Recommendation for Canon/Sony videocam

[code]

I have no experience with videocam and am currently looking to buy a HD videocam for family shots (mainly my little boy). Have short listed Sony SR12, Canon HG21 and Canon HF11.

Any key difference the Sony and Canon system? Which is more user-friendly in terms of usage and format? I am thinking of switching to Mac in the near future and have read there are some compatibility issue btw Sony and Mac. Also, any difference between Canon HG21 and HF11 apart from the media storage?

Appreciate any comment. Thanks.

 

[Reportage]

I have the HF100 and the Xacti HD700.

Sony and Canon is easy to use as long read the manual amd enough practice. The reason i chose them is because they do not come with built in media like HDD, Tape/DVD recorder which could influence noise or break down in future and cost a bomb to repair. The HF100 is pretty good for controlled conditions but i would say that the xacti is the one i bring out most often due to its PSP like interface. Even my mom could use it.

There isnt any problem actually just that the sony software was originally from ground up designed for windows users. Depending on what you want to do, the default IMovie application is actually enough unless you are thinking Star Wars type of production.

Main difference between Sony and Canon i suppose is that the Canon HF11 has 24mbps which theoretically is same as tape quality while Sony i can clearly say is pretty good at Night conditions.

Also, these newer camcorders use the AVCHD format so unless you got relatively powerful computer(s) to edit in native AVCHD or even play the clips in native AVCHD..the higher the quality and compression you want, its possible can take quite a while to encode the videos.

 

[Oly5050]

How bad is it to transfer the videos and to edit them in a PC? That is the only thing holding me back from getting the Sony.

 

[Reportage]

How bad is it to transfer the videos and to edit them in a PC? That is the only thing holding me back from getting the Sony.

for those using memory cards, as easy as abc as just need to copy over using a card reader. editing them in native avchd is another thing for both Canon and Sony. At least Sony gives Sony Vegas for it compared to Canon who use apps that i have never heard of..Even cheaper Sanyo is giving Adobe Premiere Elements. Most of the time i convert to MP4 first and then Edit in iMovie.