Canon's VIXIA HF S100 HD camcorder differs from the HF S10 only in terms storage options. Where the HF S10 can record to both a 32 GB flash drive and/or a SDHC card, the HF S100 has only the card. Still, 32 GB is enough space to allow for about three hours of video at 24 Mbps, which is the maximum capacity of the AVCHD file format utilized by many consumer camcorders.

Otherwise, the HF S10 and HF S100 are nearly identical. They were part of a major expansion to the VIXIA line, along with the HF20, HF200, and HV40. like the entire VIXIA line, record video in full 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels).

They include an updated DIGIC DV III processor and CMOS sensor which combine to capture still images during recording faster and at higher resolution than is possible with the HF20 and the older VIXIA HF10 (8.02 megapixels with the HF S10 and HF S100, 3.31 with the latter two models). The new processor also fleshes out the optimization features for both video and photos, such as noise reduction, auto exposure, and face detection.

The HF S10 and HF S100  have a similar form factor, which has changed little over the VIXIA's evolution, and the main physical feature is the fold-out 2.7-inch LCD viewscreen. The camcorders have an HDMI port for connection directly to an HDTV, and the package comes video editing software.