Workflow
My workflow is as follows:
(1) Shoot the HF10 in 1920x1080 24fps Cine Mode.
(2) Copy the SDHC cards to a portable USB disk. This is the “original” archive file. One nice thing about AVCHD – you can store a LOT of original footage on a 250GB drive. AVCHD is one of the few cost-effective ways to archive Full HD.
(3) Drop the card onto Final Cut’s “Log and Transfer” window. The latest version of Final Cut handles SDHC cards exactly the same as it handles P2 cards.
(4) The MOV files in the capture folder are 10 times the size of the original files.
I will use these files for effects work, if I need the extra resolution.
(5) Drop the MOV files into COMPRESSOR and use a custom preset to Reverse Telecine, resize to 720p, change to the DVCPROHD codec, and perform rough color correction. I then recover the captured MOV space and use the smaller files for editing.
I haven’t studied the AVCHD compression technology in detail yet. The compression can be more important then the resolution in some cases. For example, if the 17Mbps uses less compression than the 17Mbps, even though it’s only a 1440x1080 image, it might provide better quality than 1920x1080 at higher compression. So I might actually be able to get better quality results with less processing time and smaller files if I start with the 17Mbps mode instead. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to conduct the tests yet that would indicate which method is better.
Summary
The Canon VIXIA HF10 made it through the 12 hurdles. In my opinion, it’s actually a practical professional filmmaking tool. If you are going to make movies with it, you will need two to three 8GB SDHC cards – for about $140-$280. You will also want an extra battery or two for about $80-$160. And you will need the right software and computer system.
As a Mac editor, I didn’t pursue the Windows PC workflow to learn how to capture and convert AVCHD to AVI, and then Reverse the Telecine, but I’m fairly confident that you can’t do it without the latest version of Adobe After Effects.
For the Mac, you’ll need the latest version of Final Cut Pro to convert the AVCHD to MOV files, and then you’ll need the latest version of Apple Compressor with some custom presets to Reverse the Telecine and convert the files to your favorite HD workflow resolution (HDV or DVCPROHD). I also successfully removed the Telecine form the MOV files using the Mac version of Adobe After Effects CS3 (which is why I made my earlier comment about believing that PC people should be able to convert their HF10 files using AE CS3 ).
Ease of Use
As a personal camcorder, it’s “open and shoot, close and run” easy to use. As a professional filmmaking tool, it has all of the manual settings necessary and they have been placed sensibly in the menu and control system to make the camera practical for filmmaking.
Depth of Options
The depth of options is incredible. It’s hard to believe how many consumer and professional features have been crammed into a device this small. The features are still limited. You have to understand the camera’s limits and work within them to get great results, but that’s true of all cameras.
Performance
Great performance. The camera works flawlessly in Full HD 1920x1080 Cinema Mode at 24 frames per second, recording to SDHC cards. That’s a trick for any camera, but in a camera this small and this inexpensive, the performance is an incredible deal.
Value
If you just want a personal camcorder, you can find a cheaper deal. If you want a filmmaking tool, you can find a lot more features if you have more money to spend. But for the price, if you are looking for a filmmaking camera on a consumer camera budget, you have the extra money for SDHC cards and batteries, and if you have the software and the dedication to plot your own workflow to 24p, then the HF10 is a one-of-a-kind value.
Final Comments
The camera isn’t perfect. It could record in 24p Advanced mode so that you could Reverse Telecine more easily. It could record in a 24p Native mode so that Reverse Telecine isn’t necessary. It could provide real manual exposure controls. They could have provided integral Neutral Density filters to extend the exposure options. But Canon certainly got a lot right with this camera. The HF10 produces beautiful film-like images when used in Cinema Mode with 24p Normal, comparable to cameras costing $3000 to $6000.
For a handheld camera, the capability of recording Film-like 1920x1080 24p to SDHC cards is a technological miracle.
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Ease
of Use |
8.0 |
Depth
of Options |
9.0 |
Performance |
9.0 |
Value |
10.0 |
Overall
Score |
9.0
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