HV20 HV30 HV40 Difference

[richyeah]

I've been looking around and I'm having trouble finding, or at least understanding, the differences between the two.

Is there any advantage at all for me to buy an HV40 over the HV30 for an extra $300-400 AUD?

I can pick up an HV30 for around $1050 all up which seems like a good deal but I don't want to miss out on something that's only on the HV40 just because I was feeling cheap.

Sorry if this has already been answered somewhere but I tried to find some information and the offer is only temporary.

[Erik Bien]

I think so far as any of us is yet aware, the only difference between the HV40 and the foregoing model is "native" 24p — a feature only available on NTSC cameras.

[Yzed]

PAL users should get hv30...
Only difference is a little custom button but it isnt worth the money.

[Erik Bien]

Richyeah I dont think you understand what the you call the extra nothing is. Its Native 24p. Its an even better film look.

PAL HVx0s shoot 25p or 50i, NTSC models shoot 24p, 30p or 60i. Thus, only the NTSC HV40 has 'native' 24p.

[agp26]

I'm also in the position of deciding between hv30 and hv40 (in Norway) mostly because my ntsc hv20 has to be repaired in the US (been gone months now ). Is it true that the hv40 for pal users makes no sense regarding 24/25p? Even the hv30 (already obsolete) is retailing for over 7800 NOK or over 1200 USD at current fx rates. Needless to say the hv40 will be closer to 2k usd.

Damn! When are we going to get a switchable pal/ntsc camera a la sony pro cameras - how hard can it be apart from defending price discrimination...

[richyeah]

Just picked up an HV40. As far as I know the only difference (for PAL users) is the custom button and even that is defaulted to BLC. You can change it to a few other functions, the only one I can see possibly being useful would be magnify but you can access that from the LCD anyway.

So for $300 more it's not exactly impressive.

[Hulk]

So is there a table where I can compare the specs of the hv 20, 30 and 40? I'm curious to know if I should get the hv20 or if the hv40 is like 10x better or what?

[chico_stang]

They're basically the same camcorders for NTSC. Take a look at this:

HV20 - Silver, 24p (PF24), 60i
HV30 - Black, 24p (PF24), 30p (PF30), 60i
HV40 - Black, 24p (Native), 24p (PF24), 30p (PF30), 60i

As far as I am concerned, those are the major differences between the three models. You can't go wrong with either one. They have the same body, same lens same image quality, same manual controls, etc.

[Lightloch]

A couple other minor differences:

HV30 = slightly improved LCD
HV40 = custom hotkey button

[Hulk]

thanks for the info, that's what I gathered, too, the hv30 has a better screen and the hv40 has the hotkey.

So I think the HV20 is still the best bang for the buck!

[Gocycle@optonline.net]

Don't know if it was mentioned: Improved lens zoom control lever which is higher than the HV-20.

A couple other minor differences:

HV30 = slightly improved LCD
HV40 = custom hotkey button

[freiteez]

Im noticing that the hv30 is a few hundred dollars more then the HV40. Should I just get the HV40 instead of the hv30? I really like the hv30 but if they are pretty much the same its safe to go with the hv40 because of the price, right?

[SubliminalTwin]

Im noticing that the hv30 is a few hundred dollars more then the HV40. Should I just get the HV40 instead of the hv30? I really like the hv30 but if they are pretty much the same its safe to go with the hv40 because of the price, right?

I'm wondering the same thing... Amazon's got the hv40 for only $750 and free shipping. Does anyone have any experience ordering the camera with amazon? Does it come with everything (battery, charger, cables, etc) or just the camera?

[Maxwell]

thanks for the info, that's what I gathered, too, the hv30 has a better screen and the hv40 has the hotkey.

So I think the HV20 is still the best bang for the buck!

Yeah but you don't get 30p. Well I guess that doesn't matter?

[LINKS 35]

what does 24p native mean?

[Seo]

what does 24p native mean?

It means the footage is progressive right out of the camera. No pulldown or jumping through hoops required.

[thethirdstring]

Can anyone tell me if the batteries for the HV30 and the HV40 are interchangeable? I have an HV40 and am looking to buy an extra battery. I have seen some I'm interested in that say they are compatible with the HV30, and I'm wondering if they just haven't updated their information yet, or if they are not interchangeable.

Thanks

[APXIAC]

Can anyone tell me if the batteries for the HV30 and the HV40 are interchangeable? I have an HV40 and am looking to buy an extra battery. I have seen some I'm interested in that say they are compatible with the HV30, and I'm wondering if they just haven't updated their information yet, or if they are not interchangeable.

Thanks

Yes they are interchangeable.

[kadzbiz]

Interchangeable with the HV20 also I assume??

[DJGranger]

Native 24p.

The Hv30 has a simulated 24p mode (24fps - rate of film), and requires additional editing programs to remove the pulldown to achieve the natural 24p. It is a pain in the a@@, and alot of these programs are time consuming.

The HV40 does not have this problem because it records in the native 24p format, like the higher end Canon cameras.

[kbrafford]

It means the footage is progressive right out of the camera. No pulldown or jumping through hoops required.

How did they achieve native 24p and still adhere to the HDV spec? What is it actually putting on the tape, and how does Vegas deal with the tape capture?

[Seo]

How did they achieve native 24p and still adhere to the HDV spec? What is it actually putting on the tape, and how does Vegas deal with the tape capture?

Well I don't see how HDV can't do 24p. My XH A1 shoots 24p no problem and it imports just as if it were 60i, 30p, or any other frame rate.

[ejolson]

How did they achieve native 24p and still adhere to the HDV spec? What is it actually putting on the tape, and how does Vegas deal with the tape capture?

Native 24p is an optional part of the HDV spec.

http://www.hdv-info.org/HDVSpecifications.pdf

Even though the HV20 can't record native 24p it can be used as a capture deck for native 24p footage.

[kbrafford]

Native 24p is an optional part of the HDV spec.

Thanks, the HV40 makes sense to me now. I wish the HV20 had encoded it that way. *sigh*

[StratPlaya]

Hi All, I just picked up a HV40 to go with the HV30 we already had in our inventory. The HV40 was just as much as a HV30 so I decided to go for the newer model. We use them in a church part of a 2 camera shoot.

I have noticed a distinct difference in the two cameras at the same settings. We shoot in Aperture Priority mode, with Tungsten balance and the HV40 creates a much "whiter" image. I would say less warm but it is not really a blue hue that everyone associates with cooler. This is most noticeable on human skin.

I am trying to figure out how manual white balance to the stage where 95% of the framing happens. We use a lot of color (gelled with cto, deep blue and purple) lights so getting a true "white card" is kind of difficult.

Anyway just thought I would bring it up to see if anyone else has noticed this, and if so what was done...