Canon HV20 vs HV30 vs HV40 – What’s the Difference?
Canon has announced the release of the Vixia HV40 – the next iteration of the Canon HV20 HDV camcorder that we have so come to love here at thehv20experiments.com.
With the HV30, not much changed except for a new black paint job, the ability to shoot 30P and a slightly bigger LCD screen.
Canon Vixia HV40 HDV Camcorder
With the HV40 – same thing except that Canon has since done some optimization of it DIGIC II processor for HD, and more importantly, added the ability to shoot 24P (something we will also see the company adding to its new HD Video-shooting DSLRs like the 5D MK II in response to overwhelming user demand).
The main thing to consider is that with any of the tweaks and tips and tricks you have already learned by visiting this site, you can accomplish anything that can be accomplished with the HV40 with ease.
Click here to see a side-by-side comparison of the three models and their respective feature sets.
Interestingly, the Canon HV20 is the only one of the three that offers SD/MiniDV recording at all. Why you would think this is a bonus is up for debate, but you never know – sometimes lower quality formats become desirable for retro effects or otherwise and presently the HV20 is the only one to offer this flexibility.
The HV40, being a new product will set you back a thousand bucks. The HV30 is now going for around seven hundred give or take. But not much has changed since the HV20 which was used to shoot parts of the sequel to Crank starring Jason Statham and in theaters nationwide, and can be found for as little as US$399.
Looking at the basic math, the Canon HV20 is still the way to go.
You may also consider looking at Canon’s other offerings, however, if you prefer to not use HDV tapes (which are basically good quality MiniDV tapes) and go solid state. That is something I will cover in a future article.
LitePanels Micro Is A Perfect Fit For Your Canon’s Hotshoe
Although the light on my Canon HV20 is quite powerful and actually quite gentle on my batteries the biggest design problem I have encountered is that putting Canon’s own wide-angle lens on the camera obstructs more than half the light and makes them impossible to use together effectively.
A company based out of Van Nuys called LitePanels has come to the rescue. I was able to stop by their booth at the NAB show this year and check out their latest offering – a perfect little dream of a unit called the Micro – that, like the Rode VideoMic feels like it was made especially for us.
Created in response to the overwhelming popularity of the MiniPlus the Micro harnesses the company’s ultra-efficient LED technology in a lightweight package. Ideal for any camcorder with a standard size hotshoe camcorder (like any of the Canon Vixia cameras or HD video DSLRs like the Rebel or 5D MK II) it mounts unobtrusively on top of the camera to provide soft, directional lighting.
Weighing less than 4 oz. (.11kg) and measuring 3.3″x 3.3″ x 1.5″ (83.8mm x 83.8mm x 38.1mm), Litepanels Micro produces 1.5 hours of continuous output from four on-board AA batteries (either standard or rechargeable). Or power can be supplied through a convenient 5-14V input jack located on the back of the unit.
In addition to the fact it has a standard hotshoe mount, the unique design of the mount features an adjustable tilt mechanism to allow for multiple mounting configurations. Additionally, an integrated on/off/dimmer dial conveniently facilitates smooth and instant 100%-0 dimming. Awesome!
The unit also features a flip-down filter holder for use with the system’s color/diffusion gel filters. Three filters are included: soft diffusion, 3200º tungsten conversion, and 1/4 warming (CTO) which means you can match daylight or indoor tungsten lighting with this little beauty.
For more information, contact your favorite dealer or Litepanels, Inc. at their excellent, informative website: www.litepanels.com
Comparison of the Canon HV20 to the HV30 cameras
Author: Hamid Hameed
HV30 is the replacement model for the much celebrated HV20. The list of upgrades includes a 30fps frame mode (in addition to 24p and 60i), an better zoom toggle, an improved LCD, and a black paint job.
The lens has a 43mm filter diameter to accommodate that killer fish-eye or telephoto lens hat will do an admirable job of capturing images. An automatic lens enclosure engages when the HV30 is turned on or off. To the left of the lens is a vertical panel containing a built-in flash, Instant AF sensor, and LED video light. Toward the rear are two switches – the Auto/P mode switch and the Tape/Memory Card switch. Toward the lens end is a rugged plastic port enclosure that houses the Mic, AV/Headphone, and Component-out jacks. Users can configure the AV jack correctly before using headphones. The built-in stereo microphone is mounted toward the lens end, evading hand interference.
Canon slapped a real Zoom toggle on the HV30 in place of the HV20′s thin strip of plastic. The Photo button is located behind the Zoom toggle. Another plus on the HV20, Canon chose not to tether the bit of plastic to the body of the camcorder. This time around Canon attached the plastic shield to the frame of the HV30.
The HV30 is as good as it gets, it puts out better quality than AVCHD now, and this will likely not change in recent years. So get it and have an enriching experience.
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