Canon debuts DVD-based HD camcorder

Canon HR10

(Credit: Canon USA)

I wanted this to be a hard-disk-based model so much that I almost announced it as one. But no, Canon's HR10 records HD video to miniDVD discs using the AVCHD format introduced by Panasonic and Sony. Canon is the first outside of the format's two proponents to implement it, however.

As you can tell from the photo, in order to make it as compact as possible, Canon pretty much had to make it close to the size and shape of an optical disc, so it's a bit on the funny-looking side. The internals are nothing to snicker at, though. It uses the same CMOS sensor and Digic DV II processor as the HV20, and the 10X zoom lens looks as if it's the same as that of the HV10.

Canon expects to ship the HR10 in August--not in time for your Memorial Day fun but ready for your Labor Day games--for $1,199. In the meantime, I'll keep waiting for a hard-disk-drive model.