at 16.8x, which is still low compared to HDC SD80’s amazing 34x. You also do not get the additional CMOS pixels, neither is there the dynamic or intelligent zoom to enhance the range, all that is available is just 1200x and 50x digital zooms the former is quite ridiculous patent wise. Of course, there is Face Detection, which sets focus and exposure with the help of human face that is present within the frame as the reference point. The Face detection feature works hand in hand with Panasonic’s Intelligent Auto system  that the company has been offering for a few years now. The Intelligent Auto feature essentially does the job of “autoexposure”, sensing the various conditions and setting particular scene modes like low light, poor illumination.

Still images:

The still photo features are not much; all you get is self timer and quality settings with the availability of shutter sound. The still pictures images are taken at a resolution of 2.1 megapixels, which is lesser than most of the camera phones, but what you have to keep in mind is the quality SD40 lens and optical zoom.

Performance:

Moving on to performance, the image processing and sensor technology has developed at a rapid rate and the Panasonic HDC SD40 Flash Memory Camcorder has included quite a respectable video quality with CMOS even at low light conditions. The colours in good lighting conditions is quite good, but if you try and nit-pick, there will be heaps of lack in detail in comparison to a lot of the Full HD camcorders. In low light conditions the video is even grainier than the high end models like the HDC SD90, however what was surprising is the brightness. There is a video lamp, which will be useful to light up subjects of up to 2m from the front of the device, but do not expect this to be a magic fix. The audio quality is just fine, not as good as the posh models. Overall the video quality of the SD40 matches and sometimes exceeds camcorders in this price tag.

Battery:

The HDC SD 40 has quite a strong battery life, offering about 155 minutes of recording on a single charge. This is really good, considering that some camcorders really struggle to get 100 minutes. One of the reasons for this impressive recording time might be because of the 2.6” LCD display that is      smaller than most.

Verdict:

The pocket camcorders have been the first choice for the point and shoot consumers and will continue to be. However, if you are looking for some more control along with optical zoom , the Panasonic HDC-SD40 HD camcorder is the best choice.

Panasonic HDC-SD40 Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Panasonic
Model Name	HDC-SD40
Camcorder type	Professional Camcorder
Dimensions (W x H x D)	51.5 x 57.5 x 108.5 [mm]
Weight	211g
Display	6.7cm (2.7") Wide LCD ( 230,400 dots)
VIDEO FEATURES
Formats Supported	MPEG4-AVC/H.264 (AVCHD standard compliant)
Zoom	Intelligent zoom 16.8x Digital Zoom 50x , 1200x
Compression of still image	JPEG
Image Size still picture	2.1 megapixels (1920 x 1080) [16:9]
Instant Shooting	Yes
AUDIO FEATURES
Audio System	Dolby Digital (2ch)
Built in Microphone	2ch Stereo
Speaker	Dynamic
CAMERA FEATURES
Lens	Panasonic
F Value	F1.8(WIDE) / 2.6(TELE)
Focal length	2.9-48.7mm
Features
Specific features	Power Optical Image Stabilisation, Shooting Modes, Tele Macro, Face Recognition, Wind Noise Canceller, Wide Angle Lens
Included Software	HD Writer LE 1.0
Others
Recording Format	H.264, Mpeg-4
Recording Speed	17 Mbps
Internal Memory	None
Memory Card Compatible	Yes
PORTS AND CONNECTIVITY	Hi Speed USB 2.0
Standard accessories	AC Adaptor AC Cable DC Cable Rechargeable Battery Pack AV multi Cable USB Cable
Battery Life	1 hour 45 minutes approx
Warranty	One year

This is to all those adventurers around the world. The camcorder world, which had no clues all these years as to how to help you shoot all your wondrous adventures, has come up with some new exciting models that can be a part of your adventure. The cyclists, the bike racers, car racers, gliders, surfers, and all such adventurers who jeopardise their lives in the process of performing some great ventures, will now be accompanied by a camcorder, which can shoot them some great pictures. You people can then show off to your friends and family, and exhibit your innate talents. While all these years people were wondering how and where to carry a camcorder while performing adventures, the well known manufacturer of camcorders, GoPro, has come up with an idea that is quite simple but at the same time, intelligent. It says that the camcorder can be attached to a special helmet and this helmet can be worn by the adventurers.  Cool, is it not? It then means that you will not have the need to carry it during your risky ventures. Yes, we know this sounds very exciting. We also know that this is not only for the professionals, but it can be used by the youth in order to exhibit their exuberance. It is one of those rare pieces of amazement that technology often brings out. Let us now move forward to the very details of this wondrous brainchild from GoPro.

