Canon FS100 Review and Process

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

Update: 9/16/2008

The following are YouTube videos that I made with the Canon FS100. These videos have been processed and color corrected.

– –

Update: 6/22/2008

See below for .MOD test files:

I tested out the solution that was provided at Eugene Turkov’s Blog to change the files to .M2V via the command prompt (see link for what I mean) to be far more efficient and quicker.

I’m going to purchase the lens adapted and test it out at a Best Buy to see if it will fit on the camera or not. If it does them I’m going to go ahead and make this purchase in July inshaAllah.

– –

Original Post: 6/21/2008

The Canon is the on the loose!

I’m about to become a raving fan of Canon. If you guys have been keeping up with some of the stuff I’ve been writing about you’ll notice that I’ve begun taking quite an interest in recent Canon products. See the following previous posts I made on the subjects of:

A friend of mine recently got a Canon FS100 digital solid state camcorder for about $400 from Best Buy withan 8GB SDHC flash card. Having played around with it I got to testing it. Now I’m not going to write a full review for this. Camcorderinfo.com has alread done that here:

  • Canon FS11 Camcorder Review — only difference between FS100, FS10, and FS11 is the onboard memory capacity. The FS100 comes with no onboard capcity and takes only SDHC cards, which isn’t really a downside.

When I got to testing the FS100 camcorder there were two things that I realized.

  1. The format that the video records in is .MOD files. For those of you who don’t know, this format is basically MPEG2 in a highly compressed form. In 8GB you can record up to 110 mins of video at the highest quality. Video editing programs don’t import .MOD files.
  2. The camera doesn’t allow for any lens attachments. So this means if you want to add a wide-angle or telephoto lens out of the box, you won’t be able to do that with this.

Solution to Point # 1

To edit files in Premiere (that’s all I tested it in) all you have to do is rename the file extention from .MOD to .AVI. This way you can simply import it into Premiere. Now once imported you’ll notice that the aspect ratio is off. To take care of this simply right click of the file in the bin and click “interpret footage” and tell it to “Conform to” D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2). This will take care of the editing process.

Bye bye TAPE!

Another solution is to simply install a plugin into Premiere CS3 to enable the program to read .MOD files. There is more on this at Eugene Turkov’s Blog.

Solution to Point # 2

In the post about Canon Powershot digital cameras I wrote, I mentioned a lens adapter.

My question is whether or not I can use this adapter on the FS100 or not. Has anyone tried it? You think it will fit on the Canon FS100 camcorder? If it does, then I’m sold.

  • Less than $350 for the camera (Amazon price)
  • $80 for a 16GB flash card
  • $70 for the lens adapter

That makes for ~$500…umm…wait a sec….

…for ~$150 more I can get the HF100 camcorder (see Amazon).

What are the Pros and Cons for spending the extra $150 now?

Pros

  • It has the ability to accept lens attachments.
  • Records in HD
  • only $150 more

Cons

  • HF100 only records in HD (no standard-defintion option) and AVCHD isn’t easily edited unless you put it through some conversion mumbo jumbo.
  • They’re probably going to come out with a new generation of AVCHD solid state camcorders very soon that have better imaging. I’m personally probably better off sticking holding off on going HD for now.
  • HD isn’t widely used for most consumer objectives and currently not widely demanded from my current client base.

What do you guys think? Give me your feedback.

Liked this post?
Subscribe to the RSS feed or follow me onTwitter, right now!

Remember to share this with others too:
  • StumbleUpon
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Add your comment

41 responses for this post

  1. Basil Mohamed Gohar Says: 22.06.08 at 12:26 am

    Nice mini-review, maa shaa Allaah. You make a good case for the SD version as opposed to the more expensive AVCHD version. However, how does Canon expect you to work with the .MOD files, anyway? Do they have a utility for converting it? How is the video quality compared to, say, a MiniDV camcorder (I know that’s not fair, but we are all more familiar with that).

    As for the AVCHD difficulties, soon the open-source ffmpeg library should support it out-of-the-box (it already supports the underlying codec – MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) in shaa Allaah, which will open up a large number of free software projects with support for it.

    Any chance of uploading or sharing a raw .MOD file that you filmed so some of us can play with it? I’d like to see if ffmpeg can also recognize the file without modification (I am guessing it can…).

  2. AlBaraa Says: 22.06.08 at 12:39 am

    Canon themselves didn’t provide anything to work with the .MOD files (maybe they did…I didn’t go through the manual completely), but they were playable by Windows Media Player right away. The editing was simple as I explained in the post above, it just took a little bit of “research” to figure it out.

