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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Canon HF21 and Sony HDR-HC9

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Model

Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
Picture ?
Manufacturer Canon Informationen zu Canon

Sony Information on Sony

Name HF21HDR-HC9
European name ?Legria HF21HDR-HC9E
US name ?VIXIA HF21HDR-HC9
lowest US price 1099 $911 $
On the market since September 2009 February 2008
Manufacturers URL link to Canonlink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
Video formats ? AVCHD
MiniDV
HDV
Recording Medium SDHC card
MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/30p
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s25 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG4
DV
MPEG2
on-board memory ?64 GB 
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ? Canon
Carl Zeiss
Optical Zoom ?15 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?39,5 mm41,3 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/4 inch1/2,9 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?2990000 Pixel 2280000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/2.0001/10.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/61/3
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?No
Yes
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?No
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
 Off
70%
100%
Histogram ?No
Yes
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
Yes
Adjustable color ?Yes
Yes
Cinegamma ?Yes
No
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?No
Yes
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
No
Custom Presets ?Yes
No
Set Time Code ?No
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		No
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ?Out mini
 Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		- In
Out
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Cinch
Headphones ?also AV-output
Mini-jack
Lanc ?No
Yes
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ?Advanced Mini
 AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 340 g550 g
Weight (with battery) 400 g 
Battery type Canon BP-809
Sony NP-FH60
Battery capacity 890 mAh1000 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 62 mm82 mm
Width 70 mm82 mm
Depth 124 mm138 mm
Relative Size ?59
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?No
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?- Color
Viewfinder format ?- 16:9
Viewfinder pixels ? 123200 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 2,7 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?211000 Pixel 211200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Rocker
Manual Focus ?Menu
Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?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
 
Audio

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
Audio Formats ?Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
Recording Medium ?SDHC card
Memory Stick Duo
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ? 1991000 Pixel
Resolutions ?2304 x 1296 - Max
2848x2136
2848x1602
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
Specials  &"Smooth Slow Record" slow motion mode: 3 seconds are recorded with 200 half frames/sec., resulting in a 4-fold slow motion.However, the recording is without sound and in poorer image quality.
Product Shots

[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
View 1  
View 2   
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
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 ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Resolution ?GoodSatisfactory
Color performance ?Very goodSatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodGood
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactorySufficient
Wide Angle ?SatisfactorySufficient
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Handling ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Portability ? Excellent Very good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		367310
Pros + Many manual controls
+ good subjective image impression
Cons - fiddly operation
- No Zebra
- Manual focus very poor
- low color resolution
- color moirees
Conclusion Compared with the older models of the same series the smaller sensor, the picture problems and the exaggerated sharpness offer no real advancementsAdd to that the bad low-light sensitivity with some bright pixel noise, the missing histogram and zebra-displays and the manual focus problems.On the positive side: the low price and the fact that the pictures in the automatic mode (assumed there is enough light) are sharp and generally good.The Sony HDR-HC9 has a fairly good brightness resolution, but tends to show quite significant color moirés on fine details.The color resolution is only on SD-level, which makes for a rather soft image impression.In terms of color the HC7 is neutral.The wide angle is very limited for indoor shots, lens errors keep whithin limits though.In low-light situations the HC7 produces somewhat colorless and dark images.The touchscreen brings no points in the equipment grades.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Canon HF21Sony HDR-HC9
slashCAM Review
HDR-HC9 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts  SONY HDR-HC9: How to enable external audio source?
urgent - SONY HC9 capture
Who HC9 AIS adapter has experience?
SonyHDR-HC9E record with Premiere Pro CS4
DVD final: HC9 but little or DV-3-Chipper?
SonyHDR-HC7 or HC9 - Does the import into iMovie 08?
HDR-HC9e ask
Wet paint - SonyHDR-HC9E
First image SonyHDR HC9 Test Comparison HV20/30?
Hife differed SonyHDR-HC7E and HDR-HC9E
SONY HC96 DEMOVIDEO
Small errors in picture with Sony HC90E JVC DVM60 ME
Dysfunction, with my new Sony HC90? (visual errors)


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 24.Mai 2012 - 10:15
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