/// HD Camcorder Comparison

Picture ?

Manufacturer

Sony

Panasonic

Name

NEX-VG10

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

European name ?

NEX-VG10

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

US name ?

NEX-VG10

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

lowest US price

1519 $

(1299) $

On the market since

September 2010

February 2012

Manufacturers URL

Test preview

slashCAM rating ?

Good

Sufficient

test picture 1200 Lux

Test image 12 lux auto-mode

Video

Video formats ?

AVCHD

MVC 3D

Recording Medium

SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
SDXC card

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

video resolutions EU ?

AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i 3D

video resolutions US ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i 3D

Max Bitrate ?

24 Mbit/s

28 Mbit/s

Compression format ?

MPEG4

on-board memory ?

Optics

Optics Manufacturer ?

Sony

Leica

Optical Zoom ?

11 x

1,5 x

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

32,5 mm

29,8 mm

Filter diameter ?

67 (kit lens)
mm

- mm

Image Stabilization ?

optically and electronically

ND Filter ?

Exchangable optics ?

Yes

Image Sensor

Number of sensors ?

Size of image sensor ?

1/APS-C (23.4 × 15.6mm)
inch

1/4,1 inch

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

2190000 Pixel

Image Sensor Type ?

CMOS

Controls

White Balance ?

auto
manual
presets

auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift

Focus ?

auto
manual

auto

Minimum shutter time ?

1/4000

1/8.000

Maximum shutter time ?

1/4

1/25

Apperture control ?

auto
manual

auto
manual
AE-Shift

Infrared recording ?

Expanded Focus ?

Peaking ?

Signal Processing

Zebra ?

100%

Histogram ?

Yes

adjustable sharpness ?

Yes

Adjustable color ?

Yes

Cinegamma ?

Black Strech ?

Knee ?

Colorbars ?

Misc.

Shot Transition ?

Custom Presets ?

Set Time Code ?

Configuration

Connections

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

Out

YC ?
synonymous: S-Video

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

Out

HDMI ?

Out

Out mini

DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394

USB ?

USB 2.0

Microphone / Audio input ?

Mini-jack

Headphones ?

Mini-jack

Lanc ?

Time-code interface ?

Genlock ?

Accessory shoe ?

1 x 1 x Standard Hotshoe

Standard

HD-SDI ?

Misc.

Weight (without battery)

620 g

425 g

Weight (with battery)

1300 g

480 g

Battery type

Sony NP-FV70

Panasonic VW-VBN 130

Battery capacity

1960 mAh

1250 mAh

Charger ?

external

internal
external

Remote control

Yes

Size

Height

97 mm

67 mm

Width

132 mm

72 mm

Depth

294 mm

150 mm

Relative Size ?

Viewfinder

Viewfinder available ?

Yes

Color Viewfinder ?

Color

Viewfinder format ?

16:9

Viewfinder pixels ?

1440000 Pixel

263000 Pixel

Display

Display available ?

Yes

Color display ?

Color

Display size

3,0 Inch

3,5 Inch

Display format ?

16:9

Display pixels ?

921000 Pixel

1152000 Pixel

Touch Screen ?

Yes

External controls

Manual Zoom ?

Ring

Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned

Manual Focus ?

Ring

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Manual Aperture ?

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Focus switcher ?

Yes

ND Filter ?

Exp Lock ?

Gain ?

Yes

White balance ?

Yes

Push AF ?

Yes

Audio Levels ?

Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons

Audio

Audio Formats ?

Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz

AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz

Microphone ?

Stereo internal
Mini-jack external

5.1 Internal

Audio Control ?

auto

auto
manual

Audio levels ?

Viewfinder
Screen

Still

Recording Medium ?

Memory Stick Duo
SDHC card

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

Medium included ?

Effective pixels ?

2370000 Pixel

Resolutions ?

4592 × 3056 - Max

1920x1080

Standard ?

JPEG Exif 2.2

Flash ?

Yes

Misc.

Specials

- Vegas Movie Studio Platinum HD 10 as a free download
- Interchangeable lenses

- Less options in 3D mode (see chart)

Product Shots

View 1

View 2

Test results

Test pictures

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 good

Satisfactory

Resolution ?

Satisfactory

Poor

Color performance ?

Good

Satisfactory

subj.Picture impression ?

Very good

Sufficient

Optical Zoom ?

Sufficient

Poor

Wide Angle ?

Very good

Good

Configuration / image ?

Very good

Satisfactory

Configuration / sound ?

Poor

Satisfactory

Handling ?

Good

Satisfactory

Portability ?

Good

Very good

Photo function ?

Very good

Poor

Optics ?

Good

Satisfactory

Dynamics ?

Good

Satisfactory

Conclusion slashCAM

slashCAM rating ?

Good

Sufficient

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

380

271

Pros

+ APS-C chip with interchangeable lens
+ complete manual control over iris, shutter, gain, white balance
+ image settings can be adjusted

- optional 3D
- No more Trauerraender

Cons

- no control over audio, no level indication
- no motorized zoom
- no focus assist options

- Low sharpness

Conclusion

The NEX-VG10 is a nice camera which makes great video recordings with bokeh, and also shows good lowlight capabilities -- even with the not so ideal kit lens.Iris, shutter, gain and white balance can be controlled manually (and separately), and also the image characteristics may be adjusted.But in comparison with present DSLRs Sony missed the occasion to add another dimension to "large-sensor-filming".Hardly any feature can be found that could not be had elsewhere (for considerably less money even).The audio section is rather meager for a 2000 Euro camcorder.

Those who plan to shoot a lot of 3D should rather go for a dual-lens model of any major manufacturer.Panasonics adapter solution has indeed improved compared to the predecessor, but does not deliver particularly sharp results.

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