    With regards to editing AVCHD, there are plugins available for Premiere CS3 that one can install to edit the .MT2S files natively. There are also software out there to convert it into different HD or SD formats to edit it, but it simply takes away the time advantage of not recording to tape. Also, due to the high compression encoding it takes a lot of system processing, therefore making it impractical without a very fast computer or an HD render card.

    Until the format becomes more mainstream (like HDV is now) and the computers become a tab bit faster, editing AVCHD itself is a bit of a pain in the neck.

    As for uploading the raw .MOD file, no can do. I filmed the individual who owned the camera, and I don’t have their permission to distribute footage with them on it. I’ll see if I can borrow the camera tomorrow and shoot some shorts and upload them tomorrow inshaAllah. — This way you can see how it compares to MiniDV

  3. AlBaraa Says: 22.06.08 at 5:38 pm

    I’ve uploaded the .MOD files so you can test it out. Check the bottom of the post for the update. To add to that one thing I just realized is that if you export the video as an uncompressed AVI file the footage seems to increase in quality…or maybe its just me.

  4. request Says: 23.06.08 at 4:57 am

    Hi,

    thanks for uploading some nice footage. i really appreciate it as i was really looking for some in order to get an idea of this camcorder myself.

    i just have a request, could you maybe post a video with image stalilization off, as this will allow a better video quality to be captures as well as with no zoom and have the camera placed on a stationalr object like a stool or chair. i will really appreciate it if you could do this.

    thanks

  5. Basil Mohamed Gohar Says: 23.06.08 at 5:48 am

    I’ll give these bits a download, but my connection here in Malaysia is very slow. So-called mobile “broadband” is giving me dial-up speeds. Alhamdulillaah.

    P.S. Check out 7-Zip (http://7zip.org) for compression (not that video files should EVER be compressed with something like ZIP or RAR – they’re already as compressed as they’re going to get, typically). It can open RAR and ZIP files, and it’s native 7z format is the best compression for general files out there.

  6. AlBaraa Says: 23.06.08 at 11:39 pm

    Request, I won’t have access to my friend’s camera for a little while, but I am strongly considering making the purchase myself. I’ve already ordered the lens adapter from Amazon and will try it on a regular camera. If it fits, then I’m sold.

    Basil, will look into the 7-Zip for compression. How much better is the compression when compared to winzip and winrar?

  7. Request Says: 24.06.08 at 6:01 am

    Hey thanks for acknowledging my post. i will eagerly await your post

  8. AlBaraa Says: 25.06.08 at 2:32 pm

    request, you’re most welcome :-)

    The lens adapter arrived in the mail yesterday and guess what? It fits on my MiniDV camera! It should definitely fit the FS100 without a problem. The ONLY issue is that I need to purchase a step-down ring adapter. The thread on this adapter from Amazon is 52mm, while the lens I have are all 37mm threads. They have a bunch of 52mm-37mm step-down rings on eBay for less than $10. I’m gonna make the purchase once I order the FS100 in July inshaAllah.

    Keep a look out on test footage coming once I make the purchase :-)

  9. Keith Says: 09.07.08 at 5:21 pm

    I have the FS 100 and do newspaper websites with it. it’s fantastic. Not only does it have a seperate mic input, but the battery life is huge becuase of no moving parts. The HD is good but the lens optical zoom is only 12x as the FS100 has 37x with an optional 43x (enhanced) or digital 2000x !! Only useful to about 2/3rds. the colours and exposure are spot on. Come to editing, Pinnacle edits straight off the memory card no problem at all. to be able to edit 10 mins etc immediately is a blessing, no download time and no dropouts. Also the SD recording is great as format and your recording is top quality, no loss in the reuse of tape. Hope this helps

  10. flywitness Says: 10.07.08 at 10:51 am

    I’m waiting to hear if the lens adapter thing fits on the fs100. This looks like an amazing camera for the price. I’m distraught that they didn’t put a thread on it.

    Any news?

  11. AlBaraa Says: 10.07.08 at 11:25 am

    Yes it does fit. That was the first item I purchased after writing this post. I’ll be writing more about it once the camera arrives in the mail.

  12. I Didn’t Buy That Canon Camera! | Leech on to the Extraordinary | Leechon Films Says: 11.07.08 at 11:31 am

    [...] Canon FS100 Review and Process [...]

  13. Anya Says: 12.07.08 at 4:12 am

    Hi guys
    Could you please advise how many .mod files FS-100 actually creates? Does it create a new file for each scene (i.e. after hitting stop button), create new file each 30 mins for example, or just simply creates one file for all footage. Are you able manually start a new file while using the same card?
    Thanks a lot.

  14. AlBaraa Says: 12.07.08 at 4:20 am

    Every time you press the record button to stop recording a seperate MOD file is created. So basically every “take” is a file.

  15. Anya Says: 12.07.08 at 4:29 am

    Thanks for this. And how do you actually edit this? There will be hundreds of files. I’ve got a miniDV camera, so have to do capturing in mpg files, but I can choose how long my file will be, so I can stop capturing when I feel like it and then create another file. Just thinking of buying this FS100, but not quite sure how convenient the editing will be. Surely, working with many files is not very handy. Can you join a few files together in one mpg file? Or how do you edit? Thanks.

  16. AlBaraa Says: 12.07.08 at 4:32 am

    Editing is as simple as simply importing it into premiere. Go over this blog post again for the instructions on editing. At the bottom of the post I’ve included files that you can play around with yourself and try out the editing.

  17. Request Says: 12.07.08 at 10:47 pm

    Hi, so i see you have purchased the camera, i will eagerly await some video samples.

  18. DFM Says: 15.07.08 at 2:24 am

    Thank you for the sample .MODfiles.
    Just to say they open and load in Adobe PremiereElements v4 perfectly straight out of the box.

  19. What Camera Should I Get? | Message Mastery Says: 16.07.08 at 12:35 am

    [...] If you wish to go with flash based cameras and your budget is under $500. In the SD range I would recommend the Canon FS100. I’ve written a review about it here: http://www.leechon.com/canon-fs100-review-and-process-421.htm [...]

  20. Basil Mohamed Gohar Says: 23.07.08 at 6:00 am

    To answer your question about the compression of 7-Zip compared with RAR & ZIP – compared to RAR, 7-Zip generally offers marginally better compression, but over plain ZIP, that factor can be two or more, depending on the data type.

    I have to emphasize again, though – don’t compress data that’s already compressed, like media files. Compression should only be performed once on data to yield optimal results and minimize restore time.

  21. John Says: 30.07.08 at 5:48 pm

    Great review you got here. I just bought it. Just curious, does the camera adapter fit the FS100?

    I’m looking for a wide angle lense to use with the FS100? Anything you can recommend?

  22. AlBaraa Says: 30.07.08 at 6:39 pm

    Yes it does fit the FS100, but I ended up chucking it and simply used crazy glue to attach the stepdown ring to the camera because I didn’t like the feel of the metal contraption under a very portable camera.

  23. Al Says: 15.08.08 at 10:36 am

    Im really close on buying this camera but I have a question. Does the FS100 have infrared night shot?

  24. AlBaraa Says: 15.08.08 at 12:56 pm

    No it doesn’t.

  25. request Says: 04.09.08 at 4:33 am

    http://rapidshare.com/files/142451308/MOV009.MOD.html

    sample footage from a fs100

  26. mjh Says: 12.09.08 at 11:40 am

    This is very interesting – I have the FS100 cam and was wondering if you could tell me what the illustrated metal lens adaptor unit you bought is called – I have tried to find it online but had no luck. What lenses are you using for your cam?
    Thanks.

  27. AlBaraa Says: 12.09.08 at 2:56 pm

    MJH,

    The adapter I purchased from Amazon called, “Adorama Uni-Cam 52mm Lens Adapter” — Although I bought I ended up not using it because I wasn’t able to place it on my steadicam merlin because of how the adjustment knobs are setup.

    What I ended up doing was to simply crazyglue the stepdown ring to the front of the FS100 without any problems.

    The lens I’m using for the camera are (All purchased from Amazon)
    - Tokina 3X 52mm telephoto w/ 37mm step down ring
    - Bower 37mm 0.38x Super Wide Angle Lens with Macro
    - Kenko 0.5X Wide Angle Lens for 37mm Camcorders

  28. mjh Says: 12.09.08 at 4:53 pm

    Thanks very much for info – Have you put any of your footage on youtube?

  29. AlBaraa Says: 13.09.08 at 1:20 pm

    At the bottom on this link you can download some raw footage I’ve made available:
    http://www.leechon.com/canon-fs100-review-and-process-421.htm

    YouTube videos that were made with the FS100 (it’s been color corrected and processed)
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzRhO9MftPc
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWZpcQaa0I4
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKHV77LpQF4
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFzTRRHccPs
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Za6a0y3kcG8
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiHTfas-CqA
    - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH-mt476Y9Q

  30. Final Thouhts And Conclusions On Canon FS100 | Media With an Islamic Framework | Leechon Films Says: 05.10.08 at 1:02 am

    [...] Cannon FS100 Review and Process [...]

  31. Tony Says: 08.10.08 at 12:25 pm

    My Partner just got the FS100 for doing recorded interviews. Works well with iMovie 08 on the Mac for editing and is listed as tested with it, would like a wide angle lens though. I was surprised how easy it was to use, the Mac had imported the movie and we had edited it within minutes. I’ve tried PC stuff before and it takes hours to understand what they mean, Mac you just grab and drag intuitively.

    If you are buying a card for it, you need a minimum spec speed rating of 2, but higher will allow faster transfer speeds to the PC. Card readers need to be SDHC compatible to read more than 2GB.

    power jack is another unique one, so that about 7 different canon chargers we have now!

  32. Canon (FS100) Flash Memory Camcorder $237 / Lazy Wallet Says: 19.02.09 at 4:36 am

    [...] FS100 Review and Process Media With an Islamic Framework … http://www.leechon.com “Camcorderinfo.com has alread done that here: Canon FS11 Camcorder Review only difference [...]

  33. joshua mattison Says: 01.03.09 at 4:11 am

    oh bro onthe fs100 i have i found a program called sdcopy its free random thing its awesome. put the sd card in ur pc/laptop whatever. then with the program its set from mod to mpg. just find ur sd card in teh system, clikc one of hte folders save it to werever. and tada u got a copy of ur files in mpg format. supported by like EVERY editor. and yes even windows movie maker!!!! for newer ppl :)

    http://zyvid.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=280.0;id=153

    just download that and your set!!!!
    have fun!

  34. AlBaraa Says: 02.03.09 at 8:32 am

    Nice find on the name converter. Only issue is that if the laptop/pc’s SD reader doesn’t support SDHC cards, then it won’t be of much use to copy the files, unless you’re using the USB converter thing.

    Great find non the less. I’m going to test it out later next week.

  35. joshua mattison Says: 02.03.09 at 1:01 pm

    hahaha most new lap/pcs do support it :) haha i guess its jsut a matter of being up to date. but now a days whatever is new is old in a month er so lol. but also you can get a card reader too that plugs into the usb thats how i do it on my pc. i use my lap mainly though cuz its beast. lol but yeah i bought a sd to usb plug. super awesome :) but yeah i was madd becuase i didnt have a adobe program so i had to find an alternative, friggin 3 hours later i found a free ez to use one that is super fast. lol cant go wrong!!!!!! :)

  36. Susanna Says: 09.03.09 at 5:46 pm

    Hi
    I work for a charity and we hust brought the canon fs100 to make some films of our work. Unofrtunately we did not realize you could not edit the files in Premiere. I have tried renaming the extension from MOD to AVI but when I import I get an error message saying “Unsupported audio rate in file”? Have you any idea what this means and how I can fix it. All suggestions very gratefully received, am at my wits end!!!

    Many thanks,

    Susanna xx

  37. AlBaraa Says: 10.03.09 at 11:52 am

    Hi Susanna,

    There are couple things you’ll need to do in order to edit it in premiere. First, rename the files from MOD to M2V. Second, Install the plugin as instructed via this link: http://eturkov.blogspot.com/2008/05/working-with-mod-files-in-adobe.html

    I hope that helps.

  38. naked Says: 25.03.09 at 11:36 am

    I just had a look at your .MOD footages: excellent !
    Anyway, could you put a footage made in indoor light (like in the living room or kitchen) with no sun light at all?

    Thanks.

  39. AlBaraa Says: 26.03.09 at 1:08 pm

    I don’t have any general indoor footage to share, but what I can tell you is that this camera works best under adequet light. Its why I recommend having an external light to go along w/ the camera. If you use regular indoor lighting, your images will appear “noisy”

  40. Richard Says: 05.07.09 at 3:40 pm

    Hi there. After the update to cs 4.1, premiere seems to import and handle the .mpg files very well! I obtain these files after using the Image Mixer that came with my FS10, but I think the sdcopy tool works equally well.

  41. Kaitlyn Says: 25.10.09 at 10:32 am

    I just purchased this Canon on a whim, earlier today at Best Buy. I have been tinkering with it for the majority of the evening. My previous SD300 is still working like a champ, however I have been considering a video camera for some time…after some peering at the video camera counter I wandered over to the point and shoot table… what initially drew me in to the SD780IS was its appearance on the display stand. The sleek matte-black body is very eye-pleasing…then I looked at the specs. and realized that it shoots video in HD! (1280×720) Then all the other attributes made me realize that it was time to update my “everywhere, anytime” camera.

Leave a Reply

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes