Canon VIXIA HV40

Amateur videographers and the occasional camcorder user find the Canon HV40 camcorder very easy to use. It has many of the Canon features that you have come to expect. You will discover this camcorder can offer high quality images and video. If you don’t have high definition equipment you can record in standard definition mode with the same great results. The Canon HV40 Camcorder offers both an easy change between HD and Standard. If there is one drawback to the line of Canon camcorders it seems to lie in the battery. One constant in reviewing this camcorder has shown up as short on battery life, but it is an otherwise great product.

Canon VIXIA HV40

Features of the Canon HV40

* This compact design is great for taking it along anywhere you want to go. Most find that the construction of the camcorder is good compared with other brands like Nikon, which also speak of its durability.
* The lens on the HV40 camcorder is only a 10x HD while some of the other models in the line sport a 12x. Items that are exclusive to Canon include the 2.96 megapixel full HD CMOS image sensor and the DIGIC DV II image processor. The 2.96 megapixel is a fairly small number in comparison to the newer models on the market. The latest camcorder by Canon offers 5.98 megapixels.
* Canon HV40 has the DIGIC DV III image processor if you were interested in this feature. This feature is what provides the clearest images and video possible in the event there are lighting issues or glare.
* This Canon model comes with the optical image stabilizer and instant auto focus.
* Cinema and native mode are both 24p while the progressive mode is 30p. These modes explain what video style you can expect.
* In discussing the modes and other features one has to mention recording time. The maximum recording time is 80 minutes when using SP for HDV or DV. LP mode is 120 minutes in DV. You have to remember when focusing on recording time you also have to consider battery life. The quicker you record the less battery time you have, which is why you can only record half the minutes in SP mode.
* As with another Canon camcorder, this one has a built-in 3.1 megapixel digital camera option for still images.
* The widescreen LCD is a 2.7 inch multi angle which could be enhanced with the purchase of the LCD hood to use in bright sunlight.

Actual user review:
“There are several other reviews that go into detail about the pros and cons of the camera, so I will just simply say it is a great camera. I wanted to provide some feedback for those considering an HD camera, but are wondering if they need to be fully committed to HD in order to make the jump to Hi-Def worthwhile. I have several home videos that I have filmed, edited, and put on standard dvd using a Sony standard video camcorder. And although the video looks good, I still see quite a bit of artifact when I view it on my HD LCD TV. After purchasing the HV40 I shot some video and edited it onto a standard DVD. The difference between the standard video and the HD video is phenomenal. Although the images are bettter when I view them straight from the camera on the TV, they still look incredible when transferred to a standard dvd. I am looking forward to purchasing a blu ray burner and player once the prices for them and the blu ray discs come down in price. But, because the video is still great on a standard dvd and the cost so low to purchase recordable standard dvds, I can’t see becoming fully committed until there is a great reduction in price for the Hi-Def media. So for those considering a HD camcorder, but don’t want to become fully invested in the Hi-def media because of the additional expense, I say get the camera you won’t regret it. It’s a great camcorder, and your video will look 100% better even on a standard dvd.” – Rob H. (CA,USA)

Accessories

A plethora of accessories can be purchased to make this great camcorder even better. Wide angle and tele lens gives you even more range with this camcorder to enhance your images. Extra battery packs, stereo microphone, starter kit, digital videocassette tapes and various carrying cases are also available. If you like to film in low light conditions there are videos lights and a video flash light.

Advantages & Disadvantages of the Canon HV40

Any camera will have issues; however, there a few things that need to be discussed regarding this specific model. Several people have had no problems watching the video on the television, but can’t get the software to unite with their computers even though they have followed the directions. We aren’t sure if there is a problem with the software, but it seems that Canon is aware of this issue. Canon also has a specific software program they sell with their camcorders limiting file types.

Anyone using this camcorder will be satisfied that they have received their money’s worth in the high quality of the video and all of the features that it comes with. This particular model comes with a viewfinder which is a nice selling point as the other models don’t have one. The lens cover also closes automatically so you can’t lose it and if you want to be part of the video there is a wireless remote that allows you to be included.

Conclusion

All in all the Canon VIXIA HV40 seems to be worth the price. The current suggested retail on the HV40 is $999.99. While it is worth it due to many features there are also certain drawbacks regarding cost. For example the HF20 offers slightly higher megapixels for a smaller lightweight camcorder. The comparison and examination of all Canon products would suggest for an almost professional camera at an earlier version you are within a good price range. Keep in mind that suggested retail is typically higher than what you might find in the stores.

