Reviews of the Canon HV20 Mini DV/HDV Camcorder
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CNET Review
The Good: The Canon HV20 high-definition camcorder has excellent video quality, nice features, HDMI output, and an accessory shoe.
The Bad: Can't change white balance while shooting; night mode doesn't help poor low-light performance.
The Bottom Line: Canon's HV20 camcorder is a great choice for HD-happy amateurs, but its low-light performance could have been better.
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alaTest.com
Review Summary: Experts rate this product 83/100 and users 86/100. Comparing these reviews to 103109 other Camcorders reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 94/100 = Excellent.
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electronicsme.com
Review Summary: If you are looking to upgrade your clunky, old fashioned tape camcorder to
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No Rating
pcmag.com
Review Summary: The stylish Canon HV20 gives you the ultimate in HD video and digital photo quality with advanced features for the knowledgeable and demanding videographer. Among the Canon Exclusive features on the HV20 are Canon's own Full HD CMOS sensor and ...
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camuser.co.uk
Review Summary: If you're looking for great value high definition without sacrificing functionality, the HV20 is a great place to start. Comprehensive connectivity coupled with fantastic user-friendliness and superb playback quality make it the leader in its class.
Manufacturer: Canon USA
Part number: 2059B001
General
- Product Type Camcorder - 1080i
- Digital Zoom 200 x
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.7"
- Optical Sensor Type CMOS
- Min Illumination 0.2 lux
- Special Effects Art, Soft, Sepia, Vivid, Neutral, Skin Detail, Black & White, Low Sharpening
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- Digital Scene Transition Wipe fader, Black fader
- Min Shutter Speed 1/2 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
- Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Spotlight, Night mode, Sports mode, Portrait mode
- White Balance Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Shade, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Tungsten light, Fluorescent light (warm white)
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority
- Camera Flash Built-in flash
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
- Camcorder Sensor Resolution 2.96 megapixels
- Camcorder Effective Video Resolution 2.07 megapixels
- Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 2.76 megapixels
- Camcorder Interpolated Still Resolution 3.1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Auto Exposure Bracketing 3 steps
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Remote Control Camcorder remote control - Infrared
- TV Tuner None
Pro Camcorder Features
- Audio Signal Format PCM, MPEG1 Audio Layer II
Memory / Storage
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 1920 x 1080, JPEG 1440 x 1080, JPEG 640 x 480
- Media Type Mini DV (HDV)
- Recording Speed LP, SP
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm - F/1.8-3.0
- Focal Length 6.1 mm - 61 mm
- Lens Aperture F/1.8-3.0
- Optical Zoom 10 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 6.1 mm
- Max focal length 61 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Filter Size 43 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Min Focus Range 0.4 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- DV input Yes
- Self Timer Yes
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Digital Still Camera Function Yes
- Search Modes Date search
- Additional Features Direct print, 24p Cinema Mode, Auto power save, Contrast control, Histogram display, Sharpness control, Brightness control, PictBridge support, Accessories hot shoe, RGB primary color filter, Display brightness control, Takes photos while movie recording, Analog to digital conversion with pass through
- Built-in Light Yes
- Remote control Camcorder remote control - Infrared
- Software Drivers & Utilities
- Included Accessories Battery pack, Compact power adapter, Stereo video cable, Wireless controller, USB cable, Component cable
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type LCD
- Viewfinder Diagonal Size 0.27 in
- Viewfinder Resolution 123,000 pixels
- Image Aspect Ratio (camcorders) 16:9
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x HDMI, 1 x Headphones, 1 x Microphone, 1 x USB, 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK), 1 x Composite video/audio (input/output), 1 x Component video output, 1 x DC power input
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x miniSD
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
Miscellaneous
- Microsoft Certifications Certified for Windows Vista
- Cables Included 1, 1 x USB cable, 1 x A/V cable, Component video cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery type - Lithium ion
Battery
- Supported Battery Canon BP-2L13
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - 1 year
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 211,000 pixels
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Physical Characteristics
- Width 3.5 in
- Depth 5.4 in
- Height 3.2 in
- Weight 1.2 lbs
Product Video
Product Photos
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