Comments on: WVU #39 – Review Canon Vixia HF S10 Part 2

By: Lani

Lani — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:42:20 +0000

Dave, SO glad to have found your materials!

I JUST got a Canon Vixia HF S10 and thanks for the reviews and great videos.

However, today I made my first vid and it sure did NOT come out looking as HD as yours. You mention that the camera compresses the files. I imported from my camera straight into Sony Vegas and wonder if there is a decompression process I need to do – I’ve searched all over the net to no avail.

Please advise, and thanks!

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:08:55 +0000

@Steve G – If you’re getting “no device connected”…while Windows Explorer does show the camera as an attached device…you’d have to contact Sony tech support. Or you can just use Windows Explorer to copy the files from your camera to your hard drive, then open the files like any other video file in Vegas.

By: Steve G

Steve G — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:27:00 +0000

HF S100 not recognized in Platinum 10?

I just got my newly refurbished HF S100 from Canon USA but I cannot get Platinum 10 to recognize the S100 as USB device under either View>Device Explorer or Capture Video. I believe I have both the S100 and Platinum 10 set for HD, 60i. I loaded the software Canon sends with the S100 and Canon seems to imply in their manual you must go through the ImageMixer 3 Transfer Utility software to save the video files to the hard drive. However I’ve seen your demo and the files should show up under View>Device Explorer.

I’m running a new HP with an i7 core and Win7 (64 bit). A Canon(L:) does appear with all files in the Windows library but “No Device” shows up under “View>Device Explorer” and “Capture Video”.

Does anyone have a suggestion(s)?

THANKS

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 20:26:04 +0000

@Aaron – The only way to get better playback is to increase your computer’s memory and upgrade your processor to a multi-core. More here:

http://webvideouniversity.com/podcast/video/2010/02/26/help-video-from-my-hd-camera-is-choppy-during-editing-wvu-74/

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:55:23 +0000

Dave,
As so many others have already said — much appreciation for the website & information you’ve provide. My questions are hopefully super simple for you and may require only a small moment of your time. I’m very much a novice, so the simpler you can make answers the better. Much of the comments already made in this thread are way over my head.
Can you recommend answers for me based on the following?
1)I’ve never done any video editing. I simply shoot the videos and ultimately when the internal memory is full transfer onto my computer. When I’ve got the HF S10 the playback of videos on the computer is choppy. (I know understand why because of AVCHD).
I simply want to know — what should I do to make the video’s playback smoothly on my computer? I’m not interested in any fancy editing. I just want to be able to press play & watch a smooth video on the computer. What should I do to achieve this? I need to convert the file, correct? What can I use to do that, is there a relatively inexpensive solution?
Is there any warnings or things I should be concerned about with this approach? Any other thoughts or recomendations?
2)Why does all the Pixela & Cannon software that comes with the package basically warn against using anything software or techniques outside of theirs — it scares a person to not do anything different.
Thanks,
Aaron

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 22 May 2010 13:09:24 +0000

@Thiago – I would recommend any of the higher-end Vixia models…HF S10, HF S11, HF S20, HF S21

By: Thiago

Thiago — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:33:36 +0000

Hello Dave can you help me out, right now i have a PMW EX3 and i need to buy a small camera like those vixia or a Panasonic AG-HMC40 can you help me out wich VIxia model should i get.
Thanks
Thiago Santanna
Brazil/Boston

By: Dickson Beall

Dickson Beall — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:19:03 +0000

I’m trying to get Vixia hfs 10 camera footage transferred into FCP CS4 with the highest quality possible at 24 p. Can’t figure the camera setting and codec thing out–getting interlaced and all kinds of quality loss. Is there a workflow for this on my Mac? Thanks.

By: Zoltan

Zoltan — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 14:47:20 +0000

My problem was basically cleared up by Dave’s info stating that “Flash-based cameras are recognized by computers (Windows or Mac) as USB storage devices”. My own Nikon Coolpix camera behaves that way so it didn’t come as a surprise. However the VixiaHFS10 is a lot more sophisticated piece of machinery and I do not own it. A friend of mine does, (in Europe), therefore I couldn’t make any tests with it. But now I know how it MUST behave (autodetect) and no special setup methods are necessary. Thanks Dave!

I appreciate you comment also @Syndic3d. Your first suggestion (install drivers etc. exactly as instructed is a very sound one, but unfortunately as I said not owning the camera I couldn’t control that process myself either.

The second point you raise, trying connecting to different USB connectors is also a good and an often tried method. I’d like to add though that this Vixia was connected to a laptop and with laptops there is very little (if any) difference between the various USB connectors.
The PC power supply plays no role here. For one thing (and again I don’t own the Vixia but I do not believe that it could be powered by any USB connector or even by external powered USB hubs. It draws too much current therefore you need either a fairly well charged battery or the AC adapter connected to the camera. Without that I don’t think you can even turn it on, much less transfer data to it. The reason you may find in some computers that you get more juice out of the “rear” USB connectors is that those nowdays are typically soldered right into the motherboard, while the “front” connectors are connected from the motherboard USB ports via a short cable to the front connectors. The increased length of the cable may at times be enough to cause some signal degradation. (An external powered USB hub may help this problem in some cases). But under no scenario will the Vixia draw current via the USB bus. It should serve strictly only as a data signal path between the camera and the computer software.
The USB devices in the PC are managed by the Windows OS Device Manager, USB Controllers driver. While it generally works fine, it’s poorly documented by MS and it has on occasions some erratic behavior. At times it may preserve setups of prior installation(s) of other USB devices and when you plug in another device into that particular port Windows may not detect the new USB device properly. Therefore at times one may find that switching to another USB port (previously unused) will remedy a detection/connection problem. Uninstalling and reinstalling USB devices (drivers) may at times also become necessary in these cases.

