Canon Vixia HV40 Camcorder Review

Introduction

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In the Box

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Color

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The Canon HV40 had a decent showing in our bright light color test, but the colors produced weren't as accurate as those from Canon's HF S series of flash memory camcorders. The HV40 earned a color error of 4.36 and a strong saturation level of 96.76%. Both of these numbers are good, but we've definitely seen better from other high-end models. More on how we test color.

Color Accuracy Performance

The Color Error Map above shows how the HV40 did with specific colors from our test. The camcorder was quite even throughout the color spectrum. No specific colors were that much more accurate than others, which is actually a good sign. This means the camcorder doesn't have a color bias or skew towards a certain tone.

Like all HD camcorders from Canon, the HV40 has a few pre-set color modes that can be engaged to produce a different image effect. The differences between these settings are subtle, but the camcorder actually had the best color accuracy when we used the Soft Skin Detail mode (4.16 color error). In addition to these color modes, the HV40 also has the option of making a custom color setting, although the range of controls is very limited.

Canon Vixia HV40 Color Modes

Auto

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Vivid

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The Canon HV40 rendered very similar colors to the Canon HF S100, with the main difference being a stronger saturation level on the HV40 and better accuracy on the HF S100. You can see these two camcorders side-by-side in our comparison table below. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 had similar saturation to the HV40, and you can see the strong, vivid colors in its image. The Sony HDR-XR520V had a darker image in auto mode than the rest of these camcorders, which brought out the black tones and accentuated the contrast of the image.

Since all the camcorders shown above are high-end models, it comes as no surprise that they all managed good color accuracy in bright light. The Sony was a bit worse than the rest of the pack, but since color quality is very subjective, it wouldn't be out of the question for someone to actually prefer the HDR-XR520V—or any of the other models.

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Low Light Color

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The Canon HV40 didn't have great color accuracy in low light, but its results were about average for a camcorder of its class. What the HV40 did have was deep, vivid colors in low light—a testament to the 74.9% saturation we measured in our low light test. The Canon HV40 registered a color error of 5.3. More on how we test low light color.

Low Light Color Accuracy Performance

Color Error Map The map on the left is a diagram of the color error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camera processed each particular color while capturing video.

The Canon Vixia HV40 produced a color error of and a saturation level of in our bright light color testing.

At 60 lux, which is the light level for our low light testing, the Canon HV40 produced a dark image. Most camcorders produce a dark image at 60 lux, but the HV40's was a bit darker than the Canon HF S100, and significantly darker than both the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V. The exposure levels on the HV40 can be manually altered, however, by simply adjusting the overall exposure setting or changing the aperture and shutter speed. In the comparisons below, check out how much more color the HV40 retained than its competitors—including the Canon HF S100, which had a much lower saturation level (58.01%).

The Canon HV40 actually had worse color accuracy in low light when using its 24p and 30p modes: the camcorder had a color error of 5.8 when recording at 30p, and an error of 6.09 when using its native-progressive 24p mode. Usually we see better color accuracy with alternate frame rates because they help the camcorder produce a brighter image in low light, but accuracy was not the result with the HV40.

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Noise

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The Canon HV40 produced low levels of noise in our bright light testing—a solid performance for the camcorder. We measured the noise levels to be 0.48%, which is a good portion lower than the decent score put up by the Canon HF S100 (0.88%). Both the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V also had low noise levels in bright light. More on how we test noise.

Since all these camcorders had relatively low noise levels in our testing, you can't really see any noise in the cropped images above. The images do let you compare the sharpness of each camcorder, however. The Canon HV40's image isn't quite as sharp as the rest of the camcorders shown above, but it came very close. Compare the bottom of the vertical trumpet in each still frame. With the HV40, the lines blur together at the bottom; the other camcorders show more detail and distinction between the lines. In the next section of our review we'll look at the HV40's sharpness numbers more closely.

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Low Light Sensitivity

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The Canon HV40 has a similarly-sized CMOS sensor to the Canon HF S100 (and the rest of the Canon HF S series), but it has a far smaller pixel count. We guessed that this should result in better low light sensitivity for the HV40, and our tests confirmed this hypothesis. The HV40 required only 12 lux of light to reach 50 IRE on our waveform monitor—less than the 16 lux required on the Canon HF S100. This is likely a result of the pixels being less dense on the Canon HV40's sensor. That allows the sensor to absorb more light, hence improving the low light sensitivity of the camcorder. More on how we test low light sensitivity.

Based on what most HD camcorders are scoring in our low light sensitivity test, the HV40's result of 12 lux is actually quite good. Only Panasonic (the HDC-TM300 and HDC-HS300) and Sanyo (the VPC-HD2000) did better than the HV40 on this test. When using the HV40's alternate frame rates, the camcorder was capable of even better low light sensitivity. In 30p mode the HV40 required 6 lux to reach 50 IRE and in 24p mode the camcorder needed just 5 lux. The camcorder's sensitivity was the same in 24p mode whether we used the native progressive or the non-native 24p setting.

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Low Light Noise

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The HV40's low light noise measurements were slightly higher than the Canon HF S100, although the two camcorders had very similar numbers (1.5325% on the HV40 vs. 1.3525% on the HF S100). These are both good noise scores for low light, but the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and Sony HDR-XR520V were a bit better. The crops below give you a better idea of how much of this noise is actually noticeable in the footage. More on how we test low light noise.

Canon Vixia HV40 100% Crop

In the images above, you can definitely see more noise on the two Canon models than you can on the Panasonic and Sony. Artifacting is also present on all the camcorders in low light, although the Sony and Panasonic look a bit cleaner than the two Canon models. As far as sharpness goes, you can see that each image has lost some of its detail that it had in bright light, but they all retain a good level of sharpness. All of these camcorders are better-than-average low light performers, but the Panasonic HDC-TM300 is the best of the bunch.

Unlike with low light color accuracy, the Canon HV40 did show improved noise results when shooting with its 30p and 24p frame rates. When using the native-progressive 24p mode the HV40 averaged 1.4675% noise, and the camcorder registered 1.275% noise in its 30p mode. These aren't huge drops from the HV40's noise levels when recording at 60i, but they are slight improvements.

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Low Light Color

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The Canon HV40 didn't have great color accuracy in low light, but its results were about average for a camcorder of its class. What the HV40 did have was deep, vivid colors in low light—a testament to the 74.9% saturation we measured in our low light test. The Canon HV40 registered a color error of 5.3. More on how we test low light color.

Low Light Color Accuracy Performance

Color Error Map The map on the left is a diagram of the color error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camera processed each particular color while capturing video.

The Canon Vixia HV40 produced a color error of and a saturation level of in our bright light color testing.

At 60 lux, which is the light level for our low light testing, the Canon HV40 produced a dark image. Most camcorders produce a dark image at 60 lux, but the HV40's was a bit darker than the Canon HF S100, and significantly darker than both the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V. The exposure levels on the HV40 can be manually altered, however, by simply adjusting the overall exposure setting or changing the aperture and shutter speed. In the comparisons below, check out how much more color the HV40 retained than its competitors—including the Canon HF S100, which had a much lower saturation level (58.01%).

The Canon HV40 actually had worse color accuracy in low light when using its 24p and 30p modes: the camcorder had a color error of 5.8 when recording at 30p, and an error of 6.09 when using its native-progressive 24p mode. Usually we see better color accuracy with alternate frame rates because they help the camcorder produce a brighter image in low light, but accuracy was not the result with the HV40.

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Motion

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One of the new features on the HV40 is its native-progressive 24p frame rate options. Most alternate frame rates on consumer camcorders actually record at 60i and convert the footage to 24p or 30p using a pulldown system that eliminates certain frames. The HV40's native 24p mode is the real deal—it records to tape at 24 frames per second. The HV40 also comes with non-native 24p and 30p modes as well, both of which record to tape as 60i using the method discussed above. Now, we didn't notice much of a difference between the two 24p modes when we viewed the footage on a television, but the native 24p option gives you significant advantages in post-production. All the videos shown below were shot using each camcorder's regular 60i frame rate. More on how we test motion.

Video Sharpness

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Video sharpness is a key element to measuring video quality because it gives you an idea of how much detail a camcorder will be able to capture in its image. The Canon HV40 was quite good with sharpness, but it was definitely a notch below some of the high-end AVCHD camcorders out there. The HV40 measured a horizontal sharpness of 700 lw/ph and a vertical sharpness of 600 lw/ph. Compare these numbers to the Canon HF S100, which earned 800 lw/ph horizontal and 650 lw/ph vertical, and you can see the difference we're talking about. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V also bested the Canon HV40 in this category, although the results were close.

During the test, we noticed the Canon HV40 managed a vertical resolution of around 750 lw/ph when the camcorder and the subject we shot were perfectly still. Once we put the camcorder in motion there was a lot of aliasing and the lines on our sharpness chart began to break up around 600 lw/ph. We score our sharpness test with the camcorder in motion, however, which is why we gave the HV40 a final vertical sharpness of 600 lw/ph. This is actually a very common occurrence with camcorders, although the difference between sharpness in motion versus still usually isn't that substantial. More on how we test video sharpness.

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Ease of Use

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Because of its bulky size and complex menus, the HV40 is not as easy to use as most camcorders on the market. Yes, there is something to be said about the simplicity of recording to tape, but most people these days are probably just as comfortable working with non-linear media like memory cards or internal hard drives. Also, let's face it, the process of capturing footage from a tape to a computer is a lot more difficult than importing files from a memory card.

We give the HV40 kudos for having a dedicated Auto Mode and a thorough, well-written instruction manual—both of which are excellent for beginners. Unfortunately, the camcorder itself has no help function or information box inside the menu that tells you a fact or two about the setting you are about to adjust. Also, when using the HV40 in anything but Auto Mode, you're likely to run into some trouble and confusion. The camcorder features an awkward, out-dated menu design, which, thankfully, Canon has improved upon with its other 2009 models. Even for people who are familiar with consumer camcorders, the HV40's Joystick Menu is extremely confusing to both use and explain. The rest of the HV40's menus aren't quite as clunky as the Joystick guide, but none of them are easy to navigate or understand. Not to mention, the camcorder has far too many menus, which means many options are difficult to locate.

Auto Mode

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The Canon HV40 doesn't have face detection, smile shutter or any of the new auto features that are being pushed by manufacturers. This doesn't make its auto controls any less effective, however. The camcorder has a dedicated Auto mode that can be turned on by flicking a switch on the right side. In Auto mode you don't have access to the Function menu (except for picking a still image size), but you can enter the camcorder's main menu (certain options are unavailable, however).

If you leave Auto mode and switch over to Program mode you can still leave the HV40 in automatic control—you just have the option of setting things manually. In Program mode you can use scene modes, pick a white balance preset, control exposure, etc. If you don't make any changes, however, then the camcorder will function just like it does in Auto mode.

We found the HV40's autofocus to be a bit slower than other Canon camcorders, and it felt like it took a moment too long to bring things to focus. The camcorder has an option for Instant AF or Normal AF, but the amount of time it takes the camcorder to focus doesn't really change with either option. The difference is what the focus process looks like. With Instant AF, once the camcorder starts to focus it does so in a snap-like fashion (subjects focus almost immediately). Normal AF is a slower, smoother focus transition. In both modes, though, the camcorder takes a while before it figures out what part of the image should be in focus. It can just sit, pointing at a fuzzy image for a 1-2 seconds before anything happens.

The auto exposure on the HV40 worked better than focus. It provided smooth transitions as we moved the camcorder between different lighting situations. Sometimes it over-exposed and sometimes it under-exposed, but this is normal for a consumer camcorder. There is a backlight option on the HV40 that can be turned on and off in Program mode. Auto white balance was decent, but we recommend using the manual setting when at all possible. The HV40 also has a bunch of white balance presets that work well if you know what kind of light you are shooting under.

Lastly, the HV40 has an option called Cine Mode that Canon doesn't explain clearly. All the manual says is that Cine Mode gives footage a more cinematic look and that it works best with the camcorder's 24p setting. Playing around with the feature, we found that Cine Mode produced a less grainy and noisy image in low light (probably due to lower gain levels). So, Cine Mode ended up producing a cleaner, smoother image, but it also required more light than regular Program mode.

Low Light Modes - The HV40 doesn't have a special low light mode like Sony's infrared NightShot system, but it does have a Night scene mode and an auto slow shutter option. Auto slow shutter lets the camcorder use a 1/30 of a second shutter speed in low light situations (instead of having 1/60 be the minimum shutter speed). A 1/30 shutter speed will enhance low light performance, but it also creates motion trails and somewhat choppy video.

Additionally, the HV40 has a video light that is mounted to the right of the lens. The light actually does a good job illuminating your surroundings in complete darkness and it has a range of about 10 - 15 feet. It is much better than the light featured on the Canon HF20 and HF200, but it is a bit worse than the light on Canon's HF S series (HF S100, HF S10, and HF S11). The HV40's light gives your footage a slight blue tone due to the tint of the light, while the light on the HF S Canons doesn't have that problem.

Scene Modes - The Canon HV40 has a few scene modes that can be set when the camcorder is not in its dedicated auto mode. The scene modes include: Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight, and Fireworks. The Night scene mode lowers the camcorder's minimum shutter speed, while the Beach and Sunset modes change the color settings. For other scene modes, it's more difficult to pinpoint what settings are being tweaked by the camcorder.

Other Auto Features

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Low noise levels.

Handling

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The HV40 handles a lot differently than Canon's flash-memory camcorders, mainly because there's a MiniDV tape deck strapped to its right side. This changes the entire design and feel of the camcorder. Without any modern commodities like touchscreens, fancy LCD bezels, or gimmicky laser-touch systems, the camcorder feels a bit old-fashioned. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however, as many people may prefer the HV40's bulky design and more traditional layout. Still, we really don't like the embedded 'membrane-buttons' located on the HV40's LCD panel. They are hard to push, unresponsive, and often need to be pinched or squeezed tightly to get them to work. This was one redesign we were ecstatic to see Canon fix on the HF S100, HF S10, and HF S11. Canon's HF S series also boasts a better hand strap, sleeker design, and more comfortable shape than the HV40.

Unfortunately, there are some other basic problems with the HV40 that Canon really should have paid attention to. For one, the camcorder's viewfinder doesn't extend or pivot—it is entirely stationary. This makes it very difficult and annoying to work with, particularly if you have a large battery pack loaded (a thick battery can block access to the viewfinder). This wouldn't be as much of a problem if the HV40 came with a stellar LCD. Instead, the camcorder has an unimpressive 2.7-inch screen with a paltry 211,000-pixel resolution. The HV40 definitely has the real estate for Canon to include a larger, more resolute screen—much like Sony does on its bulky HDR-XR520V.

Button placement and design is slightly problematic on the HV40. The camcorder doesn't have too many buttons, and most of them are conveniently located on the back of the camcorder (all within a thumbs reach). We found, however, that our thumb often bumped the navigation joystick while we were recording. This happened because the joystick and record button are right next to each other and our thumb fell more naturally onto the joystick than the record button. This wasn't a huge deal, but Canon does relegate a lot of controls to the joystick (it even has its own menu). So, you may find yourself accidentally adjusting some control on the HV40 because you pressed the joystick button inadvertently.

The joystick itself isn't great for adjusting manual controls, but it is definitely better than an LCD touchscreen or JVC's Laser Touch system. Canon's joysticks are also fairly well designed, and they are large enough to offer a decent amount of precision. There is a small dial near the front of the camcorder as well, but it can only be used to adjust focus. The dial isn't that great, mainly because it doesn't have enough surface area and is hard to grip, but also because Canon doesn't allow the dial to manipulate other controls besides focus.The Canon HF S series has a much better dial (larger and easier to use) that can be used to control a wide range of settings (exposure, focus, assist functions, audio levels, and gain limit). The Sony HDR-XR520V has an even better control dial, and the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and HS300 both have lens rings that can be used to set a variety of controls.

Portability

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There's no doubt about it, tape-based camcorders are generally larger than other camcorders, and the HV40 is no exception. The HV40 weighs in at 615g, which is a bit heavier than the Sony HDR-XR520V—and the XR520V has a 240GB internal hard drive on its right side. The HV40 is also significantly wider and taller than the HDR-XR520V. So, this makes the HV40 one of the largest and heaviest consumer camcorders on the market. With many manufacturers trending towards light-weight, flash-memory models, the tape-based camcorders are only going to seem larger and bulkier in the years to come. With tape-based models you also have to remember to bring along numerous tapes when you go on a trip or to a video shoot. MiniDV tapes can only hold 60 minutes of HD video, which is a lot less than most memory cards or internal hard drives are capable of storing (a 16GB SDHC card can hold roughly 85 minutes of video on the Canon HF S100).

Depending on what you compare it to, however, the HV40 is still rather portable. It is more compact than any professional camcorder, and it weighs much less than a DSLR camera. It is also smaller than many MiniDV cameras from years past. You won't, by any means, be able to fit the HV40 in your pocket, so you'll have to carry it around in a small bag or using a shoulder strap (or in your hand). The Canon HF20 is far lighter and more compact than the HV40 and Canon's top-line models, the HF S series, are also significantly smaller than the HV40.

Battery Life

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The HV40 has good battery life with its provided BP-2L13 battery pack. The camcorder lasted for just under two hours in our test (1 hour, 57 minutes to be exact). This is around 20 minutes longer than the Canon HF S100 managed, and it is a bit longer than average for a consumer camcorder. More on how we test battery life.

The HV40 can accommodate larger battery packs that should give the camcorder a longer record time. The problem is, if you insert too large of a battery, like the BP-2L24H, you may not be able to use the viewfinder on the back of the camcorder. Batteries that extend too far out block you from pressing your eye up against the viewfinder (or they make it very uncomfortable). This is one of the reasons we wish Canon had implemented a pivot or extension option on the HV40's viewfinder.

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LCD & Viewfinder

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The HV40 includes both an electronic viewfinder and an LCD screen, making it one of the few consumer camcorders manufactured by Canon that offers a viewfinder. Neither the viewfinder nor the LCD is worthy of much praise, however. The LCD is 2.7-inches in size, has a 211,000-pixel resolution, and features Canon's old LCD bezel design—the same design found on the Canon HF20 and HF200. The HF S100, S10, and S11 all feature a flat, glossy screen design, although their LCDs still have the same specs as the HV40.

We would have loved for Canon to include a larger LCD on the HV40, mainly because the camcorder is definitely big enough to accommodate one. The 2.7-inch size is OK, but it doesn't do anything to set the camcorder apart from the crowd. Brightness can be set manually on the LCD (with 44 increments of control), and you can also bump up the backlight of the screen by holding down the display button for two seconds.

We love that Canon put a viewfinder on the HV40, but, to be frank, the one Canon included is really bad. It cannot extend, pivot, rotate—nothing. The viewfinder is completely stationary, which makes it terribly difficult to use. Also, if you load the HV40 up with a larger battery pack, you may not even be able to press your eye against the viewfinder at all. The viewfinder is also made out of a hard, non-flexible plastic that is uncomfortable and doesn't provide a good seal around your eye. We understand that viewfinders are beginning to become a rarity on consumer camcorders, and it seems that Canon wants to make them as unfriendly to use as possible.

The viewfinder is 0.27-inches in size and features a paltry 123,000-pixel resolution. It also has a tiny diopter adjustment slider on its left side. Unfortunately, you cannot use the viewfinder and LCD simultaneously on the HV40, since the only way to activate the viewfinder is to close the LCD.

Stabilization

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Even though the Canon HV40 is equipped with an optical image stabilization system (OIS), the camcorder didn't do very well in our stabilization testing. Yes, the camcorder's OIS does help stabilize shake in hand held shooting, but our results found that it did not work as effectively as other camcorders—particularly in our high shake test.. More on how we test stabilization.

In our low shake test, the HV40 was able to reduce roughly 7% of the shake by using its OIS system. This isn't very good, especially when you consider the HV40 is so heavy and box-shaped (which should keep it more stable). In our high shake test, the HV40 didn't show any improvement with its OIS engaged. These poor numbers aren't that different from what we saw on the Canon HF S series. In comparison, the Sony HDR-XR520V had one of the best stabilization systems we tested. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 also did quite well with this test.

The video above shows the HV40 with both stabilization turned off and on. As you can see, it is difficult to notice any difference between the two images. We must say, however, that in real-life, hand held shooting with the camcorder we did notice a difference with OIS engaged. When we hooked the HV40 up to our shake rig, however, the camcorder had a lot of difficulty stabilizing the footage.

Manual Focus

Miscellaneous Controls

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Image Effects

The camcorder includes four pre-set image effects: Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, and Soft Skin Detail. These effects change the look of your recorded video, although none of them produce a drastic change. We showed examples of these settings in our color testing.

Custom Image Effects

The camcorder has a Custom setting that allows you to create your own Image Effect. You can individually adjust Color Depth, Sharpness, Contrast, and Brightness with the Custom setting, but a limited adjustment range of -1 to +1 is available for each setting.

Cine Mode

We're not exactly sure what Cine Mode does, but according to Canon it gives the footage a more cinematic look (presumably by adjusting exposure, color, and possibly the gamma curve). Cine Mode is meant to be used in conjunction with the camcorder's 24p frame rate, but it does not have to be.

Markers

Displays a line or set of lines on the screen to assist with framing. There are two different marker options: a level (one line with a notch in the center) and a grid (the screen is divided into a nine-sector grid. Either marker can be displayed as white or grey, and the lines do not end up in your recorded footage.

Zebra

Zebra patterns can be displayed in portions of the frame that are overexposed. The Zebra sensitivity can be set to 70% or 100%. Like the Markers, these patterns are only meant to assist with shooting and they do not end up in recorded footage.

Audio Controls

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The Canon HV40 has a basic set of audio controls that include the ability to manually set audio levels. The camcorder has a top-mounted, built-in microphone that is mostly out of the way from accidental rubs with fingertips or straps. The top-mounted placement of the mic doesn't point directly at your subject, but it still does a good job picking up directional audio. When shooting HD video, the HV40 compresses audio using the MPEG-1 Audio Layer 2 codec. 2-channels of 16 bit, 48 kHz audio is recorded with a transfer rate of 384kbps. For standard definition video, the audio is recorded as PCM digital sound with 16-bit (48 kHz/2-channels) and 12-bt (32kHz/4-channels) options.

If you don't like using the onboard microphone, the HV40 has a 3.5mm (1/8-inch) external mic jack on its right side. Just below this is the AV port that also doubles as a headphone output. A microphone can also be connected via the advanced accessory shoe on the top of the camcorder. The shoe is standard size so it should fit most accessories, but in order for a microphone to use the shoe's power connection it must be compatible with Canon's advanced accessory shoe design.

When manually setting the audio levels a display on the LCD shows where audio levels are peaking. Unfortunately, this display only provides decibel labels for -40dB, -12dB, and 0dB. So, if you're trying to set the levels at a specific decibel, it isn't going to be easy on the HV40. Additional audio controls include a windscreen and a microphone attenuator for the built-in mic.

Because it records to tape, the HV40 has numerous dubbing options and audio playback settings. During playback you can set the channel output between L/R (left and right channels), L/L (left channel only), and R/R (right channel only). The audio output can also be set to Stereo1, Stereo2, Mix/Fixed, or Mix/Variable depending on your audio dubbing preferences.

Editing

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The most important thing to know about the HV40's provided editing software is that it does not come with a program that allows you to transfer video from tape to your computer. If you want to edit the footage you shot with the HV40, you'll need to purchase your own editing program. Basic programs like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker will do the trick, or you can spring for professional-level editing software like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere to capture your footage from tape to computer. We want to make this fact clear because many consumers may assume the HV40 comes with some sort of video editing software. It does not.

Most camcorders that record to non-linear media instead of tape come with a basic video editing application. Canon includes Pixela ImageMixer 3SE on its flash-memory camcorders, but this program is not included with the HV40. The only thing the HV40 comes with is a Digital Video Solution Disk, which contains two photo organization programs (one for Macs and one for Windows). The photo programs are called ZoomBrowser EX 6.2 (Windows version) and Image Browser 6.2 (Mac version). Both programs are essentially rip-offs of Apple's iPhoto software, and they function essentially as organizational tools. Screen grabs of the Image Browser application are shown below.

When the HV40 is connected to a computer and is put into card mode, the Image Browser application automatically brings up a photo transfer screen. Transferring photos using the software is easy, but this is something most people will be familiar with if they've ever owned a digital camera. Once photos are transferred, you can view and organize them in the Browser Window (below). Minor edits and adjustments can also be made to photos.

Image Browser does have a few useful video features, but none of them allow for editing or capturing footage from tape. The program allows you to import video clips as well as iMovie projects, so you can organize your videos using Image Browser if you want to. We can't really imagine many people doing this, however, as you must use a separate program to edit and capture the footage anyway. For an overview of the software that ships with this and other camcorders, see our article: Video Editing Software For Your Camcorder{{product.brand.name}}-Included-Software.htm.

Compression

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The Canon HV40 uses HDV compression to record high definition video to tape and DV compression to record standard definition video. When tape-based camcorders ruled the market, HDV and DV compression were extremely common. In fact, they are still very common, but most camcorders that record to non-linear media (flash memory or an internal hard drive) use AVCHD compression. While the popularity of HDV is fading, the compression still has a lot of benefits. It is far easier to work with than AVCHD, and even out-of-date editing programs should be able to handle the HDV codec.

When using the DV codec to record standard definition video, the HV40 offers two video resolutions and two recording qualities. Videos can be recorded with a normal aspect ratio (4:3) at 640 x 480 or a wide 16:9 ratio at 853 x 480. The quality options are SP or LP, with LP giving you about 30 extra minutes of record time (at a lower quality). The SP/LP option is not available when shooting HD video. HDV and DV compression have a constant bitrate of 25Mbps, because they are used to record to tape (which has a constant speed).

The most significant change from the HV30 to the HV40 is the inclusion of a native-progressive 24p mode on the HV40. Most 30p and 24p modes found on consumer camcorders are actually recorded as 60i video with a technique called a 2:3 pulldown that removes certain frames in order to create the look of 30p or 24p. The HV40 has this option, as well as a native 24p mode that actually records 24 frames per second video to tape. Previously, this feature was only found on Canon's professional models, but it is now available to consumers on the HV40. Did the native 24p footage look all that different from 24p recorded at 60i? Not really. Plenty of purists will disagree, but the average consumer will probably not notice the difference. The main benefit of native 24p is in editing and post production. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various high definition compression types.

Media

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There used to be a time—only a few years ago really—when all camcorders recorded to tape. Well, the Canon HV40 hearkens back to that era by recording all video to MiniDV tape. We're not saying that the HV40 is out of date; it's simply a modern camcorder that records to an older media. Tape still has its glorious benefits over memory cards, internal hard drives, and internal flash memory. MiniDV tapes are very cheap, they're familiar—particularly if you've ever used a VCR—and they offer you a simple, tangible copy of your video. With non-linear media, your videos only exist as digital files saved to memory, unless you take the time to burn them to a disc. Tape is great for people who don't want to deal with the hassle of backing up their footage to a computer, hard drive, or DVD. MiniDV tapes are also fairly easy to find, so if you run out of blank ones while you're on vacation it shouldn't be too much trouble to purchase some extras.

The main disadvantages of tape are that it makes your camcorder bigger (you have to fit the bulky tape deck somewhere), and it can make the editing process longer. Video recorded to tape must be captured in real time onto a computer, which is often a frustrating and tedious process. Non-linear media has far less mess: you just connect the camcorder to your computer and import videos as you would photos or music. Both systems are time consuming, but with non-linear media, getting your footage from a camcorder to a computer is much more streamlined.

For HD video, MiniDV tape can only hold 60 minutes of video. For standard definition recording there is the option of using the lower-quality LP mode, which allows for 90 minutes of video. The Canon HV40 does have a MiniSD card slot, but you can only capture photos to these memory cards—not video. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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The Canon HV40 has your basic still features even though its still image capabilities aren't that impressive. The camcorder can take photos at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536, which isn't that large when you consider many new camcorders offer a 4000 x 3000 photo option. To access most of the HV40's still image controls you have to switch the camcorder over to card mode. Photos can be captured in video mode (even while recording), but only at 1920 x 1080 or 848 x 480 resolutions.

In card mode you have access to all the manual controls that are available in video mode (like shutter speed and aperture control), but you also can set the metering mode to evaluative, center-weighted average, or spot. There are two continuous shooting settings for photos: Normal takes 3 images per second, while High-Speed goes at roughly 5 images per second (when using the flash consecutive shooting runs at roughly 2.1 images per second). Both modes will continue to capture photos as long as you hold down the shutter button or reach the limit of 60 consecutive shots. There's also an auto exposure bracketing option that takes three images, each of which has a different exposure setting (-1/2 EV, normal, +1/2 EV).

The HV40 has a built in flash that is located to the left of the lens. The flash has a red-eye reduction setting and it can be turned on and off using the joystick navigation control. Additional photo controls include three quality options (Super Fine, Fine, and Normal), a 10-second self-timer, the ability to capture photos during playback (in the resolution the video was shot), and a playback zoom feature.

The Canon HV40 actually produced more vivid colors in its still photos (a 116.7% saturation level) than in our bright light video testing. The color accuracy, which was 4.41 in our still testing, was roughly the same as our video test. This isn't a bad performance, but it isn't anything of note. Many camcorders have much more accurate colors in our still testing (the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V, for example).

The color error map above shows that the HV40 had specific trouble with blue tones (notice how long the lines are for the three blue colors near the bottom). The camcorder did not show this much error with blues in our video testing, and the blue colors appear a bit bright and almost neon in their tone. In fact, the HV40 produced a very bright image overall in our still color test. We saw similar things from the HF S100, which also had some slight overexposure.

The HV40's noise level in our still testing was 0.94%. This is a bit higher than we'd like to see, especially since it is close to double the noise percentage we measured in our bright light video testing. This noise level is close to average for an HD camcorder, however, and it is actually less than the Canon HF S100 measured. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 had the lowest still noise levels of this group, registering just 0.79% noise.

The Canon HV40 only has an effective pixel count of 2.76 megapixels for its still images and it can capture photos at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is much smaller than many camcorders are capable of, but that didn't stop the HV40 from putting up halfway decent numbers in our still sharpness test. The camcorder measured a horizontal sharpness of 1313 lw/ph with 5.2% oversharpening, and a vertical sharpness of 1694 lw/ph with 6.2% oversharpening. These are good scores for a camcorder that doesn't have a high megapixel capability—in fact, it is actually better than the Panasonic HDC-TM300 was capable of. It also wasn't much worse than the 6-megapixel Sony HDR-XR520V.

There are lots of better camcorders out there for capturing still photos, however. The Canon HF S series (HF S100, HF S10, HF S11) all can capture 8-megapixel photos, the JVC GZ-X900 and GZ-HM400 can take 9-megapixel photos, and the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and VPC-CG10 can also take 9-megapixel photos. The HV40's numbers are also no match for even a cheap, dedicated digital camera—many of which have 12-megapixel still image capability or higher.

Lens & Imaging System

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The HV40 has a different lens and sensor than Canon's other other consumer camcorders. Its CMOS sensor is slightly smaller than what's inside the HF S100, S10, and S11, but it is significantly larger than the one inside the HF20 and HF200. The lens on the HV40 has a 10x optical zoom, which is the same as the HF S series from Canon, and it has an automatic lens cover that opens and closes when the camcorder is powered on and off.

Zoom Ratio Examples

Wide Angle

Mid Zoom

10x Zoom

LCD & Viewfinder

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The HV40 includes both an electronic viewfinder and an LCD screen, making it one of the few consumer camcorders manufactured by Canon that offers a viewfinder. Neither the viewfinder nor the LCD is worthy of much praise, however. The LCD is 2.7-inches in size, has a 211,000-pixel resolution, and features Canon's old LCD bezel design—the same design found on the Canon HF20 and HF200. The HF S100, S10, and S11 all feature a flat, glossy screen design, although their LCDs still have the same specs as the HV40.

We would have loved for Canon to include a larger LCD on the HV40, mainly because the camcorder is definitely big enough to accommodate one. The 2.7-inch size is OK, but it doesn't do anything to set the camcorder apart from the crowd. Brightness can be set manually on the LCD (with 44 increments of control), and you can also bump up the backlight of the screen by holding down the display button for two seconds.

We love that Canon put a viewfinder on the HV40, but, to be frank, the one Canon included is really bad. It cannot extend, pivot, rotate—nothing. The viewfinder is completely stationary, which makes it terribly difficult to use. Also, if you load the HV40 up with a larger battery pack, you may not even be able to press your eye against the viewfinder at all. The viewfinder is also made out of a hard, non-flexible plastic that is uncomfortable and doesn't provide a good seal around your eye. We understand that viewfinders are beginning to become a rarity on consumer camcorders, and it seems that Canon wants to make them as unfriendly to use as possible.

The viewfinder is 0.27-inches in size and features a paltry 123,000-pixel resolution. It also has a tiny diopter adjustment slider on its left side. Unfortunately, you cannot use the viewfinder and LCD simultaneously on the HV40, since the only way to activate the viewfinder is to close the LCD.

Connectivity

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The Canon HV40 has a few connectivity features that aren't found on most flash-memory camcorders. The most obvious is the presence of a FireWire port that is capable of both input and output of digital video. This is the terminal that is used to connect the HV40 to a computer in order to capture footage from a tape. The FireWire port on the HV40 can also be used to convert video from analog to digital. If you connect an analog video source to the HV40's AV-input, turn on the camcorder's AV-DV conversion setting, and connect the FireWire port to a computer, you can digitize analog video footage. When you consider that most AV-DV converters cost over $150, this is quite a valuable feature for the HV40 to include.

But enough about the analog-digital conversion feature; the HV40 has plenty of other connectivity features to talk about. Below the FireWire port on the back of the camcorder is a regular-sized HDMI terminal. Most consumer camcorders have mini-HDMI ports to save space, but Canon opted for a full-sized one here (there's no difference in quality, just the type of cable required). The port cover that protects these two terminals doesn't snap into place very well and always seems a bit loose—it isn't well-designed. Beneath these ports is an unprotected DC-input... why didn't Canon put this port under a cover as well?

Near the front of the camcorder, on the right side, are a 3.5mm microphone jack, the AV-in/out port, and a Component output. Here, the cover does a better job protecting the ports and it fits into the HV40's body rather snugly. Inside the LCD cavity (where the LCD panel closes) are the USB port and the MiniSD card slot. The USB port has no covering, which is a shame, but it is protected by the LCD when it is closed. The MiniSD slot probably has the best port cover on the entire camcorder. It is comprised of slightly flexible plastic that snaps shut to create an excellent seal over the port. The use of MiniSD for the camcorder's car slot is somewhat unusual, as MiniSD cards are not very common. We would have liked to see Canon use a regular SD/SDHC card slot here instead. Still, the camcorder is only capable of storing still photos on MiniSD, so it's not like you'll need to purchase multiple cards (one will probably suffice, even if you take a lot of photos).

The HV40 is one of the few consumer camcorders from Canon that doesn't use the mini accessory shoe design. The camcorder has a regularly-sized shoe, which means most accessories can be attached to the shoe. The shoe is powered, but only items that are compatible with Canon's advanced accessory shoe design will be able to connect to the powered part of the shoe terminal.

Battery

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The HV40 can accommodate larger battery packs that should give the camcorder a longer record time. The problem is, if you insert too large of a battery, like the BP-2L24H, you may not be able to use the viewfinder on the back of the camcorder. Batteries that extend too far out block you from pressing your eye up against the viewfinder (or they make it very uncomfortable). This is one of the reasons we wish Canon had implemented a pivot or extension option on the HV40's viewfinder. Find out how the product:model/product:model performed in our battery life test.

Media

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There used to be a time—only a few years ago really—when all camcorders recorded to tape. Well, the Canon HV40 hearkens back to that era by recording all video to MiniDV tape. We're not saying that the HV40 is out of date; it's simply a modern camcorder that records to an older media. Tape still has its glorious benefits over memory cards, internal hard drives, and internal flash memory. MiniDV tapes are very cheap, they're familiar—particularly if you've ever used a VCR—and they offer you a simple, tangible copy of your video. With non-linear media, your videos only exist as digital files saved to memory, unless you take the time to burn them to a disc. Tape is great for people who don't want to deal with the hassle of backing up their footage to a computer, hard drive, or DVD. MiniDV tapes are also fairly easy to find, so if you run out of blank ones while you're on vacation it shouldn't be too much trouble to purchase some extras.

The main disadvantages of tape are that it makes your camcorder bigger (you have to fit the bulky tape deck somewhere), and it can make the editing process longer. Video recorded to tape must be captured in real time onto a computer, which is often a frustrating and tedious process. Non-linear media has far less mess: you just connect the camcorder to your computer and import videos as you would photos or music. Both systems are time consuming, but with non-linear media, getting your footage from a camcorder to a computer is much more streamlined.

For HD video, MiniDV tape can only hold 60 minutes of video. For standard definition recording there is the option of using the lower-quality LP mode, which allows for 90 minutes of video. The Canon HV40 does have a MiniSD card slot, but you can only capture photos to these memory cards—not video. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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The Canon HV40 has your basic still features even though its still image capabilities aren't that impressive. The camcorder can take photos at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536, which isn't that large when you consider many new camcorders offer a 4000 x 3000 photo option. To access most of the HV40's still image controls you have to switch the camcorder over to card mode. Photos can be captured in video mode (even while recording), but only at 1920 x 1080 or 848 x 480 resolutions.

In card mode you have access to all the manual controls that are available in video mode (like shutter speed and aperture control), but you also can set the metering mode to evaluative, center-weighted average, or spot. There are two continuous shooting settings for photos: Normal takes 3 images per second, while High-Speed goes at roughly 5 images per second (when using the flash consecutive shooting runs at roughly 2.1 images per second). Both modes will continue to capture photos as long as you hold down the shutter button or reach the limit of 60 consecutive shots. There's also an auto exposure bracketing option that takes three images, each of which has a different exposure setting (-1/2 EV, normal, +1/2 EV).

The HV40 has a built in flash that is located to the left of the lens. The flash has a red-eye reduction setting and it can be turned on and off using the joystick navigation control. Additional photo controls include three quality options (Super Fine, Fine, and Normal), a 10-second self-timer, the ability to capture photos during playback (in the resolution the video was shot), and a playback zoom feature.

The Canon HV40 actually produced more vivid colors in its still photos (a 116.7% saturation level) than in our bright light video testing. The color accuracy, which was 4.41 in our still testing, was roughly the same as our video test. This isn't a bad performance, but it isn't anything of note. Many camcorders have much more accurate colors in our still testing (the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and the Sony HDR-XR520V, for example).

The color error map above shows that the HV40 had specific trouble with blue tones (notice how long the lines are for the three blue colors near the bottom). The camcorder did not show this much error with blues in our video testing, and the blue colors appear a bit bright and almost neon in their tone. In fact, the HV40 produced a very bright image overall in our still color test. We saw similar things from the HF S100, which also had some slight overexposure.

The HV40's noise level in our still testing was 0.94%. This is a bit higher than we'd like to see, especially since it is close to double the noise percentage we measured in our bright light video testing. This noise level is close to average for an HD camcorder, however, and it is actually less than the Canon HF S100 measured. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 had the lowest still noise levels of this group, registering just 0.79% noise.

The Canon HV40 only has an effective pixel count of 2.76 megapixels for its still images and it can capture photos at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536. This is much smaller than many camcorders are capable of, but that didn't stop the HV40 from putting up halfway decent numbers in our still sharpness test. The camcorder measured a horizontal sharpness of 1313 lw/ph with 5.2% oversharpening, and a vertical sharpness of 1694 lw/ph with 6.2% oversharpening. These are good scores for a camcorder that doesn't have a high megapixel capability—in fact, it is actually better than the Panasonic HDC-TM300 was capable of. It also wasn't much worse than the 6-megapixel Sony HDR-XR520V.

There are lots of better camcorders out there for capturing still photos, however. The Canon HF S series (HF S100, HF S10, HF S11) all can capture 8-megapixel photos, the JVC GZ-X900 and GZ-HM400 can take 9-megapixel photos, and the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and VPC-CG10 can also take 9-megapixel photos. The HV40's numbers are also no match for even a cheap, dedicated digital camera—many of which have 12-megapixel still image capability or higher.

Other Features

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AV-DV Conversion

The Canon HV40 has the ability to convert an analog video signal to a digital one. This feature is found on most camcorders that offer a FireWire terminal because you can use it to output a digital signal while inputting an analog signal via the AV port. We cover AV-DV conversion more in the Connectivity section of this review, but we wanted to mention it here because it can be a valuable tool.

Digital Effects

The HV40 has two transition effects (a wipe and a fader) and three digital image effects (Black & White, Sepia, and Art). All of these effects are available in video mode, while still mode only allows for Black & White and the Sepia setting. The HV40 has a bit of a confusing system for turning these effects on. First you must select them in the Function menu, then you must activate them using the joystick menu.

Video Light

The HV40's video light is rather strong (its range is around 10 -15 feet), but it does give the footage a slight blue tone. The light on the Canon HF S100 is roughly the same strength, but it works better because it doesn't have the bluish color. The HV40's light is activated by pressing a small button on the top of the camcorder (near the back).

Panasonic HDC-TM300 Comparison

The HV40 is the only MiniDV camcorder Canon released in 2009, which makes it fairly unique amongst the competition. Canon concentrates most of its effort into flash-memory models like the HF S100 and the rest of the HF S series (HF S11 and HF S10). With the HF S100 you get the advantage of recording to non-linear media rather than tape (if you consider that an advantage), and you also get a much more elegant design, a more compact body, and a better handling experience.

The HF S100 has more manual controls than the HV40, including an auto gain limiter, better peaking functions, and far more still features. To manipulate these controls, the HF S100 also has an excellent control dial near the front of the camcorder. This dial is far better than the focus dial featured on the HV40, and it can be set to control a variety of settings (not limited to focus). Also improved on the HF S100 is Canon's extensive menu system. Canon didn't make perfect menus for the HF S100, but they are much more of a pleasure to work with than the confusing and out-dated menus on the HV40.

So, what features does the HV40 have that aren't found on the HF S100? The most obvious is an electronic viewfinder, which Canon seems to be eliminating from all its flash-memory camcorders. Still, we weren't all that impressed with the HV40's viewfinder to begin with, so this isn't that big of a loss. The HV40 also has a standard-size accessory shoe, while the HF S100 offers Canon's proprietary mini-fit design. Another significant feature on the HV40 is its native-progressive 24p mode, which allows the camcorder to record 24 frames per second video directly to tape (instead of recording it at 60i). The HF S100 and the rest of the flash-memory Canon camcorders only have the option of recording non-native 24p (at 60i).

Since the HF S100 did slightly better in our performance testing (particularly with sharpness), and because it has a much better design, we think it is a better camcorder than the HV40. Of course, the real decision here comes down to whether you prefer tape or flash memory. If you are accustomed to recording to tape and are used to the workflow involved, then the HV40 should suite your video needs. If you're ready to move to non-linear media, however, the HF S100 offers a much better shooting experience. Still, there are problems associated with the AVCHD codec used by the HF S100 (it is difficult to work with on a computer), and SD/SDHC memory cards are still a bit more expensive than MiniDV tapes at this point, which makes the HV40 the more economical option.

The HF S100 doesn't come with any internal memory, so all video is recorded to SD/SDHC memory cards (sold separately). The HF S10 is identical, except it includes 32GB of internal flash memory for $1299. The HF S11 is also very similar (with a few changes, like an extra stabilization setting), but it packs 64GB of internal memory and costs $1399.

Update: The Canon HF S11 (a slightly updated sister model to the HF S100) was ultimately selected as our 2009 runner-up for Camcorder of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.

Sony HDR-XR520V Comparison

The only tape-based camcorders currently manufactured by Panasonic record standard definition video. The company's HD models all either record to flash memory (like the HDC-TM300) or an internal hard drive (like the HDC-HS300). The TM300 offers the same benefits with workflow that any flash-memory based camcorder will give you. In this regard, it is really no different from the Canon HF S100, except the TM300 contains 32GB of internal memory.

So, lets look at how the TM300 stacks up against the HV40 based on performance, handling, and control. The HDC-TM300 did exceptionally well in most of our tests, making it one of the strongest camcorders of 2009. It beat out the HV40 in most categories, although the two camcorders had very similar video sharpness scores. The Panasonic HDC-TM300 also has more manual controls than the HV40, a splendid lens ring for making manual adjustments, and a number of new 'intelligent Auto' features that make use of Panasonic's touchscreen LCD.

If you ignore any bias you may have about recording media, the HDC-TM300 is a much better camcorder than the HV40. It has better performance, it's easier for beginners, and it feels a whole lot more comfortable in the hand. It also includes a better viewfinder than the HV40 (Panasonic's can extend), and its stabilization system worked more effectively in our testing. If you're going to spring for a flash-memory camcorder, the HDC-TM300 is the best one on the market right now. It is a good deal more expensive than the HV40 (roughly $300 more), but it is worth the extra cash.

Update: The Panasonic HDC-TM300 was ultimately selected as our 2009 Camcorder of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.

COMP 3

The Sony HDR-XR520V is different from the Panasonic HDC-TM300 and Canon HF S100 because it records to an internal hard drive instead of flash memory. The camcorder does have a flash memory option, however, since it includes a Memory Stick PRO Duo card slot in addition to its 240GB internal hard drive. Yes, you read that correctly, the XR520V has a larger hard drive than most laptops. The camcorder is a lot larger than its flash memory competition, but it is actually a bit smaller than the Canon HV40. So, it seems a gigantic hard drive is now more compact than a MiniDV tape deck.

The practicality of a 240GB hard drive on a camcorder is debatable, but one thing's for sure—you don't have to worry about buying a tape or memory card for a long time. The Sony HDR-XR520V can store over 29 hours of video, at its highest quality setting, to the 240GB hard drive. If you lower things down to a mid-level quality setting, the number jumps close to 60 hours of video. That is a heck of a lot of video to store on a camcorder, which is why some people may be wary of the XR520V. If you lose the camcorder or damage the hard drive, you could lose hours upon hours of footage. The HV40, with its tape-based media, automatically produces a tangible copy of everything you record onto MiniDV tape. This makes the HV40 better for someone who wants to instantly archive their footage, although the process of getting that video off the tape and onto a computer can be a hassle.

Looking at performance and controls, the HV40 and Sony HDR-XR520V are quite similar. The XR520V does have a better control dial, a larger LCD screen, and a few more gimmicky options like face detection and smile shutter. Both camcorders handle similarly due to their bulky right-side designs. The HV40 feels a bit more comfortable, thanks to some rounded contours and a slightly more ergonomic design.

Even though the 240GB hard drive is an impressive spec, we feel the HDR-XR520V is a bit overpriced for what you get. It is $500 more than the Canon HV40 and its benefits aren't that much better. Of course, the decision between these two products really comes down to media.

Conclusion

Since the HV40 is only a minor upgrade over last year's HV30, it seems that Canon isn't putting too much effort into its tape-based HDV models. The HV40's flash-memory counterparts have more sophisticated designs, better handling, and more useful features, suggesting that they are Canon's camcorders of the future. Canon's new top-of-the-line HF S series (HF S100, HF S10, and HF S11) also outdid the HV40 when it came to our video performance testing.

That doesn't mean there still isn't a place for tape-based camcorders in today's market. Many people are still more comfortable working with tape and the difficulties associated with AVCHD footage can be too much for some to bear. The HV40 is also a bit cheaper than most of the high-end flash memory and internal hard drive camcorders out there. Still, we're disappointed that Canon didn't put in the effort to improve the HV40's menus, user interface, or handling like it did with its other 2009 models. For this reason, the HV40 seems out-dated, old fashioned, and clunky.

If you're looking for a consumer-level HDV camcorder, there really isn't much to choose from, so the HV40 is probably the best option by default. Since Canon didn't change much (other than adding the native 24p mode), looking for a cheap HV30 might be a good idea if you're hard on cash. If non-linear media doesn't scare you, however, there are plenty of camcorders that perform better, look cooler, and handle easier than the HV40.

Photo Gallery

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