Canon VIXIA HV30 MiniDV High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

The camcorder doesn't come with a shoulder strap. The viewfinder doesn't slide out, which makes it very difficult to use. The shape of the camcorder doesn't facilitate one hand use. This is my fourth camcorder, and this Canon is the least handy to use. The video quality is very good.

They sold me a defective product. A HV30 camcorder. The shoe does not work. Come on people, how hard is it to check and see if the shoe works before sending it out of the factory? And the desk top recharger worked for a few days and then died. I of course contacted customer service and they told me to bit it. Sure, send it in and someday you might get it back. But I bought it to use now, on the campaign trail, I told them. And they said, that's your problem.

Time to start looking elsewhere, people.

Stewart Nusbaumer

I bought this camera as a replacement for a Canon HV20 which had been dropped and broken. The cameras are nearly identical in function and feel. The videos are very high quailty as are the still images. I use this mostly for family videos, football, baseball, etc... Great picture when viewed on a 1080p capable flat screen through the HDMI cable. Overall very pleased with my purchase.

I love this camera, some reviewers say it can get complex to use especially with 24p. If you are not familiar with HD and you want to get the best results and quality you will have to do some research to learn how to use it correctly. It is worth it! Go to [...] and search for HV30 and you will see what people do with this camera, you will be amazed.
Video quality is really good and handling of the camera is also really good.
I use Adobe Premiere CS3 to edit and it runs smooth, I have a dual core with 2GB of RAM.
I haven't notice any noise coming from the camera when you are recording.

I'm really happy with my purchase.

Remember amazon has a 30-day price protection so be sure to check if the camera goes down in price. I bought mine for $748 and one week later (sept 28, 2008) it was at $688. Called amazon and they gave the difference back to my card. Today (sept 29, 2008) the price went up again. Just check for the next 30 days after purchase. :)

A rare consumer-grade camera that has a lot of pro features. Can shoot in 24p HDV... what every film student has been dreaming of!

Also the camera can go fully manual and has fantastic image quality for a camera of this size and cost. Crisp and good colors.

Get a beachtek XLR adaptor and a good tripod and you are in business!