Consumer Video Tips

I just spent a week shooting with The Canon HV30. It’s a small, but very powerful and affordable camcorder.

I selected this model for use on the Aperture Nature Photography Workshop based on the advice of none other than my pal, Alex Lindsay. Alex is the honcho at Pixelcorps and knows his stuff. He said the HV30 is THE camera to get, if you’re looking for a small handheld and you want to use tape. So I did – get it that is.

Now before I go on, let’s deal with the elephant in the room…

Yes, HD/DV tape is probably on its very last legs. I’d be surprised if in three years we see any new camcorders using tape – so I plan to buy up a nice supply when I see the end near.

But for now, tape is reliable, affordable and easy. Some videographers who’ve purchased HD, or DVD – based recording camcorders have had compatibility issues with video-editing software. You don’t need a special reader or even special software with tape-based cameras. Most computers (as in ALL Mac computers and most Windows computers) come with competent software such as iMovie with which you can pull down and edit the video from a tape-based camera. When I found the right cable (not included!), video transfer to iMovie was a breeze.

The HV30 has a ton of features but some of the highlights to me are:

1. It has external mics – a must-have feature in a camcorder.
2. It allows you to monitor the audio in real time. Another must.
3. It’s compact.
4. It offers 24p, 30fps and 60i frame modes.
5. It has a great LCD
6. It features a wonderful 10x OPTICAL zoom with a range of

f/1.8-f/3.0 offering the following focal lengths:

(Effective focal lengths – EFL)

-43.6mm – 436.0mm (16:9 Movie)
-53.0mm – 530mm (4:3 Movie)

7. There is a front mount 43mm filter diameter which allows for external lenses and filters
8. It has a plethora of connection options including USB, component, firewire and HDMI
9. If you’re a super video HD geek, you can grab UNCOMPRESSED HD video out of the back of the camera using the HDMI port. This feature made my buddy Alex VERY excited.
10. It offers amazing video capture performance in all sorts of conditions, including low-light
11. It has anti-shake that works
12. It has full manual controls available when you want them
13. It has a real viewfinder is included in addition to the swing out LCD
14. It uses a rear mounted joystick makes one-handed operation easy
15. It has a Zebra mode to monitor highlight exposure

The camera is pretty simple to operate. I didn’t even need the manual to figure out most of the features. I prefer the look of 24p and selected the “cinematic” preset. Right out of the box, the video was completely amazing. I was actually stunned that at the quality.

The menus are very intuitive and manual control, while ergonomically challenging to use at times, does work. The joystick is a bit too small for my fat thumb.

I will say that the ability to control audio manually, and to even have an on-screen, real-time audio meter is fantastic. WOW! This is a prosumer-level feature. Audio is SO very important to successful video production and with the HG30, you can achieve some amazing audio results. I’d say without a doubt, that when it comes to camcorders in this price range, nothing challenges the HG30’s audio capability.

I didn’t test the still capabilities of this camera. Why would I? I was carrying a Nikon D3 around my neck

But the reports I’ve heard from reliable sources are that like most camcorders, still images are not their bread and butter, but in a pinch, they’ll do.

Battery life was similar to other camcorders I’ve tested – which means you’ll want to buy at least one extra battery to carry around with you when you use this camcorder in the field.

I experimented with the autofocus and the variable zoom on this camcorder. The autofocus was very accurate, but slow in 24p mode. In 30 FPS mode it’s as fast as any other camcorder, which is to say, not as fast as I’d like, but fast enough. The variable zoom takes some getting used to, but works. The more pressure you put on the zoom switch, the faster it zooms. You can also set the zoom speed manually to slow, medium or fast. I prefer slow zooms so I set mine to the slowest speed. Most users will prefer the medium speed.

One of the features that I found helpful was what Canon calls “markers.” These are grid lines that go both horizontally and diagonally across the screen. This feature only works on the LCD. It helps you line up your shots using the rule of thirds aided by a nine-sector grid.

There are a couple of things I didn’t like.

a. There is a plastic cover that hides the hotshoe. It is tethered to the camera using a small piece of plastic. Unfortunately, when trying to mount a shotgun mic to the hotshoe, the cover gets in the way. I had to cut the plastic cord that held it to remove it. That means I’ll lose the cover, but I don’t think that’s too big a deal. In the field, there will always be a mic or a hot-light mounted there, so it won’t be exposed to the elements. It would have been better if they used a longer cord to allow complete removal of that cover so it could be set out of the way.

b. I think that Canon should include the firewire cable you’ll need to download video to most computers. It’s not THAT expensive to throw in a five-foot cable and the hassle of having to drive around to find one (that you didn’t know you’d need) is unnecessary.

c. Larger capacity batteries can get in the way of the viewfinder forcing use of the LCD.

d. No manual gain control – I know, at this price who expects that. But it would be nice.

Believe it or not, shooting several hours with this camcorder still didn’t give me a chance to test all of its features. There are many. But what I did use was great. I’m very happy with this camcorder and while newer models are on the way (aren’t they always?) I am planning on keeping this one for a while. I expect that it will provide me with all I need in the way of video capability until the tape runs out – literally. By then – well you know me…I’ll have upgraded

At just over $600, the HV30 is a real winner. If you’re in the market for a powerful hand-held, affordable camcorder, look no further.

I’ll have some test footage up over at the Aperture Nature Photography Workshop page in a few weeks.