Canon DC40 Review

Posted on July 2nd, 2008

For the DCD 40, Canon has been particularly careful design. But that’s not all. This camcorder that records on DVD has all the commands and functions to achieve good quality videos.

Verdict Canon DC40
Fort Thursday extended its useful features, its speed recording, its attractive design and good quality video, the Canon DC40 ensure a place among the best DVD camcorders.

Good
attractive and functional design, quality of robust construction; quality video very satisfactory in broad daylight and surprisingly good in low-light conditions; comprehensive set of photo and video semi-manual.

Bad
LCD small; uses Mini SD cards rather than standard SD cards, video blinding light, no S-Video to convert analog video to DVD.

Canon DC40 Review

Difficult to make a camcorder to a DVD recording particularly original … It is not so much that there are ways that combine the basic geometries of a cylindrical optical system, a DVD circular 8 cm and a rectangular LCD screen! In addition, the obligation positioning control which must remain accessible. However, Canon is doing its utmost to make you forget that its DC40 is composed of the same old elements.
To begin with, its plastic casing bicolore (champagne and brown, a brushed metal) gives it a pretty elegant. Moreover, despite the plastic, its construction appears relatively robust, a sentiment partly due to its weight of about 540 g. A strip of rubber this on top of the compartment to DVD allows you to grasp well the device. In this position, your right index comes naturally arise on the zoom switch, ready to reach the shutter of the camera, while your thumb has to stay on the record button.

The DC40 is not for the followers of any automatic. It is thus provided many external commands a model for the general public. Willing near the record button, slide the switch to the on / off / launch requires you to stretch somewhat the right thumb. Given the short time you will need this command being recorded, its location is appropriate. To use the switch that allows you to switch between photo and video modes, you must move your hand slightly. The menu buttons and functions, you will need to use more often require you to exercise or contortions of the right hand or to manipulate the left hand, as the navigation joystick lies on the left side of camcorder, you’ll have to make constant comings and goings of the left hand.
The joystick allows quick access to settings of exposure (exposure compensation, shutter speed or openness, depending on the mode in which you are) and manual focus. If you can quickly developed a rough, it is very difficult to use for setting more precise.

Under the LCD screen, Canon has placed orders for reading and buttons activation / deactivation of flash lamp and the video, and the battery (inside the camcorder). It is an ideal location, too rarely exploited. Given the size of the screen (7 cm), icons, menus DC40 can be difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the viewfinder is too small and not flexible at that. In other words, it is not really an alternative. If you have a bad sight or wear glasses, try the DC40 before purchase.

Characteristics
As Sony, Canon considers that a DVD camcorder premium must offer a variety of features. Canon focuses on the manual controls and photo options. Although the Canon DC40 is endowed with a modest 10x optical zoom, it offers a setting to open between f / 1.8 and f / 3 and accepts the additional optical 37 mm. The resolution of videos recorded in 16/9e is just less than 3 megapixels, while the sequence 4 / 3 operating at about 3.5 megapixels. The photos they receive about a full resolution of 4 megapixels. Like all its competitors, the DC40 can record 20 minutes of video quality on a Single DVD. The Canon camcorder models support DVD-R and DVD-RW 8 cm and includes Roxio MyDVD.

The modes of Aperture-priority and shutter, the many scene modes, auto white balance and image some effects are mostly at your disposal in video mode, as in photo mode. The DC40 also offers many valuable features, including a variable speed zoom and three constant zoom speeds, displaying a horizontal line superimposed (for those of us who are unable to keep a stable position), a neutral density filter and an integrated filter breathable. The two modes dedicated to low-light conditions, Night and Super Night, respectively merely to lower the shutter speed and activate the lamp video.

We regret that some orders may not be available for both the video for the photos. For example, some options reserved for photos, such as the selection method of measurement (evaluative, spot and weighted Central) would be very useful for video. Similarly, some options of how video would be perfect for photos, including the mode 16/9e and image stabilization. As the DC40 uses an electronic image stabilizer, you sacrifice a small part of your image 16 / 9 when it is active. At least the camcorder product is a real big screen image, rather than a video 4 / 3 flattened.

Performances Canon DC40
The Canon DC40 product performance rather satisfactory for its category, despite the problem of registration deadline own the camcorders of this type. With a blank DVD préinitialisé, time to market is almost instantaneous. And it takes only a few seconds for the camcorder off, it’s a different story on initialization. The DC40 takes about 15 seconds to simply determine that a DVD-RW must be initialized and 35 seconds for formatting a DVD-VR (rewritable) or 20 seconds for a DVD-R. With a DVD-R partially completed, the camcorder requires a period of approximately 30 seconds. When you’re ready, it will take about two seconds between when you press the record button on / off and the activation itself.
Apart from performances related to its recording media, however, the DC40 operates evenly and quickly. It regulates the development quickly when you zoom in or make a view, that your subject is somewhat or very mixed. Moreover, he adapts quickly to changes in exposure. The zoom switch is relatively responsive: When you opt for a variable speed zoom, the goal moves from one end to another of the focal range at a glance. As speeds zoom constants, you have the choice between slow, very slow and appallingly slow, but it is surely one that you will have the greatest need. The electronic image stabilizer to compensate for slight movements printed camcorder.

Canon housed the microphone in front of the DC40, under the lens. Thus, it does not sound hollow produced by the zoom switch when you press it, neither felt good about the video annoyed. However, the audio quality is just correct, we regret that this camcorder does not control the volume.
The LCD 7 cm is a bit small and produces a rough image, but still legible in bright sunlight and moderately dark environments.

Image Quality
The playing videos recorded on a DVD player relatively new product images very good: sharp and saturated with an exhibition and a white balance accurately. Since you do not have zoomed, nor carried out a pan too quickly, the movement artifacts are rare. However, a rudimentary device several years old jumped images randomly. Even if the problem is probably due to the player and his inability to correctly read DVD-R, it is better to be notified.

We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of videos shot in low light conditions. Admittedly, the image is rough, but is exploitable and colors are sufficiently restored to appear realistic. The powerful video lamp illuminates to about 2 m, but if you point to one person, it will automatically be dazzled and grimacera.
The pictures share the same characteristics that make videos attractive: saturation, exposure and white balance satisfactory. However, do not have the image stabilizer, you must manually set a shutter speed slightly higher to get sharp images. In automatic mode in clear weather, we failed to take a cliché enough net to print.

Canon DC40 Review

Filed under Canon, Video Cameras |

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