By: Syndic3d

Syndic3d — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:36:25 +0000

@Zoltan – I have a Canon Vixia HFS10 myself. I have encountered my HD camcorder not detected by Windows Vista (I have Home Premium 64-bit). This problem occurred even with all of the drivers installed (including the Pixela ImageMixer software installed).

Here are the things I found and I hope they help you:

1. Make sure you install the drivers and software correctly as outlined in the instructions manual.

2. Plug the camcorder (via USB cable) into the rear USB port (not the front USB port). The rear USB port (I surmised) is closer to the computer’s power supply. Even though my camcorder is plugged into the power adapter, it seems the camcorder needs more power when connecting via the USB. I can’t fully explain why this happens but it works.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:55:45 +0000

Details are on the homepage for the site:

http://www.webvideouniversity.com

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:18:32 +0000

Can you give a link for that?

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:34:16 +0000

@Andy – I cover specific render settings in my paid training at Web Video University

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:55:23 +0000

Thanks for answering my questions:
Is there a better and other way to render videos in After effect other than MPEG2?
Because every time i render my video, it comes out a video and an audio separately.
Which format is the best for After effect cs4 or cs3??
Andy

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:14:30 +0000

@Andy – Your footage should be the same whether it’s rendered out of Vegas Pro 8 or 9.

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:39:38 +0000

@Dave,
I use sony vegas 8 pro for my hf s10
but is there difference of having sony vegas 8 or 9 for this camcorder?
will the video be better when i export it in vegas 9?
i just want to know the effects on the footage(HF s10) if i use vegas9pro

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:03:47 +0000

That is ok, i got a footage from another camcorder that has AVCHD format but not HF s10
Thx anyway

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 17:05:51 +0000

@Michael – iMovie can only import MTS files from a connected camera. There are companion files associated with MTS video files that iMovie needs in order to import the clips (this is why copying the MTS files back to your camera won’t likely work…the companion files won’t be there too).

You’ll need 3rd party software that can convert MTS files into usable QuickTime files, like this:

http://www.shedworx.com/voltaichd

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 16:32:58 +0000

Dave, quick question as you look like the guy in the know. On a mac. Have the HF S10. Have downloaded assorted MTS files to my mac and those files are no longer on the camcorder. How can I get those MTS files back onto the camcorder so I can import to iMovie? Or in the alternative is there any way to convert/import MTS files once on a local mac to other video formats?

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:49:53 +0000

@Shiona – Legria is the name Canon uses for Vixia’s outside of the United States.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:46:43 +0000

@Lisa – Sorry, can’t do that.

By: Shiona

Shiona — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:40:36 +0000

Hi Dave thanks for your review. This camcorder doesn’t seem to be available in the UK. How does it compare with the Canon Legria HF S11? Is it the same one?

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:24:26 +0000

Dave,
Well…your recommendations were to have a dual core with 4gig of ram and at least 512mb dedicated. I went out and got a quad core with 8gig ram and 1gig dedicated, so I’m assuming I should not have those problems with the HD?
And of course for all around ease of use (as a consumer and not an indie film maker) I’m guessing I will stick with the HF S11.

Thanx for the help…see you inside!!

Nick

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:26:39 +0000

By this spring i am going to buy a new camcorder (Canon Vixia HF s10)
But is it ok if you send me a footage/video in AVCHD format from your camcorder(HF S10)

to my e-mail to test it out in Sony Vegas
Please
My e-mail is
foradobeprograms@gmail.com

Any footage is fine –
Thank You

By: Burt

Burt — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:13:47 +0000

Dave,
great answer and understood. it’s an impulse, though, to always want the better toy. Those Air Jordan Nike’s never seem to make NBA stars out of most of the kids that buy ‘em, yet, some kid named Jordan could be wearing the K-Mart special sneakers and outperform the kid wearing the Air Jordan’s. Your answer does clear up the important stuff. If you anticipate challenging circumstances such as low light, etc. then, you might be better off going higher end. Sort of, like making sure you get the Stability Control feature or whatever when you buy the car if you think you’ll be driving in a lot of rain. I’m sure there’s no perfect answer to this one because a lot of it is subjective, but, in reading specs, how do you compare the lens. Per your Vixia Video, this awesome Canon lens in the HF S10 actually was used in some sequences in a Hollywood production. Okay. Got that. Great lens. Perhaps greatest ever in a consumer model. But, I was browsing, as I said, at some low end prosumer models. That Panasonic for $1800 said it had 3-CMOS sensors, I think, at 1/4″. Then, I saw a Sony for a lot more money with 1/2″ sensors. Back to consumer stuff, you’ll see the top of line Sony with the hard drive claiming 12-megapixel stills, etc. Then, you read and find the secret of the Canon is the 8.59 cmos sensor. Even other Canon VIXIA’s don’t have what our Canon HF S10 has. They have a CMOS sensor of about 3.00. So, in buying the next cam in 2010, I’m sure somebody is going to have a 9.00 CMOS sensor or something. 90% of the reviews I read from experts seem to think Canon optics are the best. How do you sift thru this stuff? You can’t take a test drive with the cams at Best Buy. You basically read the spec sheet. What do you look for, be it prosumer or consumer? I’ve read reviews, by the way, which call the Panasonic 3-sensor concept in consumer models a joke and that is the quality of the sensor and not how many sensors there are. Yet, of course, in the high end, everybody uses multiple sensors. BY THE WAY, LOVE THE NEW COLORS ON THE UPDATE TO THE SITE !! HAPPY NEW YEAR, DAVE AND EVERYONE!!

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:55:20 +0000

@Burt – See my reply to @Nick

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:54:36 +0000

@Nick – It depends upon the lighting situations and how you plan on using the camera. All consumer level cameras will struggle in low light and require a tripod to hold steady. The prosumer and professional models handle these things better…plus contain better lenses and electronics, producing a better picture.

AVCHD cameras produce more headaches than miniDV cameras in terms of editing. AVCHD footage rarely plays back in real-time in the timeline of video editing software. See this blog post:

http://webvideouniversity.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-fix-choppy-playback-from-avchd-video-cameras/

In any event, developing skills/experience with any camera is far more important than the camera itself. In other words, buying the world’s best golf clubs won’t make you a better golfer.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:47:41 +0000

@Andy – See the user’s manual, page 42. Or download the user’s manual here:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=17993#DownloadDetailAct

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:53:50 +0000

Questions about HF S10
- how do you capture a footage or film by saving into a SD memory card and not the build-in Memory?
i see build-in and SD Memory both sides on the menu.

does it work with only within Build-in memory when you are recording a video?

I have no problem with Photo into SD but i dont know how to do it with video in the menu(camcorder hf s10)
Thank You

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:11:21 +0000

Dave, I am really anxious for your answer to Nick’s question. The thing that is driving me crazy about this is when I read a review of a Panasonic pro-sumer model now at only $1800 from B&H Photo which is only about $600 more than my Canon VIXIA. Yet, my VIXIA does HD and in the hands of someone like you, it delivers incredible video. Is the Panasonic or even the lower end Sonys (still mini-dv) selling around $2000 really going to give me that much better video? The audio without XLR is fine. But, is this stuff worth buying or do you really have to take it further to $3-5000 before you really get a tool that is dramatically better than the video I’ll place on the web with the VIXIA.

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:23:23 +0000

Oh yes…there will be some “remote/on location” shooting as well.

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:09:14 +0000

Hey dave,
As per Burt’s conversation…should a novice just save the headache and stay away from mini-dv? I know the technology is moving towards hi-def flash, but the right settings, etc…can make the CNN footage look even better.
I ask simply because I have a line on a Canon XL2 for a GREAT price. It definitely would require much more education to learn, but as I’ve read, you teach that as well.
I was a member of Club WVU before, and after a layoff and a job callback…I’m ready to join again, but I do not want to go forth at half speed. I’m either going with the HF S11 or the XLR2 and could use some of your insight as to which would be best to continue with.
And to answer the question I KNOW you’re about to ask…YES it will be a serious pursuit, and not just at the hobby level-LOL (we have a radio show that we plan to start integrating filmed segments on the web. Also, close to camera shots-NOT just close ups-may also be an issue)

Thanx

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:00:20 +0000

@Andy – Yes, you import the files into your project and drag them to the timeline like any other video files. See this blog post about working with AVCHD files:

http://webvideouniversity.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-fix-choppy-playback-from-avchd-video-cameras/

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:32:52 +0000

Can you import AVCHD files in Sony Vegas 8 Pro??
and how if you can.??
Because i have Vegas 8 Pro
would it affect the video (AVCHD) if i have only 3 GB of RAM and not 4???
Please reply
Thank You

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:36:52 +0000

@Zoltan – Flash-based cameras are recognized by computers (Windows or Mac) as USB storage devices, just like external hard drives, Flash card readers, etc.. So the issue is with Windows Vista or the USB port you are using on the computer.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:33:06 +0000

@Cathy – You’d need to contact Apple support for this:

http://www.apple.com/support/

By: Zoltan

Zoltan — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:20:15 +0000

Dave,
Thanks for the very educational video. I have one problem I still could not figure out after watching it though. I have purchased a Vixia HFS100 for a friend, thus I do not have the camcorder. He is running Vista (on a laptop). The problem is that the device is never detected on the computer. Since I ca not run any tests I’d like to ask you what does it take to have Vista to recognize the camcorder device? (I have no camcorder but my Nikon CoolPix camera (pseudo camcorder) simply shows up as a device when connected to my PC (XP). Does it take some software (you were using Sony Vegas Pro, or possibly the PIXELA ImagaMixer 3 SE shipped with the Vixia) to be able to detect and access the device. Would very much appreciate your advice on this.

Regards!

By: Mercedes

Mercedes — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 07:05:22 +0000

Your tips were great and you answered questions I had. I bought this camera just yesterday and have trouble transfering videos over to my Mac. Thanks!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:03:24 +0000

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the video, I’ve just bought the HFS11, and I’m having some trouble using log and transfer in final cut pro… The camera is showing up on my desktop as a orange external hard drive type thing, but the log and transfer window is totally blank. When I try drag the files in it says “filename” has invalid directory structure. Please choose a folder whose directory structure matches the supported media.

Any tips?

Thanks very much

Cathy

By: Burt

Burt — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:32:08 +0000

Hope you don’t get tired hearing this; THANKS AGAIN, DAVE!! BTW, just another quickie on the topic. In your piece, you never mentioned AVID Media Composer. Just curious how you rate that for high end pro users compared to using Final Cut Pro and Sony Vegas. May not be for aspiring beginners or intermediate level guys, but, if money was no object and you wanted to produce the next “Titanic” or something, is it necessary and/or really worth double or more the cost of Final Cut Pro or is it just habits, snob appeal based on the past where the other software(s) have now caught up in ability or something else? It’s like if you buy a decent sneaker with support, do you really need $200
Air Jordan sneakers to produce even better all-star basketball? Or are the tools now similar and close in ability? Also, you didn’t mention Adobe Premiere Elements and Pro in the conversation. Perhaps, a reason you don’t prefer them or think the others are a better choice? Thanks, Dave

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:21:20 +0000

@Burt – See here:

http://stuffdaverecommends.com/2009/09/video-editing-software/

By: Burt

Burt — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:03:54 +0000

I’ve also read a lot of comments from people that say that I-Movie 9 is almost equal to Final Cut Express 4 which is due for an upgrade, shortly, and that if you have I-Movie9 it doesn’t make sense to buy Final Cut Express. Your thoughts, as always, helpful. What’s important to me is to have lots of title and transition and creative choices; picture in picture, etc. I know you use and like Sony from this thread, but, ease of use, aside, which of these low to medium software tools offers the most opportunity to create cool stuff, oh, and I guess, reliably. They say Pinnacle crashes a lot, but, that’s usually not enough memory, etc. I have DDR3 memory and a fast processor to work with.

By: Burt

Burt — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:59:30 +0000

Hi,Dave,
it’s all relative, of course, I understand, to ask if paying $200 is worth the upgrade from IMovie9. Do you think it is, Dave? I would expect a learning curve, but, is there lots more versatility in having lots and I mean lots of more options for choice in titles and transitions, etc? I took a look at the Pinnacle Studio Ultimate 14 which got bad to mediocre reviews, but, I was impressed with the add-on studio packs of titles and transitions choices if you pay extra. I’m so far scared off by bad reviews, but, it seems like you can do a lot with it and those AVID titles and transitions in Pinnacle. Your thoughts….

By: Burt

Burt — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:58:45 +0000

Hi, Dave, duly noted. I can’t thank you enough for all the free advice you’ve provided. My budget is hurting right now, but, I’ve already put it on my wish list to take your course, down the road, perhaps, next year.
I think you are like a “secret” that shouldn’t be a
“secret.” I’m sure glad I stumbled onto your site by accident as I explained earlier. Canon support was so
disappointing when it comes to hi-def. I almost returned the camera. Technique aside which is something to be taught,in your course, I’m assuming then that a great engineer like yourself can make a competitive video to the big guys even if handicapped by a consumer grade VIXA HFS-10 which means that it is as much how you use the software in settings that make a difference vs. how expensive and high end your hardware – the camera itself is.

By: Jaye

Jaye — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:42:42 +0000

Dave thanks for that great video on transfers from HF S10 camera to pc and Mac.
How can I transfer straight to a capture scratch disk (quicktime) without going into the timeline? I am on a new imac and using the HF S11.
Jaye

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:20:40 +0000

@Burt – I cover these things in the training course I offer.

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:24:04 +0000

Hi, Dave, per your response,
1. can’t fix the camera; ain’t got $20-grand
2. lighting; understood; need great lighting conditions
3. codecs and settings; okay, what can I do to upgrade my results on this. Is it technique or software or both? Will the oonversion come out better if I buy Sorenson Spark vs. Adobe Media Encoder in CS4 vs. Final Cut Express vs. I-Movie?
Basically, if a roughly $500 piece of software can make a difference, it would be worth it. Don’t have the extra $3 to $5 thousand or more for the camera, though. Please advise on technique, as well, and codecs. I thought codecs are in the players and per my 1st message, all things being equal, often the video result on same computer, browser, player,etc. is breathtakingly superior off the commercial sites, even in non-HD. Thanks.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:16:16 +0000

@Burt – It’s a combination of the camera, lighting and the recipe used to encode the video for the web (the specific codecs and settings you use when encoding a video for the web can make a dramatic difference).

By: Burt

Burt — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:41:09 +0000

Hi, Dave,
could you explain why when I go to a commercial site,
like USA Today or MSNBC or CNN, I can watch breathtaking quality video that makes my results pretty
weak on the Canon HF S10. What I’m not getting is what makes those videos so great. Sometimes, they are not even HD, but, seem to look better. Thought when it gets dumbed down/compressed in Flash, it makes high end equipment unnecessary or its impact diminished on the small computer screen of average viewer and computer. But, I guess not?? Somehow, it just looks better and cleaner and more detailed. Is it their $10 or $20 grand 3-CCD pro cameras that make the difference or what? Can it be mimicked or duplicated out of lower end equipment when watched in Flash on a computer? I, sort of, thought, it’s like an mp3. Once it is converted down to an mp3 and
listened to thru mediocre speakers or headphones, it’s just not the same as a DAT quality digital master played back thru studio monitors or high end
BOSE speakers or headphones. You lose the high end audio experience. But, somehow, video dumbed down to FLASH by the pros stands out as superior even when it is NOT HD and viewed on a lower end computer. You can still tell the difference and it is dramatic when it is a video from the big guys vs. a guy like me on a Canon HF S10. Thanks.

