Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
List Price: $999.00
Your Price:
$649.00
-- saving you 35 percent
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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List Price: $999.00
Your Price:
$649.00
-- saving you 35 percent
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Height: 5.40 inches
Width: 3.50 inches
Length: 3.20 inches
Weight: 1.20 pounds
Model: 3686B001AA
Manufacturer: Canon
Media Type: Mini DV (HDV)
Form Factor: Rotating
Lens Type: Zoom lens
Optical Zoom: 10 x
Focal Length: 6.1 mm to 61 mm
Optical Sensor Resolution: 2.96 MP
Batteries included: 1 Lithium-Ion
Color: Black
Display Size: 2.7 inches
Warranty: 1 year warranty
Camcorder Type: minidv
Model SKU: B001OI2Z4Q
Not "real" widescreen 1080p
by Unherdable
,
2010-03-18
A nice video camera, but I do have a couple observations that I believe people should know. The video is recorded at a maximum 1440x1080 pixels, and NOT at 1920x1080 as one is led to believe in the marketing BS attached to this product. Upon further research, this is just the fact of the limitation of HDV, if you look at the specs. Sad, but true. So it does have 1080 vertical pixels, and it is 16:9 widescreen.... BUT the pixels are rectangular, not square, and so each pixel in the horizontal direction is scaled by 1.33 (4:3) when you view it, or transfer it to a computer. So.... look elsewhere and not at a HDV camera if you are looking for REAL HD. If 720p is your thing, then this can produce nice 1280x720 video after it has been converted in the software of your choice. But real 1920x1080 is not possible. I am a little annoyed by these games that the marketing a-holes play on us, the end consumer.
Also, the camera is truly tiny and kinda cheap feeling. But all in all, besides the resolution lie, is a satisfactory beginner product. DEFINITELY NOT prosumer quality.
Great Prosumer Cam
by R. Garcia
from Corpus Christi, TX,
2010-03-02
This camera shoots amazing video. The battery that it comes with does not last to long on a charge, or maybe I just left it connected to the camera. In the manual it say's to remove the battery when not in use. Other than that I highly recommend the HV40. Good for prosumers or just your own personal recordings. I just also bought the wide angle lens for it and it looks great. In my opinion this camera shoots video quality than can be compared to $2,000 or $3,000 cameras.
Crme de la Crme of Prosumer Video Cameras but Overkill for an Average Joe
by SanjeevP
from Michigan, USA,
2010-02-20
When it comes to picture quality, this is the Crme de la Crme of prosumer video cameras. In my experience, as of February 2010, no other brand or camcorder comes close to the video quality of HV40. Using a tape based video cassette recorder feels antiquated after giving up audio cassette tape recorder years ago for digital sound on MP3 player but I tried one hard drive AVCHD camcorder and I had to be return it because the grainy picture was way inferior to my previous Canon HV-20 camcorder. Those hard drive or DVD camcorders are not compatible with every software either. And as long as you keep Mini-DV's and the camcorder, you can play them for ever because software format keeps changing with time and the software format in vogue now may be outdated in future.
The major advance in this camera over its previous incarnations, HV-20 & HV-30, is the 24P in native & cinema modes, which makes the picture look like professional movie. Otherwise I do not find much difference from earlier versions.
PROS
1. 2.96-megapixel Full HD CMOS sensor captures sharp, bright, color saturated HD video and beautiful, color infused pictures on Mini SD card. Vivid images will just blow your mind. You can even capture still images from the tape.
2. DIGIC DV II image processor is fast.
3. Good image stabilization.
4. The controls are well placed and intuitive.
5. Regular mini-DV tapes Sony DVC-60 PR/5 Premium Minidv Videocassette (5-Pack) can be used with excellent results and you don't have to buy expensive HD Mini-DV tapes Sony High Definition Minidv Videocassette (2-Pack).
6. Good images even in low light and then there is built-in flash.
7. Works well with both iMovie & Final Cut Express on Mac.
CONS
1.This Canon HV40 camcorder does not come with any video editing software. The still picture Canon software is slow and basically useless and does not add much to built-in Windows or Mac software. You do not even need to install Canon photo software.
2. Needs a very powerful computer with Firewire port.
3. But does not come with a Firewire cable! Canon is selling this camera for one thousand dollars (MSRP) and they can't enclose a one dollar cable? Make sure you order 4-Pin to 4-Pin FireWire Cable with the camera. I bought one for less than a dollar Firewire DV Cable Camcorder For Canon Sony Sharp JVC and it does the job.
4. No separate battery charger and if you record for more than an hour at a time you may want to buy one extra and keep a charged one with you all the time.
5 .So many components - Canon HV-40 camera, battery, charger, cables, Mini-DV tapes etc. - but no bag to store and carry them with this one thousand buck camera! They want to pick your pocket for another fifty bucks for a Canon branded bag for this camera and its accessories. But I bought Zeikos ZE-CA48B Deluxe Soft Medium Camera and Video Bag for ten bucks and it is almost as good, if not better than, Canon VIXIA HV40 HG21 HG10 DC410 DC310 HV30 DVD Camcorder Canon ZR960 MiniDV dc220 dc320 dc100 dc210 Camcorder Case Bag Messager Bag.
6. Huge files on hard drive. For me the HD files are coming to almost 750 MB per minute on Final Cut Express. Make sure you have a huge hard drive to be able to use and edit the HD files recorded by Canon HV-40. But this drawback is probably with all HD camcorders. I use Western Digital My Book World Edition 1 TB Network Attached Storage WDH1NC10000N (White) which works flawlessly but now it has its big 2TB & 4TB brothers - go for the biggest one you can afford. You are going to need it for all the HD video that you will record with this camera.
7. Of course, you need a high-priced HDTV to enjoy all those videos in HD!
Overall Canon HV-40 camcorder is is the best in this category but you may want to look at one of those pocket Flip camcorders or its competitors before you buy Canon HV-40: you will probably use them more. They are lighter in weight and pocketable so you can have them with you more often. And they are very easy to use and upload recored files to computer or web sites. Now with new cell phones being able to record good quality video, even Flip video recorders are in the process of becoming obsolete. After all, the best camera is the one you have with you!
Now you can use Canon HV-40 to record on mini DV tape, watch it on TV and store the tape and not even bother to use the computer. But if you want to edit or upload the best quality HD video or you if you are the budding or amateur film-maker, no other camcorder can beat Canon HV-40 for picture quality. If you add all the other ancillary stuff needed to transfer, edit, store and view the HD video recorded by Canon HV-40 - a mighty computer with Terabytes of hard drive space - it is pretty expensive purchase. Canon HV-40 has so many advanced features that I have just skimmed the surface. I am not an advanced user but my son is a film maker and he loves this camera. For an average Joe or Jane, this camera is probably an overkill but its earlier editions, are only slightly less complicated to use and not not any cheaper than HV-40.
Perfect product
by Mon Q
from Chile,
2010-02-11
This camera was just perfect for the thing I wanted: to shoot my first documentary film.
The image is great and it's the perfect size to carry it everywhere but to hold the image still at the same time. I recommend to buy the accesories if you want to shoot at night. I'm saving to do that soon. Good luck
Canon Vixia HV40
by Steve J.
from Wisconsin,
2010-02-07
I am very impressed with this camcorder. Although I haven't got to use it a lot I feel you get a lot of bang for your buck. The high def quality is outstanding. I have had no issues with any of the functions. The manual that comes with this is packed with all the info you need, however it is confusing the way they have it put together and does take some time to extract the information from it. I know Canon support is outstanding as I have used them before, but not for this camcorder. I think this camcorder will do almost everything a camcorder of much higher value will do. Amazon had a good price for this camcorder, I checked around. Also shipping was fast!