Learn the Canon HV30 in About 80 Minutes!

[George Tyndall]

When I received the unit and accessories from B&H, I found a free DVD in the box entitled "Jump Start Guide to the Canon HV30 HD Camcorder." If you let the DVD run non-stop (which I did not find possible), you can get through it in about 80 minutes.

Chapter 1 is a "tour" which outlines the buttons, controls and features of the unit.

The all-important Chapter 2 takes you through the menus that are available in P (Program) mode. To learn these menus (as opposed to shooting on Auto) is to begin shooting like a professional. I'm now on my third review of this chapter, and I'm still learning things that I had overlooked on the first and second review.

Chapter 3 is entitled "Taking Better Video." The title is self-explanatory, as is the title for Chapter 4, "Audio for Video."

Chapter 5 is "Post Production" and it discusses methods for assembling your video, adding music and sound effects, etc.

I highly recommend this DVD.

For this and other titles, go to http://www.jumpstartguides.com

Addendum: Although it lists for $999, B&H is currently offering the Canon HV30 for $839, including the DVD. Go to http://www.bhphoto.com
As of this writing, there are 46 Customer Reviews of the Canon HV30 on the B&H web site, nearly all of them highly favorable. When you get to the site, simply type Canon HV 30 into the Search box at the top of the page. Click on the link that you get for the unit then on the tab labelled Accessories, and you get a nice overview of some of what B&H has available, from filters to batteries to tripods, not to mention external mics and lights.

Disclaimer: I have no financial interest whatever in B&H, but I have been dealing with this company for decades and have never been disappointed.

[Bobby]

I agree - it is a good piece of work. I particularly liked the narrator - he sounded like a real person, not a typical speaking head.

[Chuck Engels]

Very nice report George, thanks for taking the time. I'm sure that is going to help many people, now and in the future

[Bobby]

...B&H is currently offering the Canon HV30 for $839, including the DVD...

That is strange. I just bought the HV30 (invoice dated 5/18) for $769.95 with DVD - which I thought was a great deal. I guess it was, as the price is back up to $849.95 on their website today. I wonder what happened and caused the price change?

Bob

[George Tyndall]

That is strange. I just bought the HV30 (invoice dated 5/18) for $769.95 with DVD - which I thought was a great deal. I guess it was, as the price is back up to $849.95 on their website today. I wonder what happened and caused the price change?

The day after I received my unit (I paid $799 in late May), the B&H web site indicated that the unit was out of stock. When I checked again a few days later, it was in stock again but at full retail, $999. Yesterday, it was $839, at this moment, $849.

My guess is that. like airline computers, B&H's computer is programmed to look at supply and demand (and perhaps the prices of competitors) when setting the current price.