Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
->Lowest Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This camera is awesome. The picture quality is great, 24p Cinema Mode is really cool, and I like that it has a mic input and firewire link. I shoot videos professionally, and this camera really brings my movies to life. This camera is definitely worth the price.
I read some reviews about people saying it felt cheap, but I don't know what they're talking about. This camera feels great and really fits to your hand. I do most of my filming on a tripod anyway.
The only drawback that I noticed was that when you get into low light situations, the picture gets kind of grainy. For me, this wasn't really a problem because I have studio lights on the sets I use. But for home users, that might be a small issue.
Overall, this camera is incredible.
->Sale Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This camera makes great video even in low light. I just wonder why Canon and Sony still use the tape storage for video? It is slow for data transfers and bulky. I guess the only logical reason is that manufacturing costs for this type of storage are very low. But 8GB SD cards cost $60 now! I am sure that the tape will be totally obsolete very soon, just like the punch cards and floppy disks. I would prefer using the H264 or VMW HD codec + SD card storage solution.
->Best Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
We purchased this camera before taking a Northern European cruise. The picture quality is excellent. It is small enough to carry very comfortably in a purse. We are delighted with the videos (except for photographer errors). We left it on the cinematic mode for the trip. Before leaving home, we compared the regular HDV mode and the cinematic mode and it was difficult to tell much difference. My only complaint (and this is a small one) is that it is a little awkward to hold and operate with one hand. I also wish that it had more emphasis in the guidebook about video editing.
->Buy Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This is an incredible little performer of a camcorder. I have my share of camcorders, Canon hi8 ES4000, Canon Optura Pi, Sony PD 150 (VX2000 pro version) Canon XH A1 and the Canon HV20. What sets the HV20 apart from other camcorders is that its image quality is as good as any sub $10,000 camcorder with adaquate light. I've used my HV20 beside my XH A1 and cut the footage together! It's that good. With the various settings, it is easy to get fabulous video every time. The Sony PD150/170 (VX2000-2100) is still considered the king of low-light video and still used by professional wedding videographers and news agencies around the world. The HV20 hasn't stolen the low-light crown but for a small camcorder, it is the best I have ever seen. The 10x optical image stabilized zoom is the best in the business. Canon is known for their image stabilization systems.
There are other features that make the HV20 a "must buy" camcorder. Manual overrides. I paid as much for my hi8 cam and Optura Pi but didn't get the flexibility the HV20 has to offer. You can override the automatic settings to dial in just what you want, from shutter speed, focus and exposure to manual white balance, manual audio gain and 24 fps. Going to Europe this summer? Better use 24 fps or you will see strange video patterns from fluorescent lights because they flicker slower than in the U.S. (50hz instead of 60hz) (Issue only with CMOS sensors and not CCDs). The manual white balance is a must have for families. Ever go see the kids at an activity in the school gym with orange lighs? The manual white balance corrects for the orange lights so the kids look human again! Most camcorders don't have full manual white balance. Do not settle for anything less.
The Canon HV20 is able to extend its functionality like no other small camcorder. It has an accesory shoe for flashes, video lights and microphones. Some would say the on-board mic on the HV20 is too sensitive and picks up motor noise. Unfortunately for those with good hearing, all camcorders have bad built-in mics. Unlike many camcorders, the HV20 has an external microphone input so you can mount a better mic on the shoe mount. Therefore, I can't lower the rating based on a poor internal mic. Other essentials include a headphone jack, composite video, component video, HDMI and IEEE1394 (Firewire or iLink).
Finally, the HV20 is easy to use and hold in your hand. If you mount it to a tripod or monopod while traveling, the tape door opens on top for easy access. There aren't a bunch of buttons hiding behind the LCD door when it is closed. The design engineers did it right! Another awesome feature is that the record head will spin down when the cam has been left on while waiting to record. I have only seen this feature on professional camcorders in the past and will save the record drum head from needless wear and extend the life of the camcorder.
The only negatives on this cam are minor. There isn't an IR port on the rear of the cam for using the remote control from behind. It also lacks LanC support, which is a first for the high end Canon consumer camcorder. My other Canon camcorder have LanC support.
What camcorder would you take on a big trip? I'm going to Europe next week with my Canon HV20 instead of my Canon XH A1. The HV20 has what it takes to shoot incredible video.
->Buy Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I just received this camera yesterday. Everything the reviewers below said is true, however, there are a couple gripes I have which is forcing me to return it.
First of all, I will confess that I am no videographer/videophile, etc. I have never even owned a camcorder so this is coming from a truly 'consumer' perspective. These complaints go from most annoying to least annoying.
1. Internal Mic picks up motor noise. The first video I made was from recording inside my house, and when I showed my wife she asked "what's that noise?" It's the mic picking up the motor. This would not be too big of a deal except that Canon's HM50 is ~$150. Also, with the external mic it isn't as portable which would be a big minus for me. Just to compare, HDD based cameras don't have any noise because there's no motor.
2. Feels cheap. It just doesn't feel like something that costs $1000. Even the strap that you put your hand through feels cheap. The battery wobbles if you shake the camera slightly. The ergonomics are horrible. I've held a HDR-SR1 and it feels great, very solid. I have fairly large hands and I have to say even from 20 minutes of recording I feel like I'm getting arthritis in my hands. This could come from holding it incorrectly, but I doubt it.
Enough with the bitching. Overall I would say if you don't mind dishing out some dough for an external mic, and don't mind having to use an external mic I would say this is a definite buy. The things that made me buy this over another brand is the virtually nil support for AVCHD format AND the 24p.
Update: 6/26/07
While shooting some footage this weekend indoors with tungsten lighting, I noticed something odd. My shot was composed of a person in front of a white wall. The white-balance was set to Tungsten. The back wall was flickering and changing color, almost as if the white balance was reverting back to auto, then back to tungsten repeatedly. E-mail me if you want to see this clip, it is very annoying. I was in P mode with the Auto-Exposure set to P (this allows the camera to control Aperture and Shutter Speed). The subject is remaining properly exposed though.
Update: 6/28/2007
I returned this camera for an exchange. I noticed a very pronounced rattle when I shook the camera slightly. It was a very gentle shake, nothing violent or anything. I even noticed it when I was simply tilting the camera to the left and to the right slowly. It sounds like something is loose inside and clunking. I returned for an exchange, and hopefully the new one doesn't have that. If it does, I might return for good.
->Deals Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This camera definitely lives up to the hype. I researched it a great deal before buying mine and I was not disappointed for the most part. I am a professional shooter and am used to pro grade cameras such as the Sony D30's or D50's. Also the Ikegamis and Grass Valley/Thompson HD cams (which are all closer to the 100k price range than 1k.) This is my second consumer camera, the first being a mini=VHS. The image is fantastic. I watch playback off my Mac external harddrive or straight off the camera via hdmi cable. It looks just like the Discovery channel HD when watching it on my 100" screen/Mitsubishi HD1000 High Def projector or equally amazing on my 42" Sharp Aquos.
Dumping footage to my Macbook was frighteningly simple. Just opened iMovieHD, plugged in the cam, and one click later it captured everything. Great job Canon and great job Apple!
My initial hang-ups are:
My hands are way to big to handle this camera easily, but that is most camcorders these days. The manual focus is in an awkward position that is best controlled with my left thumb while shooting. Also, the manual focus wheel is heard quite audibly in playback, and you can also see the image movement with every stroke of the manual focus unless you stroke it as gently as humanly possible. I also find the zoom control too jerky and limiting, and would have found a two finger, front to back see-saw type much better as opposed to the current left right stick which I can barely reach with my long fingers.
My major hang-up:
I purchased this camera with the intent of filming my vacation to Jamaica a couple weeks ago. At first I was happy on day one of the trip. Day two, however, was a HUGE disappointment. I left the room to go shoot some of the gardens and was shocked to see a "moisture detected, eject tape" warning shortly after shooting my first couple minutes. It would not allow me to shoot at all while the warning message was on and it would not go away. This was clearly due to the humidity which was high but not terribly high. So I ejected the tape and left the gate open for a while. After powering off and on again it would still not allow me to shoot and gave me the same error message. I tried all combinations of restarting the camera, ejecting, reinserting, and waited HOURS....still the same error. I finally gave up and missed an entire day of shooting which included a missed opportunity to shoot a hummingbird that I was close enough to touch and DID! The wild bird actually let me touch its wings while in flight as it was busy eating the flower juice. I can now only revisit this moment in my mind, as the brand new HD camcorder I had IN HAND would not FUNCTION!! Huge let down. The next day the camera was fine, and worked for the remainder of the trip but this was certainly a huge upset. I would still buy this same camera again though if I had the decision to make over again.
