(This is a first edit of new footage shot with my Canon HF100 HD camcorder. A second edit with additional footage will be edited in the near future.)

Having just sold my XH A1 to go tapeless (the HF100 records to Flash cards) I wanted to see how my new work-flow and equipment would respond.

After making this short clip I think that my new camcorder (although laughably small in comparison to the Canon XH A1) was a wise investment. My work-flow will be much faster now that I no longer have to log tape.  For me it’s having the idea, executing it, editing it and getting to the next idea that matters most…a few projects shot with the XH A1 never materialized because I loathe logging tape.

The Canon HF100 is a great little HD camcorder and in many ways it is like the Flip Video camera: small, easy to use and with few adjustments.  However it is quite a step up in terms of image quality, image stabilization and control over sound. In this case I used the Canon DM-100 shotgun mic with the camera to great effect.  In regard to image quality I am getting true HD resolution at 1920×1080, instead of the Canon XH A1′s 1440×1080.

This camera being so compact will always have a place in my camera bag. (Hell, the stills pulled from the HF100 video are already 4 mega pixels in size! Maybe I won’t need a camera in the near future.)

I’m looking forward to making a full length documentary with this diminutive camera and using its small size and inconspicuousness to my advantage.

-Kirk