"This camcorder is getting excellent reviews on other websites so perhaps Amazon is selling some lemons and that is the reason for the bad reviews? If you head over to BH PhotoVideo all the reviews are excellent, so maybe buy from them? But I don't think it's necessary. I bought mine from Amazon earlier this year, have used it ..."
For more details please copy the Amazon link below in your browser:
@MrFolaz Once you activate the manual focus, just move the joystick left or right to adjust the focus. You might see the image zoom in temporarily while you're adjusting the focus. That's the focus assist.
"This camcorder is getting excellent reviews on other websites so perhaps Amazon is selling some lemons and that is the reason for the bad reviews? If you head over to BH PhotoVideo all the reviews are excellent, so maybe buy from them? But I don't think it's necessary. I bought mine from Amazon earlier this year, have used it ..."
For more details please copy the Amazon link below in your browser:
Hi. I just returned an awesome Sony full 1080 camcorder because it recroded footage onto my SD card as MTS Files. My i-Movie 09 program that I edit on, does not allow me to import MTS files, so I returned the camera for this one (the Cannon R10) hoping I would not have the same problem. Am I going to have the same exact issues? I saw on Apple's website that this particular camera is supposedly "compatible" with i-Movie 09.
@AngelaMarie53 MTS and M2T are pretty much the standard file format for most of today's HD capable camcorders. You might have to ask the i-Movie 09 software people what's their problem, especially since many other video editors from 2009 have no problems dealing with the camcorder file format.
@mainestreetsurfers To edit the MOV files on Vegas? DON'T! Apple likes to "break" their file format and their proprietary codecs in such a way that the files can only be edited in Final Cut.
If you want to convert the files to a smaller resolution for editing, use HandBrake to create new MP4 files out of the MTS files. The "normal" profile will create H.264 MP4 files that are compatible with just about anything out there, including Vegas.
@TheCanadianPublic im sorry im not very educated on files are you saying that this camera makes MP4 files as well as MTS files? sorry i dont know very much im a begninner
@mainestreetsurfers Oh man, will you have one heck of a learning curve ahead of you! :)
Google "HandBrake". Download, install and launch the program.
After copying your camcorder's MTS file on your hard drive, choose the "Normal" profile in HandBrake, drag and drop an MTS file in it, choose your preferred resolution, and press the green button. You'll find the MP4 file in the "HandBrake" folder.
Do NOT do this if you already have a quad core CPU. Vegas can render MTS to lower resolutions.
@TheCanadianPublic awesome would you recommend doing that or just buying a diffrent camera although this is the only one in my price. Is google handbrake free? And can you do other files besides MP4
I did end up purchasing the HF R10, and I love it. The quality is great, accessibility is good, and everything is quite nice about it. The only complaint I have is the battery life; at roughly 45 minutes it leaves MUCH to be desired.
great explanation buddy I bough vixia hfr10 last xmas it´s a fail that this camcoder doesn`t have flashlight . is really important for encoding at night . i like the camcoder but this problems are really important .. take care and invite yo to my youtube channel greatings from colombia
How can I convert clips for web upload WTHOUT degrading the original clip? The owners manual says to convert the clip to SD in the camcorder but I'd rather convert a copy and not ruin the original. I'm bouncing clips back and forth with pixela between the sd card, my hd, and the internal chip to be certain I don't ruin the original but I'm getting very frustrated! It takes a long time to move the clips back and forth like that. Couldn't it just make a new file that I could delete after?
@dpkeys I've never used any of the editing or conversion features built into the camcorder. I prefer to edit everything outside the camcorder with an editor such as Sony Vegas.
@mainestreetsurfers Vegas will handle the clips as-is. This is confirmed with version 9 and above. Be advised however that the clips are processor intensive. You'll definitely need a quad core computer here.
@mainestreetsurfers I wouldn't recommend 7, especially if you have Windows 7. It's pretty old. Vegas is now at version 11, and there have been a lot of improvements over the years.
You can evaluate any edition of Vegas for 30 days if you'd like. You don't even need to uninstall the old version since each version is installed as its own separate package. But make a copy of your existing project files before starting. Vegas can upgrade old file formats, but it can't downgrade new ones.
@slipperywhenwet5 cool. does it have an external microphone input? and how good is the quality of the audio recording. cuz i heard it records some weird clicking sounds
@Wiseupproductions I was looking back at the other comments , after buying the ext boom Mic i firgured out how to shut off the Focus , on the mini dv cam , and just by shutting it off ( focus ) it cured the problem of always hearing the focus adjusting .Funny how things work out sometimes , take care .
@mp4podcastDOTcom It's plastic, but it appears to be a solid piece of plastic. As long as you don't screw the tripod in too tight, you should be okay.
Let me ask one thing! I'm just up to buy this camcorder and Im trying to add some microphone for this camcorder but in this video you said it doesnt have a mount for mic. its kinda confusing, not just sony mic, can i put some other mic and mount it?
@UimMinsoo There's no shoe mount at all on this thing. To physically mount a mic on this thing, you'd have to buy a special adapter that screws into the tripod hole and wraps around the lens to provide a shoe mount on top of the camcorder.
At least for the HF200, I only had to buy a small adapter that fits into the existing Canon mini shoe mount, and positions the mic in the best possible position.
@NicoleTiana Either use the included video editing software (not very advanced, but okay for basic stuff) or get Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD (a bit complex, but cheap and a great introduction to non-linear editing).
the blag-nasted thing mixed up the vids when i converted the files for web upload(1 hour job) and i am just a little bit more than a little bit dissappointed! had hoped to put a useful vid up, but no, the real male donkey who designed the thing SCREWED UP!!! cannot reccomend it at all. had hoped to be a big canon fan along with my thousands of aquaintences and relates but they threw their chance out the window, too bad. now i give it to a nerd in exchange for monthly use. what a waste!!!!!
@a1mint Optical stabilizers are still the best. We're still a long way off before someone develops a digital stabilizer that works as well as a mechanical one.
