A short while ago, I was in the market for a new camcorder. There were a number of criteria I used when deciding on my replacement. Essentially, price, image quality and system compatibility were the important factors. After reviewing various models for a while, I came to the conclusion that the Canon HV40 was the camera to fit my needs. Now that I've used it for the past year, and having tested it in a number of situations and environments, I thought it'd be helpful to share my views.
The HV40 sells for about $700 (more often than not, under $700) and records HDV footage to MiniDV tape. I've seen some similar models that record AVCHD to SD cards, but they're in a higher price bracket. It has HDMI, Firewire, USB, and Component connectivity. When connected to an HDTV via an HDMI cable, you really get a feel for how good the picture is on this camera. Sadly, unless you are capturing footage directly into your computer through an HDMI connector, you will lose some image quality when the signal is compressed to HDV onto the tape. But trust me, it's not a big deal. One of the first projects I shot on this camera was for chroma keying and even with the HDV compression, I was able to pull a nice, clean key.
Basically for me, the Canon HV40's most winning feature, is that it shoots in 24P. This means 24 frames per second progressive which is the same frame-rate that film is shot with. It offers motions and movements similar qualities to film. I'm not saying that your images will be completely 'film-like', though it will be close to it. The HV40 is highly sought-after by many indie film makers and reality-tv shows.
The HV40 also has another really useful feature, the external mic input. Just plug the microphone directly into the camcorder and you've got a superior quality of sound - better than just using the built-in mic. Most consumer camcorders haven't got this so it's a definite plus with the HV40. It also has a headphone jack with the capability to display audio levels on the viewfinder. It's easy therefore, to monitor audio while on the go.
The main negatives I'm aware of aren't likely to worry most consumers, but, given I'm from a background of using professional cameras, I found a couple of adjustments a little tricky. In my opinion, the manual controls leave a lot to be desired. There aren't any focus or iris rings, so you have to adjust exposure through the menu and focus with a small dial. Also, I find it difficult some times, when adjusting exposure to get a precise level. It tends to vary, based on the brightness of objects in the scene. This was a bit of an issue for me, when filming an actor in a white shirt and black trousers in front of a green screen. If the camera took the exposure from the trousers, she was overexposed and if it used the white shirt to gauge exposure then she was underexposed. It's possible to work with all of this but it might take some getting used to.
Essentially the Canon HV40 comes highly recommended, particularly so because of its current, attractive price-point. There are enough features to make it useful for professionals but it's not so overloaded that a consumer would find it overly difficult. It's pretty much perfect for anyone - whether you're a casual enthusiast or a budding film-maker.
The HV40 sells for about $700 (more often than not, under $700) and records HDV footage to MiniDV tape. I've seen some similar models that record AVCHD to SD cards, but they're in a higher price bracket. It has HDMI, Firewire, USB, and Component connectivity. When connected to an HDTV via an HDMI cable, you really get a feel for how good the picture is on this camera. Sadly, unless you are capturing footage directly into your computer through an HDMI connector, you will lose some image quality when the signal is compressed to HDV onto the tape. But trust me, it's not a big deal. One of the first projects I shot on this camera was for chroma keying and even with the HDV compression, I was able to pull a nice, clean key.
Basically for me, the Canon HV40's most winning feature, is that it shoots in 24P. This means 24 frames per second progressive which is the same frame-rate that film is shot with. It offers motions and movements similar qualities to film. I'm not saying that your images will be completely 'film-like', though it will be close to it. The HV40 is highly sought-after by many indie film makers and reality-tv shows.
The HV40 also has another really useful feature, the external mic input. Just plug the microphone directly into the camcorder and you've got a superior quality of sound - better than just using the built-in mic. Most consumer camcorders haven't got this so it's a definite plus with the HV40. It also has a headphone jack with the capability to display audio levels on the viewfinder. It's easy therefore, to monitor audio while on the go.
The main negatives I'm aware of aren't likely to worry most consumers, but, given I'm from a background of using professional cameras, I found a couple of adjustments a little tricky. In my opinion, the manual controls leave a lot to be desired. There aren't any focus or iris rings, so you have to adjust exposure through the menu and focus with a small dial. Also, I find it difficult some times, when adjusting exposure to get a precise level. It tends to vary, based on the brightness of objects in the scene. This was a bit of an issue for me, when filming an actor in a white shirt and black trousers in front of a green screen. If the camera took the exposure from the trousers, she was overexposed and if it used the white shirt to gauge exposure then she was underexposed. It's possible to work with all of this but it might take some getting used to.
Essentially the Canon HV40 comes highly recommended, particularly so because of its current, attractive price-point. There are enough features to make it useful for professionals but it's not so overloaded that a consumer would find it overly difficult. It's pretty much perfect for anyone - whether you're a casual enthusiast or a budding film-maker.
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Want to find out more about Canon HV40, then visit Pippa Brogan's site on how to choose the best camcorder for your needs.
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