Actual User Reviews:

• ““Whether you’re looking for your next “family” camcorder or looking at getting into professional videography, Canon’s new HV40 might very well be the camera that you are looking for. The Canon’s HV40 is an amazing camera with an incredible list of features. As I compared my new HV40 with my $5000 Panasonic HVX200, I must say the HV40 comes extremely close in image quality at a fraction of the cost. Once more, it records High Definition video to MiniDV tapes! Which is one of the most user friendly video formats for editing! Unlike HDD camcorders that use AVCHD formats which are a nightmare to edit. Canon has made three versions of this camera, the HV20, the HV30 and the latest model the HV40. In today’s market it’s rare that a product stays in the market for more than a year, let alone as long as the HV40. What you’ll notice right away when you see the new HV40 is the black color. When people see BLACK they think PRO, as most pro camcorders only come in black. The HV30 features TRUE 24p recording. The instant auto focus function is very nice and is a great feature for live event recording and sports videos where you need the action in focus quickly. Now if you want a “movie” look you’ll probably want to disable this feature and use the standard focus. Overall this is a great camera that has all the features a beginner or advanced videographer could ever want or need at a fraction of the cost of a PRO camcorder, in an amazingly compact size. Buy the HV40, you will be pleased!!!” – T.Pick (TN,USA)

• “As with all recent-generation cameras, the image quality on the HV40 is simply excellent. Whether you’re recording a training video for work, or your preschooler’s dance recital, the picture quality easily approaches what you’d see from a professional grade camera. The menus, much like the other cameras in this generation from Canon, were very easy to navigate, although they didn’t seem quite as “clean” as other Canon cameras I’ve used. And the HV40’s performance in low light was very good, as with other Canon cameras. The image stabilization worked very well to compensate for jittery hands, and the still image quality was acceptable. As I was using the HV40, I kept coming back to the same question: Why would I use this instead of the HG20? The specs are more or less the same, the size is quite similar. Sure, you give up a viewfinder on the HG20, but you make up for it in convenience and price. In a nutshell, if you’ve already made an investment in DV — whether in gear or an editing program that can’t do AVCHD, or a computer that just isn’t up to it, the HV40 is probably your best choice under four figures. Or, if you’re looking for quick-and-easy archival to tape, the HV40 is a brilliant choice. As a DV camera, it’s great. In fact, the only reasons I wouldn’t give it five stars are the step-down in the menu UI, and the optical zoom is only 10x, which is definitely on the low end for this generation of cameras.” – K.Nicholls (MI,USA)

• “I bought the HV20 in late 2007 and loved it. I could download the .m2t (mpeg tape transport) files to my hard drive to archive them, but I could only use the camera and tape to play them back on my HDTV. Windows Media Player wouldn’t play m2t files, and Sony software wouldn’t edit them. However, I loved, loved, loved the picture quality. Its hard to imagine that my eyes could actually perceive more pixels – this may be the most image quality I am capable of processing in my brain. Sadly, on a camping trip with my two young sons, I dropped the HV20 into a lake. I immediately ordered an HV30 and resumed my accumulation of footage. Each one hour tape requires 7.5 GB of disk space. Just recently, technology has caught up with my 100 GB of video. I bought a $90 Toshiba USB Drive and a Western Digital Live Media Player ($149) and guess what – it plays .m2t files and they look just as good as if the camera was playing them back from tape. So now I can save the video on the little blue toshiba, plug it into the media player and have access to all 20 hours of HD Video I’ve shot since 2007. Life is good!” – G.Campbell (OH,USA)

• “This is an amazing camera. The video it shoots is almost indistinguishable from many camcorders several hundred dollars more. I was looking in to getting a hard drive or flash memory camera but ultimately decided to stick with trusty Mini DV storage. I read about the format that camcorders with hard drive or flash memory, AVCHD, and decided it would not work well on my computer. I do not have a very powerful computer, and some people said that AVCHD can be very difficult to edit on computers more than a few years old. The HV-40 records in HDV format that most computers can handle. The menus are intuitive and easy to use. It has a small dial on the front to control focus. It is somewhat hard to use but, you can use it in a pinch. It has many cool features that help you get the best picture out of your camera. Aperture priority, shutter priority, Cini. mode and many other digital effects. All very useful in getting the perfect shot.” – A.L.Thompson (MN,USA)

Average User Rating: