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If you have two batteries this is a must as you cannot run the camcorder off wall power and charge an attached battery at the same time. The charger charges quicker than the camcorder does. I purchased this charger in conjunction with an HF S100 camcorder for the convenience and charge speed factor. It's also much smaller than the camcorder's power supply and wires, so it fits better in small camera bags.The only knock I'm giving this product (aside from price) is the two simple status LEDs. Plus it's far easier to stick a battery in the charger and plug it into a wall socket (no wires). than it is to untangle and hook the two power supply wires to the camera. They only tell you if it's charging or finished. Some of my other Canon battery chargers (that were included with their respective products) indicate the charging status - 25%, 50%, 75% complete.
Canon should have include this charger as part of Canon Vixia HF S100 video camera. Similar to the battery, this charger is WAY OVER PRICED hence the 3 stars.
The battery that comes standard with almost any camcorder usually doesn't last very long. As others have noted it charges your batteries a lot more quickly than if they were plugged in to the camcorder - plus it saves some wear and tear on the adapter plug for your camcorder. It fits in a little side pocket of my camcorder case and leaves room to spare. The problem, of course, is that it takes a long time to charge those puppies. If you plan to get a lot of use out of your Vixia camcorder, this is really a must-have accessory. You can always have a couple ready to go in the morning, but if you are recording all day you'll want to charge up your spare while the other is in use. The solution is to get an extra battery, preferably with extended life. Best of all, this is very compact.
That's where this battery charger comes in handy. I bought it for use with my Canon VIXIA HF10 and my HFS10, and it works great. The plug flips in and out for easy storage. Highly recommended.
It does what it's supposed to do, it charges Canon BP series batteries. I have tried this with 3 different batteries (BP-807, BP-808, BP-819) and all charge fine. A must have item, if you plan on properly maintaining your batteries. Beware of imitations that don't contain the appropriate charging circuitry.
The battery that comes with the Canon HG20 is okay. This battery does give me a lot more hours to play with. The only thing that I don't like is that it is a bit expensive. If you are going on a vacation or something like that then I do recommend getting this battery since it holds more power for longer recording time.
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