Design:

Though there are more accessories than just the camcorder itself when it comes to the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder, let us confine to the main cam cording device when we talk about the design. The camcorder looks quite normal and it is not an out of the world design. The lens, the display and the buttons are placed at their standard positions and the device looks like any other camcorder. In order to fit in your helmet, since that is the main purpose behind the manufacturing of the camcorder, it must be quite a small and portable device. This will make things easy for the users since they can then easily mount the device wherever they want. Here we arrive at the most important part of the design, which is obviously the dimensions of the device, the GoPro HD Helmet Hero measures 1.6 inches high, 2.4 inches wide and 1.2 inches deep. Now that is a pretty cool design. And when it comes to the weight of the device, it is as less as 94 grams. Can you believe it? A 94 gram camcorder is now in the market and this means you will almost feel no weight when the camcorder to hung on to one of the sides of your helmet. The housing is not included in the design here and though if at all it is included, the measurements are not subject to huge changes. Now already we are very much in favor of the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder. It has got an almost perfect design so that it will be easier to shoot all your heroics when you are on your bike.

Accessories:

When we normally speak of a camcorder, we only have the camcorder and in some cases, a stand or a tripod, as an accessory.  But when it comes to the GoPro HD Helmet  camcorder, there is more than just the camcorder itself. Though you have the option to purchase only the camcorder as a separate device, there are accessories galore when it comes to the GoPro HD Helmet Hero. All these accessories are very useful for mounting or fixing the camcorder to something. In addition to the camcorder piece, GoPro provides you with 1 HD HERO Camera (5 megapixel), 1 Waterproof Quick-Release Housing (180’/60 m), 1 Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery, 1 Vented Helmet Strap, 2 Flat, 3M Adhesive Mounts, 1 Headlamp-Style Head Strap, 1 Three-Way Pivoting Side Arm Assembly, 2 Curved, 3M™ Adhesive Mounts, 1 Component Video (HDTV) Cable, 2 Quick-Release Buckles, 1 USB Cable, and 1 Composite Video + Audio Out Cable. Now seriously, that’s a huge amount of accessories whichever way you look at it. All those accessories are meant to support your device and protect it from different circumstances. And in case you think you will not need all the accessories and if your heroics are limited to a particular area, then you can choose what out of those provided accessories you will need along with the camcorder. All these come in a single package when you buy the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder, and it is a cool idea since you do not need to run for accessories later.

Features:

Today, even normal camcorders are coming with lots and lots of features in order to attract the customers and to sustain the heavy competition from other competitive counterparts. And if our guess is right, this camcorder must also feature some attractive features on it. Since the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder is aimed at capturing high quality pictures and videos of your crazy ballistics, you would normally expect some very special features on it. Let us go through the features section and find out if our guess turns out to be true.

Full 1080p HD:

One would have easily guessed this would definitely be there on the features list. HD has become a part of our life and the standards of video quality have been raised lately from SD to HD. High definition became the order of the day when it comes either video quality or picture quality. Hence, there was no other go for GoPro, than to bring out a camcorder that captures at full High Definition of 1080p. The camera of the Go Pro HD Helmet Hero camcorder is very specially designed such that you almost always tend to get very qualitative pictures out of it. Irrespective of whether you are in a beach under plenty of sunlight, or on the hilltop covered with snow, or when you are in dirt riding on your bike in a sandy location, you always get perfect pictures out of your camcorder. Just fix the camcorder to your helmet and start riding. And you will see that the pictures come out really good when it matters most. But there are options for you, if you do not want a full HD, to capture videos at less than full HD. There are 5 options in all when it comes to selecting the video quality. You can choose either of 1080p, 960p, 720p 30fps, 720p 60fps, and last but not least, there is the Wide VGA resolution which allows you to capture at 848 pixels. The difference in the resolution of the videos will affect the video quality and ultimately the space requirements too.

Still Camera:

In addition to camcording all your ballistics, the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder also functions as a still camera and takes some awesome photographs too, when needed. It gives you HD photographs with quality ranging up to 5 mega pixels. Now there are some variations here when it comes to shooting photographs with the help of the GoPro HD Helmet Hero. You can automatically set the camcorder to shoot hands free photographs continuously at an interval of 5, 10, 20, or 60 seconds, until the batteries drain out or until your memory card becomes full. Or else, there is always a second option for you in order to take control of your pictures. In order to experience a more traditional photographing, there are a few modes on the camcorder which you can set it to, in order to control the amount of snaps taken. You can invariably set the camcorder to either of single shot mode, triple shot mode, and self timer mode, where you can set the time interval too. There is no option for taking individual photographs, unfortunately. This can be understood since this is camcorder that is designed to fit in your helmet, not your hands. Hence, it must somehow be automated. This ultimately means that you have the full control when it comes to taking snaps off the GoPro HD Helmet Hero. We are quite happy regarding the still image quality of this camcorder.