I would also like to add that I haven't added any after-market accessories with an exception of a BP-2L18 battery. This is the biggest battery you can buy for it and it is frikkin awesome. I could shoot all day with this battery and not even worry about recharging or swapping. I want to say about 4 hours of operation. Got it off of BestBatt dot com for an awesome price of like thirty five bucks. A must have for any owner of this cam. It is not Canon brand but it worked well beyond my expectations. I also was annoyed by the rattling of either battery while attached to the cam. I did as others have done and applied a felt pad sticker. I put mine on the underbelly of the battery housing on the camera. I had to shave it down with a razor to get just the right fit but now it is perfect.
In conclusion, this camera is still the best in its class....
->Purchase Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
The HV20 is a great HD video camera. The resulting 1940 X 1080 video is fantastic - clear and and handles contrast very well. Even good in low light. The menu system is relatively easy to follow and there are settings for almost all circumstances plus manual shutter or manual aperature modes.
The still images are even good enough (in card mode at maximum resolution setting) to use as full-page pictures with Apple's photobooks.
->Sale Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
The HV20 is a great camcorder that I have been wanting for months. Recently Amazon offered this unit through Tiger Direct for a great price. After purchasing the item and receiving confirmations, Tiger Direct decides they can't honor the purchase and stated they would refund my money. It's not the fact that they have tied up $791 of my money for a week it's the fact they advertised a product for a price and then backs out. Shame on Amazon for selling for a third party that won't honor purchases!
->Best Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
The image is as most everyone has already pointed out, spectacular, of course best in daylight. Great white balance. Shame about the audio, you will pick up a lot of noise from the camera's internal mechanisms when recording without an external mic. The build quality in general is disappointing, outclassed by most Sony's to be sure. But the image, size, and overall result make up for it.
It's also worth remembering that even this camera will be obsolete in a year or two, so the build quality is less and less important at this point in the growth curve of the this particular consumer technology. Good news is that the footage you shoot with this camera will thankfully hold it's value and relevance much longer.
All in all, the HV20 is a great camera. I wish it felt as good as a Sony DCR-IP55, I suppose what many consider to be the most solidly designed and constructed Handycam (or consumer camcorder for that matter) ever produced. But the era of cameras with gravitas is probably already over. Just enjoy your footage.
->Best Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I am going to give it a 4 star rating because even though the image quality surpassed my expectations, you still need to buy an external microphone which defeats the portability of the camera. Here is a quick review:
Pros:
1) The image is as sharp as they say it is if not better.
2) Awesome White Balance, never seen anything better.
3) Amazing latitude.
4) Color rendition comparable to more expensive 3CCD cameras.
5) The optical stabilizer is the best one I have seen in my entire life as a professional cameraman, you won't believe your eyes.
6) More sensitive in low light than advertised!
7) Audio line-in for external mike.
8) Canon HD footage is universally compatible unlike Sony's proprietary compression. Avoid Sony HD cameras, you won't be able to edit easily with Sony.
Cons:
1) Built-in mike is too sensitive to camera noise and it is completely useless in windy conditions.
2) The Canon battery included will record about one hour of High Definition. The BP-2l14 (not included) may last two hours.
3) Playback buttons are difficult to find and press in dark environments or at night.
4) Audio monitoring is not automatic, playing back recorded audio on headphones is a real pain requiring extra steps.
5) Editing canon footage is easier than editing Sony footage but it is still costly and cumbersome.
Conclusion: This camera is not for the novice, don't buy it unless you are willing to spend extra money on a High-Definition LCD Monitor, an external microphone ($100-$150) and a third-party battery (min $50).
Turn on the sound attenuator if you are under windy conditions. Despite what you may have heard, even the cheapest miniDV tape will work perfectly, do not buy expensive miniDV tapes, it makes absolutely no difference. I like TDK better than SONY.
Do not buy a MiniDV Cleaner Tape, they are useless, take your camera to a repair shop in the unlikely event that you experience glitches, they know how to clean the camera heads best.
If you plan to edit the footage avoid using the 24 frames per second mode. It is best to shoot at regular video speeds and create the "film look" later, in post. Leave the 24-fps for the amateur film-makers.
**THIRD PARTY BATTERY WARNING**
Bigger batteries do not necessarily last longer, it depends. Lots of third party "replacement" batteries are available on the Internet, they are a lot cheaper, sometimes 1/3 less BUT BEWARE, these companies use deceptive advertisement, their batteries claims are almost always untrue. Any company claiming that they make a battery that last longer than two hours (or over 1500mAh) is lying to you, also, some third party batteries (like Impact) are too big for the HV20, they stick out over one inch from the back of the HV20, so much so that you may not be able to place your eye on the viewfinder while you record. It is probably safer to buy Canon batteries.
-> Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
My only real "wow" moments in regard to electronics have been the following: the first time I saw the 3D game Doom, first seeing eWorld and the "web" back in 1995, and the first time I watched a movie on DVD. And now I've added the HV20 to the list. When I first played back some footage (on a non-HD Sony Wega TV, too), I was blown away. I had read at camcorderinfo that the HV20 is a $1,000 revelation, but experiencing the imagery for myself was thrilling.
The past couple camcorders I have owned have been, oh, upper mid-level consumer models ($600 - $800), and none have achieved image quality anywhere close to the type of imagery which comes from the HV20. When I'm out taping, I find that the CMOS sensor in the HV20 captures elements I just assumed that it would not, like incredible detail ("I didn't even NOTICE that there was a spider web there.") and the most subtle ambiances: like a very fine still camera, the HV20 will accurately capture the *mood* which makes a moment worth photographing in the first place.
I have no gripes whatsoever about any of the controls. If this were a much larger, professional camcorder, I might mention that the manual focus wheel on the side of the camera is not as handy as a large ring out by the lens, and that the buttons on the HV20 can generally be referred to as "small." Naturally on such a small, consumer-level camcorder all of your favorite, go-to buttons cannot be within reach of the one hand which holds the camera. At any rate, if you like playing with manual controls like focus, you will be using both hands, and with two hands, the manual controls on the HV20 are simple to operate. And for a consumer camcorder, it has most every manual control you can imagine (other than Gain, which is generally only of interest to professionals).
Alas, the HV20 is not the greatest motion picture camera in the world: like all camcorders ever made, it will be difficult to get everything you want in a dark setting. That's it though. I cannot think of anything else which would prevent me from saying that this has to be the best camcorder ever made at this price point.
->Deals Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I've had 3 camcorders. My first was a Ricoh 8mm and I loved it for years. My second was a Sony PC110 mini DV, which is a wonderful camera but I recently upgraded my television to a 46" widescreen Sony LCD and found the picture from the camcorder somewhat lacking. I've had 3 Canon Digital Elphs and recently got a Canon Digital Rebel XTi SLR camera and I really enjoy the results from them all. So, I thought that I'd try the Canon HV20 and I'm extremely impressed with it! It is small enough but large enough to control. Once it straps on your hand, all of the buttons are well placed and easily accessed. My ONLY compaint is that you have to slide a button to turn on the still camera if you want to shoot in 3.1MP resolution. If you don't switch the button, it will only take the photo in 2MP. A very small complaint. The visuals produced by this camera are stunning. The color is just superb. Sound is superb (stereo but not 5.1). All the resolution that you would ever want. It almost looks better than real life. Auto focus works well and the zoom is adjustable as to its speed. It is fully automatic or you can use it fully manually. I've just started to explore all that it is capable of. Battery life is just okay, but with the optional BP-2L14 (It sits flush with the viewfinder and adds very little to the overall weight), It will provide all the power that you would probably ever need. It's reasonably price and also available from Amazon. I've also got a mini SD card (as opposed to a micro SD card) and the photos (blown up to 5 by 7) are as good as any 3.1 camera can produce. With a 2GB mini SD card (available from Amazon and not expensive) on full resolution, you get almost 1,000 photos! Amazing. Use the high definition DV tapes for best results, which are available from Amazon. It comes with all the hookup cables but not a HDMI or composite cable (YES it has an optional firewire hookup!). It also packs with a hand strap but not a neck strap, but there ARE hooks for a neckstrap (unlike my Sony PC-110, which was extremely annoying to me). You can read about all the bells and whistles that this camera provides but just let me say that you'll be totally knocked out by the image quality on your High Definition television. It's like watching the Discovery channel in High Def. Really, it's just that good! To be able to fit all of this quality into such a small package is simply amazing. A few years ago, this would be the stuff of dreams. You simply will not be sorry...
->Compare Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This camera delivers excellent video quality.
I use it with the hot-shoe attachable microphone and the audio is quite good.
I've plugged this into my HD television and the quality is excellent. I have also had the Optura Xi from Canon and while the build quality of the HV20 is not quite as good as that of the Optura Xi, the video quality is nothing short of stunning.
This is a very good deal for $1000. You won't be disappointed.
->Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I mainly use the camcorder for recording my kids.
I bought this camcorder a couple of weeks ago. I had the sony hc-7 before for a couple of weeks which I returned and bought the canon camcorder.
The brightlight performance of both camcorders are excellent. With the sony camcorder, I felt that the best color performance can be achieved by reducing the color intensity. The low light performance when recording 1080i is similar for the two camcorders but much better with canon when recording in 24p format. This is the main reason that I prefer the canon. The 24p recording is more sensitive to motion which can be a problem if recording motion.
The still images from canon are lower resolution but to me they looked better than sony. This is especially true when taking flash pictures.
The sony seems a little better built. The hdmi cover on canon is poorly built.
I liked the controls on canon better than sony.
The auto focus and automatic white balance worked better in canon than in sony. The auto white balance in sony worked poorly in indoor light.
Sony has supershot infrared recording and canon does not.
Sony has more manual controls than canon.
If you see average reviews at certain sites for low light performance of this camera, it is because they did not not look at 24p low light performance.
[...]
->Price Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
This is the first 5 star rating I have ever given on Amazon!
I chose the HV20 in preparation for a week long shoot in North and South India. I was ready to purchase the new Panasonic HVX200 (for approximately $5,000); but the $1,100 HV20 camera actually has some major advantages that convinced me it was a better choice for my project.
The biggest factor in my choice of the HV20 is editing capability. The HV20's HDV format is compatible with editing packages like Adobe Premier Pro, whereas the formats recorded (i.e. AVHCD or HD50) by other products from Panasonic and Sony are not very compatible with editing packages and may be impossible or require extra steps for post processing.
Regarding image quality, the camera earns a WOW! I think this camera is currently the very best option for a solo shoot on the go. Other reviews say it all regarding image quality, color, etc. External and hot shoe audio are also a big deal for high quality shooting. The LCD screen is sharp and the feature to impose a horizontal line or grid on the screen (but not recorded) is very handy to maintain level shots.
The camera is not tiny, but is small enough to be slipped into a very large trouser pocket; this allowed access to more spontaneous shooting opportunities than larger HD camera options. With a large fanny pack, I kept the camera (with extra tapes, batteries, monopod, and DM50 microphone) with me at all times and was ready for anything. This portability factor transcends price point.
Regarding storage, the HV20 records HDV directly to DV tape. The much more expensive HVX200 will record HD50 format (which is an equivalent or possibly superior format) but will only record SD (not HD) to tape; with the HXV200, proprietary P2 cards are required for HD recording (and an 8GB P2 card costs approximately $1,100). I bought this camera for the price of one 8GB P2 card!
Recording to tape seemed like a disadvantage at first, but the advantage in India was huge - I did not need to transfer anything to my PC or need a PC) until I was good and ready (so I could maximize shooting time on site and deal with all post production later); in addition, archival is handled up front with less compression and no spaces constraints - that more tapes could not solve; after shooting 10 tapes, I realized this is also a significant advantage. I also took over 1,000 3.1 Megapixel still shots with the camera on a 2GB card.
The camera layout is quite good. The tape and battery can be swapped out without removing from tripod or monopod mount. In unplanned situations, this was a major advantage.
A few ways the camera could be improved:
1) the lens width varies when switching between video and still modes, so I expect editing stills into my video will take extra time
2) with an after market wide angle lens, a wide shot shows the black edges of the lens, a settable zoom stop would help when zooming back to wide.
3) the manual focus is not intuitive, more feedback on the dial would help
4) switching from auto to programmable mode would be better if some auto functions could set to stay on
5) an auto backlight feature would be handy
6) the miniSD card was a strange and inconvenient choice for still photo storage, since I could not reuse SD cards I already own (note that no memory card is included with the camera)
7) video input (like the Samsung product), so that I could keep the camera in my pocket and shoot with a lipstick cam when necessary (to avoid looking like the typical American tourist or for action/sports applications)
8) battery life was shorter than expected, I got 1 hour from each battery.
Net net, this camera is fantastic and I believe the video quality is sufficent to qualify my project for my first film festival submission.
->Discount Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
You can't beat the HD picture quality from the HV20 based on actual user reviews and comparisons with all of the latest models. While this is a single CMOS sensor, it is a true 1920 x 1080 HD sensor of the same quality found in the award winning Canon Digital SLR cameras. Don't be fooled by a 3CCD camcorder that uses smaller sensor sizes and must use "pixel shifting".
I had already hooked up the HV20 to my 720p projector, and it did look great even at my typical 120". But I do know that my projector probably isn't calibrated very well to be honest.
So, my first WOW moment came when I decided to capture some of my best outdoor footage from my Canon Elura stock and compare it to some HV20 footage shot of my kids over the weekend at an Easter egg hunt. WOW, the difference in quality was even more pronounced than I realized. I guess that the resolution difference is what it is, but this is definitely serious HD quality.
The real defining WOW moment that has me "selling" all of my family and friends on this camcorder came last night when I hooked it up at my brother-in-law's house to his Sony Wega CRT HDTV display that does 1080i and is calibrated to perfection. You won't find a higher quality HD display than his set IMO, and my jaw dropped when my video first came up on his display That was the first time when I was truly able to see what my source footage was capable of in terms of its full resolution and AMAZING colors. We switched to Discovery HD on his set, and other than obvious production value aspects you honestly couldn't really say that it looked any more HD than the footage of my kids playing.
This is way more exciting to me than when I first saw broadcast HD and watched Monday Night Football because it is hard to describe how cool it is to see your kids on video in beautiful HD for a $1,000 price point. I can hardly wait to get out there and shoot some more footage.
->Buy Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I received the HV20 yesterday and after charging the battery I hit the woods. I wanted to see how well it worked on a cloudy day in the outdoors. It surpassed what I expected the picture quality to be. I also tried it in a dark basement corner and under normal lighting inside. The dark corner needs an additional light on the HV20.
With a 100 watt bulb turned on it really surprised me. The detail was far better than what I expected.
The reason I gave it a 4star rating was the power switch and the cap for the HDMI plug. Both are not very well thought out in my opinion. From my point the quality of HD is outstanding and when I played the film back I heard birds singing that I had not notice in the woods.The sound was outstanding!!
I agree with one other review about the power switch hard to operate.
In retrospect if you want an excellent quality HD picture I would recommend the Canon HV20. After all it has a excellent picture and reasonable price for a High Definition camcorder. And I would think, that is what most people want from a consumer camcorder.
I viewed the film on my 42" and 50" plasma tv's (sharp as a tack)
04/12/07 I used my HV20 over the Easter holiday and was more impressed. In my outdoor shots it is better that any camcorder I have had. Inside it took outstanding video with no external video light attached. The still photos I took were as good as one of the first 3 mega pixel digital camera I use to have. I purchased it for video alone,but it is nice to have a quality still photo too.
->Deals Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I got my Canon HV20 yesterday. Just post several problems after testing it.
1. Handling. The handling is quite awkward. My hand feel very uncomfortable when holding it, it alway slips. I have to use the other hand to adjust it from time to time. Also it is quite hard to switch on the camcorder when using only single hand.
2. Building: This camcorder is not that sexy as the previous one. It is not cute, and it is not professional. But given its excellent video quality, this is OK.
3. Noise: I shoot some video indoor with a 300W light bulb, I should say the light is fairly enough, but when I play it back using my 30 inch LCD monitor, I can still find quite a bit of noise although their grain size are not that big. I tried "neat video" plug in and sony vegas to reduce the noise, it seems to work pretty well.
4. Manual control. The manual control part is the part really disappoints me. Because I used to do a lot of photography. The manual control of this camcorder is far from a SLR camera. Especially the manual exposure
it is funny. Say when I shoot video in bright place, I set exposure to -1, then I moved to a dark place, then the video will be very very dark. This means when you adjust the exposure, you adjust its "absolute value" while not the relative value. It doesn't mean that you can get less exposure all the time.
In a SLR camera, if you adjust exposure to -1, it means no matter where, the camera will measure the light and then decease the light coming in relatively -1 to its measured value.
5. Another thing I recommend is when you use this camcorder, try to adjust the contrast to lower level, brightness to lower level, no sharpening. This will definitely give you a lot of flexibilities for the post editing.
->Purchase Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I have a sony FX1 since 2 years and then I had bought a sony HC1 which I had to return due to unacceptable video noise in low light conditions. When you have used sony FX1 you know how the low light videos are supposed to look, so I had something good to compare the hv20 to. I got this hv20 camera and I have played with it checking its potential outdoor and indoors. I switched between 24p and 1080i for same shot with same lighting conditions and see that the 24p does really make the video cleaner in low light, it was way better than the sony HC1 which I had bought. Of course the sony FX1 low light footage is much better than hv20, but using 24p in low light does make the hv20 acceptable. I could not really make out the difference of FX! and HV20 in bright daytime videos other than that the hv20 has more color saturation.
My fears were laid to rest and I like the hv20 low light and daylight videos.
For 1/3rd the price of sony fx1 this camera is a keeper.
24p is something which some people will like some wont. Action or movement of objects will appear a little jerky in 24p which is as expected, but it does look different from 1080i. Non moving shots with 24p looks great.If you pan the camera in 24p mode the video stutter is pretty apparent.
TO give you a idea what 24p looks like imagine watching a video on a monitor which has low refresh rate you see a ghost object follow the object after it moves. I took the camera and drove around in the night to see how it handles the nightlights... 24p mode is not something you would use in that situation as whenever you pan the camera the blurring effect becomes very pronounced due to the lights. But still the video was pretty good. 24p mode with cinema effect added makes it little bit better. 1080i mode looks pretty good without the 24p motion blur while I took the drive.
I connected the hv20 to my 42inch 1080p lcd TV through HDMI and it looks really good. I was surprised. Outdoor videos are very sharp and colorful. Indoor videos are also pretty good. More saturated colors than sony fx1 but very nice to look at. It is difficult to get steady shots with the camera as it is lighter. If you can keep you hand steady during the shots the footage is as good as in hd channels. But it is great to take it to disney or vacations without having to carry the sony fx1 bulk.
It has a neat little timer which displays for 10secs when you start to record so that you do not make a shot too short or too abrupt.
Battery life is little more than an hour with the lcd open so I bought an extra bp-2L14 battery.
Hopefully they will come out with the great FX1 low light performance in such a small package soon.
overall this was a very good buy. You will love playing with the 24p mode.
conclusions ..very light , pretty fast auto focusing,small form factor, 24p mode video, good low light videos,really great daytime videos and the wife loves this camera as it is much smaller than FX1!!
->Comparison Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
Considering what most people will buy this for, including myself, it's a great little camera. Not too large, not too small as to be unusable. The quality when hooked up to an HD monitor is quite amazing. I switched between footage shot during the day from the cam and our local HD Pbs channel. I could not tell a difference. This was in 1080i through the component connection, not HDMI. I can only imagine what the hdmi looks like. I also like the tape vs hard drive. If you go on a 3 week vacation somewhere, you can buy tapes or bring extras instead of portable hard drive storage. And from what I understand there is less compression on tapes. The tapes actually get you better quality.
I also use pro cameras for videography and do miss the ability to have a constant shutter speed and aperture. When pointing up at my daughter against a blue sky, it adjusts for the bright sky and my daughter's face gets dark. There's a backlight button which will probably do the trick, but an instant exposure dial would be great. Another con, the zoom rocker is TINY. Even my little fingers have a hard time zooming smoothly.
I also noticed when editing, it takes more CPU to even preview the footage due to the compression. If you have an older machine and are wanting to edit, just be aware it may be a tad slower.
Other than a few nitpicks, the quality for price is a bargain. I've been waiting for a consumer 24p HD cam for vacations for a long time. It has arrived and for relatively cheap.
->Purchase Canon HV20 3MP High Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
I work at a local camera shop, and we just ordered a few of these cameras in. I've had the chance to test it out over the past few days, and I am quite impressed. I've worked with many different video cameras over the years, including a few high-end cameras such as the Canon XL2 and Panasonic DVX-100 and I think it's safe to say that the HV20 is the best video camera you can buy for under $1100. It's comparable to other HD cameras from other brands such as Sony and Panasonic, but there are a few more professional features that enable it to rise above the rest. The main feature that it has that got me so interested in the camera is its ability to shoot in 24 fps progressive. Normally, this feature could only be found on cameras starting at about $4000 and above. This is a very cool feature, as it lets you shoot feature movies that look like film, and achieve quite a few effects that can only be done in 24fps. Another feature that I found quite useful was the ability to switch between variable and fixed zoom speed. This will let you zoom at a set speed, no matter how hard you push down the zoom button. There are countless other features that this camera has, but I suggest you just try it out for yourself. Without further ado, I think I'll get back to admiring this wonderful camera.