By: Ceddy

Ceddy — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:08:05 +0000

Dave, Great videos. I just bought the VIXIA HF S10 couple days ago and start shooting. I was using the highest setting to record the videos, then converted it using Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate and save as apple quicktime movie with HD standard. Then upload to youtube. The picture quality is little clear but seems playback is not smooth as your video. Is there something I am missing? Do I need a better program like Sony Vegas 9 to edit the video and convert it ?
Here is my video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHYekrw7PAU&feature=youtube_gdata&fmt=22

Should I use the cinemode settings for all regular recordings? or just “P” mode.

Sorry, this is my first HD camera. Still learning the features. I was using the very old sony minidv tape camcorder

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:03:39 +0000

@David G: I can’t remember the last time I used a viewfinder in any camera. You can use an LCD monitor in bright light situations, like this:
http://webvideouniversity.com/podcast/video/2009/05/08/wvu-35-how-to-use-external-monitors-with-your-camera/

By: David G

David G — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:34:47 +0000

@ Dave – Thank you for the link. I guess my question is do you miss the optical viewfinder on the Canons? I am a Canon fan, but in bright light, I know the LCD is a bit hard to use. Thank you for this forum!!

By: David G

David G — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:09:58 +0000

For all you camcorder owners, I just purchased an TM350 (brand new in box) on eBay. I know the warranty is only valid in Japan. Would you recommend purchasing a warranty from SquareTrade? They are offering a 3 year warranty for $149, or for $50 more, I can add 3 years of accidental damage as well.

Has anyone had problems with the camcorders? Do you recommend the warranty, or is it not necessary?

Thank you!

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:03:22 +0000

@Petra – I’d recommend you contact Apple support about this problem.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:00:48 +0000

@ David – You can see my thoughts on consumer level cameras from different brands here:

http://stuffdaverecommends.com/2009/10/video-cameras/

By: Petra

Petra — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:00:17 +0000

Hi Dave,

I did exactly what you said in your video about downloading video from my HFS10 to Final Cut Express. BUT!
I can see clips, I can drag them down, it starts transferring but after while it stops and says – idle – if I click on it says error no data.
I am very sorry to ask this – but I am new into this and would really appreciate your answer.
Thanks a lot.
Petra

By: David G

David G — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:44:25 +0000

Dave – I am strongly considering a Panny TM350 – why do you suggest Canon or Sony over the Panny?

One of my big reasons is that neither of the latter have an optical viewfinder. As a family camera that will be used outdoors a lot during the day, there will be times the viewfinder will be necessary.

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
David

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:51:04 +0000

@michale – It’s probably not your camera settings but whatever settings you are using to render the videos.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:50:12 +0000

@Burt – Basically yes

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:49:22 +0000

@Burt – You can see which version of Vegas support AVCHD here:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudiohd/compare

By: michale Senno

michale Senno — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:19:21 +0000

dave,
My videos look horrible and are too interlaced when shooting at 60i will shooting at 30p or 24p work better… it’s unacceptable quality for a camera this good. Help would be greatly appreciated.

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:18:59 +0000

Dave,
regarding conversion of files. I saved my I-Movie in
Quick Time format with H-264 codec and most of the highest settings. Some of the settings questions they ask, I wasn’t sure of. But, now, I assume I can take my Quick Time File into CS4 Flash converter and make a Flash video out of it and I’m ready for the web in HD??

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:16:51 +0000

Hi,Dave and everyone. To that girl having an issue using AVCHD with I-Movie. I just bought a new MacBook Pro 17″ with 4gig and the custom processor upgrade. It was in August before Snow Leopard and out of the box, the I-Movie failed me. The computer didn’t even recognize the Canon through USB. When I did all the updates from Apple, I was able to download direct from the Canon into I-Movie. Playback was fine. I made a movie in Quick-Time, as well. Now that Dave has explained everything to me about AVCHD, I’m doing fine, Dave!! I also have a 4-gig top of line PC running VISTA Ultimate, and while you recommend Final Cut Express $200 and Sony Vegas $500+, I was wondering if the lower end Sony Vegas could handle AVCHD well enough as I-Movie, since I’m not doing sophisticated editing??

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:23:35 +0000

@ Alan – No, I’ve never attempted to downconvert HD to SD. Usually when mixing SD and HD footage, people will tweak the SD footage so it appears in HD, using a tool like this:

http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/magic-bullet-instant-hd/

I don’t work with PPro (I use Vegas Pro or Final Cut) but AVCHD footage will have choppy playback in any NLE…rendering times are basically the same though in my experience.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:18:11 +0000

@Sondra – See this video for the mic I use:

http://webvideouniversity.com/podcast/video/2009/01/09/wvu-20-the-equipment-i-use/

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:42:01 +0000

Hi Dave,

Best vid I’ve seen yet on this format and cam. Lots of mixed reviews and misinformation out there but your info seemed rational.
1. I was wondering if you had tried ‘downconverting’ to SD from the AVCHD.

2. Most of my video jobs are still requested in SD and I use Premiere Pro to edit. Would this be a problem to match the downconverted footage to standard SD DV footage?

3. Also, have you heard of the rendering speed in PPro being extremely slow even with fast CPU’s?

By: Sondra Smit

Sondra Smit — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:34:43 +0000

Hi Dave,
Great video! I am waiting for my HS10 to arrive next week and can’t wait to try it out! I am wanting to use a wireless mic with this camera. Do you have any advise on a good setup?
cheers from Australia

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:48:25 +0000

DAVE, YOU ARE AWESOME. I CAN’T THANK YOU ENOUGH. I can’t
also avoid being extremely critical of Canon’s tech support team. Not only did the front line person give
wrong info (like delays from using external mics) and not only did an escalated tech supervisor have absolutely nothing substantial to add or subtract from this ridiculous explanation, but, the SUPERIOR Canon customer service person who investigated it using a case number and his resources over 3-days to deal with his Canon support team was only able to come back with a big fat zero as to the problem and an offer to buy back the camcorder with a refund. I am amazed. Just amazed. And this was support coming out of Virginia and not India or somewhere with communication issues over language or scripted responses. This was escalated support from Canon.
Amazing. I was ready to box up the camcorder for a refund and start looking at $3000 to $4000 camcorders that are overkill for my needs until I stumbled onto you with google and you saved the day.
Thank You Again so much, Dave.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:22:48 +0000

@Ken – See this video: http://webvideouniversity.com/podcast/video/2009/01/09/wvu-20-the-equipment-i-use/

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:19:37 +0000

@Broer – I recommend you stick with Canon or Sony cameras.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:26:30 +0000

@Burt Allan – All cameras that shoot in AVCHD have the same problems when playing back the RAW files on a computer or during editing. The issue is the AVCHD format…not the camera maker. The AVCHD format requires special de-coding for playback that nearly all computers have issues with. Videos you watch on YouTube, etc. are not playing files in the AVCHD format…they are playing Flash files. The video above was shot with the HF S10. It was then edited in Sony Vegas Pro (in the video, I show you how the footage is imported from the camera…the Pixela software isn’t used at all). It was then converted to Flash so people could watch it. AVCHD is a recording format, not a viewing format.

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:41:37 +0000

still confused, also, because we watch HD video on you tube, etc. all the time. Is that because it is the Flash format with H264codec making it HD and that’s why it works? Still confused. And how will computer be able to edit in software if it can’t keep up to play it?
I guess, bottom line, what do I have to do with this
video when I yank it out of the Canon using Pixella bundle and/or is there a better way without Pixella in order to get it ready for playback on computer in HD format. I guess take that MTS file that is raw and ignore that I can’t play it back and do what next with the file I just downloaded into the computer?? Thanks.

By: Burt Allan

Burt Allan — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:37:39 +0000

Hi, Dave, THANK YOU for the instant gratification.
Okay,I’m with you so far. But,
why did Canon bundle this HD player if it can’t play back movies from the cam?
I added the H264 codec to Windows Media Player and what’s the point of that if it can’t keep up, either?
Still confused.
BTW, I have 2- high end computers. MACbook Pro 17″ with
4gig and upgraded processor + a Windows Ultimate 4gig desktop.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:21:30 +0000

@Burtallan – If the video plays back fine in the camera then there is nothing wrong with the footage. The issue is that the camera shoots footage in the AVCHD format, which cannot be played back on nearly any computer without synch problems (the computer simply can’t keep up…it doesn’t have enough juice). After rendering/compressing the raw footage into a usable format (i.e. Flash in the case of the web), everything will be synced fine. Again, nothing is wrong with the footage. It’s just that your computer doesn’t have enough horsepower to play back the footage in real-time, while it’s still in it’s raw format.

By: Burtallan@aol.com

Burtallan@aol.com — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:05:28 +0000

to add to my other post….I have tried playback of the MTS file in several different players with the codec from the bundled Pixella player to Windows Media Player to VLC Player. So, that’s not it and I’ve tried with more than just 1-computer.

By: Burtallan@aol.com

Burtallan@aol.com — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:01:34 +0000

Dave, I have a Canon VIXIA HF-S10. Video and audio quality is awesome, but,
I do a lot of recording with a person’s face on camera and I use the external microphone jack AND THE LIP SYNC IS WAY WAY OFF!!! Nobody has been able
to help. Inside the Canon LCD, everything looks in sync. But, when downloaded into the computer with that bundled Pixella software and then viewed on the player, the lip sync is off major big time; 25-seconds or worse. It’s just unacceptable. I called Canon and the tech guy said there’s sometimes a delay when using an external mic?? HUH??? I never heard of such a thing and it plays fine in the camcorder on playback. Canon techs and Pixella people were useless. The Canon executive level customer service guy was great. He’s willing to give me a refund direct with Canon. BUT, WHAT GIVES HERE?? I’ve asked several people and they tell me the Canon tech guy was an idiot and the Canon customer service guy was just giving great customer service. So far, the consensus with NO SOLUTION of others I’ve asked is that this is 100% a software/download issue. I have top of line state of the art computers, both PC and MAC with lots of memory. The consensus I’m getting is this is a Pixella software issue, but, so far, NOBODY HAS A SOLUTION!! HELP!!! These are recordings made at 30frames, highest HD settings.

By: Ken Lyle

Ken Lyle — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:10:34 +0000

I do want to be notified of your comments via e-mail because I need to purchase camera and accessories soon.

By: Ken Lyle

Ken Lyle — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:09:28 +0000

I’m looking at purchasing this camera. Other than price difference, do you believe the S10 or the S11 is a better purchase? Why? Also, would you share the specifics on the external mic system (product name, model, etc) you are using because I want to include that in my purchase? Thanks.

By: Broer

Broer — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:21:12 +0000

Hi Dave,

just found your website today and must say i love it! I am looking into buying a new HD camera mainly to film our upcoming sibling. Most of the recording would be without a tripod and possibly in dark(er)/inside surroundings.

