- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 29 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
4.0 stars
"Mac friendly camcorder!"
Pros: Mac compatible, Picture quality, Fast Auto Focus, compact design, LED light, remote included
Cons: Microphone location, bottom loading tape, poor location for function wheel, Firewire not included
Summary: I bought mine from Costco.com for $800. It was more than I was looking to spend on a camcorder (it's not like I'm going to make an inde-film anytime soon). Being a Mac person, I really needed one that was compatible with iMovie HD. That ruled out MiniDVD models right off the bat. HDD would've been nice, but the picture quality wasn't there.
The Canon HV10's 1080i picture quality is amazing. The built-in LED light is extremely bright so I don't use it as much, but it's there if you need it. With firewire (not included), it connects directly to my MacBook Pro and I can edit using iMovie HD (AWESOME!!!). I read a lot of complaints about the software that Canon camcorders come with. I haven't even unpacked that CD.
The auto focus is extremely fast and the auto lens cover is fast as well. The view finder is very clear, even outside in daylight.
Because of the upright design, you hold it near your chest for stability. Then with the mic located on top of the camera, I could hear my breathing in the recording like Darth Vader. They didn't include an external mic plug to fix this. Zoom control is okay, but hard to keep the camera steady while pushing any button with the upright design. Maybe that's why they went to a palm design for the HV20?
The grey menu control wheel should've been on the left, not the right. I have to strain my right thumb to use it and it's IMPOSSIBLE to keep the camera steady while using it.
It really is the best bang for the buck if you're looking for great picture quality.
Canon HV10:
