Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

BUY NOW
  • Performance

  • Format

  • Tour

  • Auto/Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio/Playback/Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Comparisons/Conclusion

  • Specs/Ratings

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Tour
  • Auto/Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio/Playback/Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Comparisons/Conclusion
  • Specs/Ratings

Performance

The Canon DC100 features a modest 1/6" CCD with 680K gross pixels. This equates to 340K effective pixels in 4:3 aspect ratio, 450K in 16:9 aspect ratio with the electronic image stabilization (EIS) off, and 400K in 16:9 with the EIS on. The larger pixel count in 16:9 indicates that the camcorder should have true widescreen, as do nearly all the Canon consumer camcorders. Surprisingly, the top-end DC40 does not.

At 3000 lux, the DC100 had a rather blurry image. The color balance was decent, but apparent sharpness was very bad. It’s not that the camcorder had focus problems, but the picture has an undeniably fuzzy look. This is not entirely uncommon in 1/6" chip camcorders, but the DC100 is on the lower-end of even that scale. Noise was an issue, and the camera also showed heavy aliasing along curved and diagonal lines. All in all, it was not a great picture.

The Panasonic VDR-D100, also a 1/6" CCD, had a sharper image, but the noise levels were much higher. This camcorder did not show the same severity of jaggies that the DC100 did in curved lines. Color balance was not quite as even in the Panasonic, with strong reds but less saturated greens and blues. On the whole, the Panasonic had the preferable picture.

This year’s DVD105 is the most directly comparable model to the DC100, but we have not yet had a chance to review it. Last year’s Sony DCR-DVD92 had similar specs, however, including a 1/6" CCD. The DVD92 showed similar sharpness and aliasing problems as the DC100. It has the additional problem of appearing over-sharpened, making the image too contrasty.

The Hitachi DZ-MV780 is also a camcorder from last year. While the MV780’s colors appear slightly oversaturated, the image is much sharper looking than the DC100. Like the DVD92, sharpening is boosted noticeably, but not excessively. Moiré patterns were rather heavy in the resolution trumpets, though, indicating that the camcorder does not have the resolution to tackle areas of dense information.

Finally we looked at last year’s Canon DC10, the next model up from the DC100, which will continue to be sold as Canon expands their DVD line. The DC10 uses a larger 1/4" CCD, with a significantly higher pixel count, and showed a sharper looking image all-around. The color balance was about the same, but the colors were less saturated and more accurate.

**Video Resolution ***(9.9)*

We tested the Canon DC100’s video resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running stills from that footage through Imatest imaging software. In 4:3 aspect ratio, the camcorder showed 396.0 lines of horizontal resolution and 250.3 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 99118.8. In 16:9 aspect ratio, the camcorder produced 456.3 lines of horizontal resolution and 292.6 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 133513.38. We use the 4:3 resolution as a standardization method to determine the score.

The chart below shows how the DC100 fared against similar camcorders.

Low Light Performance*(3.25)*

Performing in low light is a considerably difficult task for any 1/6 chip camcorder. There is simply not enough space on the sensor to capture the incoming light. At 60 lux, the DC100 produced an extremely noisy image. Most of the color managed to push through, which seems to indicate that a strong saturation and auto gain were at work. The boost in gain is likely to blame for much of the noise. The DC100 also experienced some very slight focus issues.

The Canon DC10, by contrast, produced an image with less noise and approximately equal color balance and saturation. The DC10’s larger imager did not have to work as hard to generate a good image, and therefore did not have to employ as much gain, which in turn meant less noise. The larger imager also has more pixels, which made for a sharper image.

The Panasonic VDR-D100 had just as noisy a picture, but the noise was of a finer grain and less distracting to the eye. However, the Panasonic had a bigger problem with focus than the DC100. It’s not far out of focus, but the VDR-D100 has a distinct soft-focus look that you’d probably want to avoid. Color balance was about even with the Canon, with the DC100 putting a bit more saturation into the greens.

The Sony DCR-DVD92, last year’s Sony entry-level, had an image with just as much noise but nowhere near the color saturation. While that may make for a more accurate picture, in low light most consumers would sacrifice accuracy for a little extra saturation.

The Hitachi DZ-MV780, a 2005 model, produced a surprisingly near-noise free image. What noise there was had a very fine grain. Thanks in large part to its 1/4.5" imager, the camcorder also did not have to employ as much gain as the DC100. The colors were a little flat, and Moiré patterns appeared in several areas of dense information.

The Canon DC100 offers shutter speed control, and we tested at two slower speeds to see if it could improve low light performance. At 1/30 of a second, the overall brightness and color saturation rose considerably. So too did noise, unfortunately. Also, at this speed, fast-moving objects will blur.

At 1/15 of a second, saturation and brightness were exponentially greater than in auto. The overall picture quality suffered a great deal, losing a great deal of sharpness. At this speed, any objects in motion would blur, as would even the smallest camera movements.

At the second light level, 15 lux, the DC100 produced a very noisy and dark image. Compared to the 60 lux test, most of the color information is gone. It is still possible to identify colors, but it’s just no fun anymore. This is just barely what we would consider a useable image.