Would the S10 or S11 be a good option? Or would something like the sony HDR XR520V or Panasonic HDC-TM350 be a better option?

Thanks!

By: Mitch Andrews

Mitch Andrews — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:14:39 +0000

Also, as a kiteboarder/surfer, I liked the sunglasses. I prefer white shades though.

By: Mitch Andrews

Mitch Andrews — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:11:53 +0000

That was a great video. Very educational. It also had the right amount of information without being a technical overkill. I have been searching for answers to the question of “Best Camcorder for Mac/FCE. I am going to buy a HF S11 today! Thanks Dave.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:04:23 +0000

@Gary – The HF S10 doesn’t have a Firewire port…it can only be connected to a computer via USB. Progressive vs. interlaced is an on-going debate in the video world…and there’s no clear winner…it’s a matter of preference…kind of like determining if a Big Mac or Whopper is better.

By: sean

sean — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:33:34 +0000

Hello Dave I like the camera but was distracted by those sun glass’s!!!! Heavy duty surf city! U.S.A.

By: Gary McCormick

Gary McCormick — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:21:59 +0000

Hi Dave, I am a first time visitor to your website, and enjoyed the video on the canon s10. I own the s10 and tried to load my video by the usb connection and was told I needed to use a firewire connection on my mac pro and the version of imovie was 2006. I do have final cut pro, but just now attemping to learn it, would rather use imovie for lite editing. My still photos loaded ok, just the video. iS IMOVIE 2006 to old a version to load my HD video, and some people on the web reviewing this camera say it can shoot in 1080 progressive, but my menues show the highest resolution as 1080i and not progressive
modes, maybe 24P but not sure. What is the answer?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:20:13 +0000

@chandish – Nearly every camera in Canon’s professional line uses 3CCD. See here: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ProductCatIndexAct&fcategoryid=172

3CCD is not typically found in consumer level cameras though. And no, you won’t find any inexpensive hard drive based recorders or tape decks…everything will run at least $1,000+. These devices are used at the professional level, where professional prices apply.

By: chandish

chandish — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:09:33 +0000

Thank you Dave. I am wondering whether to get a harddrive camera such as the Canon, or .. to buy an external video firewire hard drive recorder.

I have inherited a fine 3CC chip camera from my brother – A Sony FX-1 with beautiful picture clarity.

As I check the big sites like BHPhoto, it seems it would be less expensive to purchase a new Canon camera than an external disk recorder for the FX1 as there in not an inexpensive hard disk recorder out there.

I am looking forward to the day that Canon comes out with their own 3cc camera, as has Panasonic and other manufacturers.

I found when comparing footage between 3chip and cmos, I can detect a very subtle richness in the colors.

Just wondering if you knew of any external video recorders or if you have any experience using them.

Dave, I am sure others will agree, every internet user gets deluged with junk emails and spam marketing every day, but I sincerely look forward to every email and new blog post I receive from you.

Everything you do is much more than informative, it’s useful, mindful and eye-opening. If you charged for this blog, I would have to subscribe immediately.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:34:46 +0000

@chandish – tough call, it depends on whether you can wait or not and have the extra money.

By: chandish

chandish — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:33:35 +0000

Would you buy this again or would you wait for the model 11 to come out?

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:10:21 +0000

@Chet – I would recommend having Sony Vegas on Windows or Final Cut Express on a Mac. A camera is optional to start with, depending upon the type of videos you want to make.

By: Chet Dickerson

Chet Dickerson — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:43:43 +0000

Dave, I am interested in your course should I have any specific tools at my disposal before joining; ie. video editing software, I am waiting for the HFS11 to come out and plan on that for a good start. I currenly have a Souped up computer for such video under takings.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:59:29 +0000

@Debora – This camera is an AVCHD camera…it only uses USB, not Firewire. You could copy the files from the camera to your hard drive, but Final Cut, iMovie, etc. will still have to transcode the video when you open it in those applications.

I’m not aware of any problems with this camera and iMovie.

And…whether or not to have a model with memory card only or memory card + built in memory is impossible to answer. It’s going to come down to how much video you shoot and what your workflow is.

By: Debora Loeb

Debora Loeb — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:12:11 +0000

I am using the Mac Book Pro with 4 gig, 7200 rpm, 3.06 Processor. I understand there problems using this camera with imovie? Is it best used with Final Cut? Must you import the movie from camera to computer in real time USB or is there a faster way Firewire 800? Is a memory card sufficant (Canon HFS100) or is it better deal with both flash Mem & SD Card? Thanks

By: Iain Williams

Iain Williams — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:15:11 +0000

Thanks Dave. It seems NTSC is used more throughout the world than PAL. I’ve read the conversion from NTSC to PAY is straight forward if necessary (I think).

I am a complete newbie to video coming from a still photography background only…Iain

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:07:12 +0000

@Iain – You can learn about the differences between NTSC and PAL here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NTSC

By: Iain Williams

Iain Williams — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:50:08 +0000

Can you briefly explain the difference between NTSC and PAL?

I am going to buy the s10.

I travel between both the US and Australia.

I was thinking the NTSC would be the better buy as the FPS are greater then PAL. Further most DVD players in Australia over $100.00 can play NTSC DVDs.

Your opinion appreciated. Thanks…Iain

By: Iain Williams

Iain Williams — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:18:37 +0000

Outstanding video.

I was on the fence regarding purchase.

