185 of 187 people found the following review helpful:
Impressive!!
I got this camera today, I wanted to get HG10 as it is cheaper, but I went with this one as it has higher Hard Disk capacity with small price difference.
The first test video taken was indoors and with low light, I noticed lot of dots in the frame, however, after setting the AWB to indoor and exposure to low light, the video looked much better, then I tried the...
Camera is fine; wish the software was far better
This is a fine HD camera, but beware - the software that ships with it is woefully inadequate. I am recording in full cinema mode (the highest HD quality that the camera supports). First I thought that my computer was not fast enough (2 GB RAM, HP wide-screen laptop), so I went out and purchased a 2+ GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM laptop and the software still cannot even...
This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
I got this camera today, I wanted to get HG10 as it is cheaper, but I went with this one as it has higher Hard Disk capacity with small price difference.
The first test video taken was indoors and with low light, I noticed lot of dots in the frame, however, after setting the AWB to indoor and exposure to low light, the video looked much better, then I tried the sport setting with 24p and the video was impressive!! I hooked the camera to my 40" HD LCD TV, and the colors and sharpness are breathtaking!!
One tip is to use the P (Programmed AE) setting with different selections of White Balance, the LCD screen is clear enough to make a quick decision on the fly to pick the best selection, I used 3 different settings walking in day light, then on a shady area, then inside a shop.
One thing to note that the battery works only 2 hours, Canon offers better battery with 4 hours duration priced around $100.
You also need to read the pros and cons of the video codec, there are lot of information on the Canon HG10 reviews, and very useful. In general the higher the frame bit rate and resolution, the longer it will take to process and edit the video and much longer to burn it on DVD or BluRay.
I actually found out that Google's Picasa 3 application (free download) can open the videos recorded by the camera, this tool can export any clip (or portion of it) to wmv format, once the file is exported, you can use any video editor like Microsoft Movie Maker to compress the file or change it to DivX format, etc.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
Great camera. The biggest flaw is not the 60 gb drive which is bigger than you will ever need, or the menu interface which is easy, intuitive and user friendly, the biggest flaw is the lack of the view finder on this camera. Big deal you say, its got a modern screen instead of a view finder, but that modern screen in really bright sunlight kinda washes out (like all those screens do) and might lead you to adjust the settings or force you to trust your autoexposure when you are taking those priceless outdoor shots. The hg 21 has the eye piece viewfinder which is a reliable indicator of what you are shooting in those conditions, but for the extra 300 USDs it's hard to justify. The AF is super in this camera, no distiguishable periods "out of focus" as you rapidly zoom in and out. Also the head set or yellow AV jack, is a must have. Ever record tons of footage and find out the only thing you can hear is the wind buffetting your microphone? Record wearing regular ipod type headphones and you don't have to review the footage to find out if you have the shot. Don't get a camcorder without that or the mic input which this camera has. Terrific simultaneous video record and still photo to the regular full size SD card, cool, works great. Requires class 4 SD card, the speedy type. I think the HG21 with the 120 gb has tons of storage, but it's overkill and takes longer to do a full hard drive clean than the 60gb hg20, but both have a quick clean function for the hard drive. Finally don't expect much from the packaged software if you really want to edit. Corel has pro x2 which works great for avchd. Last thing is the battery. It charges when the camera is pugged in and it works great. I was made to believe that this camera is useless without an external charger and tons of extra batteries, which is not true, 95 min is good. Or just stay plugged to the wall. As a guy who typically struggles with technology, I hope all my "research" helps some one else and as the owner of the hg20 this camera delivers and is simple for anyone to use.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
The HG20 is great. Super Picture. Sound is ok. The HDD makes some noise. SW runs on older PC with 1 GIG Ram and 2.5 GIG Pent. But its right at the edge. Could use a Video Light. Cost goes up and down on this model a good bit. Computer HDD space to edit and store will need to be high. Mini HDMI cable is a must for HD sets. Did a test with A HD tv, by recording the TV. Its interesting. Have not tired yet with a IR light source. When the Cam is off, the Lense protector shakes a little. Battery is min. Will get High cap battery for trips. Lots of Warnings on Care for this unit. But at a good price, this unit have a lot of value. The HF10 and HF100 are good buys also. the HF11 is much more. The HG21 is much more, but has some added features of a view finder. Camrea Mode take Point and Shoot Pictures will. But you have to be still. Lots of manual controls. The Menu system takes a little getting used if you are use to the old canon MiniDV. Wanted to wait a little more, but the old canon ZR45MC is past 6 years. But it analog pass thru. I may use that or a Dazzle unit to put video for family and the web instead of trying to convert the MT2S files. With the video files as big as they are, having a Laptop will not be good with the unit or any HD machine.
Again wanted to wait, but old camera was looking pale on HD TV.
Good Things:
60BG harddrive, LP and SP still good for video.
Optics are great. 12X. Attachments.
Easy Button
Connections (HDMI, USB, Analog outputs), Mic in, Head Phones,
Lots of things to add on with Canon (battery, Optics)
Card Slot option
Auto Lense Cap.
Bad things,
Joy Stick control on view finder.
Heavier than Full Flash based unit.
Some Rattles (Not in function mode, just in off mode with Lenses Protector.)
Not much Software or Hardware to edit with. (Vista Requirements seem twice that of XP).
Things to consider:
Add Battery Pack (One big one, or 2 small ones).
Tripod
Optics (Filters, Wide Angle, Telephoto)
Video Light for low light.
Quad Core, 6 MB Ram, 1 TB HDD computer for editing video.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
My wife and I were looking for something to replace our aging DV camcorder, and decided to step up to HD.
Since we've been happy with our Canon Digital Rebel XSi SLR, and the XTi before it, Canon seemed the logical choice.
The biggest obstacle in choosing a new camera was deciding between the HG20 and the Canon VIXIA HF10. After a ton of research, we found that the HG20 and HG10 are basically the same camera. The HG20 has a 60GB hard drive, the HG10 has 16MB flash. Beyond that, the optics and Digic processors are the same (though the HG20 is capable of recording at a higher bitrate, due to the hard drive).
Since the HG20 gives you the option of writing to SDHC cards, it seemed a better value.
We've had the camera for just over a week now, and the image quality is generally outstanding. In low light, the HG20 produces an acceptable picture, though it is a bit grainy and "digital" looking. With adequate light though, the picture is outstanding.
The image stabilization works better than expected, especially when you're zoomed in, but keep in mind that this is the primary reason it's there. If you have jittery hands and aren't giving some thought to what you're shooting, you're still going to produce movies that look like they came from any old camcorder.
Taking still pictures is reasonably easy, and the camera's ability to focus and take a decent photo at full zoom is incredible. However, if you have a digital camera that's less than three years old, it's probably going to take better pictures. This is definitely a "nice to have" feature, but you shouldn't go in to this expecting it to replace a point-and-shoot digital camera.
If you're familiar with Canon Digital Rebel, PowerShot, or Elph cameras, the menus on the HG20 will make perfect sense to you. All of the settings are where you'd expect them to be. And if you're not familiar with other Canon products, learning the menu system is quite easy.
Now, some caveats...
Right off the bat, editing AVCHD video is going to pound on your computer. If you're using a Mac, a current-generation MacBook Pro is probably the minimum you'd want to use for any sort of editing. On the bright side, iMovie 08 (and 09) will see this camera and do its thing without any hiccups. But actually getting a full-res movie from the camera to your computer is only marginally faster than DV (to those who may be confused: it takes about as long to import the video as it does to play it).
The next issue -- which is true for so many Canon products -- the Genuine Canon accessories are ridiculously expensive. Unlike their digital cameras to date, a third party battery isn't going to work 100% properly in the HG20. So if you're not prepared to deal with not knowing the "real" charge on your battery, plan on spending more for a battery. The included battery claims to get about 108 minutes on a full charge. Step up to the Canon BP-819 Lithium Ion Battery Pack, and you'll get in the high 200's without having a massive battery pack jutting out of the back of the camcorder.
On a similar tangent, a big irritation for me is that you have to connect the camera to wall power to import video to your computer. If you're planning on going on the road with your camera and laptop, you might want to look at a power inverter for your car. Otherwise, you're not dumping video until you get home (or somewhere with an outlet).