Image Stabilisation:

Again, this is obvious. You would have already expected this feature on the camcorder and yes, you are right. You will be fixing this camcorder to your helmet and you will be on your way either on your bike or on your roller skates or whatever. But given the fact that the roads or the hill tops are not as smooth as seen in cartoons, you will definitely experience bumps. And bumps will give you some shaking effect and ultimately, the images on the camcorder are affected. These subtle vibrations and sudden shocks, sometimes, lead to shaky images on the camcorder. The final pictures will not look as smooth as you want them to, and this certainly is unwanted. This is the reason why you see that this camcorder, just like many others in the market today, comes with the Image Stabilization feature. This special feature, into the market only since a couple of years back, nullifies the shaky effects of the camcorder and hence ultimately nullifies the blurring that which would otherwise appear of the images. This feature is particularly useful here, since you are looking at obtaining a full HD high resolution picture out of the camcorder. When you try to be so professional and in the end, if the pictures are blurry, you would certainly be disappointed. Hence, the image stabilization feature is certainly a helpful one when it comes to video capturing.

Storage:

Well, memory is also one of those instrumental features when it comes to a camcorder. Everyone needs to know how much they can shoot with their camcorder, before they actually shoot. There are cases where people choose some other camcorder if they feel internal memory is important. Well, here is some bad news, if you think so. The GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder comes with no internal memory at all. The camera does not provide you with some internal memory and you will need to depend wholly on external memory, which is to be bought separately. There is an option for you to buy separate SD cards and fill in the slot so that you can shoot videos without worries. The camcorder supports only SD memory cards, and those up to a capacity of 32GB. Normally, we too advice people to choose a 32 GB cards since it provides you with humongous memory and hence you can shoot for very long times, The average recording times when it comes to a 32 GB memory cards are: 4h 21m for 1080p (30 fps), 5h 26m for 960p (30 fps), 4h 21m for 720p (60 fps), 8h 09m for 720p (30 fps), and 8h 09m for WVGA (60 fps): Now those tell you something, do they? You can shoot as much of video stuff as you want without ever thinking of memory. Sometimes, you can shoot as long as your battery does not drain. This particular aspect of the camcorder has also gained some marks from the critics and we are an exception from that.

WaterProof Housing:

Hold on. This camcorder is not just for your helmets. The name may suggest that it is a helmet hero, but the camcorder has come in to the market to serve better purposes too. Sometimes, you would want to go surfing on the seas. The GoPro HD Helmet Hero Flash Memory Camcorder always supports such heroic acts and it also accompanies you in doing such acts. But, it is not that friendly that it sacrifices itself in the water in order to shoot your heroism. It needs to be protected from water. This is not next decade already and camcorders are still not water resistant. And GoPro does not leave you in search of a water proof casing for your camcorder. A very dependable water proof housing kit is provided along with the camcorder itself and you can choose it as a basic accessory. This must be the best option of all for you because you then will have a housing that aptly fits your camcorder and so you will not have the need to go in search of a rightly fitting case. This housing is made of plastic and is hence it does not add much to the weight of the camcorder. Now that you have a water proof housing case as protection to your camcorder, you can take it along with you even to the mid ocean. You can tie to your skate boards or surfing boards or take it for under water shooting too. Never bother even there’s so much of water around. We have tested in different conditions and the camcorder works superbly well. The shooting performance and the quality of the video do not get affected at all, even when the casing is put on.

Connections and Cables:

Wondering if your camcorder has any connectivity features or options? Well, our answer is more than just a yes. You have quite a few connectivity options on the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder. First up, you can get your device connected to your computer through the high speed USB 2.0 cable and connector. Just connect the two devices with the cable and you can either sync data between them or you can just use to it charge the camcorder. In case you would want to use it in order to sync data, let us inform you its PC Compatibility, which is either of the operating systems of Windows® Vista, Windows® 7 and Mac OS® X 10.4.11. Later versions of the above mentioned operating systems ill also be supported by the device. And then, there is also a HDTV out cable provided since Go Pro knows you will want to watch all your filmography on your HD TVs. Both NTSC and PAL component cables are included. And then there we have the Audio Out, a Combo 2.5mm jack with stereo audio and composite video out support, that enables you to connect the device to external audio systems. So, these are the three connectivity options anyone would look out for in a camcorder. And here, on the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder, you have all of them available working without issues.

And there we are. We have finally come to an end when it comes to the features seen on the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder. There are, in fact, quite a few features, as we discussed earlier, and if our guess is right, you must have already got attracted to them. But let us decide even further on the camcorder after having looked at the performance aspects and statistics. Let us see if the camcorder lives up to the expectations when it comes to performance.

Performance:

Yes, we have arrived at a crucial point, the overall performance of the GoPro HD Helmet Hero 1080p Video Recording camcorder. Basically, we have three regions of performance which we need to focus on, in order to completely come to a conclusion regarding the performance of the camcorder. The three aspects are respectively, the video, the audio, and the connectivity performances of the device. Let us go through one by one separately in detail and find out if GoPro has given us what we expected

Video Performance:

Since we have already discussed under features regarding the video quality of the Helmet Hero, there is little left to discuss in here. All we have got to say to you is that you can expect some wonderful pictures off the camera that is designed to meet the latest international standards. Since there is the option to shoot videos in full HD quality, there is no more discussion. Full HD videos, with wonderful quality are guaranteed by GoPro and we have tested the camcorder under various environments like sunny, cloudy, underwater, twilight, as so on, and we got some decent results off the camera. So, one would expect the GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder to give out some of the best results under all circumstances.

Audio Performance:

We find that today’s manufacturers of camcorders are slowly learning the importance of audio, in addition to the video quality on them. More often than not, the camcorders in the market today possess some decent audio capturing mechanisms that help you get some quality sound in there along with good videos. The GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder is truly a hero when it comes to receiving and recording audio while shooting. It comes with a built in microphone that has an automatic gain control, which means that the audio is recorder and maintained at a constant level so that there will not be too much of a difference between the louder and the feebler sounds or noises. There’s noise cancellation too and thankfully, it works quite efficiently. Audio compression is available and the audio format is AAC with a frequency of 48 kHz, which is pretty good actually. All these mentioned features help you in obtaining some decent audio and the quality of the audio also complements the quality of the videos quite well. There we go; we see a lot of smiles there and we expected it right away.

Connectivity Performance:

This section is almost completely discussed just a while ago, and all we wanted to say is that there are no reported issues when it comes to connecting the device with the computers. We have tried different operating systems separately and the results were obviously quite positive. The overall connectivity performance of the GoPro HD Helmet hero camcorder is considered as very good, when compared to its competitors in the present market.

Battery:

The camcorders from GoPro are always associated with good battery mechanisms and the Helmet Hero is not an exception either. The camcorder comes with a rechargeable lithium ion battery which has a capacity of 1100 mAh. The battery mechanism is said to be revamped by GoPro, following the latest trends in battery technology. With this new technology, you get a battery life of up to two and a half hours of continuous battery life. The battery is not replaceable, so you need to recharge the single battery given. You can choose to charge the battery, either by plugging to your computer using the USB 2.0 cable, or by using the optional power adapter. The adapter, however, charges your battery is half the time taken by the computer to do the same.

Warranty:

The GoPro HD Helmet Hero camcorder comes with an international warranty for parts and labor, for a period of one year, starting from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

If you were looking for a one last sentence regarding our recommendation, we would say Go for it! But, we would say that only if you are a passionate adventurer and if you are looking for full HD videos of your ventures. Otherwise, there is obviously no need to go for this camcorder since you have many other simpler and at the same time, better camcorders in the market which can serve you better when it comes to normal shooting. This camcorder can be limited to only adventurers. If you are one of them, we would say there are a good number of positives and at the same time, there are not many negatives regarding the device and it also has quite a reasonable price tag, which means you can happily go for it. For others, we would say that you can go through the reviews and pricings of other best selling camcorders in the market, here, on this website.

GoPro HD Helmet Hero Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	GoPro
Model Name	HD Helmet Hero
Series	Helmet Hero Series
Camcorder type	HD Camcorder
Dimensions (W x D x H)	2.4 x 1.6 x 1.2 inches
Weight	94 grams without battery
Colour	Silver
Monitor	Yes
Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Still Picture Resolution	5 MP
Image Sensor	CMOS
Lens (focusing)	Optical auto focus
Zoom	Yes
Exposure control	Auto
Audio compression format	AAC
Face Detection	No
Shutter type	Electronic
Frame rate	30-60 fps
Media Card Slot available	Yes (SD card, up to 32 GB supported)
Average recording time	1080p (30 fps): 4h 21m 960p (30 fps): 5h 26m 720p (60 fps): 4h 21 720p (30 fps): 8h 09m WVGA (60 fps): 8h 09m
Image stabilization	Available
Audio input	Microphone
AV out	HDMI component-out and normal
Speaker	Yes (mono)
Digital voice recorder	Yes
MP3 player	No
TV playback	Yes
Self timer	Yes
Quick Start	Yes
PC interface	USB 2.0 arm
Power adaptor	Optional
Connectivity cables	PC Connection: USB 2.0 (data connection and battery charging) HDTV Out: HD NTSC & PAL (component cable incl.) Audio Out: Combo 2.5mm jack with stereo audio and composite video out PC Compatibility: Windows® Vista or Windows® 7; Mac OS® X 10.4.11 and later
Accessories included	1 HD HERO Camera (5 megapixel) 1 Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery 1 Waterproof Quick-Release Housing (180’/60 m) 1 Headlamp-Style Head Strap 1 Vented Helmet Strap 2 Curved, 3M™ Adhesive Mounts 2 Flat, 3M Adhesive Mounts 1 Three-Way Pivoting Side Arm Assembly 2 Quick-Release Buckles 1 USB Cable 1 Component Video (HDTV) Cable 1 Composite Video + Audio Out Cable
Accessories	Additional Rechargeable 1100 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery Full Line of Mounting Accessories
Battery	1100 mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery
Warranty	1 year