@TheCanadianPublic That always puzzles me. Post processing deshakers antishakers stabilizers etc, do a pretty darn good job on lining up the frames. It seems to me it's simply a matter of putting in the right algorithm in these cameras. CPU power can't be a problem any more these days.
But there is another artifact of digital stabilizers. During an actual shake, the image is blurry. Lining up the frames, still shows some frames with this blur spats. It's visible in this video.
@McCulloch416 The built-in mic is surprisingly good, and the audio is recorded in 256 kbps 2 channel Dolby AC3, which is double the rate that many other camcorders will do.
The only problem with using an external mic with the HF R10 is that there's no place to mount it properly unless you use a highly oversized and awkward bracket attachment.
The HF2xx, HF-S and HF-M series however only need a small shoe mount adapter to properly mount an external microphone on top of the camcorder.
Thanks for the quick response, the mounting of the mic will be no problem because it doesn't need to be mounted. Guess I will buy it, try the built-in mic see what I think of it.
@Ceejayanthirium Camcorders are not Webcams. You'd need a video capture card to pick up the analog audio and composite video signal from the camcorder, and that will introduce a ton of problems. A cheap $20 Webcam would be a more practical solution for you.
@TheCanadianPublic thanks for the feedback. I had live streaming for formal services in mind, but i didnt want anything too expensive or too cheap. a cheap webcam gives cheap quality, not what i was looking for. luckily my old minidv camera can do it, so no harm done. thanks again and keep up the good work!
@Ceejayanthirium No problem! And in your case, a Firewire expansion card (if you don't already have it) is definitely cheaper than a video capture card or an overpriced "high quality" Webcam.
Just be advised that even though a MiniDV camcorder CAN be used as a Webcam via Firewire, there might still be a delay in receiving the audio and video data which would suck if you plan to use the camcorder with Skype.
Very good and honest review. I have this camcorder and agree with everything you said. Another way to get rid of the AF noise is to use an external mic. Thanks for the review.
Hello. First of all, congratulations for the review... it's VERY good!
I'm looking for a camera to record my band's presentations. I would like to know if the R10 is better than the HF100 (in terms of image quality). If not, which camcorder do you recommend for that propose? Thanks!
@bandahighsociety If you already have the HF100, stick with that one. Along with better picture quality, its low light performance is supposedly better than all the Canon camcorders that followed it including the HF200.
I just bought this cam. I'm still exploring it but so far, it shoots great video. However, one thing is bugging me. When I transfer the videos to my PC, I get .mts format. Did I hear you say it records mpeg4? Please, elaborate on this subject. I'm new to video and don't fully understand .mts yet. Thank you.
@ottoelperro MTS is a container format used by most AVCHD capable camcorders. It contains an AVCHD H.264 video stream and a Dolby AC3 stream. You can play the files on your computer with the VLC Media Player. Google it. It should be the very first link.
well I don't have an amazing computer but i use Power director 9 and it understands the .mts files the programs it comes with are utter garbage though so my advice is to get powerdirector its not too expensive and works great with the camcorder
I don't know any electronic company who manufactures camcorders that have mastered Lux. The best HD camcorders have "okay" nigh footage. But it isn't mastered. That must be something hard to accomplish.
@thebibleastronaut It's actually pretty easy to throw more light into the camcorder. You just need a wider lens. Not stronger, just wider so that more available light is captured and sent to the image sensor.
Except for two problems. First, a wider lens will result in a wider -- and heavier -- camcorder, and second, the depth of field will be reduced to the point that anything off by just a few inches will be out of focus. Great for professional artistic use, but lousy for domestic use.
@TheCanadianPublic, I am into UFOS. What sort of camcorder would you recommend for filming in the sky at night. Because the camcorders Ive used in the past were grainy to the point of the object not being identifiable in a broad sense.
@thebibleastronaut You might have to go the DSLR route. It's the only format capable of recording video that can also support the use of "fast" lenses. Unfortunately, I've never used that kind of equipment, so I can't make any useful suggestions at this time.
Great review, very helpful for an amateur student like myself!
I've got the HFR10 and will be using it for a short project in the Dominican Republic.
I was wondering what you would recommend in general I use for shooting settings, FXP (17 Mbps) or XP+ (12 Mbps)? Does it depend on my editing/computer capabilities? What will the difference be?
Also, in general, should I be using P mode or Cine mode? I keep reading that Cine mode creates a "movie-effect," but I'm not sure what that means.
@KMMKproduction If you'll be shooting mostly in the daytime, bring a handful of memory cards and batteries, stick with the "P" mode and FXP setting, and concentrate on acquiring the best possible source material which you can then scale down to whatever format you want in your editing software.
@guigow2004 Unfortunately, I've never played with that model (in North America, it would be the M30). So I really don't know how well or how poorly it can perform under low light, or what are the best settings for such conditions.
You'll have to find a location comparable to what you eventually will want to film, record the area under the different modes available on the camcorder, and look at the results on your computer (don't trust the camcorder's LCD screen).
Haha.. i undestand no problem.. but just take a hint.. and i'll be happy.
I did talk with you before buying this camera, i even asked you if you could send the raw files to an upload site.. i don't know if you remember me..
So i've based my setup on your video.. i've made a night footage with 25p(europe version), but i forgot to put the night mode and recorded in P-mode.. The result was terrible, too grainy.
@guigow2004 Arg! I completely forgot about that! I'll see what I can do.
In the meantime, check the show notes for the Canon HF200 - Sanyo VPC-TH1 Shoot-Out. There's a Torrent download link for one of the MTS files from that camcorder. Despite being a higher bitrate than the R10 (24 Mbps instead of 17 Mbps), it's still the exact same file format.
As I was informed by TheCanadianPublic, the HF R10 does not have an internal hard-drive, just an internal flash memory WHICH MAKES NO NOISE. The slight rattle, as stated in the video, comes from the auto-focus. Switch to manual focus to eliminate the noise. It's not very noticeable unless recording in extreme quiet either.
@crazyfooInc Yes! Once you've switched over to manual focus, just move the joystick sideways to adjust the focus. There's even an automated "focus assist" function where the image is digitally zoomed in so you can better see if the image is in focus or not.
Awesome! Great to hear that the manual focus can be adjusted when recording, thanks! I was teetering between the R10 or the M30, but that one tidbit seems to have tilted the scales in the R10's favor. I wanted to make sure that manual focus could be adjusted during recording, so that I could avoid the slight whirring noise of the autofocus and I would not have to separate everything into different clips when adjusting focus.
@crazyfooInc The camcorder's depth of field is extremely long, so you might not have to adjust it at all.. Set the focus to infinity, and anything beyond three or four feet under decent lighting and at the widest zoom setting should remain in focus.
BTW, the M30 has the same manual focus capabilities as the R10, but that annoying touchscreen can REALLY ruin your shots! :)
@crazyfooInc Almost made a mistake there. The focus assist doesn't work while you're recording otherwise the digital zooming-in feature would also be recorded. The manual focus however still works while you're recording.
ok im a flat out rookie. i have the hf r10. i shot a few vids and nowim trying to use the video editor that came with it but im having problems already. now it could just be my pc, or maybe this software iz just trash! i mean i cant even get started. i dropped one vid in the timeline area,clicked to view it. the video plays BUT its playin horribly! skipping,freezing,etc im not gettin a smooth playback at all.so im at a standstill already becuz my video isnt playing properly. anyone got advice?
@wassup986 Aside from having no internal memory (you have to supply your own), it's also missing the built-in video conversion utility which is pretty much useless if you already use external editing software.
@TheCanadianPublic Well, I don't really have an external editing software that's very good. I have Windows Movie Maker but it doesn't support .mp4 or .mpeg4 files so I can't edit video from the HF-R100. I'm going to get the R100 but I have one question. The editing software, Pixela, that comes with the camera...will it have any effects besides cropping and adding audio to the video?
@wassup986 I haven't had the chance to use the software all that much, but it did look like a severely stripped down version of traditional video editing software. You can add music, do simple transitions, add some title cards. but that's pretty much it.
@TheCanadianPublic Well, I'm still probably going to be using it instead of Windows Movie Maker because it can edit .mp4 and .mpeg4, right? If it has no effects whatsoever, I'll probably just use Avidemux.
@wassup986 The camcorder's file format is actually M2T which consists of an MP4 H.264 encoded video track with a Dolby Digital stereo encoded audio track. And yes, the Pixela software will recognize the files. If it didn't, it would have been a very silly situation. :)
@TheCanadianPublic I'm not too familiar with MTS. Will it work in Avidemux 2.5 or Windows Movie Maker on Windows XP? I know it will work on Pixela since the software comes with the camera, but I'm just not too sure about the other free editors.
@wassup986 No idea. All I've been using since I started doing video editing is Sony Vegas. It was the most full featured and most affordable NLE I could find. Version 10 Platinum is available for under a C note, a bit more for the Platinum Pro package. Better than any free package out there, and nowhere near as expensive as the $500+ "pro" packages.
One major weakness with Vegas however: lousy deinterlacing. It just doesn't work properly.
@crazyfooInc I would say drop both and get the canon fs200 unless you want high definition but you can make your video hd with your editing software. The canon fs200 has a microphone jack and a 37x optical zoom with good sound quality and sharp detail to the video
You do have a point; in the beginning of my camcorder search, I was originally going for a Canon FS200, but since it has largely been replaced by the inferior (No Microphone Jack >.<) FS300, it's been harder to find. I'm probably going to go with the Vixia HF R100 only because it is readily available, with HD as a plus :-D.
@crazyfooInc Also, the current price of the R100 is now LOWER than what I paid for my FS100! :)
Another thing. I originally hoped that the R10 would use the same smart battery as the FS series which would probably have lasted some two hours in the R10. The only catch is that the FSxxx series battery is a proprietary $60 smart battery that would have lasted only a half hour more than the R10's readily available 3rd party sub-$20 extra capacity batteries.
Eh, it makes sense to choose the cheaper option in the end, and I'm quite glad that Canon NB-2LH is available on Amazon for around $40! :-D. The only problem that I have heard about some 3rd party batteries is that they lose their ability to hold a charge much sooner than the real Canon ones. Out of curiosity, besides the autofocus, I've heard that the internal hard drive on the R10 makes a whirring noise in quite environments too, did you experience that?
You read that idiot's review on Amazon, didn't you? :)
The R10 doesn't have a hard drive. The internal memory is flash memory just like in SD memory cards. The only moving part is the lens assembly, and unfortunately the autofocus system has a bad bug that causes it to rattle after maintaining focus for a while.
And yes, 3rd party batteries can be a bit unpredictable. So do stick with Canon originals if you wish. Just keep an eye out for Black Friday specials.
I can't thank you enough for the continued information, I'm glad I finally found someone that is able to give me solid info on this camcorder. And I probably will stick to Canon original batteries, just because the reliability and build quality is usually higher. I'm quite glad that the rattle can be bypassed by the manual focus, although it's not really a problem when post-production editing is involved :-D.
Uhhh... I would advise against that. I have the FS100, the version before the FS200 (differences are pretty much cosmetic). The imaging sensor can produce a lot of moire artifacts under harsh lighting conditions. Also, the MPEG2 file format can be troublesome with some software editing packages, especially with Sony Vegas which simply can't properly deinterlace the footage.
Search YouTube for "Yet Another Travel Show", and you'll find my vacation film. It was recorded on my FS100.
If you already have a quad-core computer to do the editing, it's definitely worth it. Just remember to use manual focus during quiet shots otherwise you'll hear the auto-focus rattle in the soundtrack.
It definitely does. At that resolution, you could have edited and released the footage from a laptop computer. That would have been perfect for high quality independent news gathering, especially in more sensitive parts of the world.
There's no filter thread, and no complete edge around the lens barrel. You can't attach anything on it. No converters, no fisheye, no telephoto, no nothing.
