Canon Vixia HV40 Camcorder Review

by Jeremy Stamas
Published on Oct 6, 2009 11:00 AM

 
Intro
 Product Tour
Color & Noise Performance Motion & Sharpness Performance
Low Light Performance Compression & Media
Manual Controls Still Features
Handling & Use Playback & Connectivity
Audio & Other Features Canon HF S100 Comparison
Panasonic HDC-TM300 Comparison Sony HDR-XR520V Comparison
Conclusion Photo Gallery
Specs and Ratings


Introduction
The Canon HV40The tape-based HV40 ($999 MSRP) isn't exactly a flashy, cutting-edge camcorder from Canon. It is one of only a few HDV models—from any manufacturer—that's new for 2009, but it represents only a minor upgrade over last year's HV30. These improvements include a native-progressive 24p mode as well as some slight design alterations.
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Section The Good The Bad
Product Tour 10x zoom lens has an automatic cover Bulky, awkward design
Color & Noise Performance Strong color saturation; low noise levels Color accuracy was only average
Motion & Sharpness Performance Good selection of frame rate options (including native-progressive 24p mode) Not as sharp as other high-end models
Low Light Performance Decent low light performance overall Alternate frame rates didn't offer improvement in color accuracy
Compression & Media Offers both standard definition and high definition recording Photos are stored to MiniSD cards rather than the more popular SD/SDHC.
Manual Controls Variety of scene modes, white balance presets, and image effects Control dial can only be used to adjust focus; no fully-manual mode
Still Features Still performance was better than expected Maximum still image resolution is not very large
Handling & Use Buttons are easily accessible; good battery life with provided battery pack Joystick menu is terrible; bulky design isn't very comfortable; lackluster viewfinder
Playback & Connectivity Analog to Digital video conversion can be very useful VCR buttons are poorly designed; back-side port cover doesn't stay closed
Audio & Other Features External mic and headphone jack; numerous options for dubbing Audio level control display isn't great; headphone jack is shared with AV-in/out

 

Canon HV40 Comparisons
the Canon HF S100 the Panasonic HDC-TM300 the Sony HDR-XR520V
Canon HF S100 Panasonic HDC-TM300 Sony HDR-XR520V



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