Sony is undoubtedly one of the largest and also one of our favourite manufacturers of electronic goods. Ever since they started producing camcorders, they have been enjoying the top spot amongst their counterparts. Sony’s predominant success came with the Cyber shot series camera, as they became one of the most popular brands of camcorders in the market. Though things have not changed a lot since then and though people are still going for the Cyber shot cameras, Sony had to introduce a camcorder that is so efficient and comfortable to handle. And then, the Bloggie HD camcorders came into the market bashing the then existing HD camcorders. They were one of the slimmest camcorders that can shoot at full HD resolution. Though they were a big success for Sony, the one drawback that Sony itself observed, regarding the Bloggie, was that there was no touch screen interface. This, Sony thought, would arise some small but crucial problems and observed the fact the users could have a problem interfacing the device. Hence, it came up with a revamped Bloggie HD camera, and this new version sports a touch screen interface. Sounds exciting right? Though there is this fantabulous Bloggie Touch 3D camera that lets you shoot and watch videos is 3D, let us contain ourselves with the Bloggie touch for now. We shall review the 3D thing in the coming few days, but for now, let us move on to the rest of the details as we unveil the new MHS-TS20K Bloggie Touch HD camera from Sony.

Design:

Innovative:

The Bloggie comes out with a unique design for a camera, since it looks more like a mobile phone or a PDA device, than a camera. Known for being so innovative when it comes to design, Sony has experimented with the design of its new Bloggie camera. Though it is not that new to those of you who are already acquainted with the primitive Bloggie camcorder model, it is a bit of a surprise for those of you who are encountering the camera for the first time. It is not as difficult though, when it comes to using it, since everyone has a mobile phone that has a camera and hence we know you are habituated to using cameras of that ilk.

Speaking of the design part of the device, you must be a proud owner of the Sony Bloggie Touch HD MHS-TS20K Camcorder since it has got that elegance and attractiveness that none others have. It is a pocket camera and is very portable. Coming to the physical characteristics, the device measures about 2 inches wide, 0.6 inches deep, and 4.3 inches high. Now that looks like a measurement of a PDA, but it is a camera, for better reasons or for worse. The device also weighs about 4.4 ounces, which is quite less for any given camcorder these days, hence making the Sony Bloggie Touch HD camera is pretty light device on the whole. It is sleek, it is portable, it is light in weight, and it comes in pretty vibrant colours like grey, black, blue and pink. So, what else can one expect from any camera? If you are still reading, it means you have already decided to go for this.

Display:

Well, it is a full touch bar out there, as discussed earlier, and therefore one would expect a pretty big display. And fortunately enough, the Sony MHSTS20K Bloggie Touch HD is blessed with quite a large screen, as large as 3 inches and moreover it is a TFT active matrix LCD touch screen. Is that not enough for it to be a top notch camera? To be honest, we always liked the cameras that come with a touch responsive display since such a display mechanism helps the users by saving their time, and more importantly, it is easier t0o access the device. Touchscreen technology has taken up the electronic market and it has been, and will continue to be, quite a wonderful boon, until something better crops up in the future.

Coming back to the Bloggie Touch HD Digital Camera and Camcorder, you have scores of things that you can do when it comes to accessing the device. You can select options, scroll through photos, play, pause and stop videos, arrange things in order, change the settings, zoom or pan pictures and videos, so on and so forth. There are endless options for you to do and things will definitely seem a lot easier since it is a touch screen display. To give you a bit more details regarding the display of the Bloggie Touch HD, the total pixels displayed on the screen would be as many as 288,000. This big number only gives you a better display of things on the screen and hence there will not be under pixelation while playing your photos and videos. You will also have a better picture of what you are going to capture.

Features:

Sony always provides with abounding features on its cameras and there definitely are quite a few features of the Bloggie Touch HD that need to be discussed here. We shall go through each and every important aspect of the camera and provide you the all important details of the things that make it one special camera out there in the market.