C'mon, "fake full HD". The HVX200/HPX170/HMC150 have sensors with 960 x 540 pixels. So what? The video still looks good. After all, ultimate resolution is not the only criteria. The review is good though.
And I was being diplomatic! You should read the venom some people are spewing on some message boards about the R10's "Fake-Full-HD" sensor! :)
It's great that Canon still managed to squeeze a very decent picture out of the sensor. I just wish the marketing department hadn't used the highly misleading "Full HD" label in the first place.
DISCOUNT PRICE amzn.to\zHNCqc
Customer Reviews:
"This camcorder is getting excellent reviews on other websites so perhaps Amazon is selling some lemons and that is the reason for the bad reviews? If you head over to BH PhotoVideo all the reviews are excellent, so maybe buy from them? But I don't think it's necessary. I bought mine from Amazon earlier this year, have used it ..."
For more details please copy the Amazon link below in your browser:
amzn.to\zHNCqc
morenglasn2 1 week ago
hi
thank u 4 the video ,
i want 2 know how to use the manual focus
to focus on the close things and blur the background ,
when i use the manual focus it blurs everything
MrFolaz 1 week ago
@MrFolaz Once you activate the manual focus, just move the joystick left or right to adjust the focus. You might see the image zoom in temporarily while you're adjusting the focus. That's the focus assist.
TheCanadianPublic 1 week ago
DISCOUNT PRICE amzn.to\zHNCqc
Customer Reviews:
"This camcorder is getting excellent reviews on other websites so perhaps Amazon is selling some lemons and that is the reason for the bad reviews? If you head over to BH PhotoVideo all the reviews are excellent, so maybe buy from them? But I don't think it's necessary. I bought mine from Amazon earlier this year, have used it ..."
For more details please copy the Amazon link below in your browser:
amzn.to\zHNCqc
morenglasn2 1 week ago
@morenglasn2 WARNING!!! THE AMAZON RESELLER, ELECTROBRANDS, IS A BAIT AND SWITCH OUTFIT!!! AVOID THIS RESELLER AT ALL COSTS!!!
TheCanadianPublic 1 week ago
Wow excellent video man!
numbersmanpro 2 months ago
Hi. I just returned an awesome Sony full 1080 camcorder because it recroded footage onto my SD card as MTS Files. My i-Movie 09 program that I edit on, does not allow me to import MTS files, so I returned the camera for this one (the Cannon R10) hoping I would not have the same problem. Am I going to have the same exact issues? I saw on Apple's website that this particular camera is supposedly "compatible" with i-Movie 09.
AngelaMarie53 2 months ago
@AngelaMarie53 MTS and M2T are pretty much the standard file format for most of today's HD capable camcorders. You might have to ask the i-Movie 09 software people what's their problem, especially since many other video editors from 2009 have no problems dealing with the camcorder file format.
TheCanadianPublic 2 months ago in playlist Dining Room Table Reviews
oops hf r11 lol
lockerdogs 3 months ago
nice work i bought a rf 11 this week this will help in learning the camera better ty
lockerdogs 3 months ago
this is an exellent review one question though when you upload the videos to your computer what kind of video file are they like AVI, MPG, MTS ect:
Please reply i really need to know this
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers H.264 MP4 video and Dolby 2 channel AC3 audio in an MTS file.
TheCanadianPublic 4 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic what about a MTS to MOV converter would u recommend that
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers To edit the MOV files on Vegas? DON'T! Apple likes to "break" their file format and their proprietary codecs in such a way that the files can only be edited in Final Cut.
If you want to convert the files to a smaller resolution for editing, use HandBrake to create new MP4 files out of the MTS files. The "normal" profile will create H.264 MP4 files that are compatible with just about anything out there, including Vegas.
TheCanadianPublic 4 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic im sorry im not very educated on files are you saying that this camera makes MP4 files as well as MTS files? sorry i dont know very much im a begninner
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers Oh man, will you have one heck of a learning curve ahead of you! :)
Google "HandBrake". Download, install and launch the program.
After copying your camcorder's MTS file on your hard drive, choose the "Normal" profile in HandBrake, drag and drop an MTS file in it, choose your preferred resolution, and press the green button. You'll find the MP4 file in the "HandBrake" folder.
Do NOT do this if you already have a quad core CPU. Vegas can render MTS to lower resolutions.
TheCanadianPublic 4 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic awesome would you recommend doing that or just buying a diffrent camera although this is the only one in my price. Is google handbrake free? And can you do other files besides MP4
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic i got vegas 8 and it works now thanks for the help
mainestreetsurfers 3 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic when i try to use handbrake it comes out in a grainy green color
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers Google "VLC Media Player." Install, and try playing the file with that. What are you using to try and view the M4V file now?
TheCanadianPublic 3 months ago
I think your voice really fits with your videos, I bought the HF200 because of your review too, good video man and good job.
seekdestroy16 4 months ago
Thanks for the review :)
technicianfa 4 months ago
Excellent review! :D
ConnersTutorials 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
This was a great review. Thank you.
zZZzzzSnooze2nd 5 months ago
This was a great review. Thank you.
dmoynehan 5 months ago
how do you turn on the light?
CeVoyageur 6 months ago
Great review, Im buying this camera thanks to you!
helo1200 6 months ago
I did end up purchasing the HF R10, and I love it. The quality is great, accessibility is good, and everything is quite nice about it. The only complaint I have is the battery life; at roughly 45 minutes it leaves MUCH to be desired.
crazyfooInc 6 months ago
Good review!
DmitRU2007 7 months ago
Do they make a wide angle lens that will fit the R10?
Wiseupproductions 8 months ago
Best Review yet..