Now that the 2009 models are out, you can pick the HG20 up for an excellent price. Considering the features and picture quality, the camera is a great value. And as long as you go in to it knowing you're going to need to spend some more money for accessories (or computer upgrades, video editing software, etc.) you won't be disappointed.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
This camera was on sale for $300.00 off MSRP at a local chain - Amazon.com had it even cheaper, but I was in an unusual hurry to tape my son's event that evening. I wasn't looking for an HD quality recorder, but for the price, I couldn't really pass it up!
This thing has an "Easy" button, which meant I didn't need to read the manual before heading out. I packed up my tripod and set up my camera within a few hours - I used the power cord.
The camera performed very nicely, auto adjusting for lighting condition and color, with the "Easy" button turned on. If you have ever video-taped in a gymnasium, you know how not-wonderful that light can be.
The next morning I installed the included software to convert the AVCHD format to AVI for editing in Pinnacle Studio 12, Ultimate. While I had a lot to learn about the editing software, the camera software transferred the file very simply [I had read terrible reviews of it, but seems to work well.]
My final movie was proof that the camera adjusted well for lighting conditions, and that the stabilization and auto focus worked nicely. I don't think one could go wrong with this camera - it seems to be a lot of bang for the buck. I can't wait to get into the advanced, priority modes, and other features.
Caveats??? - Of course you knew there'd be something - I'd only given four stars!
1 - Small battery, but detailed battery meter. You will need to get a back-up. A high-capacity battery is available;
2 - Battery only charges on the camera - no separate battery charger;
3 - No on-camera view-finder. For that you need the HG21, and a few more $$$.
4 - Only 12x optical zoom. BUT... I normally won't use digital zoom, but I needed it to get in close enough - my son was across the gymnasium. The digital artifacts were not distracting - it did a very nice job. ALSO, note that a telephoto extender, and a wide angle adapter, are both available if you need this capacity.
So far, that's all I've got. I thought I had some "buyer's remorse" at first, but when I saw the output, that went out the window. Thank for reading - I hope this helps.
REVISITED 05/10/2009:
So... That was a very encouraging review, wasn't it? Well, sorry to disappoint... I took the Vixia HG20 back... it even cost me a restocking fee to return it. "But why?" you ask... Go ahead, ask...
Although this camera made phenomenal videos, and was lightweight and very easy to use, and had great features, the most important factor for me was edited output. I don't think it is this camera's fault. From my research I have discovered that this AVCHD video format is simply not yet supported efficiently by the major editing packages. I have tried several, including Ulead, Pinnacle, Microsoft, etc... This format is unusable. I've even downloaded conversion software to create MP4, AVI, MPG, and other file formats. The AVCHD file is way too compressed, and this causes problems.
Don't get me wrong. For straight-out-of-the-camera use, I don't think you can find a better deal. Personally, I'm going to find a good digital tape recording unit - getting harder to find these days, and I'll just suffer through the download times prior to editing. This will give me an uncompressed file, and a cheap media for backing up the original recordings.
I hope this helps. Please don't take my word for it; research AVCHD and see what the rest of the world says.
Thanks.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
i purchased this camcorder, after having owned all the other camcorder formats. my main concern when getting this, can i make a high def DVD using dvd-r, or DL DVD's. i don't own a blu-ray burner, so this was important. to answer, yes i can make a HighDef dvd, in the AVCHD format, which plays in my Sony playstation 3, in 1080i wide screen. I use the PC program Pinnacle Studio Ultimate to edit and create the disc. the disc does have a menu, and chapters, ect.. I get about 30 minutes of 1080i on a DVD-R, and about 60 minutes on a DL DVD.
what the camcorder does is create video files with the .MTS file extension. You don't want to try process the video files from the camcorder, because the file transfer speeds are not fast enough to process the videos. You connect the camcorder to your computer and copy the files to your local hard drive. You must have the camcorder plugged into the AC adapter to copy any files from the camcorder, your PC will not even recognize it until you do. You then can process the files from your local hard drive into a workable/playable DVD.
the video quality the unit gives you is fantastic, as compared to Hi8 or miniDV. My daughter does a lot of theater, so I purchased the Canon DM-100 mic, and when that is added, the audio pickup is wonderful. I can be dozens of yards away from the stage, and still hear their dialog.
you get about 60 minutes of recording time from the included battery, so if you need to record more, then get another battery. You can record about 8 hours of great quality video on the camcorders internal Hard Drive.
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
You can not base your review of the camera only on the editing software that comes with the camera. All HD camera's come with just basic editing software which do not take advantage of hardware.
I purchased this camera 2 weeks ago, connect directly to my HD 65" and the picture is incredible. I use Vegas Pro and the editing is great, burn to DVD DL with Blue Ray format and the play back is just as great.
Great camera for the price. I do have one question. What was included within the box when you recieved your camera?
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
This is my first camcorder and I'm more than pleased with the overall quality. The picture settings are quite versatile. If you're interested in fine tuning the white balance, focus settings, audio settings, etc., you have the option. If you'd rather not deal with all the various settings, you can pretty much set everything to 'auto,' then point and shoot. Even though the menu is very simple to navigate and understand, I recommend giving the manual at least a cursory glance so you understand what some of the pre-settings mean, along with understanding your frame rate and mbps quality settings. The camera is equipped with a stereo mic which even has a 'windscreen' setting. This basically cuts the low end volume down to reduce wind noise. You can turn this off or on as necessary. You can plug headphones into the camera so you can hear the audio as you record. You can even pan the mic volume up or down and there is an indicator which shows your audio levels, where they should be and when it gets into the red (distortion). You can even plug in an external stereo mic to enhance your audio quality. From what I've seen so far, the picture is incredible. I don't have a PC powerful enough to handle high def video editing. My clips play rather choppy on my PC, but I only have a 1.6g Athlon and 2gb ram. Recommended hardware is 2.6g processor and 4gb ram. I would recommend a dual or quad core and a good video card. You can see some sample clips on youtube - search for canon hg20 and click on 'watch in HD.' Here's a good example: [..] :This clip appears to be in cinema mode.
If you're interested in some more in depth information, here's a good website for camcorder reviews: [..] They posted an in-depth review of the canon hg20: [..]
Another feature I like is the optional line level on the LCD. It shows a level line to help you keep the camera lined up with the horizon line. This camera also has an optional drop sensor that locks the hard drive if it senses it is falling. Pretty cool. I guess if you're filming on a roller coaster you'll need to turn this option off. The canon hg21 sells for about an extra [..] and gives you a 120g hard drive, a viewfinder and supposedly a better LCD. Other than that, it's the exact same camera. Personally, I couldn't justify the extra cash. To me, a 60g hard drive is plenty and although I would like a viewfinder, I probably wouldn't use it most of the time. The still pictures look good, especially for a camcorder. You can also snap still pictures while you're filming if you so desire. I gotta say, I love this camera. Now I just need a better computer. :P
<<<Update: 2/17/2010>>>
I read some reviews which indicated some people are having problems with file conversion and even with file transfer. I have successfully used a free file converter program by Extensoft: [..] It works. It's not pretty or fancy, but it's easy to use and does a great job for a free program. I still do not have a PC that can handle high def editing so I've simply used this freeware to convert files for youtube, etc. I do have an HD television now and watching my videos using an HDMI cable through this screen is pretty amazing. I haven't burned any DVDs yet, so I can't speak to that. I would think most people would be happy burning this high quality video to a standard def DVD. If you must have a finished product in HD, then money is no object for you and you already have a powerful PC with a blu-ray burner and a high quality video editing suite. Or a Mac and an external blu-ray burner. Lucky you.
As for file transfer, I had issues at the outset but I quickly fixed it. I'm pretty sure all I did was go to Administrative Tools/Computer Management/Disk Management. The list of drives in the lower right window will show you what drives are available to your PC. If the Canon is trying to use a drive letter that's already taken you'll just need to right click on it - go to Change Drive Letter and Paths and change the number to something unused. If you don't even see the Canon in the disk management utility, I don't know what to tell you. I'm running Windows XP service pack 2. I'm not sure about the other service packs and I haven't tried Vista or 7. I hope nobody is making the mistake of not plugging the camera into the power supply while trying to transfer files - as the manual clearly states you'll need to plug it in. I'm not fond of this feature, but it's not a big deal.
The battery this camera comes with only lasts about 90 minutes. That's pretty sad, but that's what you get with today's technology. The trade-off is we get to play with high def video for cheap. Sure, you can buy Canon's replacement battery (BP 827) for approximately [..], or perhaps you could check out other options. [..]: Right now they have a compatible version of the BP 827 for [..] USD. It will not show you how many minutes of battery life you have, however, there is a basic LED display on the battery that'll let you know how it's doing. There is also a DC port right on the battery and you can plug the Canon power supply into this to charge it. Pretty cool.
One last thought, I don't know what Amazon is smoking, but they're currently listing the price on this camera as [..]!! Hilarity! I sincerely hope nobody is buying this camera for that price. This is currently on B&H for only [..]. (No I don't work for batteryfly or B&H - just trying to help another consumer with a budget).
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
This camcorder is excellent- it's simple to use, it takes beautiful video, and the sounds a step up as well. The other thing that I really like about it is that it is convenient. I bought it before a summer trip, and it was great because I did not have to carry around a bunch of tapes or flash cards, or worry about when they would run out, and I'd need to re-fuel. So it was just me and the camcorder- which made it great to fit into a very, very small camera bag. You don't have to ever worry if you're recording over something, and it catalogs each scene by date and time. Everyone covered all the great things about the Vixia HG20, but there are things to consider as compared to other Canon HD camcorders that use Flash or HDV:
-You need to back up your recordings- if the horrendous editing/burning software it comes with somehow works on your computer then that's great! (You need DVD-Rs). But if it doesn't work, there may be a plethora of problems (as there is for me). It ALL depends on how POWERFUL your computer is. Another option is that you can buy the Canon DW-100 burner. Amazon sells it for $170.00- the cheapest I've ever seen. I have learned that even this may be a nightmare, as it has been said to leave extremely disruptive and annoying pauses inbetween EVERY SINGLE clip- terrible to watch, believe me. So for me that really is not worth it. But maybe it is for you. Canon DW-100 DVD Burner for Canon Hard Drive and Flash Memory Based Camcorders
The problem is that AVCHD requires a powerful processor in order to decode it. Mine is not, so I can burn DVDs with the High Def format, but it's pretty much a nightmare- you really can't edit (because the clips are extremely choppy and filled with a bunch of pausing), and it takes FOREVER (for 40 minuets of footage, it took an hour and a half to burn). I am using a duel core system, so I need a computer that is better if I really want to edit. But after all the pain- just to see my footage on the HDTV in its Hi Def brilliance, is incredible. It's as if you're looking through a window.
-Canon also makes you buy all the accessories separate- even a neckstrap (Canon's neckstrap is $20.00). I used one from another older camcorder- but did not end up needing it. This camcorder does not come with a built in light or night vision either (it has a hot shoe for you to buy your own if you really need light).
-Once you have burned HD footage from the Vixia onto a DVD (it can burn HD onto standard DVDs), not all Blu-ray players will play it, because not all are compatible with AVCHD- most are but make sure to check out if yours is before you make the big decision here.
This really is an awesome camcorder (I really do love the thing), like I said, for me in the end, once it was on the HDTV it was truly worth the research and torture. Just be aware of all the other things you will need to buy for it as well, and the computer requirements it needs to work with (plus software that is actually usable). It won't just be $650.00, it will end up being around $800. Will it be worth it for you in the end?
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This review is from: Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom (Electronics)
Received the my camcorder HG20 from Amazon today. It's a great camcorder. I bought it from Amazon, as Amazon was offering most cheapest price for this Camcorder. Almost $350 less than retail price, which was amazing. Initially I decided to buy a standard HDD camcorder and got JVC Everio 330 for $330 from Walmart. But found the camcorder video quality was very poor and returned it. Then I saw this HD Camcorder from Canon with 60GB HDD in Amazon, which is just $220 extra, but with lot of good features. Main thing is it's HD with 1/3" CMOS image sensor, where other camcorder at same price comes with 1/6" sensor. Also I love plenty of HDD space to store video. Recently I took some video and those are stunning and I am very happy this time with my purchase from Amazon. Only one misleading information in Amazon site for camcorder description - "Built-in Video Light - Increase your low-light capabilities even further by shooting with the HG20's built-in video light. This light enables you to shoot subjects in low-light at distances up to 4.9 feet away. ", which is wrong information. This HG20 camcorder has built-in flash for still photography but no built-in video light. The built-in video light photo that is shown in Amazon site is actually Instant AF Sensor of camera. The video light for this camcorder is sold separately, which is $109 at Amazon and $120 at Canon site. Except of the this everything about the camcorder is superb and the purchasing and delivery experience at Amazon are great.
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