Customer Ratings & Reviews

Overall the camera is a good little unit with an exceptional zoom. I was very impressed with the zoom quality. I bought this as a replacement to my previous mini DV tape camcorder that quit recording sound. I do like the idea of having the SD cards vs. a hard drive. I can change out and replace the SD cards even if they go bad but if the hard drive goes bad in a hard drive camcorder, it will probably be hard to replace. After doing some testing, I had a newer SD 4G memory card and the recorder would let me record about 1 hour and 45 min. of video (I think that's right). I also found it VERY easy to transfer the video straight into my computer with a SD reader. This was a HUGE problem with my previous recorder because it had problems transferring the video from the mini DV tapes to the PC. I haven't used the still photo capability yet and don't plan on it since I have a good digital camera so I can't comment on it. I will say I only have a couple of issues: 1. The SD software that comes with the recorder has a little glitch (ONLY with the colored units; the blue and red) when entering the serial number to register the software it doesn't recognize the serial number from the unit. You actually have to change the first 3 numbers from 822 to 808 to get the serial number to accept. I found this on a blog on another web site. 2. My other issue is the sound can be a little better. It was a little low but I can live with it. 3. One last thing, it DOES NOT come with a separate battery charger so you are forced to charge the battery in the unit. However, I do see where there are separate chargers available on other web sites but I couldn't find one on Best Buy's web site. Overall, for the price and its capabilities, it is a good camcorder.

I initially bought a panasonic camcorder with a 40GB hard drive. I liked the optical image stabilization offered in that camera, but the moving parts in a hard drive concerned me. After considering the benefits of flash memory, and reading countless reviews of the FS100, FS11, and FS10, I decided to make an exchange. This camcorder is fantastic. It is somewhat smaller than a soda can and weighs a bit over a half of a pound. I shot some indoor and outdoor video just to see what it looked like on my 42" plasma. With the video feeding directly from the camera through the composite video cable, I was not impressed. The picture was decent, but I expected more. I bet that the people who gave this camera a bad review stopped at this point. I installed the supplied software onto my XP computer and edited the videos--a first for me. ImageMixer is not user friendly or intuitive for the novice, but it gets the job done. It correctly set the widescreen flag (which is a problem if you pull the videos directly from the card, relabel them as .mpeg and try to play them) and renamed the .MOD files as yearmonthdaytime.mpg. Very helpful. Don't bother clicking ImageMixer's help tab as none is available. Maybe there is help on the website... Fortunately I got through it completely unassisted and produced a DVD complete with titles, transitions, and background music. Now, watching it on my plasma revealed much more detail from the same footage and a teriffic overall picture quality. Videos shot outdoors were sharp and had great looking colors. Indoor video was a bit grainy and not as vivid, but still totally acceptable. Even the clips where I used the onboard light in a very dark hallway were much better than expected. I never thought the videos would look this good on a large TV. I'm glad I didn't talk myself into an HD camera. This camera suits all of my needs and I feel like I got a good deal on it. The battery life is decent and spares can be found for less than $70. Why would anyone pay the extra money for the FS10 or FS11?? 8GB Ultra II SD cards (2 hrs of recording at max res.)only cost $25! I'd recommend this camera to anyone looking for great video in a super compact form at a good price. Just keep in mind that you may want to spend some money on editing software down the road.

I wish to allay the fear I had, this camera works terrifically indoors in regular house lighting. The LED light may not even be needed in most cases. Be able to use the SDHC cards I already own for my DSLR cameras has made this the most convenient camcorder for getting the video onto the computer, edited, then burned to DVD disk. The included software is adequate for the amateurs using Windows (the majority of us). The .mod files play just fine in updated versions of Windows Media Player (at least for me anyway). The camera comes alive and is ready to record almost instantly. It fits just like a soda can in your hand and the included strap is comfortable. There are not tons of buttons and settings that most people will not use anyway. The video quality is better on a computer or TV screen then on the adequate wide viewfinder. The record button is well placed for use with your thumb. The zoom works well with the index finger. The menu is used with a small joystick which also acts as the enter button. The stabilization, sound, and autofocus are more than adequate for the person shooting home movies, children's sports, or recitals. The battery life is okay but considering the lack of moving parts and the light being LED it really should be better. Canon would do everyone a favor and letting the camera weigh an extra ounce or two and expand the battery capacity. Be sure to invest in good class 6 SDHC media. That may be the reason I am happy with the speed.

I've owned this camera for about one month and it takes very good videos in both bright sunlight and cloudy conditions.. The camera is about as small as an average can of soda and very lightweight. The main problem I have is the image stabilization mode - it's not all that great. I mounted the camera on my steadycam with the stabilization off and the video was smoother than handheld with the stabilization on. Video is clear and sharp even if you are within 1/2" of the subject and focus is very quick. If you just want to just point and shoot, there is an 'easy' mode that lets you shoot automatically without having to worry about adjusting any settings. The manual is the worst I've ever seen ( I used to write job instruction manuals for Raytheon Electronics). It will take some time to read through and really understand how to use the features the camera has to offer . I've owned two other flash card digital camcorders and the Canon FS100 takes the best videos of the three.

Canon makes a solid product. Camcorder is lightweight and built so it's easy to hold and operate with one hand. Because it uses flash memory, it turns on quickly (no waiting for a tape or disc to spin) so you can be ready to record at any time. And you also get more battery time because it doesn't have the mechanical operations of a disc or tape camera. The included software for the PC is pretty good for storing/organizing your videos and also basic editing. It easily downloads the videos to your computer from the camera itself through the USB connection, or from the removable SD card (not included). It's disappointing, however, that the software has no documentation whatsoever. Seriously, don't bother pressing F1, because there is no help in the software or online, and no printed instructions. I talked to their customer service and they confirmed there was no documentation, but said I could call with any questions. Seems like it would be more economical for them to make a user manual than field phone calls for every question people have ... but it's their company. Anyway, it's mostly pretty easy to figure out, and you could use any software you want - you aren't limited to theirs.

This is my first camera. I did a lot of research before making this purchase. I was going high-def but couldn't swollow the price with such a short battery life. I am very happy with this camera to say the least. Outdoor and good light video quality it outstanding! I got perfect results the very first time I used it. Shooting in easy mode is a snap. It's also nice to have the option of more advanced modes. The video playback quality is also very good on my LCD TV. The only drawback is the fact that low light conditions create grainy video clips. Regular lighting is fine but anything less is not enough. I wouldn't keep that from my decision to buy this camcorder. If you're in the market for an entry to midlevel camcorder the FS100 is the one for you. The price is right and the battery will last for hours in-between charges.

Well, had this camera for 3 weeks until someone stole it in vegas. It takes great video and the light is defanitly a plus. Low light setting are a bit grainy, but it really didnt bother me, I wasnt going to spend $1000 to get hi def videos at night. Only thing I didnt like was the still pictures, I figured since I was buying a "Canon" I'd get quality stills but, it is camcorder, and stills are pretty much useless. The ONLY way I was able to get a decent still picture was if the camera was completely still (like on a tripod) and the person being photoed didnt move....at all (like a statue) I think I'm going to try my luck with the sanyo xacti next, Im not saying this camera is bad, I just want better stills

I am really glad I selected this camcorder. No tape or CD to hassle with and I really like the Quick Start function, you close the LCD panel and the camcorder goes into a standby mode and when you reopen LCD panel to resume shooting video it comes up within 1 second. This feature will promote longer battery runtime since in standby mode it uses half of the normal battery power. I got a 8GB card (not included) and I shot over an hour with video, you can go here to sample a little video I put together with this camera. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbHxi9x08mw now, resolution on video will not represent actual since this is thru a hosting site. i use Adobe Premere Pro as my editing software.

I gave a four because it was not High Definition. I also didn't want High Definition because of how much High Definition will take in storage (about a Gig a minute) This camera has the resolution of what the cameras were before High Definition. Very good resolution Very very good resolution. USB 2 high speed connection at 400Mb a second the regular SD will slow down your upload speed to about 15Mb a second. About 25 times slower then an high speed SD tis worth buying the high speed in this case. Especially if your transferring an hour of video.

ok so i have a digital cam and its quality sucks so for my b-day i decided why not get a camcorder so i was looking them up and i found this canon fs100. i noticed it was pretty small which is good not tht heavy so u wont really have to watch for dropping it. it has a handle so u dont need to worry. the selections are easy and simple and i use it every day. a couple of problems there not major probs but 1 is at nighttime it gets pixely so u would want to use it in good lighting. the good thing is there is an easy mode so if u dont want to change all settings just click it. i love this cam its the best one i've ever had

I was looking around for a convenient, long-lasting camcorder at a reasonable price that would be compatible with my mac. When I discovered this camcorder, I decided that I would try it out. After I brought it home and learned the basics, I was very impressed. It has everything a person would need and more. It worked very well with imovie on my mac and hooked up to the television with no problem. I would highly recommend this camcorder to anybody who wants to capture moments with incredible accuracy. Also, it's compatible with SDHC memory cards, so you can get a card with lots of memory to come with it.

I bought this camera to make music video. and to be compatible with the imac and apple 's System X. The first time I connected the FS100 to my imac, the video clips jumped into imovie and off I went...So, this camera did not have one issue when it came to use.. The owners manual clearly explains how to use it's features...and many features it has.. For the money (or little money) I spent,... this baby delivers.... Buy it!

This is a great camera. I have seen some reviews saying that the low light quality is poor, but that is not my experience at all. Just recorded a live performance in low light and the picture quality is very good and the sound quality is great. Very sleek and easy to use, although I am still figuring out how to switch to the SD memory card. Also, I am a mac user and it has been great with my Macbook! Great product for the price!

Excellent camera for a very reasonable cost. I visited a few different stores and looked at many different cameras. Canon has created another great product. The camera fits very well in one hand and is super easy to use with quick recording. I have an 8GB SD card that gives me about 3 hours of recording time. I would highly recommend this camera over DVD, miniDVD, and hard drive cameras!

I love this camera, it is easy to use and takes great movies. Since I use it with a Mac I do not use the enclosed software. I've only recorded on the highest resolution, but the movies looked great, some of the indoor shoots were a little grainy, but outdoor views at Zions National Park looked great.

greta camera i was up in the air about the sd card cameras and the hard drive cameras, I am very glad i chose this one ( and for the money you can't go wrong) the next closest camera is the jvc 30 gb camera and jvc uses plastic lenses canon does not .. great camera overall

This is exactly what we were looking for a small camera that had removeable memory and could be transported easily. This is small enough to fit in a purse and the "Easy" setting is exactly what my wife is looking for 98% of the time. In the short time we have had it, I don't think we have enjoyed an electronics purchase more than this one.

I use the camera for interviews and it delivered an excellent usage, the MIC input is great and not too many cameras on this price level has it. The lens could use a little bit more of a wide angle. The charger (supplied) SHOULD be compact too or reversible, it does not fit well on small cases. Lens clarity is superb as on all Canon Products

I'm the type of buyer that will read all the reviews and wait to buy electronics. This camcorder is great! Extrememly easy to use. Installation of the software was a breeze. Watching the videos on the TV was so smooth. Plug and watch! I love it. The only down I have found so far is that when I transfer the videos to DVD it is a bit dark.

The software included, allows you to edit and go anywhere with video in any format. Ideal for YouTube, and Family Cam Video files. Compact, easy to use, many functions, varius formats, Specially for traveling, very light. SD card is the most standar flash memory card. Just Excellent!!!