Stoweboarder9 8 months ago
great explanation buddy I bough vixia hfr10 last xmas it´s a fail that this camcoder doesn`t have flashlight . is really important for encoding at night . i like the camcoder but this problems are really important .. take care and invite yo to my youtube channel greatings from colombia
kaox23 8 months ago
red neck
wakaphwap 8 months ago
How can I convert clips for web upload WTHOUT degrading the original clip? The owners manual says to convert the clip to SD in the camcorder but I'd rather convert a copy and not ruin the original. I'm bouncing clips back and forth with pixela between the sd card, my hd, and the internal chip to be certain I don't ruin the original but I'm getting very frustrated! It takes a long time to move the clips back and forth like that. Couldn't it just make a new file that I could delete after?
dpkeys 9 months ago
@dpkeys I've never used any of the editing or conversion features built into the camcorder. I prefer to edit everything outside the camcorder with an editor such as Sony Vegas.
TheCanadianPublic 8 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic do you have to convert it to be able to work with sony vegas or does it just automaticly do it
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers Vegas will handle the clips as-is. This is confirmed with version 9 and above. Be advised however that the clips are processor intensive. You'll definitely need a quad core computer here.
TheCanadianPublic 4 months ago
@TheCanadianPublic i called canon and they said that its supported by sony vegas 7
mainestreetsurfers 4 months ago
@mainestreetsurfers I wouldn't recommend 7, especially if you have Windows 7. It's pretty old. Vegas is now at version 11, and there have been a lot of improvements over the years.
You can evaluate any edition of Vegas for 30 days if you'd like. You don't even need to uninstall the old version since each version is installed as its own separate package. But make a copy of your existing project files before starting. Vegas can upgrade old file formats, but it can't downgrade new ones.
TheCanadianPublic 4 months ago
Thanks for the excellent review.
TheTarrMan 9 months ago
does it record 16:9
chataramens 9 months ago
@chataramens 1920x1080 (1080p)
So, yes, it does.
slipperywhenwet5 9 months ago
@slipperywhenwet5 cool. does it have an external microphone input? and how good is the quality of the audio recording. cuz i heard it records some weird clicking sounds
chataramens 9 months ago
@chataramens Sorry, I don't own it (yet... hopefully next friday)
I just know from experience (aka being a tech nerd) that 1080p is 16:9 (as is 720p)
slipperywhenwet5 9 months ago
@chataramens Actually, I do know what you are talking about (sorry :P)
The clicking noise is probably the auto focus, as the video points out at 6:24
From the test videos, the internal mic sounds fine. There IS an external mic port, just no way to mount it to the camera.
slipperywhenwet5 9 months ago
Francois ran into that very same Noisy focus ,I simply bought a Ext Mic without shutting down the focus .Great vids .
Reg
VE9REJ 9 months ago
@VE9REJ What kind of external mic did you get?
Wiseupproductions 8 months ago
@Wiseupproductions Opec Boom Mic works well , this is My second one
VE9REJ 8 months ago
@VE9REJ Thanks for the info. Just purchased the R10 and am now looking for an external mic and hopefully a wide angle lens that will fit the camera.
Wiseupproductions 8 months ago
@Wiseupproductions I was looking back at the other comments , after buying the ext boom Mic i firgured out how to shut off the Focus , on the mini dv cam , and just by shutting it off ( focus ) it cured the problem of always hearing the focus adjusting .Funny how things work out sometimes , take care .
Reg
VE9REJ 8 months ago
That tripod screw mount is that made out of plastic or metal? I know some companies now on their lower end models use plastic.
mp4podcastDOTcom 9 months ago
@mp4podcastDOTcom It's plastic, but it appears to be a solid piece of plastic. As long as you don't screw the tripod in too tight, you should be okay.
TheCanadianPublic 9 months ago
Let me ask one thing! I'm just up to buy this camcorder and Im trying to add some microphone for this camcorder but in this video you said it doesnt have a mount for mic. its kinda confusing, not just sony mic, can i put some other mic and mount it?
UimMinsoo 10 months ago
@UimMinsoo There's no shoe mount at all on this thing. To physically mount a mic on this thing, you'd have to buy a special adapter that screws into the tripod hole and wraps around the lens to provide a shoe mount on top of the camcorder.
At least for the HF200, I only had to buy a small adapter that fits into the existing Canon mini shoe mount, and positions the mic in the best possible position.
TheCanadianPublic 9 months ago
I am thinking about buying this camera, but is it worth the money?
Is it a good camera?
bugattiveyron1789 10 months ago
I came here looking for battery life times, and information about the available resolutions and bitrates. Very good video!!
ydna2 10 months ago
hmm have you tried coreal pro x3?
NicoleTiana 11 months ago
@NicoleTiana Never tried it. Once I found Vegas, I stopped looking.
TheCanadianPublic 11 months ago
how do you convert a video MTS format into a format that youtube will be able to upload?
NicoleTiana 11 months ago
@NicoleTiana Either use the included video editing software (not very advanced, but okay for basic stuff) or get Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD (a bit complex, but cheap and a great introduction to non-linear editing).
TheCanadianPublic 11 months ago
got the hf r10 for $240 new
gummybearzclan 11 months ago
the blag-nasted thing mixed up the vids when i converted the files for web upload(1 hour job) and i am just a little bit more than a little bit dissappointed! had hoped to put a useful vid up, but no, the real male donkey who designed the thing SCREWED UP!!! cannot reccomend it at all. had hoped to be a big canon fan along with my thousands of aquaintences and relates but they threw their chance out the window, too bad. now i give it to a nerd in exchange for monthly use. what a waste!!!!!
MrPaulVanRavenswaay 1 year ago
Man what a great review!!! very refreshing and well done video, great information, thank you!!
God Bless you
oliverhshow 1 year ago
Can you put a Fish eye on the canon vixia hf r10?? Please reply
IpodTouch1029 1 year ago
@IpodTouch1029 I was checking that too. and in the beginning of the review he shows it is not possible. I think the R20 can have external lens.
carlosgaucho 1 year ago
@IpodTouch1029 no it does not he said it has no filter thread, meaning you can't put a lens on it.
714iskate 11 months ago
Can this pause during the making of a video? Please respond ASAP!!!
xXWildreptileXx 1 year ago
Is it me or is the image stabilizer MUCH less effective than the HF100?
