Canon VIXIA HV40 HD HDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom - 2009 MODEL

The Latest Revision of an Excellent Camcorder

Over ten years ago I bought Sony's legendary TRV-900. It was a consumer camera so good and so ahead of its time that it remained on the market for four years - an eternity in the consumer electronics industry.



Canon has a similar product in their HV series HDV camcorders. They released such an outstanding camera two years ago with the HV20 that the two new models since (the HV30 and now the HV40) are really just small refinements of a mature and well designed product.



**NEW FEATURES**

So let's get one thing out of the way up front: There really isn't much of a difference between this camera and last year's HV30 (which was a small upgrade on the superb HV20). As an HV20 owner I felt right at home when this arrived and I powered it up. Video quality is about the same they look pretty much the same and overall performance is the same too.



What is different is the addition of true 24P recording which offers a more film-like frame rate over the standard 30 frames per second. It should be noted that prior versions of this camera (as well as Canon's AVCHD models) also shoot 24P but that mode requires additional software to get to "true" 24P video when editing. You'll want to check to ensure that your editing software supports true 24P footage as it's not a configuration that is on many consumer cameras.



**AVCHD OR HDV?***

If you're reading this it's likely that you're in the market for a new camcorder. It's also likely that you're confused over the multitude of different formats currently available: hard disk flash memory tape etc. etc.



Despite the many recording mediums the current crop of consumer cameras can be delineated into two camps: AVCHD (the hard disk and flash based cameras) and HDV (tape based).



HDV cameras have two advantages over their AVCHD counterparts. The first while not as compelling a reason as a year ago is compatibility. HDV was the first consumer HD format and is almost universally supported by just about every video editing software package released over the last three to four years. In addition the HV40 can also shoot in the older standard definition DV format a format so old that even software and hardware from ten years ago can work with the footage.



Another factor to consider is the firewire port. Want to record directly to your PC or Mac? Or perhaps do a live broadcast to UStream or Stickam? HDV cameras like the HV40 stream compressed video in realtime over Firewire something the AVCHD cameras don't do.



Still Canon's AVCHD cameras are now recording at a higher bitrate and with a more advanced video compression algorithm that makes for better image quality. Canon's flash based cameras like the outstanding VIXIA HFS100 are mostly solid state and lack the complex (and delicate) machinery of a tape-based camcorder like the HV40.



**CONCLUSION**

Canon's HV20 was a very mature product right at launch and that maturity continues in this iteration. Still there's nothing so compelling in the HV40 that makes it a necessary upgrade for HV30 or HV20 owners. For first time buyers if you're able to pick up an older model at a lower price you won't be making much of a sacrifice in terms of features. It's a great camera just not any greater than the prior versions!



For most consumers HDV cameras are old technology. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the HV40 is the last tape-based camcorder Canon releases to market. AVCHD has matured to the point that I am now recommending that to friends over HDV based cameras. AVCHD's lack of moving parts combined with the very low cost of flash memory makes it tough to recommend the bulkier mechanical alternatives like the HV40.



If however you're using an older computer or need to stream video live the HV40 is one of the best (if not the best) HDV consumer cameras on the market.

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Sony HDR-CX550V 64GB High Definition Handycam Camcorder

Don't overlook this Sony!

Okay so I'm about to be a dad due April 12th and while I was looking for a camcorder wide enough for the delivery room I was struggling with the Canon VIXIA HF-S21 that is due to be released on April 15th. However let me state the highlights of the Sony HDR-CX550V which swayed my decision why I went for the Sony to suit my own preference:



Compact and Lightweight (something my wife wants over holding my Canon 5D2 and lenses)

Wide Angle 26.3mm Photo

Wide Angle 29.8 mm Video to 298mm (On the Canon it is 35mm equivalent 43.5-435mm which is longer)

12 Mega Pixels still images

10x Optical Zoom

Stabilization which works really well

Takes both SD-HC (this is great) and Sony memory sticks (I don't use them)

Built-in 64GB Flash memory.

Excellent low light shooting

Includes GPS geotagging (which I haven't used yet I keep it turned off for now)

3.5" LCD (921K)

Dolby Digital 5.1ch recording with Built-in Zoom Mic which I haven't really tested to say how good the results really are but off-the-bat the results are very acceptable.



It is also very easy to set up and operate not a lot of digging for menus to get it recording right! You simply either swing open the LCD or pull out the viewfinder (having one is plus for me) and it turns on and after a few second you can hit the record button. Vice-versa to turn-off.



Shoots in HD and records in 1080/60i and this equates to it being 24p or 30p via software when editing this is argued extensively on forums but the HDR-CX550V does not let you specify which may be a good or bad thing depending on your own preferences. Having said that don't let the 1080/60i put you off since this is the same with all other camcorders I have seen including professional camcorders. The 24p or 30p on the Canon HF-S21 also records at 60i.



I think ultimately making a choice on either the Sony or the Canon you won't be disappointed however to me the main highlights are that this is a very compact camcorder with excellent touch screen (this one works!) and shoots wide to long instead of normal to long and has excellent low light results as well as support for SD-HC flash media and a wonderfully sized LCD display.



I ended up buying the BC-TRV Travel charger and the NP-FV100 battery although is larger than the supplied battery it is still small enough that it shouldn't bother you when you require the extra juice for extended shooting which is about 15 hours at High-quality HD mode.



Image results are great for such a small system very satisfied.

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Panasonic HDC-HS250-K Hard Drive High Definition Camcorder (Black)

Great Camcorder still needs some improvement

I got this camcorder for about two weeks already. It's very easy to start operating it even without reading the manual. The touch screen feature is great! You can basically play on the touch screen and see the difference of the picture quality right on the screen. Here's some of the Pro & Con that I think after playing with this camcorder.



Pro:

-Easy to use

-Great video quality (I hook on my Sony 48 inches 1080p LCD screen the picture looks great!)

-Picture quality is great too if you got enough light when using indoor (outdoor no problem)

-Indoor video recording is pretty good using backlight function if indoor light is not enough.

-Outdoor video quality is excellent

-Digital zooming is great (I can basically zoom in and get so detail that I can see the pore of the person's face right across of the street with 3 traffic lane in between it.)

-LCD touch screen is great (you can flip the screen too! You can also use fingernail to touch the screen if your fingertip is too big the screen don't have any problem recognizing your command.)



Con:

-Not enough battery life (got around 90minutes of recording good thing is that you can see how much time you got left on the LCD screen for recording so you'll know when you need to charge the battery or switch to power cord or new battery.)

-You cannot charge the battery while using power cord!

-The power cord plug on the camcorder is hidden underneath where you put the battery at so you cannot use both battery and power cord at the same time (very bad when you try to record using power cord once you accidentally pull the power cord plug all of the recording stops and it takes long time for camcorder to get back to recording and it also causes temporary hard drive malfunction while the camcorder trying to recover what you just record.)

-You cannot turn on the light that came with the camcorder to do the recording (it's use mostly as flash function when taking picture)



So far that's what I thought playing for two weeks (without reading the manual.)

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Canon VIXIA HF S100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Best consumer camcorder I have ever seen. Reviewed by professional videographer.

I have owned a small wedding videography company for 5 years and after using the HFS10 for a week I am incredibly pleased with it. Please note the HFS10 is identical to the HFS100 except the HFS10 also comes with 32GB of internal flash memory.



If you want the smallest camcorder you can get without sacrificing video quality in any way than this is the camcorder for you. I am amazed at how small this thing is while still having a professional grade lens. This is the same Canon lens as on their GL2 which is probably the most popular entry level professional camcorder ever (which I have owned for a few years).



Pros:

1.) Professional camera lens with superb HD video quality (even in low light situations). I cannot express enough how amazing the pictures look.



2.) Accepts up to 32 GB of SDHC Flash memory

A.) Flash memory is instant. No waiting for tapes to wind or hard drives to spin. The camera goes from off to red light recording in less than 2 seconds.

B.) Flash memory helps keep the camera small.

C.) Flash memory protects data from being lost due to the camera being dropped or hit (a real problem with hard drive cameras).



3.) The still picture quality even with the built in flash is unbelievable for a camcorder. I feel like I am shooting with my Rebel XTi.



4.) I love the auto open and close lens cover. It only opens when you are actually shooting. If the camera is off or if you are reviewing it immediately closes.



5.) Menus are very easy to navigate.



Cons:

1.) Doesn't come with an HDMI cable. Since it doesn't take a normal sized HDMI cable I think there is no excuse for that.



2.) Doesn't come with a battery charger. You either have to spend $50 to get one or recharge batteries using the camcorder itself.



3.) No internal memory however it's $200 more for the HFS10 for only 32GB of internal storage and that is way too much. It should have only cost an extra $100. Unless you need to be able to record more than 2.5 hours of shooting without changing SDHC cards then get this camera because a 32GB class 6 SDHC card only costs $100.



4.) Only comes with the BP-809 battery which doesn't even last an hour. So you will need to buy the BP-827 which costs another $150. The BP-827 does stick out from the back just a slight bit but not even an inch and is totally not noticeable nor does it add any real weight.



5.) 10X optical zoom is a little slim for my liking. I am used to 20X.



This camcorder is basically a professional lens barrel with an LCD on the side which gives you the best picture quality possible while keeping the size incredibly small. I cannot encourage you enough to get this camcorder.More detail ...

Canon VIXIA HF S20 HD Dual Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Quick review from a professional still photographer

I am a professional photographer that needed a camcorder for our first baby on the way. I wanted a camcorder that produced outstanding full 1080P HD video good optical stabilizer and ease of use. Canon delivers. I was blown away by the quality of the video shot in full auto mode. The colors vibrance and razor sharp focus completely convinced me that my hard earned cash was well spent. The dynamic stabilizer is amazing. At wide angle I shot a video one handed while walking my dog. Usually this results in severe motion sickness. Reviewing the video was incredible- very smooth no jarring. At full telephoto (10x) some movement was noticeable....until you press the Powered IS button located on the bottom left of the LCD. I call it my virtual tri-pod. The Powered IS locks down the image. Completely acceptable but more amazing how well it works.



The LCD panel is gorgeous. It's a mini HD monitor. It's a touch panel that works. You can control everything from exposure focus aperature shutter speed video gain and more. What's really cool is the Touch and Track feature. Say you have someone or something (works on objects too) that you want to keep in focus and property expose- just touch the person or thing on the LCD and a box forms around it. It's so sensitive you can touch someone's eye and the camera puts focus priority on the eye vs the nose. This even works with my dog. Really impressed by that.



As for ease of use the Auto mode is exactly that. Turn it on point it and record. The camera is very intelligent and almost always selects the best settings for your subject. This is perfect for someone that doesnt really know a ton about photography/videography but wants to be able to capture life's precious moments. For more advanced users there are various settings that will give you hours of fun playing with.



It has a pop-up video light which works well in a pinch. The hot shoe allows for more sophisticated lights and mics.



One gripe I do have is the battery performance. True the LCD eats power but come on the standard battery only lasts 40-50 mins tops. Canon should include a larger capacity battery. Canon should also include a wall charger so when you shell out more money for a bigger battery you can charge that while still using your beautiful camcorder.



So to sum up you will not be disapointed with the quality and ease of use of this camera. Make sure you get a bigger battery and getting a Hoya filter to protect your HD lens is a great idea.More detail ...

Canon VIXIA HF S200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

1080p and a bunch of cool features

I'm generally more of a still photographer at heart but I finally decided to purchase an HD video camera and after considerable research I chose the Canon HF-S200. It seemed to have the right mix of features size price and quality - and so far it's measured up.



From an ergonomics point of view I found the camera about right for my hands. The controls seem logically laid out and it fits naturally in my hand in a way that lets me hold it steady without feeling awkward. Still even though the camera is barely a pound in weight to get the best HD quality you'll want to consider a monopod tripod or some other support. I use a Kirk shoulder harness borrowed from one of my still cameras and it works well. Otherwise the controls seem to be where I'd like them and it took fairly little effort to get to the point where I could operate most of the features without fixating on the camera itself. Also because of the memory card architecture there are no moving parts in the recording system (there are of course moving parts in the lens focusing mechanism zoom etc) making it quick responsive and - best of all - totally silent in operation.



The camera also has all the right connections including HDMI input/output LANC remote controls and connectors for outboard audio or microphones. The camera also has a shoe mount for things like video lights and it can connect to some of Canon's cool accessories like their DVD burner (which I don't own so I can't comment on).



This recorder writes to SD (SDHC) memory cards - up to two at a time with the ability to fill one then overflow onto the other. Recording times are purely a function of how large your memory cards are but assuming 32GB cards you can get almost five hours of HD recording time by installing two cards in the S200. And of course you can carry a pocket full of extras making recording time essentially unlimited. The AVCHD video format means you can plug your cards directly into many video editing programs with no need to transform or re-do anything. All in all this is very convenient compared to other media (such as tape) where you essentially have to copy video to your computer as a separate step before you can work with it.



The camera includes a 10x zoom Canon lens plus an additional digital zoom feature. I found the lens to be very good for a camcorder producing bright sharp and detailed videos with good color and contrast. Still if you look at the output frame by frame on a computer you can tell the lens - while impressive - is no match for a top quality DSLR lens. Plus you're getting only an effective 6-8MP - pretty low by today's DSLR standards. I'm not so sure this is an issue but I guess I don't shoot serious video with my DSLR and I wouldn't shoot serious stills on my video camera. In 35mm terms the range is about 43-435mm...good on the long end but not quite as wide as I might like overall. Still it's a fast lens and focuses close (about a foot depending on zoom setting). A final nice feature is that the lens takes standard photo filters (58mm) and I find it handy for instance to screw on a polarizer sometimes.



I find most of the other features Canon includes to work well and to be thoughtfully designed. The 3.5" LCD panel is sharp and clear although not always readable in bright sunlight. Auto-exposure and focus seem very fast and accurate and even when there's a lot of fast motion I usually find all the critical parts of the scene to be in sharp focus and properly exposed aided by Canon's face and scene detection capabilities. When you want to you can override exposure and focus to get a specific effect.



This is also the first consumer camcorder I've used that offers a choice of frame rates from 24p to 30 giving you video that can have more of a film-like quality (24p) or be more natural to post online (30). The camera also has support for the latest wide-gamut color (x.v.color) giving you rich and vibrant colors if the rest of your equipment can handle it. In my case displayed on a high-quality 60" plasma monitor the videos look amazing.



To be clear this camera is essentially the same as the Canon S20 or S21 the main difference among the models being the amount of on-board memory. I believe the S21 comes with 64GB built-in the S20 has 32GB and this one (S200) has only the SD slots - you supply the memory. Since I like the idea of external memory cards that I can pop into my computer for editing and post-production I think I'd end up using the slots anyway and the onboard memory in the other models wouldn't be particularly helpful for me. This was the main reason I went with the S200 instead of one of the other models.



From an overall image quality perspective the Canon offers the best image quality I've seen from a consumer product period. HD images in 1080p are simply stunning as good as anything you'll find anywhere. The image stabilization helps ensure you don't get "bumpy" scenes and even the audio channels (which are capable of 5.1 recording with an add-on surround microphone) are quite good for such a small device. Overall I was blown away by the video quality - it was much better than what I thought I could get at this price point.



Great camcorder - highly recommended and worth the price.More detail ...

Panasonic HDC-TM700K Hi-Def Camcorder with Pro Control System & 32GB Flash (Black)

Powerhouse Camcorder for Power Users

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3P5NINJ0LEBSL The Panasonic HDC-TM700 is a rare camcorder in that it breaks new ground. The key upside of this camcorder is its 28 Mbps 60P mode -- the camera is capable of recording at 1920x1080 resolution in 60 PROGRESSIVE frames per second. This captures TWICE the image information of the interlaced method resulting in smoother motion. The TM700 also capture more vertical resolution than other consumer camcorders when used in 60P mode.



There are many features of this camera that blur the line between "consumer" and "prosumer."



Whether you dub the 35mm lens "wide" or not it's a hell of a lot more wide than any other consumer cam lens I've tried. My $6500 Sony EX1 has a 31.4mm equivalent lens so the TM700 is in the same ballpark. For me this make a big difference in the practical use of the camera. No longer do I need to carry and constantly attach/detach a wide angle adapter. This also makes me more likely to use the 18X zoom (since there's no wide angle adapter on the cam).



One nice TM700 feature I haven't seen discussed elsewhere is peaking. Quite simply "peaking" means that the camera outlines objects in focus with a color so as to help the camera operator achieve correct focus. The camera does include a peaking function when switched to manual focus. Panasonic calls it "manual focus assist." This really helps achieve critical focus with the 260k pixel LCD screen. The peaking color is blue; I prefer yellow but will gladly settle for blue.



Another upside to the TM700 vis-a-vis other consumer cams is the manual control ring. Panasonic has done a nice job implementing this feature and it's easy to quickly adjust zoom focus shutter speed & iris using the ring. This is a slam dunk win for the TM700 because the competition doesn't even offer a control ring (the control wheel is a far less satisfying alternative).



Some have expressed concern over the cooling fan. The fan does generate some noise when it activates although it's not always on. The fan has really not been an issue for me so far. I usually use an external mic when I'm serious about capturing quality audio.



I'm a picky camera buyer who usually finds flaws with consumer equipment. But I haven't found many with the TM700. It has a number of nice features like facial recognition (automatically exposing for certain faces) outstanding low-light performance with minimal noise and strong color reproduction an almost "instant on" technology (you can power on the camera simply by opening the LCD screen or extending the viewfinder) stellar image stabilization plenty of menu customization options all the benefits of tapeless workflow...and I could go on.



If you are shopping for a "flagship" consumer camcorder when considering the TM700 you must ask yourself whether you really care about 60P. After all it's the 60P mode (and resulting high image quality) that sets this camera apart from its Sony & Canon competitors. I believe that the TM700 in 60P mode produces arguably the best image quality you can find in a consumer camcorder. But you need a fast PC with the right software to edit this material. If you intend to edit your footage do some homework on this point before making a purchase decision.



If you want 60P...and you can handle 60P... then you will love this camcorder.



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Sanyo VPC-FH1A Full HD Video and 8 MP Digital Photos (Black)

Good but not perfect

Pros

Superb low light response.

Excellent Mac compatibility

Reasonable price

Generally good set of options in the menu.

37mm threaded front lens so it it is compatible with a large assortment of attachments

Reasonable HD performance

Also functions as a pretty good and easy still camera





Cons

Zoom speed cannot be slowed or controlled in any way. (I stand corrected on this point - read below)

No mic or audio line input.





General Discussion

All things considered this is a fine product. If you are a Mac person this will save you many hours of work. The MPEG4 file format is very mac friendly. But there are a few things to keep in mind.



This camera has an unusually large sensor; as such this has some interesting consequences. On the positive side this produces stunning low light capabilities. Furthermore one can isolate the subject from the background very easily by carefully controlling ones exposure and focus; few other consumer camcorders have this ability. However this places great strain on the auto focus. If one is simply wishing to place it in an auto mode and leave it there it tends to have a lot of focus problems.



The zoom speed is too fast. Aside from the fact that I feel that it is aesthetically unpleasing in every case except bright sunlight the zoom is faster than the auto focus. Therefore almost any attempt to zoom in while shooting will yield out-of-focus pictures. Consequently you must consider the zoom on this camera to be essentially useless.



For some inexplicable reason they chose not to include an external mic/ audio in jack. This severely limits its usability.



David Courtney

Houston TXMore detail ...