Canon HV30 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jan 28, 2008 5:00 PM 
|
|
Ease of Use (7.75)
For a camcorder that provides an image rivaling certain prosumer HD camcorders, the HV30 (Review, Specs, Recent News, ) is surprisingly easy to use—if you know what you’re doing. Obviously, Grandma will be lost at sea with the HV30’s multiple menus and seemingly endless options. But after hours of practice, shooters will learn to love the rear-mounted joystick and its rapidness. The Function menu is easily accessed by pushing the FUNC. button on the rear. Most of your adjustments will transpire here. The Focus wheel leaves a lot to be desired in terms of handling, but it’s quick and easy to access.
Recording to tape requires a little more patience compared to the latest media. Just like a VCR, you must rewind and fast forward, which is a nice stroll down Nostalgia Lane. This also means that when you transport footage to your computer, it must be done in real time. That hour long tape will take an hour to capture. Seasoned videographers and filmmakers are willing to sacrifice this time constraint for a beautiful image, and we reside within the same school of thought. Great things come to those who wait—of course they will not come easy.
Ergonomics aside (we’ll tackle that one in he next section), the HV30 is fun to shoot with. Once you acclimatize yourself with the capacities of each Manual, Auto, and Semi-Manual control, more time will be spent within the artistic realm of the shot rather than the seemingly insurmountable technical voyage. Whether it’s simply shifting from Aperture Priority mode to Cine mode or reducing the Shutter Speed for a dreamlike effect, the HV30 provides a full plate of shot assistance, regardless of the shooting environment.
Handling (5.5)
Those who read our HV20 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $903) review will remember our diagnosis of its construction and handling—cheap and awkward. Forlornly, we must restate that claim with the HV30. Nothing much has changed. Yes, Canon responded to some of our woes, for the Zoom rocker is notably more stable and easier to control. In addition, the hot shoe cover actually stays attached to the camcorder, rather than being catapulted into the Great Unknown. But what about that inane Viewfinder? We ask Canon to look at the magnificent HG10 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1299.99)—the Viewfinder extends outward from the back, like a good Viewfinder should.
How much longer will HDV be around before AVCHD and flash memory tag team it for a three count? Nevertheless, let’s talk handling. The body of the HV30 is all plastic, but it’s not a wuss by any means. Of course the Sony HDR-HC7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1128.56) is the HDV handling champion with its rugged aluminum frame and rigid plastic paneling, but the HV30 hold its own. (Technically, we could consider the JVC GZ-HD7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1529) as the HDV handling champ, as its construction is far superior to any consumer camcorder and it offers the option to record in an HDV-compatible MPEG-2 format. However, the HD7 does not record to tape, removing it from the traditional “HDV category.”)
When you first slip your hand into the HV30, comfort is not the first thing that comes to mind. The thin acrylic strap burrows itself into the back of your hand. The hand strap itself is flat, devoid of padding and a breathable material. The HDR-HC7’s hand strap features a plush, mesh design that just invites the hand in to stay for more than a while. You’ll also have to shift your hand down in order to compensate for the HV30’s stout, wide body. Large hands will overshoot the Zoom rocker and Record Start/Stop button, so you’ll have to juggle grips before settling on the golden position.
One of the benefits of shooting with a rear-mounted Joystick is that it lends itself to one-handed camcorder operation. Nearly all Panasonic camcorders (prior to 2008) feature rear-mounted Joysticks—the best in the biz, actually. Their solid construction and rapid response time propel the shooter into a heightened state of handling, making it exceedingly difficult to rely on a touch screen or side-mounted d-pad ever again. The HV30’s Joystick does not provide the rigidity of a Panasonic, but it gets the job done. Practice will acclimatize the shooter with the Joystick’s eccentric and finicky movements, and you’ll soon realize how valuable it is to have a Function menu right at your thumb. You can also adjust the Exposure via the one-touch Joystick menu in a flash. Focus is governed by the infamous Focus wheel that has remained unaltered from the HV20. A Focus ring would be optimal here, but at least Canon didn’t throw the HG10’s inferior LCD Control Wheel on the HV30. The Control Wheel is great for Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority, but Focus suffers due to lack of Focus Assist and clunky handling. We’ll stick with the Focus dial for now.
Menu (7.0)
When it comes to menus, Panasonic leads the pack with fully stocked Joystick menus and clean administrative menus. Options are simplified and simple to access. Canon lands a close second, thanks to the ease of the Joystick menu and highly convenient Function menu. The HV30 contains three tiers of navigational control—the Joystick, Function, and Administrative menus. We’ll start with the Joystick menu, accessed by pressing the center of the Joystick. Here you can apply Digital Image Effects, access Instant Playback, and adjust Exposure and Mic levels. The Function menu is accessed by pressing the Function button located beneath the Joystick. Here, you’ll find the following options:
|
Function Menu |
|
| Shooting Modes | Program AE, Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Cine Mode, Portrait |
| White Balance | Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Manual |
| Image Effects | Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Soft Skin Detail, Custom |
| Digital Effects | Fade-T, Wipe, Black & White, Sepia, Art |
| Image Quality | LW (1920 x 1080), SW (848 x 480) |
| Menu | Menu |
The Joystick menu
Finally, to access the Administrative menu, select the Menu option from within the Function menu. The Administrative menu contains the following options:
| Administrative Menu | |
|
Camera Setup |
Auto Slow Shutter, Digital Zoom, Zoom Speed, AF Mode, Image Stabilization, Self Timer |
| Rec/In Setup | HD Standard, Wind Screen, Mic Attachment, File Numbers |
| Play/Out Setup | AV/Phones, Phones Volume, Component Out |
| Display Setup | Brightness, Markers, Assist Function, TV Screen, Language |
| System Setup | Wireless Remote, Beep, Power Save |
| Date/Time Setup | Time Zone/District, Date/Time, Date Format |
| Close | |
Portability (5.5)
The HV30 is geared toward amateur and semi-professional filmmakers who are willing to sacrifice size and weight for the glory of a beautiful image. Panasonic has recently whittled their top HD flash model, the HDC-SD9 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $0.00), down to a nearly-pocketable phenomenon. However, tape camcorders are necessarily larger. If you want the quality, you’ll have to settle for something that doesn’t fit in your pocket.
The HV30 measures 88mm x 82mm x 138mm (3.5 in. x 3.2 in. x 5.4 in.) and weighs in at 535g (1.2 lbs.) without the battery pack and tape. You’ll need a medium size camcorder bag with plenty of pockets for backup batteries, tapes, lens filters and add-ons, and an external mic.
 |
 |
|
|
The 2.7-inch LCD |
The lackluster viewfinder |
LCD and Viewfinder (6.5)
Just like the HV20, the HV30 is equipped with a 2.7-inch wide LCD screen capable of a 211,000 pixel display. However, the HV30’s LCD screen has been revamped as a “Multi-Angle Vivid Widescreen LCD.” Canon has decreased the solarization that occurs when viewing it from angles, boosted the color reproduction, and enhanced the contrast. Stacked next to the HV20’s LCD screen, the difference is notable. The LCD screen extends 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates 270 degrees. A panel of controls lines the bottom of the LCD screen: Zoom Out/Rewind, Zoom In/Fast Forward, Record Start/Stop/Play/Pause, and Focus Assist/Stop. It’s great to have these options at your fingertips, especially during playback.
Now for the HV30’s viewfinder. Canon could have at least enabled the Viewfinder to extend outward or flip up. A nice rubberizing would have been welcome around the eye socket. But alas... we see the same shallow battery clearance, the same face-buried-in-camcorder ordeal. What gives? Canon improves the LCD, but ignores the viewfinder. The dioptric adjuster is located along the left side of the eye piece.
Battery Life (11.0)
We tested the life of the HV30’s BP-2L13 Battery Pack by shooting continuously in manual mode with the LCD flipped open and OIS disabled. When the tape needed to be rewound, the external power supply was connected. The HV30’s battery lasted a total of 109 minutes and 55 seconds (1 hour, 49 minutes, and 55 seconds). The HV20 lasted approximately 4 minutes longer, so both camcorders are pretty much on par with one another.