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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-CX520V and Toshiba GSC A40F

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Model

Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

 Toshiba
Name HDR-CX520VGSC A40F
European name ?HDR-CX520VEGSC A40F
US name ?HDR-CX520VGSC A40F
lowest US price 951 $ 
On the market since August 2009 April 2008
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Toshiba
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
Video formats ? AVCHD
MPEG4/AVC
Recording Medium Memory Stick PRO Duo
built-in flash memory
Built-in hard disk
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVC/h.264 1920 x 1080/60i
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVC/h.264 1920 x 1080/60i
Max Bitrate ?16 Mbit/s16 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?64 GB40 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
 Fujinon
Optical Zoom ?12 x10 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?42,9 mm35,9 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm43 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
electronical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/2,9 inch1/3 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?4150000 Pixel 1490000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10001/auto
Maximum shutter time ?1/25auto
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?Yes
No
Expanded Focus ?No
No
Peaking ?No
No
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
 Off
Histogram ?No
No
adjustable sharpness ?No
No
Adjustable color ?No
No
Cinegamma ?No
No
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?No
No
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
No
Custom Presets ?No
No
Set Time Code ?No
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		About Special Equipment
 Out
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 ?No
No
Headphones ?No
No
Lanc ?No
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
No
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 370 g485 g
Weight (with battery) 450 g545 g
Battery type Sony NP-FH60
Toshiba GSC-BT6
Battery capacity 1000 mAh 
Charger ?internal
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 62 mm78 mm
Width 65 mm79 mm
Depth 125 mm135 mm
Relative Size ?58
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?No
No
Color Viewfinder ?- -
Viewfinder format ?- -
Viewfinder pixels ?  
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,0 Inch3,0 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?230000 Pixel 230000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
No
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Rocker
Manual Focus ?bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
 Joystick
Manual Aperture ?bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
 Joystick
Focus switcher ?No
No
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
No
Audio

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
AAC Stereo
Microphone ?5.1 Internal
Stereo internal
Audio Control ?auto
auto
manual
Audio levels ?No
No
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
SD Card
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ?6631000 Pixel  
Resolutions ?3640 x 2160 max
1920x1080
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
Specials -50 upscaling in playback mode
- image stabilizator corrects hand rotations
- GPS receiver built in
 
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
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 goodSatisfactory
Resolution ?GoodSatisfactory
Color performance ?GoodSatisfactory
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodSatisfactory
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?PoorGood
Configuration / image ?SufficientSufficient
Configuration / sound ?PoorPoor
Handling ?GoodSufficient
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySufficient
Optics ?GoodSatisfactory
Dynamics ?Very goodSatisfactory
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Satisfactory
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		328276
Pros + multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ six freely configuarable display buttons
 
Cons - no microphone and headphone jacks
+ mediocre display resolution
- upgradeable only with expensive and proprietary MemorySticks
 
Conclusion for now, the low-light image quality rules superior in the sub 1000 Euro camcorder class.The great dynamic range when using the factory settings as well as its abandonment of moving part makes this cam interesting for independent filmmakers.On the other hand there are some features missing, there is no histogram, no zebra, no exposure time control, no sharpness helper and no image adjustment.No focus ring, no manual controls, no viewfinder, no audio connections, and crippled manual values are inaccessibly hidden in colorful menus.Analog output is NTSC-only, and a new video format is used that is even worse to edit than AVCHD.The sharpness is achieved through extreme contourCompared to Sony, Panasonic and Canon the codec shows even more artifacts.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX520VToshiba GSC A40F
slashCAM Review
HDR-CX520V Review
GSC A40F Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts Search affordable wide-angle attachment for SonyHDR-CX520VE!
My SonyHDR-CX520VE original test clips
Test: SonyHDR-CX505VE and HDR-CX520VE
 


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 12.Februar 2012 - 10:25
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