Canon FS10 Flash Memory Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory and 48x Advanced Zoom

This is exactly what we were looking for. We were tired of mechanical camcorders that eventually break down and tapes that fail. The Canon is small, lightweight, and the battery lasts a long time. I added a second 8GB memory chip and we have hours of video between dumps to my computer. I haven't tried editing the video files yet and will add that review later.

I bought this as a replacement for my Sony MiniDV camcorder. The video quality is roughly the same using the default settings. However, because I can adjust many more settings on this, I end up shooting better video than I could have with the Sony.

I also like the smaller size (you have to see this to believe it) and the flash memory (no moving parts equals faster response and longer battery life).

I mostly use the camcorder for filming my kids and then uploading it for my parents to watch (they live overseas). It's perfect for that. I download the video to my MacBook Pro, edit in iMovie 08, and then publish to my MobileMe Gallery. It's a very fast and easy process.

Oh, and finally, I loved the price! All this for only $385.00.

I've owned this camcorder for 6 weeks and taken quite a few hours of video and so far can't think of anything I don't like about it.

First of all let me state that i spent 2 weeks researching camcorders before buying this one. Many mixed reviews on many different sites.

What sold me on it was the fact that there's no tapes, dvd's, or other moving mechanisms to wear out, other than the zoom. No moving parts means batteries last longer. The mic input was a big plus as well as being compact.

Upon arrival i was amazed at the size and weight. After trying it out there were a few downsides that could be fixed.
1.The biggy for me was no lens threads for adding filters for effects or for keeping mist and dust off the lens while shooting. I found a few universal lens adapters but the were too bulky for the cameras small frame. I decided to try something. The barrel of the lens measured at 34mm so i found a 34mm to 37mm silver metal step up ring on ebay for $2. Now i used hot glue on the threads of the step ring and quickly placed it into cameras the barrel. Fit perfectly and looks as if it was always there and if i want to remove it, why, who knows, the glue will just peel off the inside of the barrel leaving no marks. Now i can attach uv filters, wide angle lenses...etc.
2. No hot shoe. Ebay once again...found a cold shoe handle that attaches to the camera and gives me a place to attach a led spotlight and an external mic...cost-under $15
3. $80 for a replacement battery?!? You gotta like China. You can get exact knockoffs that work just as good as the original with a wall charger for $15 - ebay
4. Kind of grainy in low light. First of all it's not a night vision camera so you should have some sort of light source to begin with. Even in Hollywood they use lighting. Think people before you complain! Attached a led spotlight and it does the trick for me.
5. Saves as an .mod file but pc or editor won't recognize it. There's a free program called sdcopy that converts the files to usable/editable files in seconds.

Outdoor video is awesome! Bright, crisp colors. Indoor is great as well with the right lighting. This camera is great! Battery life is incredible! I fit 2 hours of footage in the highest quality filming mode on a 4 gig card. Footage is easy to edit and looks great on dvd. I highly recommend it! The only reason i didn't give it a perfect score was i had to invent a lens adapter...but it can be done quick and easy!

I ordered my camera just before I left for France. It came 4 days before I left so I had very little time to figure out how to use it. It was a snap. The videos are clear except in low light. The zoom is great. And the still pictures were better than my digital camera. I love the camera. I haven't had time to use the software to make a CD so I can't rate that.

I like the size of the camera, fits nicely in my hand. The basic controls are easy to find and use. The LCD panel is bright and easy to see on a sunny day. The battery seems to have a reasonably long charge, I used it for about an hour straight last night on a fresh charge on new batteries and it still had power to go. The flash memory means no moving parts except for the lens. Also its fast to start and shutdown. I like being able to have some removable media - the removable SD card. It uses a USB connection to the computer, which is ok. THE BAD IS.. the movies are saved natively in a unique file format forcing you to use the "imagemixer" bundled software to download to the computer. Once you successfully do this, then try to load these files (mpg) into MS MovieMaker you get a green screen for previews! I've got a support request in for this problem. No resolution yet. It did come bundled with it's own movie editor, but for those of us who are used to MS Moviemaker this is a problem. BTW the mpgs play nicely in the MS Media Player, it just MS MovieMaker that has the problem.