This video swayed me to purchase the camera.

THANK YOU…Iain

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:55:33 +0000

@Mike – I share all the settings I use for videos inside Club WVU.

http://www.webvideouniversity.com/index_wvu.html

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:07:43 +0000

Dave,

Would you mind sharing how you converted the HD video to Flash and what settings you used?

I have the Canon HV30 and I am struggling to get anywhere near the clarity that you achieve with your HD videos?

Thanks
Mike

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:36:20 +0000

@Mark – Yes, the U.S. version will make a clunking noise if the lens cover is closed. But if it’s open, there is no noise when you tilt the camera.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:37:43 +0000

Dave, Great review and based on it I went out and purchased the European version of the Camera (Legria).
Just wanted to ask if the American cameras make a clunking noise if you tilt them to the left and right. Something to do with the tilt sensor, however gave me the first impression that there was a fault?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:45:56 +0000

@ Rob – While the HF10 and HF S10 both record to Flash at the same data rate, etc., they are very different cameras.

Without getting too technical, the HF S10 uses a different image processor and lens. The result is it shoots video, technically, at a quality 3 times greater than the HF10.

You can see the head to head specs here:

HF10:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=16186#ModelTechSpecsAct

HF S10:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=17993#ModelTechSpecsAct

By: Rob Janson

Rob Janson — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:21:17 +0000

I found a refurbed HF10 on TigerDirect.com for half the price of the HF S10 and am happy with its features which are basically identical to the HF S10 but can’t help but wonder how the video quality stacks up against the new one. Any idea?

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:00:34 +0000

Does this camera have sufficiant outputs for live streaming on Ustream?

Also, I’ve seen people use 2 different cameras when live streaming. How do they do that… use and switch between cameras during the broadcast?

By: Allan McDonald

Allan McDonald — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:04:05 +0000

I bought a Canon HFS10 on the weekend and I am impressed !

Dave, thanks to your two videos on the Canon I conducted further research and found that this video camera should meet all of my needs.

Limited testing of the camera over the weekend proved that it to be a great purchase.

Thanks again. By the way; your last course was excellent and I look forward to your next course.

Keep up the great advice.
Thanks

Allan

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 05:42:04 +0000

Nice informative info Dave.

I’m in the market for a new camera & am stoked you kind of “read my mind” (in a sense) as I was going to email you with the question: “What is the best video camera?” (or something like that.

Anyway – thank you for an informative post.

Dave

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:56:58 +0000

@Myron – That’s not the video…that’s your computer. Your computer doesn’t have enough juice (processing power or memory) to play the video back smoothly.

Bottom line, any time you get jerky playback from a video, directly on your computer or on the web, that means your computer is being strained beyond it’s resources.

If you have dozens of applications loading in memory when your computer boots up…or you have multiple applications open on your computer at any given time…these sap your computer’s resources too.

You can also try clicking the HD IS ON button in the player above. That will play the video in a much less resource intensive format.

By: Myron

Myron — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:50:47 +0000

Dave…
How come in both video’s you can’t seem to put the voice to the mouth movements together? I currently have the Sony HDR-SR1 and have the same problem? My current camera doesn’t have a external mic jack, so I was looking for something different, but I really hate the look of the voice saying something and the mouth moving later… Any ideas?
Thanks,
Myron

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:35:23 +0000

@Jeremy – It took about an hour to shoot. I didn’t have a script…I just talked, but needed to do multiple takes, move to different locations, etc.

Probably another 2 hours with editing, because I had to create the screen capture stuff and take still photos of the camera, then mix it all together.

And probably another hour and a half to produce in varying formats for the web. But that’s not “my time”…the computer just sits there and does this.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:29:20 +0000

Excellent video Dave. I’m curious, with your high level of proficiency with the hardware and software, what was the total amount of time to write the script/setup the shoots/record/edit/render/host this particular video?

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:11:29 +0000

@Darla – Yes, wind noise is always a big potential issue when shooting outdoors.

About the best you can do is use a wind screen on your mic (a foam or furry cover over the mic), which I was using.

But if you are getting gusts of wind (like I was from time to time during the shoot), you’re going to pick up noise. There’s really no way of removing it in editing without messing up the good parts of the audio along the way.

By: Darla Sycamore

Darla Sycamore — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:02:15 +0000

I just bought the HG21 Vixia a few weeks ago before joining you program. How does it compare? I have sound jack and a viewfinder. I like it what are the pros and cons?

I noticed quite a bit of wind noise in your footage – any way of eliminating that noise – bit distracting – yes I am a fuss pot LOL.

Darla

By: Eric Green

Eric Green — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:46:02 +0000

Thanks for the great advice. Saving up the cash so I can get the Vixia HF S10 and get started with web video.

By: Dave

Dave — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:47:13 +0000

@Richard – 24p and “cinemode” in the Vixia cameras are intended to give your videos the look of film.

But on the web, 30fps is the better (standard) choice. In other words, 30p tends to look better on the web. So unless you are producing your videos for TV/DVD, the 24p option is something you’ll probably never use.

And no…you can’t go wrong with either camera. Just remember the technology with video cameras is moving very fast and 6 months or a year from now they’ll probably be several cameras that beat both of these.

By: Richard Day

Richard Day — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:54:41 +0000

Now what do I do? I was all set to get the Canon HV30.

I am going to bet that I won’t go wrong with either camera.
By the way, what do you think about the 24p speed on the HV40? Is it worth it?
I don’t think it is.