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MauritiusToday.com - Shopping Mall - Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom
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List Price: $899.99
Our Price: $569.95
Your Save: $ 330.04 ( 37% )
Availability: N/A
Manufacturer: Canon
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Batteries Included: 0
Binding: Electronics
Brand: Canon
Digital Zoom: 200
Display Size: 2.7
EAN: 0013803096828
Feature: 24Mbps offers the highest bit rate in AVCHD for High Definition video - enabling improved color reproduction and tonality
Floppy Disk Drive Description: None
Has Red Eye Reduction: 1
Included Software: Yes
Is Autographed: 0
Is Memorabilia: 0
Label: Canon
Manufacturer: Canon
Maximum Focal Length: 57
Maximum Resolution: 2070000
Minimum Focal Length: 4.8
Model: 3085B001AA
Monitor Size: 270
Optical Zoom: 12
Publisher: Canon
Special Features: nv:Sensor^2.07 Megapixel|Size^1/3.2" CMOS Sensor|Image Resolution^1920 x 1080|Movie Resolution^1920 x 1080|Memory Included^60GB Internal|Storage Media^SD/SDHC Memory Card|Compressed Format^JPEG|Movie File Format^HD|Optical Zoom^12x|Digital Zoom^200x|Focal Length^f=4.8 - 57mm|Focus Mode^Manual|Focus Mode^Instant AF|Focus Mode^TTL - AF|LCD Monitor^2.7 inches|LCD Pixels^211,000 pixels|LCD Coverage^100%|Maximum Aperture^f 1.8 - 3.0|Shutter Speed^1/2000, 1/500 (card)
Studio: Canon
Warranty: 1 year warranty
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Features
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24Mbps offers the highest bit rate in AVCHD for High Definition video - enabling improved color reproduction and tonality
Record up to 22 hours of High Definition video to a 60 GB Hard Disk Drive
Includes a genuine Canon 12x High Definition video lens
Comes with a 3.3 megapixel full HD CMOS sensor (1920 x 1080) and a DIGIC DV II image processor
Features Canon's SuperRange optical image stabilizer
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Editorial Reviews:
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The Canon HG20 AVCHD Hard Disk Drive camcorder sets a new standard for High Definition, delivering optimal image quality, long shooting times along with the extraordinary ease and versatility when viewing video on television or a computer. Capture amazing HD video with even greater detail and color reproduction with its innovative 24Mbps capability, and the addition of a video-capable SDHC card slot plus the extended 60GB internal Hard Disk Drive allows you to now record up to 22 hours of video onto the internal Hard Disk Drive so theres no need to worry about running out of space. And, like all Canon VIXIA camcorders, the HG20 features: a Canon HD video lens, FULL HD CMOS Sensor, and Canons exclusive DIGIC DV II image processor. Create the look and feel of Hollywood movies with the 24p Cinema Mode and even use Canons select Photo Grabbing function to capture still images from previously recorded video. If online video posting and sharing interests you, the HG20s 30p mode provides the perfect frame rate for the web and delivers clarity for fast-action subjects.
The HG20 offers the unparalleled combination of Canons exclusive SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer to stabilize a wide range of movements, Instant AF for accurate focusing thats critical when shooting in HD, and a built-in video light to easily shoot in dark settings. The HG20 features the latest HD technology, excellence in Canon optics and engineering in a compact, sleek design that delivers the high level of performance youve come to expect from Canon.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great HD Camcorder
Comment: 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?
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Editing Software Bad
Comment: Recently got the HG20. Am fairly pleased with the perform of the camera, so all is good there. Unfortunately, I'm not so happy with the editing software. It's incredibly basic, and has a lot of issues.
Initially I was having some issues with this software using my laptop (which I discovered is a tad under spec with having only a Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2GHz), so I installed it on a friend's new computer which is over spec'd with a Quad CPU processor and more than enough memory. The software requires at least a Core 2 Duo @ 2.13GHz. Thankfully, his system solved most of the blips I was originally seeing on my laptop, however, there were still many small pauses in the small editing screen playback feature. For example, if I put two different clips together, the playback feature worked fine up until it reached the second clip, after which the CPU went from being ~50% busy to 100% busy, which created many small pauses in the movie as the sound continues. When adding a transition between clips (such as a Fade into the second clip), or if I added words (Titler) to one of the clips, the CPU again jumped from ~50% to 100% busy and then many small pauses were seen. If you can live with this, the final saved version comes out fine once saved and created, but its not a nice program for making a movie requiring precision. To put this in more perspective, I've been using Windows Movie Maker for the past few months using the film footage from my digital camera, which I would say is a fairly basic program. However, Windows Movie Maker has a lot more options and freedom as compared to the HG20 software, called ImageMixer 3. What I've initially noticed that I'm not liking is that I cannot overlap text, and there's no 90-degree rotation option (although you may not want to do this with widescreen shots), and there's no features such as slowing or speeding up your footage. As a small example, Windows movie maker allows text that is fading away to be overlapped with text that is fading in so that you have a very quick transition between text. With ImageMixer 3, you have to wait for your first set of text completely fade away before you can have new set of text begin to fade in.
In summary, the very basic Windows Movie Maker is a much better editing software than the ImageMixer software designed for the HG20, which comes with a lot of pausing even with a sytem that has specs better than is required. If you buy this camera, which is good, you should consider trying to find something else to edit your movies with.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Has flaws but its quite good.
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Big Step from Sd MiniDV
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Impressive!!
Comment: 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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