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/// HD Camcorder Comparison

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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-XR550V and Canon HF S21

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Model

Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Canon Informationen zu Canon

Name HDR-XR550VHF S21
European name ?HDR-XR550VELegria HF S21
US name ?HDR-XR550VVIXIA HF S21
lowest US price 960 $1189 $
On the market since March 2010 April 2010
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Canon
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
Video formats ? AVCHD
SD MPEG2
AVCHD
Recording Medium Built-in hard disk
SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
SDHC card
built-in flash memory
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/25p
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/30p
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s24 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG2
MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?240 GB64 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
Canon
Optical Zoom ?10 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,8 mm43,6 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm58 mm
Image Stabilization ?optically and electronically
optically and electronically
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/2,9 inch1/2,6 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?4150000 Pixel 6010000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/2.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/61/6
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Infrared recording ? No
Expanded Focus ? Yes
Peaking ? Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
70%
100%
Histogram ?No
No
adjustable sharpness ? Yes
Adjustable color ? Yes
Cinegamma ? Yes
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?No
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
No
Custom Presets ? Yes
Set Time Code ?No
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite
Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video
About Special Equipment
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal
Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394
--
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
also AV-output
Lanc ?No
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
Advanced Mini
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 510 g470 g
Weight (with battery) 590 g520 g
Battery type Sony NP-FV50
Canon BP-807
Battery capacity  890 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 70 mm75 mm
Width 74 mm74 mm
Depth 143 mm140 mm
Relative Size ?77
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?201600 Pixel 123000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,5 Inch3,5 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921000 Pixel 922000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Manual Focus ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?No
Yes
ND Filter ?No
No
Exp Lock ?No
No
Gain ?No
No
White balance ?No
No
Push AF ?No
No
Audio Levels ?No
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons
No
1
Audio

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
auto
manual
Audio levels ? Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
SDHC card
built-in flash memory
SDHC card
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ? 8020000 Pixel
Resolutions ?4000 x 3000 - Max
3264 x 2448
3264 x 2456 max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
Specials GPS with geo-tagging functionality2 SDHC slots
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
View 1
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
luminance resolution
chrominance resolution
lens distortion
test small ISO image
noise / internal microphone
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode ?
Test image 12 lux optimized ?
 
slashCAM rating
Lowlight ?Very goodGood
Resolution ?Very goodSatisfactory
Color performance ?GoodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Poor
Configuration / image ?SatisfactoryGood
Configuration / sound ?PoorSatisfactory
Handling ?GoodGood
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)
390348
Pros + multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ wide angle
+ Display with high resoultion
+ Many manual controls
Cons - image characteristics cannot be modified
- no focus or exposure assist
- small wide angle
Conclusion The wide angle (which shrinks a little with active image stabilization) as well as the low light performance is better than on all competing modells.But in terms of sharpness, manual control options and color reproduction the Sony is not quite on par with the class winners.The automatics work solidly in a Sony-typical way.Remarkably good is the high-resolving display, but a focus assist option is nevertheless missed when setting the focus manually.The sharpness is only slightly below what is possible in this price range and the options for manual control are also quite ok.The touchscreen is a real improvement, so the problems with focus setting we used to citizise are gone.Since Sony offers more manual in this price range than they did before and both Sony and Panasonic have more wide angle, the HF S models of 2010 appear a little overpriced.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VCanon HF S21
slashCAM Review
HF S21 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts HDR-XR550VE and saving on external media
SonyHDR-XR550VE or Panasonic HDC-HS700?
SonyHDR-XR550VE or at Panasonic HDC-HS700
Canon HF S21 - Brave New World video?


Please consider that these data have been entered into this database by human beings.Also, the technical information provided by the manufacturers are at times contradictory, incomplete and sometimes even incorrect.Although we take great care checking all information, we can not gurantee for its correctness.Should you find this data to have some omission or error, please let us know! Mail:



update am 22.Mai 2012 - 08:40
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