Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon HV30 High Definition Camcorder (10 x Optical Zoom With 2.7 inch Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD)

I bought this camera on recommendation after spending a considerable amount of time reading reviews. My main concern was spending so much on a tape based camera when the market is moving towards solid state. I am delighted I opted for the HV30. The quality is absolutely stunning. I intend to keep all the HDV recorded material archived on tape.

Currently I connect our camera to a Panasonic DMREX78 HDD recorder and transfer from there to DVD. Whilst obviously this is a standard definition transfer, it's so painless - no time consuming format conversion/editing required. Plus the original content is still on tape anyway in full high definition. You will need a Firewire cable for this or indeed for transfer to a PC. None is provided with the camera. Eventually I will purchase a similar HDD BluRay recorder and will repeat the transfer from tape in HDV.

I agree with previous reviewer I am delighted the HV30 still bucks the trend and relies on tried and tested tape technology. I would order an additional battery; you get about an hour or so out of a single charge.

In automatic mode, the camera is so simple to use. The vast majority of people will probably never need to explore the huge range of features. My wife uses the camera very easily. We are more interested in just capturing the moment than spending hours post recording in editing suites. By very modern standards it does have a fair size footprint, but feels comfortable in the hand. I love this camera, one of the best purchases I have ever made.

I bought this recently to film my wedding and honeymoon and the video quality is simply stunning. I played it back last night to family and friends and they just gasped at the quality. The sound is on board, the same as almost all camcorders ever, and therefore you have to expect it is good but not perfect - for example you'll always get wind noise when filming outside. I intend to buy an external Rode mic to sort this out. No problems downloading for editing, but then I am using a Mac, which is always very good for anything A/V. I preferred buying a tape to hard disk recorder for a number of reasons, but mainly so that I can archive better and more safely, but alos so that I can play my old video tapes on this camera (I can therefore sell my old one). Very pleased with this purchase that will last for many years to come.

After buying a Sony HD camcorder which uses AVHCD, which hd material cannot be recorded on to convention dvd, I decided to go back to Canon and DV tape. Yes, as good as Sony regarding the HD picture but slower to start up from cold (the Sony had a 80 gb hard disc). Going back to dv tape means I can also play my old dv tapes from my previous Canon. Very good still pics even if only 3mp.

Dave Brown

Bought this camera last month, as I'm starting my own video business. Simply stunning pictures, played back through my HD TV. I have transferred the footage in HDV via a firewire cable, edited the footage and burnt the project to a Blu-ray disc. I can't see any difference between the raw camera footage and the edited Blu-ray vers. Amazing!
Even if you don't have a Blu-ray drive, the standard def results are pretty sharp too. I went for the HDV vers. rather than AVCHD as It's older but proven tech.
It's good buy it!!

I agree with what most other reviewers have said. This camcorder produces video of fantastic quality, especially when played through an HDTV. The lens is very impressive, producing good results whether at 10x zoom or in extreme close up. Unlike some other people, I've had very good results in low light too. The only criticism I have of the camera itself is that it has to be held at a rather awkward angle which produces a cramped wrist after prolonged use. Turning to the package, and given its price, I would have expected Canon to have supplied at least one tape cassette and the micro SD card in the box, to allow you to use the camcorder straight away. Although it isn't all that clear from the advertising blurb, Mac users have to buy a Firewire cable as the supplied USB cable isn't compatible. The inclusion of a component video lead in the box, but not an HDMI cable, seems odd too. In summary, an excellent product, but Canon need should look at what purchasers actually need in order to use it straight out of the box.