HV 40 vs. HF S200

[Bob Dix]

Check out Canon Specs for HF S200 is .3 Lux , HV40 is .2 Lux (night) recording Program or 2.5 Lux (Auto Mode Shutter speed at 1/25 sec.But, you will get a photo and video.

Neither are great but, what a marvellous videocamera the HV 40 is , especially for editing , we have used the HV 20 for 3 years and it is stunning HDV and it easily takes mini tapes recorded on the Canon XL-H1 ($11,000) and the XH-A1( $6999) and loses no quality on tape at 25 mbps.

However, if you want real low level light performance at 1920 x 1080 p try the Canon EOS 5D mark II , it is a stunner at three times the price.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Bob Dix]

https://www.donferrario.com/ruether/Canon_HV20-HV30.htm

Have a look at this review, any HDD camera will have issues editing and showing video on a HD TV and using HDMI , editing avi not AVCHD is the easy way to go in Premiere Pro or Premiere Elements ???????

good luck.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Clyde Villegas]

The reason why I’m looking for the best in low light is because I already have a DOF adapter and lens (which is why I’m not looking into buying the DSLR because it defeats the purpose of having a DOF adapter). The adapter and lens eats up about a stop of light.

If the difference in light sensitivity is very small, I might go for the HF S200 because having no moving part makes it look more durable. But another thing that’s bothering me is the AVCHD format, which according to what I’ve read so far, is a more difficult format to edit. Whew!

ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

[Bob Dix]

You will have a problem with AVCHD format and you will want to edit, things have improved but you may need a big computer re- rendering times and crashes, I would not touch it, after the issues with H264, but , if you have a quad core with a large processor and nice video card and 64 bit operating system on a i7 and plenty of RAM go for it>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Clyde Villegas]

I’m only using Core2 Quad with 4 gigs of ram and 64bit OS. I’m not sure if it’s fast enough. What do you think?

ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

[Bob Dix]

Well it looks ok but, I run a Quad Core Workstation 2.27 Ghz with 12 GB Ram and a Nvidia Quadro FX 3800 1GB Video Card mainly for CS5 Premiere Pro, I think I may have been better going for a larger processor say 2.66 GHZ with hyper-threading but, it would have cost a mint, but, I will live with what i’ve got for now. The results are professional but, may be a tad slow. But, nothing like the 3.20GHZ hyper-threaded Pentium 4. The system is 3 times faster and no crashes, & blu-ray to boot.The transcoding does not look like slow motion & the rendering is fast enough.i7 and 64 bit operating system.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Clyde Villegas]

I think i will have to go with the HV40. It’s proven with many indie film makers and time is important to me, especially that I have really tight deadlines. But how do you compare its low light performance with the old Canon XL1?

ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

[Bob Dix]

Hi Clyde,

Ii did not own one , but, if you check out the Canon Specifications it will give you low level light lux performance minimum.The CMOS sensors are better than the 3ccd’s apparently for low level light performance, you may have to set it manually and experiment, I do know the HV20/30/40 video on a jazz band in low level light last year looked faded compared with the Canon 5D Mark II with it’s tremendous ISO Light range which can be set to anything up to 12,500 or more, it did look like professional lighting with out the lights.

Check out the movie on web “REVERIE” for this camera.

all the best >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ps. Incidentally both cameras were set at 1/50 sec shutter speed, the stills from the 5D mark II left the Canon HV20/30/40 in the shade

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

[Clyde Villegas]

I would love to buy the 5D but it’s out of my budget right now. And the rolling shutter worries me. Some of our shots need fast panning and fast moving subjects which may skew the acquired image.

ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus

[Bob Dix]

I understand, the horizontal fast panning on the 5D is not ideal without the correct Image stabilzation in the Canon Lens, and I think the main one would be the 70-200mm which is quite heavy, don’t rush the pan on the Hv40 as you may end up with some pixels shifting slowly .but, a lot of that may have been caused by our Dell 8400 3.2Ghz Pentium 4 ? I found it best not to run the HV20 on Cinema Mode , best to experiment ?

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA