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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Colour & Noise Performance
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03.Motion & Resolution Performance
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04.Low Light Performance
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05.Compression & Media
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06.Manual Controls
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07.Still Features
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08.Handling & Use
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09.Playback & Connectivity
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10.Audio & Other Features
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11.Sanyo VPC-HD2000 Comparison
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12.Panasonic HDC-HS20 Comparison
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13.Canon HF S100 Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Photo Gallery
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16.Specs and Ratings
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17.Comments
Canon Legria HF20
Previous: Part 12
Panasonic HDC-HS20 ComparisonNext: Part 14
Conclusion
Canon HF20 versus Canon HF S100
• The Canon HF S100 is the older sibling of the HF20.
• It does not feature any internal memory, but has a larger sensor and more effective pixels
• The HF S100 is also larger, has more manual controls, and has a control dial for making adjustments
The HF S100 is Canon's new top-of-the-line HD camcorder. Compared to the HF20, it features a larger sensor, a higher effective pixel count, a control dial for making manual adjustments, and a significantly bulkier frame. It also costs £1,100 (£300 more than the HF20), and that is without any internal flash memory. To get 32GB of internal flash memory, you'll have to spring for the Canon HF S10. In our tests, the Canon HF S100 definitely had a better video performance than the Canon HF20, especially in low light. Plus, it has more manual controls and a smooth control dial for making adjustments. The HF S100, however, didn't blow us away like we expected it would. You'll have to wait for the full-length review of this power-house camcorder before we can give you our final opinion.
| Comparison Specs | ||
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| Canon HF20 | Canon HF S100 | |
| Price | £799 | £1,100 |
| Primary Recording Media | 32GB internal flash memory | SD/SDHC memory card |
| Secondary Recording Media | SD/SDHC memory card | None |
| Image Sensor | 1/4-inch CMOS | 1/2.6-inch CMOS |
| Effective Pixel Count | 2.99 Megapixels (video) 3.31 Megapixels (stills) |
6.01 Megapixels (video) 8.02 Megapixels (stills) |
| Mic Input | Yes, 3.5mm | Yes, 3.5mm |
| LCD/Viewfinder | 2.7-inch LCD with 211,00-pixel resolution |
2.7-inch LCD with 211,000-pixel resolution |
| Weight | 400g (including battery) | 500g (including battery) |
| Dimensions | 70 x 62 x 124mm | 70 x 69 x 136mm |
| HD | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Zoom | 15x | 10x |
| Frame Rates | 1080/50i, 25p (not natively progressive) |
1080/50i, 25p, 30p (not natively progressive) |
| Image Stabilisation | Optical | Optical |
| Scores | ||
| Canon HF20 | Canon HF S100 | |
| Colour | 8.37 | 10.03 |
| Noise | 5.65 | 6.27 |
| Video Resolution | 12.78 | 11.32 |
| Low Light Sensitivity | 1.16 | 3.24 |
| Low Light Colour | 6.18 | 6.75 |
| Low Light Noise | 3.63 | 8.91 |
| Battery Life | 97 min, 37 sec | 97 min, 54 sec |
| Low Light Crops at 60 lux | |||
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| Canon HF20 100% Crop |
Canon HF S100 100% Crop |
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| Low Light Colour Score Comparison |
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