Hey, this is my first comment here. It looks like the HF100 handles noise better than the CX12, at least in the second test. In the CX12 clip, the black darkness to the right of Micky's head has noise that actually sways with Micky as he moves around. This is pretty distracting to me. The HF100 also makes lights look sharper, shown by the first clip, whereas the CX12 makes the lights look kind of hazy and fuzzy by comparison.

I am currently looking for an HD camcorder for my family. This will be our first HD camcorder, and actually our first new camcorder in about 15 years. The HF100 looks like a fantastic camcorder. The only thing I'm questioning at this point is the black levels. I've seen several videos on Vimeo displaying the HF100's ability to capture video in low light. And I am impressed by how much is actually visible in these shots. What I'm not impressed by is the black levels, which look more gray than black.

Now, I'm kind of new to camcorders. What should I be expecting from a camcorder like this? Are others better at displaying black than the HF100? Also, I read on camcorderinfo.com that the HF10 has better low-light performance than the HF100. What's that all about?