The DC10 had a much brighter image overall, though the color balance was severely depleted. You can hardly recognize the colors any better than you can those from the DC100. The Sony DVD92 lost nearly all color information and was nearly greyscale, though the image was sharp and bright enough to make out many details.

The Panasonic VDR-D100 matched the DC100 for saturation, noise, and sharpness. In fact, the images are nearly identical at 15 lux, and neither of them is very good. The Hitachi produced the least color of all, even less than the Sony DVD92, and was truly greyscale.

Wide Angle* (7.6)*

The DC100 was tested for the width of its field in both 4:3 and 16:9. In 4:3, the camcorder produced a wide angle of 38 degrees, and in 16:9 degrees, it produced 44 degrees. This six degree difference, without any loss of information along the top or bottom, shows that the camcorder produces true widescreen.

 

 

Format

Compression* (5.0)*

The DC100 records video to mini DVDs in the MPEG2 format at a variable bit rate (VBR). This method allows the camcorder to process less information when there is less motion (and fewer pixels to refresh), thereby decreasing the power consumption and recorded data. When motion increases, so does the data rate. There are three quality settings for video – XP, SP, and LP – each of which corresponds to a maximum bit rate. XP has a max data rate of 9Mbps, SP of 6Mbps, and LP of 3Mbps. All DVD camcorders and hard disk drive camcorders that record to MPEG2 have the same 9Mbps max rate. MiniDV, on the other hand, has a fixed (non-variable) data rate of 25Mbps, over twice the max rate of a DVD camcorder.

Media* (5.0)*

The Canon DC100 records video to 8cm mini DVDs in the DVD-R and DVD-RW disc formats. These are readily available in most stores that sell blank CDs and audio cassettes. The camcorder does not accept DVD+R, DVD+RW, or DVD-RAM discs.

Editing* (3.0)*

The DC100 does not ship with any editing software. This is rare, even among entry-level models, and will likely mean a small investment towards software for beginning users. The DC10, the next model up, ships with Canon’s ol’ standby software, the Digital Video Solutions disk.

 

 

 

Tour

**The Front ***(6.0)*

A 25x optical zoom lens is set slightly into the body of the Canon DC100. The lens has a manually operated cover that is activated via a switch located on the camcorder’s left side. It has a maximum aperture of f/1.8 and a focal range of 2.6 mm to 65 mm, with a lens configuration which positions ten elements in eight groups. Audio recording is accomplished via the stereo microphone positioned beneath the lens of the camcorder, which is fairly well-placed. The chances of a stray pinky rubbing against it and ruining the audio track are not great, nor is it ruled out (so be aware!). There are no other features on the front face of the Canon DC100.

**The Right Side ***(9.0)*

The right side of the Canon DC100 has a hand strap which slants downward from back to front along the side of the camcorder. Users will likely find the strap too slender to really provide a confident one-handed shooting experience. Straps on Sony camcorders are thicker and have better padding, which hugs the back of the user’s hand. The primary feature on the right side of the DC100 is the DVD compartment, which is opened by activating a switch located on the rounded transition between the back and bottom of the camcorder. This compartment has a vertical hinge that connects near the front face of the Canon DC100. It opens easily, and the hand strap swings out of the way to allow for easy access to DVDs. The DC in port is in an inconspicuous position beneath the front edge of the right side, in a cutaway directly in front of the right hand strap. Users can expect to spend several moments searching for this port whenever it is needed.

**The Back ***(5.5)*

The pointless electronic viewfinder is located at the top of the DC100’s back left side, with a dioptric adjustment lever on the underside of its hard plastic eyepiece. Its absurdly small size, poor design and stationary nature make using this secondary viewing device nearly impossible and definitely undesirable. Under the viewfinder, the user will find an operating mode LED labeled with symbols for video, still, and playback modes in addition to an embossed POWER label. Beneath this mode LED is a switch which enables the user to turn the camcorder on and move between video, still and playback modes by sliding it downward while pressing a small green button in the center of the slider. This control is large, labeled with full text information, and should be simple to locate and use regardless of camcorder experience. To the right of the power switch is the record start/stop button. This essential control is the only button that isn’t labeled, which seems like an absurd omission since it’s obviously important. Above the record start/stop button is another LED, this one indicating the Disc access/charge indicator. Below the record start/stop button is a connection point for the right hand strap. Under the right hand strap, on the transition plane between the back and bottom of the Canon DC100, is a switch that opens the DVD compartment on the right side of the camcorder.

**The Left Side ***(7.0)*

A 2.7 inch LCD screen with 112,000 pixel resolution is the predominant feature on the left side of the Canon DC100. This LCD display opens along either its bottom edge or via a scalloped indentation located along its back edge. The screen swivels outward; it can rotate 270 degrees and be returned to the camcorder body facing either in or out. When the LCD is open, four controls are located on its frame, beneath the monitor. These controls allow users to engage the record review/fast reverse/index screen – button, the fast forward/index + button, the digital effects/play/pause button, and the stop button. The internal battery for the DC100 is located in the LCD cavity and can be released via a battery release tab beside it. It’s important to make sure that the battery snaps completely into the camcorder body, since the battery pack tended to not lock completely when loaded quickly. When the battery pack is removed, the user will notice a small inset Reset button located along the bottom edge of this second cavity. This button will set the camcorder setup and controls back to their default status if engaged. At the front of the LCD is the manual switch, which opens and closes the lens cover for the DC100. Behind the LCD screen is a port cover composed of the same plastic used on the rest of the camcorder body. This cover snaps open easily along its front edge and swivels neatly away to reveal the AV out port beneath. Above this port is the widescreen/playlist button for the DC100.

