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still not as good quality as the old tape based HV20/HV30?
the AVCHD bit rate is a lot lower

Good for making gonzo porn.

Someone say porn??

#1, but it's getting close. And one day soon, it will be as good or better. Before long, your tape machines will either be broken, or obsolete.

This in my opinion is the best avchd camc in the market. I still prefer Amazon in case I need to return --- I am not sure how good compusa is with returns also tax adds to the price. pricegrabber has some good prices for this.

I have it. It's great! Get the WD Media Player:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8993217&type=product&id=1218008588808&ref=39&loc=01&AID=10597222&PID=404255&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Folspage.jsp%3FskuId%3D8993217%26type%3Dproduct%26id%3D1218008588808%26ref%3D10%26loc%3D01

Change the file extension on each clip you take from .mts to .m2ts and it will play without any problems through the media player on your HD tv with a HDMI cable.

nice trick

I've been messing with this unit for a few weeks and quite like it. It's my first video experience, so I don't have a lot to compare it to. One feature it has, that I appreciate, is the "Easy" button. It restricts the controls over the device so you can concentrate on the shots and not the options.

I think the goal of these memory card camcorders is for compactness & portability, and they're not meant to fully replace higher end camcorders. It's kinda like relationship between the tiny point-and-shoot cameras and DSLRs.

This camera is great. I use both the HV30 and the HF100 on a regular basis. Personally, I own the HF. The majority of members of the film group I run use the HV30 (we have a ton of them) for small projects. The interesting thing is, is that I shoot half if not more of my projects using the HF100. My peers have no idea that I even own something other than the HV30, and ask me what kind of settings I'm using to get such good quality in low light scenarios. The HF (in my experience) performs better in low light.

The truth of the matter is, is that the newest version of final cut (which I use there) and Sony Vegas Pro 8 (my home PC editing software) both handle AVCHD incredibly well these days. The difference between video quality appears non-existent.

I will however recommend the HV30 for film students and enthusiasts over the Hf100 since it has a few more manual options that the HF camera doesn't have, as well as more options for add ons. If your not an aspiring filmmaker, and have a decent computer to work on, then go with the HF100 to save a little money.

Stop bashing AVCHD people... really, you no longer have a decent argument. I can't wait to see the next round of this style of camera.

An HD camcorder that records on SD cards? It would fill them up too quickly. You'd want a format with a higher capacity for HD video (not to mention you will need special editing software to work with HD files)

one other thing, someone mentioned the "easy button" a little while ago... never... ever use any form of easy button. I'll admit that I am a working professional, but at the same time, these are consumer grade cameras which don't have anything too technical to understand. It only takes a few videos (and google searches) to understand the basic mechanics of the manual controls.

A few simple tips:

Learn how to white balance.
Do video effects in post production, NOT with the camera settings.
Always monitor your sound levels.

Still seems a bit pricey for this brand. I guess the prices will eventually come down.

meringo:
Thanks for the real life experience.
BTW, AVCHD when first implemented was crap (bit rate sucked, no software support)...so it deservedly got bashed. Sounds like it might be worth a revisit finally.
Does the HF100 have a mic input like the HV30?

Yes. The HF100 has both a mic input on the side of the camera, and a mini-accessory shoe for better microphones to be mounted directly on the top. Do be aware though that the shoe is smaller than the one on the HV30, so make sure that you purchase/rent the right one.

i handled both hf100 and hv30 and i think i would say that definitely hf100 is portable than hv30...