#-#-#-[ Why this rating? ]-#-#-#

I can be described as an enthusiastic, or even compulsive, photographer and videographer. I always travel with a camera and a camcorder in tow, and run through multiple cassettes and GBs of photographs (I shoot in RAW mode) each month. [What I may lack in aptitude, I make up for in volume.]

I've owned an HV20 for over 2 years now, and I am still absolutely enthralled by its performance. What can I say, its one of the few camcorders that has an entire web site and an active community built around it.

Canon realized that they had a winner on their hands with the exceptional HV20, and rather than messing with a winning formula, they smartly decided to simply provide relatively minor upgrades with the HV30 and now, the HV40. What this means is that if you are considering this camcorder, then the professional reviews for both the HV20 and the HV30 will apply just as well.

[One theory is that the HV20 was made so well that Canon could not improve it without cannibalizing the sales of it's professional models.]

The image quality with this camcorder is excellent, the sound quality is fair to decent, and the power user features are plentiful (such as audio input levels and aperture control). Note that there are tips online that walk you through the process of unlocking the full range of aperture control with this camcorder.

Therefore, in my opinion, this camcorder is truly at the pinnacle of "convenience" and "performance"; while not quite qualifying for the top of the "innovation" food chain. For me, the first two characteristics far outweigh the third, placing it squarely at 5 stars ("I Love It!").

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For the patient reader, the details follow:

If you're even considering this camcorder you have to be thinking in terms of a really key decision: HDV/MiniDV or AVCHD/HDD+Flash Memory? A prior reviewer has covered this well but as I've pondered this question over and over again in the past few years, I'll add my 2 cents, for what its worth.


#-#-#-[ Tape vs. HDD or Solid State/Flash Memory ]-#-#-#

I'm firmly in the "tape" camp for the following reasons:

a) It's an instant archival mechanism. I can't be bothered to get into a serious workflow for every hour of footage I shoot.
b) It's cheap. Even a high quality tape is fairly economical.
c) It's robust. I have tapes from 1991 that still work just fine.
d) It's a permanent master. I can always go back and encode my original 8mm tapes to the format du jour.
e) It's available. I can get tapes anywhere in the world I go. (In reality, I don't use tapes other than the Panasonic professional tapes like the AY-DVM63AMQ which use a dry lubricant.)

However, it is highly likely that the future belongs to solid state based camcorders, for the following reasons:

a) They don't have any moving parts, making them smaller, lighter, and quieter.
b) You can seek to specific areas quickly, and can easily reclaim storage when deleting poor recordings.
c) Transferring video files from flash memory to disk is much quicker.


#-#-#-[ HDV vs. AVCHD ]-#-#-#

The decision here has both objective and subjective overtones, with true believers entrenched in both camps.

I'm allied with the HDV camp (for now) because:

a) I honestly believe that the current quality of HDV is much better.
b) It places only modest demands on my computing hardware and software when editing video.
c) When I buy a HDV camcorder, I guarantee that I will be able to play back my old tapes a bit longer into the future. I intend to use my HV20 to playback my tapes, and my HV40 for new recordings. [I also use a rewinder; and an external AC charger - to increase my camcorder's life expectancy.]

However, it is highly likely that the future belongs to AVCHD for the following reasons:

a) It is the format used by Solid State camcorders, and they are likely to rule the future.
b) It supports Dolby 5.1 surround sound.
c) It supports true 1920x1080 progressive video, whereas the HDV standard is limited to 1440x1080i.
d) It is not bandwidth limited by the HDV tape speed.
e) Most of the problems with AVCHD are teething troubles that will be fixed as machines become more powerful, and as camcorders and editors become smarter at encoding video.


#-#-#-#-[ Differences from the HV20 ]-#-#-#-#

The HV40 comes with an extended strength BP-2L13 battery.

It replaces my silver HV20 with a black body, and a 30p progressive recording mode - which is better for video that will end up on the Internet (where video generally runs at 15 fps).

I have to note however that I do not like the "film" look of 24P video - as the blurring it generates tends to leave me with a headache. The 30P video is a bit better, but not by much. As a result, I have continued to use standard 1080i HDV, which is wonderfully detailed and sharp, and handles fast moving children very comfortably indeed.

There's a custom button that you can program on the lens barrel; a nicer zoom lever; and a hotshoe cover that actually stays on. (My HV20's hotshoe cover has long gone to the great lost-and-found bin in the sky.)

The HV40 also comes with a full size HDMI connector. Yay!

I cannot really tell the difference between the recording generated by my HV20 and my HV40. To my eye, they are just as good.

I found the sound to be slightly better than before - but I'd still recommend an external microphone for good results. The onboard mic is notorious for picking up tape noise and menu clicks. The Rode Stereomic is my personal choice, as I mostly shoot family and friends. However, you may need a more directional mic if you are going for serious audio use.

The built-in light is almost useless - so get yourself a better light if you need one. I have the Canon video light which works well in a pinch.

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD280 PRO headphones that work very well with this camcorder. However, the Headphone jack is shared with the AV output, so you must remember to make the right selection before you plug in your headphone.

Happy Recording!
- Damodar
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