Near the back of the camcorder body, above the LCD screen, is a four way controller with a set button in the center of it. The up arrow doubles as an exposure/display button, while the down arrow functions as the access point for the manual focus. In front of the four-way controller are two controls which initiate the function and administrative menu.

The Top* (7.0)*

The top of the Canon DC100 is distinctly split in half, with the dark silver right side housing the DVD compartment while the light silver left side houses the camcorder lens. A mode switch, located in the cusp between the left and right halves, allows the user to move between Program, Auto, and Scene modes quickly and efficiently without entering a menu. Towards the back of the camera body, still on the right half, is a zoom toggle that is slightly raised from the camcorder body. This zoom control is well sized and designed for ultimate functionality and the ability to function at a number of transition speeds. On the top of the viewfinder eyepiece on the left side of the camcorder is a playback speaker for audio monitoring.

 

 


Auto/Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (7.5)

The word "AUTO" appears in white print on the DC100’s mode switch (located on top); as one might guess, this indicates the camcorder’s auto mode. The automatic controls are not great, but are about what you can expect from an entry-level model. The biggest problem is the exposure: the DC100 has a tendency to blow out brighter objects if there is a significant amount of darker information around them. The darker information does not necessarily have to be the background—the DC100 also does this to the sunny side of leaves, silver objects in a black room, and so on. It seems to handle the darker information much better, while giving up on the detail in bright areas and categorizing it as "white." When the majority of information in the picture was light, it was a little better, but there were still fewer details than in darker subjects.

The focus is fine until extreme zooming, when the camcorder starts to "breathe" (go in and out of focus at steady intervals). White balance is also quick to adjust, though the colors can be a little flat. The white balance pre-sets are numerous – Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Fluorescent H. That said, aanual white balance adjustments are easy and strongly recommended. They will always be more accurate than a pre-set.

Canon offers a number of Scene modes (called Program AE modes by many manufacturers), settings that are meant to optimize the camcorder for certain shooting environments without you having to sweat the details. They include: Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight, and Fireworks. To access these, you must switch the toggle at the top to SCN, then enter the Function menu (for a full rundown of the menu, read the Overall Manual Control section below).

The DC100 also includes Image Effects, which we place somewhere between automatic and manual controls. You can turn them on and off, and customize them to an extent, but they don’t give nearly as much control as a professional camera with comparable features would. Image effects include Vivid (for increasing color saturation and contrast), Neutral (for decreasing saturation and contrast), Low Sharpening (for decreasing contrast along outlines of subjects), and Soft Skin Detail (for softening the focus and decreasing contrast of the skin tones of certain peoples from certain ethnic backgrounds). There is a fifth category, Custom, which gives you the freedom to create a new setting composed of brightness, contrast, sharpness, and color depth, each to a +/- 1 degree of control. Only Canon offers these settings in the consumer realm, though users should employ them cautiously. Too much of any of these settings can ruin a good shot.

Finally, and most notably, the DC100 provides Aperture and Shutter Priority modes. Not quite manual controls, these modes nonetheless allow you to have full control over one aspect (aperture or shutter speed), while the camcorder automatically adjusts the other settings to compensate for your changes. Hence, if you want a slow shutter speed to intentionally create a blur, the camcorder will automatically close the iris a little to prevent overexposure. These controls can be very useful, but Panasonic and JVC allow you to independently adjust aperture and shutter speed.

Overall Manual Control (5.5)

The DC100’s manual controls are not as good as those of some other entry-level DVD camcorders out there. The top of the line DC40, which was announced at the same time as the DC100, has been upgraded with a joystick control for menu navigation, as has the entire 2006 MiniDV line. Last year’s DC10 and DC20 both have slightly different joysticks, but joysticks nonetheless. The DC100 was neglected either out of cost-cutting impulses or because of Canon’s need to justify the price differentiations between models. In any event, the DC100 does not have a joystick but rather a four-way touch pad, which does not handle nearly as well. A joystick, even if it’s smaller, is easier to maneuver. This touchpad is too small, and you often accidentally hit the Set button in the center.

*The DC100's touchpad control. *

The DC100, like most Canons, is split into two menus: function and administrative (as we call it). The administrative menu contains most of the features that you don’t need close at hand during shooting: clock set, image stabilization on/off, etc. This menu is accessed by pushing the Menu button on the back of the body and navigated with the touchpad. One note that might confuse newbies: Canon has chosen an odd coloring system for its menu. Normally, when an option is not available, it appears in grey text. Here, unavailable options are in white. This caused some brief but noteworthy consternation.

*Animated gifs of the administrative menu (top) and the Function menu (bottom). *

The Function menu contains most of the manual and some of the automatic controls. Here you’ll find white balance options, image effects, digital effects, and image quality. It is accessed by pushing (you guessed it) the Function button on the back of the camcorder. To select Scene modes, you must first have the toggle switch on the top of the camcorder set to SCN. For Priority mode access, you must have it set to P. Navigating through this menu can be a little frustrating with the touchpad. Having the switch the toggle at the top between P and SCN also seems unnecessary. It’s not like the screen was getting crowded with options. The DC40 employs a mode dial, putting most of the options in one place.

When you are not in a menu, the touchpad also engages the manual focus and manual exposure controls. Pushing up on the touchpad engages the exposure, which calls up a sliding scale onscreen. The scale measures EV steps and ranges from -11 to +11. Pushing down on the touchpad engages the manual focus, indicated by nothing more than a small "MF" in blue letters. You shift focus by pushing the touchpad left and right.

On the whole, the manual controls would be better served by a joystick and a more accurate focus. Panasonic offers joysticks on all their models, as well as more manual controls, among them independent aperture, shutter speed, and gain.

Zoom (7.0)

The zoom toggle for the Canon DC100 is comfortably positioned on the top of the camcorder and can be easily and comfortably reached by the index finger of the right hand. This zoom toggle is raised from the camcorder body and textured to minimize accidental slippage during use. The zoom toggle on both this camcorder and the DC40 reacted with competency and provided a varied range of zoom speeds with easy transition between them. This is a great zoom toggle when compared to those on camcorders by manufacturers like Panasonic, which tend to skip between static and full burst with little warning.

In addition to the standard variable zoom speeds found with most camcorders the Canon DC100 has three fixed zoom rates available when the administrative menu is entered. Listed within the Camera Set category the fixed zoom rate will lock the zoom speed at either speed 1, speed 2, or speed 3. The speed 3 setting will provide the fastest zoom rate while speed 1 will produce the slowest. Fixed zoom rates are certainly handy in some situations where the last thing you want is a jumpy zoom transition: weddings, graduation ceremonies, and other affairs that move at a slow rate. The problem with fixed zoom speeds is that you’ll eventually want a different speed: changing back to variable requires entering several different menu structures, by no means a quick or efficient feat.

Zoom Power/Ratio (25.0)

The Canon DC100 comes with a 25x optical zoom lens that positions this camcorder’s zoom range squarely in the midst of those being offered on 1/6th inch CCD camcorders this year. JVC, by comparison, has one of the top zooms : 32x on the GR-D350. With zoom ranges this large comes the inevitable problem with camera shake when higher zoom levels are reached. To help combat this visible movement during recording, manufacturers commonly outfit camcorders with an image stabilization system. Manufacturers like Panasonic are now equipping more of their consumer grade camcorders with an optical image stabilization system that won’t compromise the footage’s resolution and overall image quality. Unfortunately, the Canon DC100 comes with an electronic image stabilization that, while certainly better than no stabilization, will result in resolution being reduced from 450,000 effective pixels in 16:9 to 400,000 effective pixels when electronic image stabilization is turned on.

In addition to the 25x optical zoom, the Canon DC100 also comes with an absurdly large 1000x digital zoom. The digital zoom range can be capped at 100x or 1000x via the digital zoom sub-menu in the Camera Set menu, found within the administrative menu structure. The problem with digital zoom is that as the zoom levels increase, the image quality decreases. This inverse relation becomes almost immediately apparent when digital zoom is engaged, and users will find that even images shot with under 100x digital zoom are incredibly compromised. Digital zoom is immediately recognizable, and considering the already poor quality of MPEG2 format, entirely inadvisable.

Focus (5.5)

Focus can be manually controlled when shooting with the Canon DC100, although the poor design and layout for this control option may prevent it from ever being used. The manual focus control can be used in scene modes and program mode. Pressing the down arrow on the four-way control, when the camera isn’t in a menu structure or other manual control, will open this setting. When the focus control is turned to manual, a small MF symbol appears at the top of the LCD, in the center of the screen. Unlike exposure, aperture, and shutter speed, focus doesn’t have sliding scales or numerical reference points. Instead users will have to rely on the less than stellar 112,000 pixel, 2.7 inch LCD-to-eyeball focal clarity, which produced sub-par results a fair amount of the time. Considering that aperture, exposure and shutter speed all possess some sort of reference scale or number, it’s certainly odd that manual focus is entirely devoid of these essential features.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.75)

Likewise, users can enter program mode, then the Function menu, and finally the priority sub-menu to access the manual aperture control. The aperture priority mode will display a small scale in the upper left corner of the LCD, and users will be able to engage the aperture range by pressing the set button, followed by the up and down arrows of the four-way controller. The maximum aperture setting for the Canon DC100 is f/1.8 when the camcorder is recording in its widest angle. Controlling aperture levels was a bit awkward, due to the position of the four-way control and the small size of the display.

Exposure for the DC100 can be manually controlled when the camcorder is in any program or scene modes except the fireworks mode. The exposure setting is opened by pressing the up arrow on the four-way controller. This is a bit awkward, since the controller is on the left side of the camcorder body, above the LCD cavity. When adjusting exposure levels, the user will find that their hand inevitably obscures a portion of the 2.7 inch LCD in a rather aggravating manner.