Digital stabilizer? Wauw it shows.
a1mint 1 year ago
@a1mint Optical stabilizers are still the best. We're still a long way off before someone develops a digital stabilizer that works as well as a mechanical one.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic That always puzzles me. Post processing deshakers antishakers stabilizers etc, do a pretty darn good job on lining up the frames. It seems to me it's simply a matter of putting in the right algorithm in these cameras. CPU power can't be a problem any more these days.
But there is another artifact of digital stabilizers. During an actual shake, the image is blurry. Lining up the frames, still shows some frames with this blur spats. It's visible in this video.
a1mint 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic I highly recommend people only buy optical stabilized camcorders.
a1mint 1 year ago
So the noise on silent videos can be removed with the use of an external mic? And whats the built in mic like? Thanks
McCulloch416 1 year ago
@McCulloch416 The built-in mic is surprisingly good, and the audio is recorded in 256 kbps 2 channel Dolby AC3, which is double the rate that many other camcorders will do.
The only problem with using an external mic with the HF R10 is that there's no place to mount it properly unless you use a highly oversized and awkward bracket attachment.
The HF2xx, HF-S and HF-M series however only need a small shoe mount adapter to properly mount an external microphone on top of the camcorder.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Thanks for the quick response, the mounting of the mic will be no problem because it doesn't need to be mounted. Guess I will buy it, try the built-in mic see what I think of it.
Thanks for the help
McCulloch416 1 year ago
What about using it as a webcam/live streaming? I have one but i cant figure out how. Can you look into that and get back to me please
Ceejayanthirium 1 year ago
@Ceejayanthirium Camcorders are not Webcams. You'd need a video capture card to pick up the analog audio and composite video signal from the camcorder, and that will introduce a ton of problems. A cheap $20 Webcam would be a more practical solution for you.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic thanks for the feedback. I had live streaming for formal services in mind, but i didnt want anything too expensive or too cheap. a cheap webcam gives cheap quality, not what i was looking for. luckily my old minidv camera can do it, so no harm done. thanks again and keep up the good work!
Ceejayanthirium 1 year ago
@Ceejayanthirium No problem! And in your case, a Firewire expansion card (if you don't already have it) is definitely cheaper than a video capture card or an overpriced "high quality" Webcam.
Just be advised that even though a MiniDV camcorder CAN be used as a Webcam via Firewire, there might still be a delay in receiving the audio and video data which would suck if you plan to use the camcorder with Skype.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
Very good and honest review. I have this camcorder and agree with everything you said. Another way to get rid of the AF noise is to use an external mic. Thanks for the review.
kazcnepj 1 year ago
Hello. First of all, congratulations for the review... it's VERY good!
I'm looking for a camera to record my band's presentations. I would like to know if the R10 is better than the HF100 (in terms of image quality). If not, which camcorder do you recommend for that propose? Thanks!
bandahighsociety 1 year ago
@bandahighsociety If you already have the HF100, stick with that one. Along with better picture quality, its low light performance is supposedly better than all the Canon camcorders that followed it including the HF200.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@BelievinSt3v3n Did you watch the review? ;)
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
I just bought this cam. I'm still exploring it but so far, it shoots great video. However, one thing is bugging me. When I transfer the videos to my PC, I get .mts format. Did I hear you say it records mpeg4? Please, elaborate on this subject. I'm new to video and don't fully understand .mts yet. Thank you.
ottoelperro 1 year ago
@ottoelperro MTS is a container format used by most AVCHD capable camcorders. It contains an AVCHD H.264 video stream and a Dolby AC3 stream. You can play the files on your computer with the VLC Media Player. Google it. It should be the very first link.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
well I don't have an amazing computer but i use Power director 9 and it understands the .mts files the programs it comes with are utter garbage though so my advice is to get powerdirector its not too expensive and works great with the camcorder
BG213121 1 year ago
I don't know any electronic company who manufactures camcorders that have mastered Lux. The best HD camcorders have "okay" nigh footage. But it isn't mastered. That must be something hard to accomplish.
thebibleastronaut 1 year ago
@thebibleastronaut It's actually pretty easy to throw more light into the camcorder. You just need a wider lens. Not stronger, just wider so that more available light is captured and sent to the image sensor.
Except for two problems. First, a wider lens will result in a wider -- and heavier -- camcorder, and second, the depth of field will be reduced to the point that anything off by just a few inches will be out of focus. Great for professional artistic use, but lousy for domestic use.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic, I am into UFOS. What sort of camcorder would you recommend for filming in the sky at night. Because the camcorders Ive used in the past were grainy to the point of the object not being identifiable in a broad sense.
thebibleastronaut 1 year ago
@thebibleastronaut You might have to go the DSLR route. It's the only format capable of recording video that can also support the use of "fast" lenses. Unfortunately, I've never used that kind of equipment, so I can't make any useful suggestions at this time.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic Thanks I will look in that genre.
thebibleastronaut 1 year ago
Great review, very helpful for an amateur student like myself!
I've got the HFR10 and will be using it for a short project in the Dominican Republic.
I was wondering what you would recommend in general I use for shooting settings, FXP (17 Mbps) or XP+ (12 Mbps)? Does it depend on my editing/computer capabilities? What will the difference be?
Also, in general, should I be using P mode or Cine mode? I keep reading that Cine mode creates a "movie-effect," but I'm not sure what that means.
Thanks!
KMMKproduction 1 year ago
@KMMKproduction If you'll be shooting mostly in the daytime, bring a handful of memory cards and batteries, stick with the "P" mode and FXP setting, and concentrate on acquiring the best possible source material which you can then scale down to whatever format you want in your editing software.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
What would be your recomendation setup for night shots?
Considering i have a canon m36, and it has 60i and 25p modes.
Shpuld i use 60i night mode or 25p night mode?
thank you.
guigow2004 1 year ago
@guigow2004 Unfortunately, I've never played with that model (in North America, it would be the M30). So I really don't know how well or how poorly it can perform under low light, or what are the best settings for such conditions.
You'll have to find a location comparable to what you eventually will want to film, record the area under the different modes available on the camcorder, and look at the results on your computer (don't trust the camcorder's LCD screen).
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Haha.. i undestand no problem.. but just take a hint.. and i'll be happy.
I did talk with you before buying this camera, i even asked you if you could send the raw files to an upload site.. i don't know if you remember me..
So i've based my setup on your video.. i've made a night footage with 25p(europe version), but i forgot to put the night mode and recorded in P-mode.. The result was terrible, too grainy.
guigow2004 1 year ago
@guigow2004 Arg! I completely forgot about that! I'll see what I can do.
In the meantime, check the show notes for the Canon HF200 - Sanyo VPC-TH1 Shoot-Out. There's a Torrent download link for one of the MTS files from that camcorder. Despite being a higher bitrate than the R10 (24 Mbps instead of 17 Mbps), it's still the exact same file format.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
Does this camera make a lot of noise in low ambient noise? I have heard the Hard drive can be heard in the recordings.
straighttailpilot 1 year ago
@straighttailpilot
As I was informed by TheCanadianPublic, the HF R10 does not have an internal hard-drive, just an internal flash memory WHICH MAKES NO NOISE. The slight rattle, as stated in the video, comes from the auto-focus. Switch to manual focus to eliminate the noise. It's not very noticeable unless recording in extreme quiet either.
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc Thank you for the fast reply. I am seriously thinking about buying this camera. thanks again.
straighttailpilot 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Hi again, I recently thought up one more question on the R10 :-D. Can the focus be adjusted mid-movie when using manual focus? Thanks! ^_^
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc Yes! Once you've switched over to manual focus, just move the joystick sideways to adjust the focus. There's even an automated "focus assist" function where the image is digitally zoomed in so you can better see if the image is in focus or not.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Awesome! Great to hear that the manual focus can be adjusted when recording, thanks! I was teetering between the R10 or the M30, but that one tidbit seems to have tilted the scales in the R10's favor. I wanted to make sure that manual focus could be adjusted during recording, so that I could avoid the slight whirring noise of the autofocus and I would not have to separate everything into different clips when adjusting focus.
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc The camcorder's depth of field is extremely long, so you might not have to adjust it at all.. Set the focus to infinity, and anything beyond three or four feet under decent lighting and at the widest zoom setting should remain in focus.
BTW, the M30 has the same manual focus capabilities as the R10, but that annoying touchscreen can REALLY ruin your shots! :)
Have fun!
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc Almost made a mistake there. The focus assist doesn't work while you're recording otherwise the digital zooming-in feature would also be recorded. The manual focus however still works while you're recording.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
great video by the way man. it made me more satisfied with this purchase.
Y0ungpist0l 1 year ago
ok im a flat out rookie. i have the hf r10. i shot a few vids and nowim trying to use the video editor that came with it but im having problems already. now it could just be my pc, or maybe this software iz just trash! i mean i cant even get started. i dropped one vid in the timeline area,clicked to view it. the video plays BUT its playin horribly! skipping,freezing,etc im not gettin a smooth playback at all.so im at a standstill already becuz my video isnt playing properly. anyone got advice?
Y0ungpist0l 1 year ago
@Y0ungpist0l Chances are your computer is simply not powerful enough to handle the processor intensive files. You need at least a Quad Core machine.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
How is the Canon HF M30 camcorder? how does it compare to the HF R10?
MrE2727 1 year ago
@MrE2727 which are you saying is better?
corysouto 1 year ago
@corysouto Which out of both models would you say;s is a better camcorder?
MrE2727 1 year ago
Is there a difference between the HF-R100 and HF-R10? Please tell me becuase so far it seems the same.
wassup986 1 year ago
@wassup986 Aside from having no internal memory (you have to supply your own), it's also missing the built-in video conversion utility which is pretty much useless if you already use external editing software.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic Well, I don't really have an external editing software that's very good. I have Windows Movie Maker but it doesn't support .mp4 or .mpeg4 files so I can't edit video from the HF-R100. I'm going to get the R100 but I have one question. The editing software, Pixela, that comes with the camera...will it have any effects besides cropping and adding audio to the video?
wassup986 1 year ago
@wassup986 I haven't had the chance to use the software all that much, but it did look like a severely stripped down version of traditional video editing software. You can add music, do simple transitions, add some title cards. but that's pretty much it.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic Well, I'm still probably going to be using it instead of Windows Movie Maker because it can edit .mp4 and .mpeg4, right? If it has no effects whatsoever, I'll probably just use Avidemux.
wassup986 1 year ago
@wassup986 The camcorder's file format is actually M2T which consists of an MP4 H.264 encoded video track with a Dolby Digital stereo encoded audio track. And yes, the Pixela software will recognize the files. If it didn't, it would have been a very silly situation. :)
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@wassup986 Sorry. MTS format, not M2T format.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic I'm not too familiar with MTS. Will it work in Avidemux 2.5 or Windows Movie Maker on Windows XP? I know it will work on Pixela since the software comes with the camera, but I'm just not too sure about the other free editors.
wassup986 1 year ago
@wassup986 No idea. All I've been using since I started doing video editing is Sony Vegas. It was the most full featured and most affordable NLE I could find. Version 10 Platinum is available for under a C note, a bit more for the Platinum Pro package. Better than any free package out there, and nowhere near as expensive as the $500+ "pro" packages.
One major weakness with Vegas however: lousy deinterlacing. It just doesn't work properly.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic Jai une question, La quel est le meilleur, jai besoin d'une tres bonne camera HD pour faire des videos.
Lctsforce 1 year ago
@Lctsforce Quels genres de vidéos?
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
how does this play with macs?
iTouchiPodz 1 year ago
@iTouchiPodz No idea. I don't have a Mac.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
t'as filmé à Montreal!!!!!
burtonandi 1 year ago
@burtonandi C'est normal. Le canal de télé est basé à Montréal.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic Ok.
burtonandi 1 year ago
I have a few more questions and btw ty for all the answers but anyway, how much storage does it have?
TheGamerLand 1 year ago
@TheGamerLand The answer is in the review. It depends on the model.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
what is the name of your theme song?
TheGamerLand 1 year ago
Radio Martini.
My review background music is Acid Trumpet, and the test footage background music is Protofunk.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic thank you!
TheGamerLand 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Would you recommend the Vixia HF R100 or the Panasonic SD60 for recreational shooting?
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
Don't know. Never tried the Panasonic.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Thanks. Also, how long is the general battery life for the HF R10/R100?
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
That answer is in the review.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
I apologize, I just found that out after posting that comment >.<. Great review, and I believe you've sold this camcorder to me :-D
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc I would say drop both and get the canon fs200 unless you want high definition but you can make your video hd with your editing software. The canon fs200 has a microphone jack and a 37x optical zoom with good sound quality and sharp detail to the video
TheGamerLand 1 year ago
@TheGamerLand
You do have a point; in the beginning of my camcorder search, I was originally going for a Canon FS200, but since it has largely been replaced by the inferior (No Microphone Jack >.<) FS300, it's been harder to find. I'm probably going to go with the Vixia HF R100 only because it is readily available, with HD as a plus :-D.
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooInc Also, the current price of the R100 is now LOWER than what I paid for my FS100! :)
Another thing. I originally hoped that the R10 would use the same smart battery as the FS series which would probably have lasted some two hours in the R10. The only catch is that the FSxxx series battery is a proprietary $60 smart battery that would have lasted only a half hour more than the R10's readily available 3rd party sub-$20 extra capacity batteries.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Eh, it makes sense to choose the cheaper option in the end, and I'm quite glad that Canon NB-2LH is available on Amazon for around $40! :-D. The only problem that I have heard about some 3rd party batteries is that they lose their ability to hold a charge much sooner than the real Canon ones. Out of curiosity, besides the autofocus, I've heard that the internal hard drive on the R10 makes a whirring noise in quite environments too, did you experience that?
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
@crazyfooinc
You read that idiot's review on Amazon, didn't you? :)
The R10 doesn't have a hard drive. The internal memory is flash memory just like in SD memory cards. The only moving part is the lens assembly, and unfortunately the autofocus system has a bad bug that causes it to rattle after maintaining focus for a while.
And yes, 3rd party batteries can be a bit unpredictable. So do stick with Canon originals if you wish. Just keep an eye out for Black Friday specials.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Great guess on that Amazon review! :-D
I can't thank you enough for the continued information, I'm glad I finally found someone that is able to give me solid info on this camcorder. And I probably will stick to Canon original batteries, just because the reliability and build quality is usually higher. I'm quite glad that the rattle can be bypassed by the manual focus, although it's not really a problem when post-production editing is involved :-D.
crazyfooInc 1 year ago
Uhhh... I would advise against that. I have the FS100, the version before the FS200 (differences are pretty much cosmetic). The imaging sensor can produce a lot of moire artifacts under harsh lighting conditions. Also, the MPEG2 file format can be troublesome with some software editing packages, especially with Sony Vegas which simply can't properly deinterlace the footage.
Search YouTube for "Yet Another Travel Show", and you'll find my vacation film. It was recorded on my FS100.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
What do you think of this for a staring Camcorder?
I'm looking to buy one around the $300 range and that what this one costs on-sale
pclover 1 year ago
If you already have a quad-core computer to do the editing, it's definitely worth it. Just remember to use manual focus during quiet shots otherwise you'll hear the auto-focus rattle in the soundtrack.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic I have a Q6600 and 8GB Ram with Win 7 64-bit
pclover 1 year ago
With this camcorder, it should work okay as long as your editing software can take advantage of the processor's multiple cores.
Hint: if the processor supports hyperthreading but everything still seems extremely slow, try turning off hyperthreading in the BIOS.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
What editing software do you use? I can't find any that supports .m2ts file formats.
stinky304 1 year ago
Sony Vegas HD (i.e. Version 10), Platinum edition. It supports the files as-is with no conversion required.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
So there is no 1280x720 video recording? That sucks...
michillin212 1 year ago
It definitely does. At that resolution, you could have edited and released the footage from a laptop computer. That would have been perfect for high quality independent news gathering, especially in more sensitive parts of the world.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
can you put a fisheye on it ?
sk8rpoll 1 year ago
Nope. You can't even clamp one on the lens barrel. A good chunk of the barrel has no edge.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic i syill don't understand can you put a fisheye on it ?
sk8rpoll 1 year ago
There's no filter thread, and no complete edge around the lens barrel. You can't attach anything on it. No converters, no fisheye, no telephoto, no nothing.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
good job... man
kazepix 1 year ago
C'mon, "fake full HD". The HVX200/HPX170/HMC150 have sensors with 960 x 540 pixels. So what? The video still looks good. After all, ultimate resolution is not the only criteria. The review is good though.
EluraUser 1 year ago
And I was being diplomatic! You should read the venom some people are spewing on some message boards about the R10's "Fake-Full-HD" sensor! :)
It's great that Canon still managed to squeeze a very decent picture out of the sensor. I just wish the marketing department hadn't used the highly misleading "Full HD" label in the first place.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
Excellent review! Thanks.
daedalusxf 1 year ago
3:30, you NAUGHTY man. haha
StingChameleonREMIX 1 year ago
???
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic haha it looks like you were zoomed up on a pretty blonde =P
StingChameleonREMIX 1 year ago
That's a brunette. :)
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic oh, you're right!
anyways, good review. led me to buy this product.
StingChameleonREMIX 1 year ago
What was that thing you put on top of the camera at 01:50 ?
jealouscuzimhot 1 year ago
What I TRIED to put on the camcorder (but couldn't) was a Rode Videomic mono shotgun microphone. Great for interviews, but lousy for music.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago
@TheCanadianPublic
Why would it not fit?
fastlenny69 1 year ago
The camcorder doesn't have a shoe mount.
You CAN get shoe mount adapters that mount on the camcorder's tripod hole, but they're extremely awkward and throw the camcorder off balance.
TheCanadianPublic 1 year ago