Canon Returns with Another HDV Camcorder, the HV40

Canon Vixia HV40 HDV Camcorder

Canon yet again updated its HDV camcorder line with a single model, announcing today the new Vixia HV40. Few changes have been made since the last year's Vixia HV30 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $499.99), which was rated favorably earlier this year by Camcorderinfo.com. The key new feature on the HV40 is the addition of native 24P recording. In previous generations, Canon has included a digital emulation of 24P and 30P. There is also a new Custom Key button on the lens barrel for multiple manual control functions.

Canon's decision not to simply carry over the HV30 from the previous year was explained as tendency to refresh the lines every year, "even if it's just to offer something new to the consumer," explained Mitchell Glick, assistant manager of Product Marketing, Consumer Division for Canon USA. The new native 24P mode was something "a lot of filmmakers request on a unit that's a little bit less inexpensive."


 

Canon HV40 from the left

The new Custom Key on the lens barrel has been reported to control Zebra Patterns, Peaking, Horizontal Markers, and the magnification function of the Focus Assist.

Most every element of the Canon HV40 is the same as last year's HV30, including the 1/2.7-inch CMOS sensor, a 10x zoom, 1440 x 1080 recording in the the HDV format, and still capture up to 1920 x 1080.

A close-up of the new Custom Key

 No pricing plans have been announced for Canon's 2009 line.