The exposure scale for the Canon DC100 has a range of +/-11, which is displayed in the upper left corner of the LCD. This range is navigated by pressing the left and right arrows on the four-way controller. Exiting the exposure control setup is accomplished by pressing the up arrow following alteration.

*Shutter Speed (3.0) *

There is a shutter speed priority mode listed in the program category of the function menu, but it’s only accessible when the camcorder is in Program mode. The shutter speed priority mode will allow the user to select shutter speeds ranging from 1/8th to 1/2000th of a second when in video mode and 1/2 a second to 1/500th of a second in still image mode. As with the aperture priority mode, the user must first press the set button and then the up and down arrows to navigate the priority range. The shutter speeds provided with this camcorder should give more advanced users a comfortable set of options for a variety of lighting scenarios.

White Balance (7.5)

The Canon DC100 does provide its users with an impressive list of white balance preset modes, as well as a full auto and full manual mode when shooting in either video or still program modes. The white balance menu is accessed by pressing the function menu button on the left side of the lens barrel. When the function menu is opened, a vertical overlay is displayed on the left side of the LCD. As this display is scanned, a second horizontal overlay appears at the LCD’s bottom. This overlay changes as different sub-menu parameters are scanned via the up and down arrows of the four-way controller. The white balance preset options for the Canon DC100 allow users to set the camcorder to Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Fluorescent H. As mentioned previously, the camcorder also comes with a full auto mode and an easily set manual white balance mode.

Gain (0.0)

The Canon DC100 does not provide users with manual control over gain levels, which isn’t surprising since this manual control was not present on the $899 Canon DC40 DVD camcorder. Manual gain control is a feature not commonly found with consumer camcorders, although it can be found, with an extensive range of setting options in Panasonic models.

Other Manual Control (0.0)

There are no other manual controls when shooting with the $499 Canon DC100 DVD camcorder.

 

 

 

Still Features

Still Features* (5.5)*

The still features offered by the Canon DC100 are limited. While this is not surprising in an entry level camcorder, users who are looking for a solid hybrid (Video + Still) camcorder will be disappointed in this model. To begin with, this camcorder captures stills only to DVD, and does not offer the MiniSD card option that the higher-priced DC10, DC20 and DC40 share. The lack of a flash memory recording also means that the DC10 cannot capture stills while recording video – a neat feature that its DC series cousins share.

The camcorder has two size options, 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480, and each size has three quality options: Normal, Fine, and Superfine. This camcorder takes stills only in the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Still mode in the DC100 parallels video mode for most of the manual and automatic controls – focus, exposure, white balance, Image Effects, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Scene Modes. There is no continuous shooting or exposure bracketing function, likely due to the fact that this camcorder records only to DVD, a medium that can’t be written with as quickly as flash media.

The DC100 offers three metering options. Evaluative assesses the average brightness across the whole frame. Center Weight Average favors the central part of the frame, and could be useful for portraits where metering priority is on the subjects. Spot metering assess an even smaller area (but is still not a true spot meter, which would literally evaluate only a precise spot) bounded by a small box that appears in the center of the LCD when in that mode. Finally, there is no flash included on the DC100.

Still Resolution* (1.7)*

The DC100’s 1024 x 768 stills were tested for their resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running stills of that chart through Imatest imaging software. In all, the DC100 produced a resolution of 174821.88.

The chart below shows how the still resolution compared to other camcorders in its class.

Still Performance* (3.75)*

The Canon DC100 stills were, sadly, among the worst we’ve seen this year. The main problem was noise: an exceptional amount of dark, grainy noise across the picture. Color balance was not terribly good either, with a bit too much emphasis on the blues. The picture did have a decent amount of sharpness relative to its size.

The Canon DC10 can shoot a slightly larger maximum still size, 1280 x 960 (versus the DC100’s 1024 x 768). The difference in quality, however, was enormous. The DC10’s stills were much sharper and, more notably, had far less noise.

The Sony DVD92, last year’s entry-level DVD camcorder, produced 640 x 480 stills with stronger color performance than the DC100. Amazingly, the pictures are even noisier than the DC100’s. Most edges and outlines are also fuzzy.

The Panasonic VDR-M53, last year’s equivalent to the VDR-D100, had over-saturated yellows. There were, in fact, no real green tones; just variances of yellow. The picture was a little over-sharpened, which made the image too contrasty. Finally, there were patches of blue noise in the blue through violet tones. The VDR-D100 does not take stills at all, but if they’re going to look like this, maybe it’s better off.

With stills this small and this noisy, the DC100 is not in any way a substitute for a dedicated still camera.

Handling and Use

Ease of Use* (6.0)*

The Canon DC100 is an easy camcorder to use – but certainly not the easiest – and ease of use is vital at the entry level. At first glance, the On/Off/Mode switch is right in the center of the back of the camcorder and impossible to miss, which is good. However, the location of the Record button, just to the right, is not immediately obvious, because it lacks the customary red marking or "Rec" label. Because of this lack of the most basic of signposts, you’d be advised to give Aunt Maude a quick tour of the DC100 before handing her the camcorder.

Another issue that Canon should address is the slightly awkward placement of the touch pad on the left side of the camcorder body. There is no elegant way to navigate through menu and function options without turning the camera sideways and compromising your view of the LCD. The reason is that the LCD either opens to 90 degrees, placing you at an angle to view either the screen or the touch pad, or flips to rest inside its cavity, which makes for comfortable viewing but leaves the VCR controls upside down. A no-brainer fix would be to place the touch pad on the back of the camcorder. I think cluttering the back with another control would be the lesser of two evils in this case, making the DC100 an easier camcorder to use.

The DC100 does feature an Auto Mode, as any entry level camcorder should, but, once again, it’s not as immediately visible as on comparable Sonys, which feature a prominent "Easy" button. On the DC100, the Auto switch is on top of the camera, out of sight when you’re holding it in a shooting position. Finally, the DC100 has a touchpad rather than the joystick of its higher-priced DC cousins. While touchpads are not terrible, we like the trend towards mini joysticks, which enable you to navigate functions literally without lifting a finger.

Finally, as with the DC10, navigation of menus is not as quick or intuitive as it could be. For example, when you are at the bottom of a submenu, you would think that the fastest route back to the top would be to press down once more. Instead, Canon forces you to press up until you have returned to your starting point, an exercise that could cost you valuable seconds during a shoot. So while this is a fairly easy camera to use, make sure you tell Aunt Maude where the Record button is before handing her the DC100 – especially if you want to make sure she catches your once-a-summer flying belly flop.

Handling* (6.0)*

The DC100 is similar to all the other Canon DC camcorders, except for one significant design feature: it has a touchpad rather than a joystick. This difference is one of millimeters, but its impact on handling is sizeable. A joystick is much easier to handle and allows you to navigate through menus with aplomb. The DC100’s four-way touchpad lacks the same responsiveness.

We were not even that impressed with the top model, the DC40, to begin with. Its hand strap is too low and the navigation control is on the left side, requiring the shooter to turn the entire camcorder body around in order to see it. The DC100 also has these faults. All in all, this is not the camcorder I would want to have if I were running with the bulls in Pamplona.

The rest of the button placement is fine. It has a great zoom toggle. The record button is well-placed, however, it should have had some red coloring on it somewhere, the universal symbol for 'record.'

Portability* (6.25)*

The Canon DC100 (51 mm x 86 mm x 123 mm or 2" x 3.4" x 4.8") is marginally smaller and lighter then the top-of-the-line DC40, but all the camcorders in the DC line are very close in size. Practically, this camcorder does fit in a pants pocket – but not comfortably. You’d be hard pressed to sit down for lunch at a wedding with this unit in your pocket, unless you wear baggy cargo pants to formal events. On the plus side, relative to the DC40, this camcorder is a little lighter at 410 grams (14.5 oz.) vs. over 16 oz.

As with the other DC camcorders, the DC100 also suffers from a non-expandable battery, which is tucked into the LCD cavity. Because of this space-saving placement, the camcorder can’t accommodate a longer life battery, so the only option for extended shooting situations in the field is to purchase another 81 minute battery.

LCD/Viewfinder* (6.5)*

The LCD for the Canon DC100 is located on the left side of the camcorder and can be opened either along the bottom of the frame or via a scalloped cut-away positioned along its back edge. It measures 2.7 inches and has a paltry 112,000 pixel resolution: although the Canon DC40 has a similarly-sized LCD, its pixel count is 123,000, a more acceptable number. The resolution on this screen isn’t going to produce great images for monitoring manual controls like focus, and users may struggle to attain a crisp image. The screen tended to solarize quite quickly when rotated, and users may find that this will impede the positions they can shoot in.

The electronic viewfinder on the DC100’s back appears to be designed as an afterthought. This miniscule secondary viewing device cannot extend or swivel away from the camcorder and its hard plastic eyepiece doesn’t help, even with the dioptric adjustment lever located beneath it.. In addition to its small size, the position and overall design of the viewfinder made engaging this option a further aggravation. Its one benefit is that, with manual controls and menu navigation accomplished through external controls, it lets the user alter settings without opening the LCD screen. This is a distinct benefit over the touch-screen LCD interface systems found on Sony camcorders. Actually engaging these features while shooting through the viewfinder, however, was a task that pretty much eliminated any benefit it may have had.

*The notorious enclosed battery design. *

Battery Life* (9.3)*

The Canon DC100 ships with the EP-208 battery. This is the same battery that ships with the top model, the DC40, so at least you know you’re not getting hosed on the entry-level model in that regard. It’s still not a good battery, however. We tested it for endurance by shooting continuously with the LCD open, the backlight on, and the electronic image stabilization on. No zoom or manual controls were engaged. In total, the battery lasted 93 minutes and 43 seconds (1 hour, 33 minutes, and 43 seconds).

We must mention here that the DC100 employs a closed battery design, hidden inside the LCD cavity. This means that the camcorder cannot accept expanded batteries. You will be limited to this 93 minutes, and another 93 if you decide to purchase an additional EP-208.

 

 

Audio/Playback/Connectivity

Audio* (4.0)*

Audio features for the Canon DC100 are limited, with the user restricted to the in-camera microphone positioned on the front of the camcorder, directly beneath the lens. There is no audio input. The built-in microphone picked up camcorder noise, such as DVD rotating and other mechanical shifting, like there was no tomorrow. Normally, careful users will find a slight amount of camcorder noise present in their recording if using an in-camera mic. But in the case of the DC100, it sounded as though a helicopter was landing in the midst of our testing. Audio monitoring is accomplished via the playback speaker positioned on the top of the camcorder.

VCR Mode* (8.0)*

Playback with the DC100 is simple and intuitive, and Canon has thoughtfully placed basic controls (Play/Pause, Stop, Rewind and FF) just below the actual LCD screen. To enter playback, you simply press down on the mode button until thumbnails of clips appear, 6 clips to a page. The touch pad lets you move from image to image, and Rewind and FF buttons page back or forward respectively. On the downside, accessing the thumbnail pages takes a while, given the speed limitations associated with reading DVD media. When playing the clips, you can rewind at rates of 2.5x, 5x, 15x or 25x, and fast forward at 1.5x, 5x, 15x, and 25x. There are no in-camera editing features, and editing is best left to software anyway.

Still playback is similar to VCR playback and entered via the Mode switch. Pressing towards T(right) on the Zoom Toggle selects photos. By then pressing W (left on the Zoom toggle, you can zoom up to 5x into the image and pan around it using the touchpad. You can also review stills in a slide show presentation, entered from the Function Menu.

*A screenshot from the VCR mode. *

VCR modes on most DVD camcorders function the same way. Sony puts the playback controls on the touchscreen, which some people may find easier, but the playback options are more or less the same as Canon's. Panasonic DVD camcorders give you the option of recording to DVD-RAM, which has more in-camera editing flexibility. But in all frankness, editing should occur outside the camcorder, on your computer.

Ports* (3.0)*

Ports are limited on the Canon DC100: one on the left side and one on the right. The port on the right side of the camcorder body may initially be hard to find. Its is embossed on the bottom of the camcorder, and the port itself is easily covered by the front connection point for the hand strap. Located in the lower front corner, beneath the DVD compartment build out, is the uncovered DC in port. Once found, this port is a bit of a hassle to engage due to the strap, and moving the camcorder tended to unplug the cable easily. On the left side of the camcorder, directly behind the LCD screen’s top corner, is a port cover that snaps open easily from a tab located along its front edge. This port cover swivels neatly out of the way on a pivoting hinge at its bottom back corner to reveal the AV out port. This camcorder does not come with the USB 2.0 port found with the more expensive DC40.

Other Features

Widescreen/16:9 Mode* (6.5)*

Like most Canons, the DC100 offers true 16:9 widescreen video, indicated by the fact that there is a substantial difference in the field of view width between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, with no loss of information at the top or bottom. Switching between views is also very easy, with a conveniently located "WIDE SCR" button on the left side behind the touchpad control.

Scan Rates/24p* (0.0)*

The Canon DC100 uses a scan rate of 60i when recording video. This is standard for consumer level camcorders at this time, and users would need to invest in a far more advanced and expensive model to be able to attain variable scan rates.

Other Features* (4.0)*
Electronic Image Stabilization – The Canon DC100 employs an electronic rather than optical image stabilization, which cuts down on image quality.

Digital Effects – If you like to add a corny effect now and again, the DC100 is more than happy to accommodate you. Digital effects in the Function menu include a number of faders and the following effects: Black & White, Sepia, Art, Mosaic, Ball, Cube, Wave, Color Frame, and Mirror.

Closed Battery – The Other Features sections can’t be all sunshine and dandelion wine, now can it? We must take note once again here of the closed battery design, which denies you the ability to purchase an extended-life battery pack.

 

 

Comparisons/Conclusion

**Comparison
***Canon DC10*
The Canon DC10 is the next step up in the DC line, and makes a compelling case for itself, given the very close street prices of these camcorders - $449.95 for the DC100 and $469.95 (street price) for the DC10. What do you get for 20 extra bucks? Most significantly, a much larger imager--1/3.9" vs. 1/6"--which yields a sharper image in both video and still mode. The inclusion of a joystick, which most people will find more user-friendly than the DC100’s touchpad, improves handling on the DC10, Given these features, it’s hard to justify purchasing this model rather than the next step up in Canon’s line.

Sony DCR-DVD105
Both Canon DC100 and the Sony DCR-DVD105 – which replaces the DCR-DVD92 – use a 1/6" CCD. Overall, the video image quality of the DC100 is better than that of the DCR-DVD92, – but not by much, and we don’t expect much change with the DVD105 (yet to be reviewed). Sony implements a touch screen on the DCR-DVD105; we generally prefer joystick or touchpad controls, as touch screens quickly get greasy when they are the primary means of menu and playback control, Some users will like touch screens’ intuitive setup, but on the whole, both camcorders’ menu systems are easy to use. The bottom line: If you really like Sony’s touch screen interface, go with the DVD92 or DVD105. Otherwise, the DC100 is a better bet.

Panasonic VDR-D100
Another camcorder with similar specs is the Panasonic VDR-D100, also boasting a 1/6" chip. While the video and still image quality of these camcorders is similar, the Panasonic slightly edges out the DC100 in terms of sharpness and performance, though at the price of more noise. Unlike the Panasonic, the DC100 does have still picture option, though, as noted above, the quality of those stills is extremely poor. In most other respects, the Panasonic comes out on top, with better menu controls via the well-placed joystick (on the rear of the camcorder body vs. the left side touchpad on the DC100), and better manual control options including zoom, aperture, focus, shutter speed, gain, and white balance. It’s worth noting that we rated the Panasonic VDR-D100 as a slightly better camcorder than the DC10 – the DC100’s big brother. When you consider that the DC10 is already a much better camcorder than the DC100, it gets even tougher to justify purchasing at the bottom rung of the DC line.

Samsung SC-DC165

We have not yet had the opportunity to review the Samsung SC-DC165, but it is another camcorder with comparable specs to the DC100. One difference, however, is that the Samsung captures stills to flash media via a 4-in-1 card slot that accepts SD, MMC, MemoryStick Pro and MemoryStick cards. The Samsung also features a better optical zoom at 33x (vs. the DC100’s 25x) as well as an absurdly high digital zoom at an unusable 1200x. While the DC165 also uses a 1/6" imager like the Canon DC100, Samsung generally produces poor quality video relative to that of market stalwarts like Canon. Handling also tends to be poor. Even though the SC-DC165 looks to offer some stiff competition on paper, don’t expect it to come out ahead in this competition.

JVC GZ-MG30
The JVC GZ-MG30, reviewed last year, and its successor, this year’s GZ-MG21, are hard disk drive(HDD) camcorders, so they offer all the benefits associated with tape-less recording – namely, you don’t need to deal with any removable media. HDD storage should also withstand rough shooting scenarios that might cause a DVD camcorder to skip – riding a rollercoaster at Six Flags, for example. But the JVC is a flawed product, and it has too many serious drawbacks to make it a good buy for anyone. First and foremost, it’s expensive, with an MSRP of $900 vs. the DC100’s $499. And, while we certainly haven’t waxed poetic about the DC100’s video performance, it far outshines the JVC, even though their imagers are identical in size (1/6"). In fact this head to head is the only one where the Canon comes out squarely on top.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters *(5.0)*

For the point-and-shoot user looking for a simple and basic interface, Canon’s DC100 is definitely a better option when compared to the more expensive and more cluttered DC40. The inclusion of an auto mode will further simplify this camcorder, restricting user controls to image quality and zoom, and an external switch makes this mode easy to enter.

Budget Consumers* (6.0)*

For the budget consumer concerned with video quality, ease of editing, controls, and resolution, DVD camcorders still don’t compare to markedly less expensive MiniDV models, which boast superior quality in all four of the above areas. The DC100 is definitely an inexpensive DVD camcorder, with only the Samsung SC-DC164 selling for less, ($449 MSRP) but it’s still a DVD camcorder and the problems inherent in this media are still apparent.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid* (2.0)*

This DVD camcorder can capture still images. It can only record to DVD, though, and doesn’t have a memory card slot, in-camera flash or other hybrid features. Access to metering control, white balance, shutter speed, exposure, aperture, and scene modes is still possible with still image mode, which is at least one advantage over camcorders by manufacturers like Sony, which don’t even offer those options in video mode.

Gadget Freaks* (2.5)*

The Canon DC100 is a stripped down and minimally hybrid DVD camcorder that isn’t going to find a huge cult following in the gadget freak sector of the market. For this market, HDD and consumer HD are far more compelling new technologies being fine-tuned this year with impressive results.

Manual Control Freaks* (5.0)*

The manual control freak will find a number of options available when shooting with the Canon DC100. This DVD camcorder allows for manual manipulation of exposure, shutter speed priority, aperture priority, white balance, and focus control. The problem is the poorly designed four-way interface, which must be used whenever these controls are engaged or altered. Its styling and position make doing so an unnecessary hassle; the terrible LCD display and interface shortcomings compromise these options further.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists* (2.5)*

A basic, low-end, barely hybrid $499 DVD camcorder isn’t going to be a draw for the pro or serious hobbyist looking for quality, resolution, manual control, and a logical structure, all features and demands not found with this budget priced consumer camcorder.

Conclusion

The Canon DC100 ($499 MSRP) has some tight competition in the entry-level market, not the least of which comes from its own sibling, the Canon DC10, which can be found for as little as $20 more. Both of these models have a couple noteworthy detriments – an enclosed battery (meaning no extended life batteries) and navigation controls tucked away from the user. The DC100 has the added burden of lackluster video performance, lackluster still performance, and poor low light performance. We don’t mean to hurt anybody’s feelings, but there is almost no reason to buy this camcorder. Do yourself a favor: pass on it. If you’re already sold on the convenience of DVD and this is your price range, take a good look at the Canon DC10 and Panasonic VDR-D100.

Specs/Ratings

{{manufacturer_specs_table}}{{raw_scores_table}}

Meet the tester

James Murray

James Murray

Editor

James Murray is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of James Murray's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next