REVIEW: Canon Vixia HV40 HDV High Definition Camcorder

June 25, 2009 by admin · Comments 

I am a member of the Amazon Vine Program. Each month Amazon.com sends me products to review on their site. This month I received the Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV Camcorder.

Over ten years ago I bought Sony’s legendary TRV-900. It was a consumer camera so good and so ahead of its time that it remained on the market for four years – an eternity in the consumer electronics industry.

Canon has a similar product in their HV series HDV camcorders. They released such an outstanding product two years ago with the HV20 that the two new models since (the HV30 and now the HV40) are really just small refinements of a mature product

NEW FEATURES
So let’s get one thing out of the way up front: There really isn’t much of a difference between this camera and last year’s HV30 (which was a small upgrade on the superb HV20). As an HV20 owner, I felt right at home when this arrived and I powered it up. Video quality is about the same, they look pretty much the same, and overall performance is the same too.

What is different is the addition of true 24P recording which offers a more film-like frame rate over the standard 30 frames per second. It should be noted that prior versions of this camera (as well as Canon’s AVCHD models) also shoot 24P but that mode requires additional software to get to “true” 24P video when editing. You’ll want to check to ensure that your editing software supports true 24P footage as it’s not a configuration that is on many consumer cameras.

AVCHD OR HDV?
If you’re reading this it’s likely that you’re in the market for a new camcorder. It’s also likely that you’re confused over the multitude of different formats currently available: hard disk, flash memory, tape, etc. etc.

Despite the many recording mediums, the current crop of consumer cameras can be delineated into two camps: AVCHD (the hard disk and flash based cameras) and HDV (tape based).

HDV cameras have two advantages over their AVCHD counterparts. The first, while not as compelling a reason as a year ago, is compatibility. HDV was the first consumer HD format and is almost universally supported by just about every video editing software package released over the last three to four years. In addition the HV40 can also shoot in the older standard definition DV format, a format so old that even software and hardware from ten years ago can work with the footage.

Another factor to consider is the firewire port. Want to record directly to your PC or Mac? Or perhaps do a live broadcast to UStream or Stickam? HDV cameras like the HV40 stream compressed video in realtime over Firewire, something the AVCHD cameras don’t do.

Still, Canon’s AVCHD cameras are now recording at a higher bitrate and with a more advanced video compression algorithm that makes for better image quality. Canon’s flash based cameras, like the outstanding VIXIA HFS100, are mostly solid state and lack the complex (and delicate) machinery of a tape-based camcorder like the HV40.

CONCLUSION
Canon’s HV20 was a very mature product right at launch and that maturity continues in this iteration. Still, there’s nothing so compelling in the HV40 that makes it a necessary upgrade for HV30 or HV20 owners. For first time buyers, if you’re able to pick up an older model at a lower price you won’t be making much of a sacrifice in terms of features. It’s a great camera, just not any greater than the prior versions!

For most consumers HDV cameras are old technology. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if the HV40 is the last tape-based camcorder Canon releases to market. AVCHD has matured to the point that I am now recommending that to friends over HDV based cameras. AVCHD’s lack of moving parts combined with the very low cost of flash memory makes it tough to recommend the bulkier mechanical alternatives like the HV40.

If, however, you’re using an older computer or need to stream video live the HV40 is one of the best (if not the best) HDV consumer cameras on the market.

Filed under: Tech Reviews
Tagged: , , , , ,

REVIEW: Canon HFS10 / HFS100 High Definition Camcorder

June 15, 2009 by admin · Comments 

I am a member of the Amazon Vine Program. Each month Amazon.com sends me products to review on their site. This month I received the Canon VIXIA HFS10 high definition camcorder..

The HFS10, like any good consumer camcorder, features an excellent facial recognition system, lightening fast auto focus, built in lens cover, etc. But it also has enough manual control to give aspiring amateurs their first lessons in controlling image and audio quality manually.

The manual control set includes white balance, focus, audio, shutter speed, and aperture settings. These controls are not buried in a host of menus – they can be brought front and center when needed. Each component can be turned on separately, allowing you to learn one concept (white balance for example) while the camera still automatically handles focus and exposure.

Canon also included a microphone port – something which nearly every consumer camera is now abandoning. Thankfully Canon knows that good video requires good audio! One of the first steps to ‘upping the game’ is using external microphones to enhance and focus the sound coming into the camcorder.

The bottom line is that Canon has produced a camera that’s very easy to use right out of the box, yet also serves as a tremendous learning platform for aspiring hobbyists (or even future filmmakers) to learn about the key concepts of professional video production.

There are two models available, the other being the HFS100. The only difference between the two (besides price) is that the HFS100 does not have on board memory. Given the low cost of flash memory these days, you might want to consider the HFS100 over the HFS10.

If you have a loved one showing some talent in video production and are looking to graduate them out of a Flip camera, this is the camera to consider. Along with a book on amateur video composition of course.

Filed under: Tech Reviews
Tagged: , , , ,