Product Description

Canon Legria HV40 Camcorder

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #47594 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 3687B006AA
• Released on: 2009-01-24
• Dimensions: 3.81 pounds

Features

• Canon Legria HV40 Camcorder

Manufacturer's Description
The LEGRIA HV40 inherits all the benefits of the Canon HD Camera System from its award-winning predecessor, the HV30. The unique combination of a genuine Canon HD Video Lens, a Full HD CMOS sensor and the DIGIC DV II processor delivers superb HDV1080i (High Definition Video), recorded to tape.

Even slight focusing errors show up in HD footage. The LEGRIA HV40 employs Instant AF, Canon’s unique hybrid auto focus system, to achieve pin-sharp focus at speed.

A genuine Canon HD Video Lens with a 10x optical zoom is constructed to the most exacting standards – drawing on Canon’s expertise in broadcast lens manufacture. A Super Range Optical Image Stabilizer compensates for vibrations across the frequency range, combating camera shake.

The LEGRIA HV40 gives moviemakers more manual control over shooting variables. A Custom Key lets you choose what function you’d like to assign to the manual Control Dial: choose to control features such as focus, exposure, or audio level.

With an Advanced Accessory Shoe, adapt the camcorder to your specific needs – a range of optional peripherals, including a video light and a directional microphone, can be added. Manual audio level control gives you precise control over audio recording. Quickly connect to a compatible HD TV or computer via HDMI.

The LEGRIA HV40 gives you the option of true 25p (progressive) shooting. Combined with a special CINE image mode, shoot movies that have the look and feel of traditional film. 25p also provides improved low light performance.

Thanks to DIGIC DV II, shoot 2.07MP photos and video simultaneously, with photos stored to MiniSD card. A range of dedicated photo features is available, including a one-push histogram for monitoring brightness levels. It’s easy to print photos on any PictBridge compatible printer.

Via an AV input connection, transfer analogue footage (including your old home movies) to digital tape – ideal for archiving.

If you’re planning a long shooting day, the LEGRIA HV40 is compatible with Canon’s optional high capacity battery (BP-2L24H) – cutting down the need to carry spares.

Box Contains

Customer Reviews

Great video but build quality concerns
We bought the HV40 as a replacement for our ageing Sony TRV330e, plumping for dv tape as we're hopeless at making time to edit captured video to disk.
After much agonising and having already purchased a Canon digital camera we decided that the best option would be the HV30 rather than the HV30 on the basis that its a long term investment and better to get the "bells 'n whistles" now. As an aside, finding dv tape cameras or those with a larger price tag in shops is nigh on impossible so you're increasingly buying on reputation and third party (biased?) reviews...
The HV40 a significantly smaller camera than our old Sony which is nice however this comes at the cost of some build quality specifically the tape door and the LCD screen.
The tape door doubles as a securing point for the hand grip and the locking mechanism does not have a sufficient engagement to avoid some "slap" between the door and the case. The movement is less than 1mm but its enough to affect confidence.
Used to the substantial feel of the Sony, the LCD screen feels vulnerable to heavy handed treatment as its only 1/2 the depth however the displayed image is very good.
We also noticed some noise made by the movement of the lens groups when the unit is moved.
To save battery power we generally prefer to use the view finder whilst filming but the facility on this camera does not encourage its use as it is too close to the camera body and has no soft padding for the eye.
The camera has a joystick to control the menu settings which works well but again one wonders if it will survive the years.
Shooting some actual footage shows the significant advances that videos have come since the Sony came out. The quality of the image is stunning and level of detail far exceeds what we had become used too. No grainyness or blurring is evident and no doubt it will look even better on an HD TV!
There are a bewildering number of options and three separate locations for the various data outputs!
So far we haven't noticed any tape transport noise on the recordings but which has been mentioned in other reviews hoever due to the location of the microphone can see how this might be possible.
Overall we're pleased but for the price we do have some reservations whether it will last as long as the Sony did and would have expected a more substantial quality feel.

Good for prof
Just received it. The only dis- noise. I have purchase the Rode mic for it as I knew about the noise from the forums. It didn't help too much, but the voice record sounds much more professional with Rode. I am still investigating that, but according to all my long term researches this is the best camcorder in the market (taking in account the home camcorders only) if you are up to serious editing- go for this canon. If you are just a beginner, the cheapest from Argos will do.

Great Camera but the price!!!
strange how this very same camera can be bought in the US for just £416!!! Wonder what magic extra features are added during those few extra miles from China? Perhaps it's the plug that makes all the difference in price :)