1080p High Definition:

The world has dramatically changed over the last few years. So did shooting methods and video quality. From Standard Definition, which has been there for quite a long time, for more than a few decades, the shooting quality is now on a totally new level. High definition is the new format of videos and with the introduction of HD televisions and Blu ray players, many users have now shifted towards the high definition region, where Standard Definition is treated equivalent to a bad video quality. This is the reason why you see all those camcorders come with and boast of high definition shooting capability. But when it comes to the Bloggie Touch HD, Sony is not just blowing its trumpet, as you can see the quality of the images its camcorders can deliver. The Bloggie Touch HD camera faithfully follows the 1080p HD rule and you can obtain high quality videos for yourself using your Bloggie. This would surely give you wonderful pictures with awesome quality at almost all conditions. You may be wondering that the size of the video will be too large if it is as qualitative as 1080p, but as you will later see, Sony has come with a Bloggie Software package that helps you regarding that aspect. Hence, no more worries as you shoot videos at an absolute high definition and hence feel professional of yourself. Therefore clearly, there are no half measures out there when it comes to video quality. A full HD is what you get from The Bloggie Touch HD camera.

Image Stabilisation:

When you have got such a nice camera that can give you superb pictures which look like they are from a Hollywood director of great eminence, you would expect the images to be stable and perfect. Not shaky pictures, not even in dreams. This is the reason most of the cameras today come with a new but superb feature by the name Image stabilisation. As the name suggests, this special ability of the camera to stabilise the images makes the pictures even sharper and there will be less or no shaky effect of the camera on the obtained images. This gives you crystal clear pictures that have no disturbances. As there will be no stand or tripod provided along with the camera and even if you buy one separately there would not be any considerable affect, this special feature of Image stabilisation will do your shooting more than a world of good.

Auto Macro:

For those of you who are fanatics of Macro shooting, the Auto Macro feature should sound awesome. When the camera detects very close objects or a situation suitable for Macro shooting, the focusing range of the lens automatically changes and you do not need to change the setting by yourself. It happens automatically and instantaneously so that it may be useful for you in case you need an instantaneous photograph of something very close. Though the auto macro feature is seen lately in many of the high definition cameras and camcorders, this special feature is pretty new to a camera of the likes of the Sony MHS-TS20K HD Camcorder. Though long range shooting will be the default mode of shooting on the camera and though the focusing range is normal, everything changes when there is an object pretty close to the lens of the camera. For those of you who are new to Macro Shooting, all we can say is that is an awesome way to express your talents in photography and most professional photographers prefer this mode of shooting in order to create a sense of awe.

Low Light Shooting:

Most of the cameras and camcorders do not function at their fullest potential when it comes to low light shooting. You either need tom shoot under daylight, or you need to provide yourself with plenty of artificial lighting, if you want excellent picture quality and contrast, and brightness. But when you have to shoot in twilight or when it is dark, or when there is inadequacy of external light, most of today’s cameras need a flash light to help them capture some decent pictures. Well, you do not need any sort of lighting when it comes to the Bloggie Touch HD MHS-TS20K camera. The lens of the camera automatically detects the low light condition and the camera itself adjusts the exposure settings and hence in a way, increases the exposure of the subjects in the picture. This makes the picture brighter than it actually is, and hence it would be easy to get a video or photo of a decent picture quality. There will be minimal or no noise added to your pictures while shooting in low light, depending upon the luminosity. This is another added advantage when it comes to the Bloggie Touch HD. A no noise and no nonsense camera that gives you excellent output almost always.

Face Recognition:

Face recognition technology is also pretty new to cameras and camcorders and it has also, in a way, changed the aspect of photography. What happens when this technology is used in a lens is that whenever the lens detects faces of people, the picture settings like exposure, brightness, focal length of the lens are changed automatically without manual interruption. This makes shooting instant and also pretty effective. The camera tries to recognise as many faces as it can and hence distributes the exposure to the whole picture, instead of centering on one single subject. This feature, face recognition, will also be helpful to you later on, after the shooting is over. If you are wondering how, we tell you that you can tag people’s names on their faces and save them in memory so that they can be shared later on, on social networking sites. Hence, this feature is clearly multi purposeful.

Photo and Video Tagging:

And here we arrive to the most fun filled activity regarding the Bloggie Touch HD Camera. Most of us today save and share the pictures and videos we have captured with our dear ones and friends. And photo and video tagging can be quite strenuous when there are too many people involved in a photo or a video. You need to search for or type people’s names on your device and this can sometimes be a strenuous job. Hence, the Bloggie offers you a simpler mechanism wherein you can tag more than one person at a time. All you need to do is save the contacts in groups and then tag the entire group in the video whenever you wish to. This makes things easy because you can then have separate groups of people like friends, family, office, etc., and then select the required group at the time of tagging. Things are always easy when it comes to the Bloggie and Sony has yet again proved that it can make life easier for us users. And we really like this point of tagging friends in a faster way because it really helps during social networking with your pals, which we are going to discuss in the next topic.

Sharing:

Sharing is the new way of life and by sharing we are not being philanthropic, though it is a great deed in fact. And we all know how important a habit social networking has become of late. Lately, more and more people are into social networking. From being just a hobby, social networking has become a part and parcel of many people’s lives today. And sharing has also become an integral part. There are people who feel that the more they share with their pals, the more they care for them. If you are one of those, then the Bloggie Touch HD camera is such a boon since it supports sharing big time. There are numerous social networking websites supported by the Bloggie Touch HD and you have plenty of options when it comes to sharing with family and friends. You can upload videos instantly onto YouTube, without ever worrying of the format of your videos since it will automatically be transformed into the required format. And then there is Facebook, where you can tag photos and videos and share with people whenever you wish to. Websites like Flickr, Picasa Web albums and Personal Space are also featured on the Bloggie Touch HD camera and this means sharing is never this easier.

Bloggie Software Package:

Yes, finally there is someone who understands the needs of a common user. We all wish to have a nice user friendly and a no nonsense software that can easily load, save, and allow us to share our videos. And Sony has made this dream come true achievement possible by introducing the Bloggie software. This software can be installed on your PC or Mac. It is easy to install and easy to use too. Then you can sync your Bloggie to your PC or Mac using the plug in USB arm, about which we will discuss a bit later. After the syncing part is over, you can ,load the videos, make whatever changes you want to them, and save them onto your drives for future use. You can mend your videos, add some music and some graphics to them wherever you want, edit, cut, copy and paste whole or part of the videos, and save them in the end. This is an absolutely useful software package since it helps you design your own videos and also allows you to make them or break them at your will. You can also show your editing skills and show your talents off to your pals. The software is provided along with the Bloggie Touch HD camera in a disk, and it is free of cost. You can visit Sony’s website for more details regarding the software package and its features.

Plug in USB arm:

The Universal Serial Bus alias USB has now become a household name of late, from being a corporate utility. It has now replaced the compact disks and even DVDs in many areas of entertainment and business. It is a simple but important tool that allows you to easily transfer files, sync multiple devices, charge your electronic gadgets and store large number of files easily without the fear of the data being erased off. Regarding the Bloggie Touch HD camera, it has got a plug in USB arm, the one which has lately become pretty famous when it comes to electronic gadgets. You can easily pull it out of the device, and then connect it to your computer, and charge the device or sync it with the computer in order for more utilities. This type of USB arm can be so useful since it has got portability. You do not need another separate charger in order to charge the device and to sync it with your computer. In comes as a built in feature and hence there is good portability and at the same time security too.

Performance:

Now that we are done with the features list, we need to focus our attention on the performance of the Bloggie Touch HD camera. Since the features are pretty excellent, latest and user friendly, you can be rest assured that this is at the top of the list. But can this small beauty of a camera from Sony withstand the reputation when it comes to performance? Let us go through every inch of detail regarding the performance of the Bloggie Touch HD camera. Well, there are predominantly there different types of performance for every camera or a camcorder, which are respectively Shooting performance, Video performance, and Audio performance. Let us see if all the three performance aspects conform to what we need.

Shooting Performance:

Just like many other high definition cameras and camcorders in the market today, the Bloggie Touch HD camera has got all options and features automated. This means that there is no need for the users to change the settings for every shooting mode. Things will be set automatically, according to the outside conditions. And shooting performance of the device is very good, if not excellent, under almost all conditions. Low light video shooting has also given us satisfactory results and if are looking for full high definition quality of 1080p, then here you have already got one camera that can do it. With the help of image stabilisation, the camera also maintains good stabilised shooting conditions and certain noises and effects due to shakes are all nullified automatically, giving you are smooth running picture, just like in theatres. Focusing, face detection, white balancing, and exposure balancing, and so on, are automated and give you perfect results while you are busy shooting videos. We are completely satisfied with the shooting performance of the Bloggie Touch HD camera.

Video Performance:

We have not noticed any kind of crisp edges on the subjects or digital noise when it comes to the video quality of the Bloggie Touch HD camera. Under normal daylight or under plenty of artificial lighting, the camera is so awesome that it gives you some ecstatic results regarding the video quality. Sony says full HD and full HD is what you also actually see coming out of the device. And when you opt to shoot in 720p HD resolution, you get even better quality and smoother images, thanks to the high frame rate of 60fps. Whichever way you try, there will not be any degradation in the image quality and that is what we have liked regarding this camera. There will not be any problems regarding the pixilation of the subjects, contrast or colour of the images in artificial lighting. We have tried and tested the device under certain conditions and came out with almost all positive results. There were no major errors or defects reported during the testing processes. Also the videos look great even on your computer screens after the shooting is done. This shows that one can count on the video quality of the Bloggie Touch HD.

Audio Performance:

Unless there is a lot of wind around, one should normally expect pretty good audio performance form the Bloggie Touch HD. One does not normally need a separate mike since the existing one will suffice more often than not. If the mike is not covered by your hand or any other object you must be getting some decent audio out of the device. Voices are given top priority and there is a little bit of noise cancellation, but that may not do you a great favour when there is too much of wind or external noise. But on the whole, the audio on the Bloggie Touch HD camera is pretty good and in fact, better than those on the rival cameras as well as some of Sony’s own cameras in the past.

Image Quality:

The Bloggie touch MHS-TS20K HD Camcorder can also take some pretty good pictures for you. Images can be captured using the image mode in the device and pictures with decent quality can be captured always. You get a quality of 12.1 MP when it comes to still images and this is by far, a very good quality rating for any camera today. Since most digital cameras today come with an average quality of 8 to 10 megapixels, one can hence believe that 12.1 MP is quite a decent quality for a still image. And capturing still images will also be not as difficult as it seems since the device has a form factor that is similar to that of a modern mobile phone. Hence, most of you would find it easier to handle the Bloggie Touch HD and at the end of the day, your pictures come out in flying colours too, which is exactly what you are looking for.

Battery:

The Bloggie Touch has come with a built in and non replaceable Lithium ion battery, and it gives you long battery life so that you can shoot for more hours without draining the battery too much.

Warranty:

The Bloggie Touch HD camera is warranted by Sony for a period of just about 90 days from the original date of purchase. While this seriously is less for a warranty period, Sony says there will not be any complaints because each and every part of the camera has been manufactured with great care. However, we still think there should have been a warranty period of one year at least.

Verdict:

It is always difficult to tell the readers in one word, about any gadget. Every gadget has its own positive and negatives and just like us humans, gadgets also are not always perfect. But we measure the degree of closeness to perfection, a gadget is. And to be honest with you, the Bloggie Touch is right up there comfortably beating all its rival counterparts from similar manufacturers. As you can see, almost everything regarding the device, like the design, the display, the features, performance, and extra facilities, all are pretty good indeed. And for the reasonable price tag that is sports, once can easily say that this is a camera that is worth more than its price. It is a perfect companion if your aim is shooting at home. But if you are a bit more professional and are looking for something more awesome than this one, we always are ready with one. You can go through some of the best cameras and camcorders in the market on this website itself.

Check other Latest Camcorder Reviews, other Sony Camcorder Reviews in this website.

Sony Bloggie MHS-TS20K Mini HD Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Bloggie Touch HD
Model Number	MHS-TS20K
Camcorder type	Mini, HD Camcorder
Dimensions (W x D x H)	4.3 x 2 x 0.6 inches
Weight	125 grams
Colour	Black, Silver, Pink, Blue
Monitor	3-inch TFT LCD
Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Still Picture Resolution	12 MP
Image Sensor	CMOS
Lens (focusing)	Optical auto focus
Optical Zoom	1x
Digital Zoom	4x
Focal Length	Photo (16:9 Mode): 37mm, (4:3 Mode): 32mm Video (16:9 Mode): 37mm, (4:3 Mode): no modes
CCD Type	Exmor CMOS sensor
Recording Media	8GB Internal Memory
Exposure control	Auto
Video compression format	MP4
Face Detection	Yes
Shutter type	Electronic
Frame rate	30-60 fps
Effective Pixels	Photo (16:9 Mode): 8294K, (4:3 Mode): 12780K Video (16:9 Mode): 2073K, (4:3 Mode): N.A.
Media Card Slot available	Yes (SD/SDHC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo)
Playback	HD (High Definition) Playback Playback Zoom Index Playback
Supplied Software	bloggie Software (Built-in, Windows/Mac)
Image stabilization	Available
Audio input	Microphone
AV out	HDMI component-out and normal
Speaker	Yes (mono)
Digital voice recorder	Yes
MP3 player	No
TV playback	Yes
Self timer	Yes
Quick Start	Yes
PC interface	USB arm
Power adaptor	USB arm
Accessories	USB Cable, PMB software, Rechargeable battery pack, wrist strap, A/V connecting cable, component A/V cable
Battery	Li-ion rechargeable battery
Battery Life	160min
Warranty	90 days