Canon HV10 Review

The HV10 is the first HDV camcorder general public proposed by Canon. It can record 1080i HD on mini-DV cassettes. Its relatively high price intends above all the fans who love the latest technology and with an HDTV.

Verdict Canon HV10
The Canon HV10 is an HDV camcorder that has everything to please but who suffers from some flaws ergonomics. Its image quality mode HDV is more than satisfactory even if it suffers from a low latitude contrast. An excellent optical stabilizer provides an additional stability and therefore sharpness very valuable.

After Sony, it’s turn to propose a Canon HDV camcorder aimed specifically at a public amateur. The HDV technology has already proved its worth and Canon is therefore able to propose, at this first model, a comprehensive and effective product. The high definition is now a reality for many users and french Europeans who have HDTVs. The HV10 will fill all those who love to stay at the cutting edge of technology through its image resolution, which refers that of traditional camcorders to oblivion. The Canon HV10 is not free from some flaws.
The Canon HV10 surprised by his appearance a little square, which located midway between a camcorder format horizontal and vertical device. Canon beautiful state that HDV camcorder is the most compact market, it still remains relatively large compared to the compactness of certain models traditional mini-DV. As always at Canon, its high-end appliances, design quality is impeccable and excellent finishes. Thus, despite its rather light weight (440 g), it gives a general impression of luxury and ruggedness.

The square shape of Canon HV10 is not really an advantage in terms of ergonomics. The grip is quite good in most cases, but it is quite problematic if you have large hands. Indeed, the zoom control is located too close and then it becomes very difficult to handle, without loosening the strap of the handle and lose a grip on the apparatus. This seems a detail, but may end up being very embarrassing because it directly affects the stability of the shooting. If you have large hands, we strongly recommend that you test the ergonomics of the camera from a dealer before making the acquisition. Nothing objectionable in contrast with regard to the rest of the manipulations. Unlike Sony, which has a touch screen LCD, all manipulations on the Canon HV10 done in the traditional way, via buttons and a selection wheel to navigate through menus. These are simplified as much as possible and therefore should not confuse a novice user.

The Canon HV10 and directed primarily at users who do not want s’embarrasser settings too complex. The lack of helmet and micro taken, although regrettable, is in use before any of the family unit. The lens, integrated camera, opens and closes automatically when power-up, which is very valuable.

The Canon HV10 is an HDV camcorder, operating with cassettes type mini-DV, where you can choose to save the DV format is a standard resolution 4 / 3 or 16/9e, or high definition 1080i format. The CMOS sensor type measure 1 / 2, 7 inches and offers a total resolution of 2.96 million pixels. In HD mode, approximately 2.07 million photosites are used, which allows the HV10 to propose a resolution images with exceptional. From this viewpoint, the HV10 does not disappoint. Despite its compactness, it does not issue HD signal at a discount. It is equipped with an LCD screen appearance 16/9e by 6.8 cm long and a 10x optical zoom. The latter enjoys an optical image stabilizer (OIS) particularly effective, which can compensate, in large part, the inevitable tremor of the hand when using a device as light. The AF is fast and precise. If you prefer to go to manual mode, Canon’s HV10 with a zoom feature which momentarily in the image in order to facilitate the development.

Canon HV10 Review

A photo mode allows you to record still images on a miniSD card (not included). Several resolutions images are available, up to 2048×1536 pixels. They can be recorded simultaneously ways while you’re filming, or when you read your videotape. Photos can be transferred via the USB 2.0 camera and print directly from PictBridge function. Operations crop and retouch basic may, in this case, take place directly on the camcorder’s LCD screen. The Canon HV10 is equipped with both a flash for photos and a mini-torch LED for the video. The latter is obviously not very powerful but can troubleshoot when lighting conditions are very low.
Connection Canon HV10 we reserve the good times and bad surprise. The good is that the camera has audio inputs and analog video. The latter can connect your old analog camcorder or VCR and transfer the video to the DV format HV10. No miracle, however, you’ll be logically limited to the standard resolution.

The bad surprise is the absence of HDMI, what we think is particularly surprising for a camcorder that’s the technology. Remember that all televisions with HD Ready label are now equipped with such connections. You can obviously admire your videos in full HD quality through the exit component, but the lack of HDMI output nonetheless regrettable. The Canon HV10 uses an InfoLithium battery whose autonomy average is around 40 minutes depending on use. The Japanese manufacturer offers an optional battery of higher capacity and to double this period.

Let us turn to the essentials, namely the quality of high definition image. Again, the finding is somewhat mixed. In terms of defining the image, there is nothing to say. The videos taken by the Canon HV10 have a sharpness surprising for a compact camera. The compression artifacts are hardly visible including in shooting conditions difficult, as the water moving by example. The colors are well made. This spoils strongly in low-light conditions, especially since it is not possible to manually control the gain. But the greatest weakness in terms of image quality comes mainly from the low latitude of contrast (or dynamic). It is thus very easily with images with areas of high lights completely saturated. It is fortunately possible to display bars Mussels in the viewfinder or the LCD screen to identify those areas overexposed at the time of the shooting.

This is especially the first HDV camcorder general public signed by Canon and should be welcomed as such. It opposes directly to Sony HDR-HC3 and offers image quality and similar functions. It is therefore up to the level of ergonomics that are the differences, the Sony is equipped with an LCD touch screen while the Canon HV10 is set in a traditional way.

Filed under Canon, Video Cameras |

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One Response to “Canon HV10 Review”

1. Canon HV10 Review Says:
   June 30th, 2008 at 6:57 am

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