Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
- HDV format delivers high-definition video to miniDV tape
- Genuine Canon 10x HD video lens; SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer
- DIGIC DV II image processor; 24p Cinema Mode, 30p Progressive Mode
- 2.7-inch Multi-Angle Vivid Widescreen LCD
- HDMI terminal for easy, one-cable connectivity to your HDTV
When you take what you shoot seriously, you need a
serious camcorder that lives up to your demands. The
Canon VIXIA HV40 HD camcorder does the job with
astonishing high definition detail and color reproduction.
The VIXIA HV40 delivers the unparalleled combination of a
Genuine Canon 10x HD Video Lens, a Canon Full HD CMOS
Image Sensor and DIGIC DV II Image Processor for stunning
image quality. Once you experience and see the images you
capture, you wont trust your shots to any other camcorder.
Add to that the SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer that
keeps your video and photos steady and Instant AF, giving
you fast, accurate focus so you dont miss that important
moment, and youve got a camcorder thats hard to match.
The Canon VIXIA HV40 also offers a 2.7-inch multi-angle
vivid widescreen LCD with true color, and the ability to shoot
in Native 24p Mode. The Canon VIXIA HV40 HD camcorder
opens up a world of shooting possibilities, so check it out,
youll love what you see. Canon USA 1-year… More >>
Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Like this post? Subscribe to RSS feed!
5 comments
vc on September 1, 2009 at 9:00 am
Features:****
video quality:****
Manual: * (Very primitive, almost useless)
Price: ** ( a litle bit too expensive)
Kimbery E. Striebel on September 1, 2009 at 9:53 am
The hv40 is a wonderful camera. The ability to shoot in true 24p is what got my attention and since I never owned an hv20 or hv30 I knew it was a good choice. Also, the camera seems to offer a lot in manual control if you research the tricks to use. It would to helpful to research the cellphone and the exposure lock tricks. In the end this camera is a perfect partner for a 35mm adapter or someone looking for a high end prosumer camera.
Jesse D. Walker on September 1, 2009 at 11:15 am
This camera definitely comes fully loaded. Far more options than the typical video camera, includine microphone input, component output, and lots more. The menus aren’t difficult to navigate, and the video is superb! I really like the miniDV tape format, so the ability use those to archive as much video as I want was very appealing.
Terry Pick on September 1, 2009 at 11:57 am
REVIEW: Canon’s HV40
I would like to preface this review by first letting you know I am NOT a novice to HD cameras, my first camera waaaaaay back, was a Sony handicam, & as the years passed was upgraded to Panasonic’s DVX100B to my latest HVX200, HD with P2 cards. We film professional videos for everything from weddings, corporate events , hunts & business profiles.
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 version 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. (You know your on to something good with the HV40!)
Cosmetic:
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.
Technical:
The HV30 features TRUE 24p recording. Whereas the HV30 offered 24p recording, it wasn’t in a user friendly format. As some of you HV30 owners may painfully know.
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!!!
“VIDEO HERE”
Kevin Nicholls on September 1, 2009 at 12:15 pm
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.
Coming from the flash-based Canon VIXIA HFS10 and hard-drive based Canon VIXIA HG20, I needed to try out a DV camera to complete the trifecta.
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 jands, and the still image quality was acceptable (though not quite as good as what you’d expect from a Canon Elph P&S camera)
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 that’s 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.
That said, if you’re really just looking to take some home movies in HD, I’d have to recommend going with one of the lower-cost Vixias, like the Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom. Ultimately, you’d lose nothing in image quality, or functionality. If you haven’t already settled in to DV, there’s not much reason to start now.