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Canon Vixia S30 or Panasonic HDC TM900

post #1 of 32
8/19/11 at 3:58pm
Thread Starter 
I need help in deciding which camera to get because they both seem like really great cameras. I would really appreciate it, if you can give me some pros and cons of both cameras and if you could list some of the functions and capabilities. If you own or had own both cameras can you tell me which one is better for the outdoors, low light conditions and which has better quality and is easy to edit.
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post #2 of 32
8/19/11 at 9:06pm
Canon is better in low light, while the panny is better in light. The panny has 60p which is nice for filming action events like sports. Canon has a veiw finder, and higher RES touch screen. Editing would be the same with either camcorder as they both record in AVC HD. You really can't go wrong with either cam their both great camcorders.

(Might want to consider looking into the canon M4XX series as there the newer models and have the new HD CMOS chip, which is great in low light.)

Heres a link to a comparison of the two camcorders.
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post #3 of 32
8/19/11 at 10:08pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, that really helped me out a lot and I will check out the m4xx series.
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post #4 of 32
8/20/11 at 11:22am
I was facing the same choices as you are....

I decided to go with the HFS30.

TM 900, my fingers are rubbing on the microphone, situated on top.
And the fan, making noise while recording..

Beware, though, the hfs30 highest resolution goes to 1080I, versus 1080P. with the panasonic.

From what I read, for most people, this is a non issue
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post #5 of 32
8/20/11 at 12:59pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I think I am going to go with the HFS30.
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post #6 of 32
8/20/11 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by userdude View Post

Beware, though, the hfs30 only does 1080I

Not true.
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post #7 of 32
8/20/11 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazzzy Stoner View Post

Canon is better in low light, while the panny is better in light. The panny has 60p which is nice for filming action events like sports. Canon has a veiw finder, and higher RES touch screen. Editing would be the same with either camcorder as they both record in AVC HD. You really can't go wrong with either cam their both great camcorders.




(Might want to consider looking into the canon M4XX series as there the newer models and have the new HD CMOS chip, which is great in low light.)

Heres a link to a comparison of the two camcorders.

Why is it Canon is better in low light, if it uses old 1/2.6-inch 6 MP CMOS,and if you check reviews from last year, Canons weren't good at low light at all?

Buying this cam (S30) seems pointless to me, it's made for people who don't care, and don't read forums.


The HF S30 is Canon's only new 2011 model to continue using the company's 1/2.6-inch CMOS with a 6-megapixel effective pixel count. Canon switched to 1/3-inch CMOS chips for its new HF G10 camcorder, as well as its new line of HF M camcorders.


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/News/Ca...F-R-Series.htm
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post #8 of 32
8/20/11 at 3:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lekom View Post

Buying this cam (S30) seems pointless to me, it's made for people who don't care, and don't read forums.

6MP is good enough for 4:4:4 1080, while 2MP is not enough even for 4:2:0. No wonder the HF S30 produces higher resolution than current Canon cameras, because they need to trade some of this 2MP resolution for color information.
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post #9 of 32
8/20/11 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ungermann View Post

6MP is good enough for 4:4:4 1080, while 2MP is not enough even for 4:2:0. No wonder the HF S30 produces higher resolution than current Canon cameras, because they need to trade some of this 2MP resolution for color information.

Say what? Pixel count has nothing to do with color. Sampling bandwidth would affect color which changes file size or transmission bandwidth but resolution doesn't change. Unless bandwidth is too low then you would drop the resolution so you have enough room for color but that's related to bandwidth in video and file size with still photos.
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post #10 of 32
8/20/11 at 4:12pm
I like the HFS-30. Wonderful to hold and wonderful video output on my 60" 120hz. Family loves it and the files are easy to process. I tried the TM-900, didnt quite like it; one annoying thing on the HFS-30 though, it has a Mini Advanced Shoe--you have to purchase a mini-to-universal adapter to attach standard accessories that you may already have. Other than that, I love my HFS-30.

I think its just personal preference. You can't go wrong with either. I dont shoot 60p/60i that much, I like the 24F/PF24(60i) output better.
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post #11 of 32
8/21/11 at 11:31am
Thread Starter 
So overall which camera is the best choice?
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post #12 of 32
8/21/11 at 9:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronomy View Post

Say what? Pixel count has nothing to do with color.

Depending on what a pixel is. If a pixel is an (R, G, B) triad then 2MP is perfectly fine for FullHD. If a pixel is a single luminance value, then see yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_filter You can call and ask Canon whether their notion of pixels is the first of the second one. But judging by the resolution, it is likely the second.
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post #13 of 32
8/22/11 at 5:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ungermann View Post

Depending on what a pixel is. If a pixel is an (R, G, B) triad then 2MP is perfectly fine for FullHD. If a pixel is a single luminance value, then see yourself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayer_filter You can call and ask Canon whether their notion of pixels is the first of the second one. But judging by the resolution, it is likely the second.

Interesting! Thanks for the link. Now I have to wonder what is the best color mode to use on my single CMOS Panasonic TM90. It defaults to RGB but it also has an extended color range setting. I don't know if its 4.4.4 or 4.2.0. Will resolution be affected?
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post #14 of 32
8/22/11 at 7:06pm
Definitely the tm900!
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post #15 of 32
8/23/11 at 12:13am
Is absolutely TM900, support the night function, built-in flash is taken, but the price is a bit expensive.
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post #16 of 32
8/23/11 at 6:02pm
Thread Starter 
Yea, I saw some videos on youtube and the TM900 beats the Canon Vixia S30.
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post #17 of 32
8/23/11 at 7:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles Roberts View Post

Is absolutely TM900, support the night function, built-in flash is taken, but the price is a bit expensive.

The canon HF-S30 has built in flash and a built in light too. If your planning on setting the camcorder on auto most of the time the canon also has "instant auto focus" (2 focus sensors) which is nice feature. The panny has an optional 3D lens you can buy so you could shoot in 3D.

I've heard about some pannys have problems with zoom and fan noise from some owners not all.

Both cams are great, i personally like the canon better...
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post #18 of 32
8/24/11 at 3:14pm
Thread Starter 
I was going to go for the canon but the panasonic looked smoother when panning. The canon does look way cooler though.
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post #19 of 32
8/24/11 at 3:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xxJuanVsWildxx View Post

I was going to go for the canon but the panasonic looked smoother when panning.

Where did it look smoother? What mode did you shoot with? What device did you play with?
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post #20 of 32
8/24/11 at 3:50pm
Thread Starter 
The videos I have seen on youtube show that the canon doesn't look smooth when looking from down to up or side to side. I could be wrong because the people could have edited it wrong or could have messed up in the settings. If you own the canon does it have that problem or is it real smooth?
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post #21 of 32
8/24/11 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xxJuanVsWildxx View Post

The videos I have seen on youtube show that the canon doesn't look smooth when looking from down to up or side to side. I could be wrong because the people could have edited it wrong or could have messed up in the settings. If you own the canon does it have that problem or is it real smooth?

YouTube is 30fps, you cannot judge smoothness by YouTube or Vimeo or by most other online services.

I have two different Canon models. No problem with smoothness if you shoot in interlaced mode, but then you need to deinterlace for YouTube. The TM900 obviously gives you 60fps progressive mode and you don't have to deal with deinterlacing.
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post #22 of 32
8/24/11 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
Yea, but that's where I am going to be uploading my videos to. If you deinterlace a video does it ruin the quality?
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post #23 of 32
8/24/11 at 4:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by xxJuanVsWildxx View Post

Yea, but that's where I am going to be uploading my videos to. If you deinterlace a video does it ruin the quality?

Not ruin, but decrease, yes. Depending on deinterlacing method. You can shoot PF30 for YouTube. I am not advocating for the Canon, just trying to tell you that things are not as straightforward as some think ;-)
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post #24 of 32
8/24/11 at 4:51pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I think I can't go wrong with either cam.
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post #25 of 32
8/25/11 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rzxrey View Post

I like the HFS-30. Wonderful to hold and wonderful video output on my 60" 120hz. Family loves it and the files are easy to process. I tried the TM-900, didnt quite like it; one annoying thing on the HFS-30 though, it has a Mini Advanced Shoe--you have to purchase a mini-to-universal adapter to attach standard accessories that you may already have. Other than that, I love my HFS-30.

I think its just personal preference. You can't go wrong with either. I dont shoot 60p/60i that much, I like the 24F/PF24(60i) output better.

Hi...

Have you experienced in making avc hd discs, to play in your bluray player ?

If so, can you offer me advice , on how to get the best results ?

Thanks
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post #26 of 32
8/26/11 at 12:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by userdude View Post

Hi...

Have you experienced in making avc hd discs, to play in your bluray player ?

If so, can you offer me advice , on how to get the best results ?

Thanks

Hi userdude,

Unfortunately, I haven't tried burning my video files on a Bluray disk. I stream most of my videos directly to the TV. It's convenient and its easy. I do edit some files in Premiere and just render them as H264, which I believe is the format for bluray.
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post #27 of 32
8/27/11 at 10:08pm
It panning videos don't look smooth most likely because they filmed in 60i. Film in 30p to avoid having jerky panning.
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post #28 of 32
8/27/11 at 10:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lekom View Post

Why is it Canon is better in low light, if it uses old 1/2.6-inch 6 MP CMOS,and if you check reviews from last year, Canons weren't good at low light at all?

Buying this cam (S30) seems pointless to me, it's made for people who don't care, and don't read forums.


The HF S30 is Canon's only new 2011 model to continue using the company's 1/2.6-inch CMOS with a 6-megapixel effective pixel count. Canon switched to 1/3-inch CMOS chips for its new HF G10 camcorder, as well as its new line of HF M camcorders.


http://www.camcorderinfo.com/News/Ca...F-R-Series.htm

What you been reading? Even canons old HD CMOS chip is pretty good in low light. While pannys are better in well lit areas because they have 3 sensors each 1/4in and like 2mp i believe, 1 for red, 1 for green, 1 for blue. Since all 3 are smaller then the canons sensor the larger canons sensor lets in more light in low light. Like how your eye works. Thats what i have read/heard, i explained it bad.

I just like the Canons feel, and how it operates.
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post #29 of 32
8/27/11 at 11:10pm
We can't just talk about sizes. Pixel count, the type of noise reduction the camera has and sometimes compression quality (like in the case of a hacked GH2) are also factors when it comes to low light. I really don't think the S30 will be as good as the TM900's low light capabilities but the Canon M40 is another story since it has far less pixels in the chip.
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post #30 of 32
8/27/11 at 11:21pm
From what i've read and seen, the Panny is better in low light than that particular Canon

It also produces better colours, a sharper image, and better stabilisation

So if I had to choose, i'd go with the Panny
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