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/// HD Camcorder Comparison

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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-CX11 and Panasonic HDC-SD20

display: 3 models per page sorted by score Best values highlighted
Model

Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HDR-CX11HDC-SD20
European name ?HDR-CX11EHDC-SD20EG
US name ?HDR-CX12HDC-SD20K
lowest US price  420 $
On the market since August 2008 February 2009
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
Video formats ? AVCHD
AVCHD
Recording Medium Memory Stick PRO Duo
SDHC card
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
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 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p
Max Bitrate ?16 Mbit/s17 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Carl Zeiss
Leica
Optical Zoom ?12 x16 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?40 mm42 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm43 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?11
Size of image sensor ?1/3, 1 inch
1/6 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? 1170000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/auto
1/8.000
Maximum shutter time ?auto
1/25
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?Yes
No
Expanded Focus ?No
Yes
Peaking ?No
No
Signal Processing
Zebra ? Off
70%
100%
No
Histogram ?No
No
adjustable sharpness ?No
Yes
Adjustable color ?No
Yes
Cinegamma ?No
Yes
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-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite
Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video
via accessories
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal
Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
Out mini
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 g270 g
Weight (with battery) 450 g327 g
Battery type Sony NP-FH60
Panasonic VW-VBG070
Battery capacity 1000 mAh725 mAh
Charger ?internal
 
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 69 mm64 mm
Width 67 mm67 mm
Depth 130 mm127 mm
Relative Size ?65
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?No
No
Color Viewfinder ?- -
Viewfinder format ?- -
Viewfinder pixels ?  
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 230400 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Rocker
Manual Focus ?bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
Manual Aperture ?bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
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-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Microphone ?5.1 Internal
Stereo internal
Audio Control ?auto
auto
manual
Audio levels ?No
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
SDHC card
Medium included ?4 GB
No
Effective pixels ? 2100000 Pixel
Resolutions ?640x480
1600x1200
2848x2136
3680 x 2760
3680 x 2070
1920 x 1080 - max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
Specials -smile shutter: a photo is shot automatically when detecting a smiling face
 
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
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 ?  
Manufacturers URL Website SonyWebsite Panasonic
slashCAM rating
Lowlight ?GoodSufficient
Resolution ?GoodSufficient
Color performance ?Very goodGood
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodSatisfactory
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSatisfactory
Wide Angle ?SufficientSufficient
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?PoorSufficient
Handling ?GoodSatisfactory
Portability ?Very good Excellent
Photo function ?SatisfactorySufficient
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)
340293
Pros + manual, multi-functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ Good image in terms of sharpness and color
+ manual controls for shutter and aperture
+ factory setting adjustable
Cons - no manual shutter control
- no microphone and headphone jacks
- somewhat blurred compared with other HD video
Conclusion On the one hand, buying the CX11 is the cheapest way to get Sonys 1/3" Exmor image quality (which together with Canon is the non-plus-ultra in the price range of 1000 Euros camcorders).Other great features are the manual control ring and the menu control via touch screen (especially practical on small cameras, but not to be found on competing models).On the other hand a viewfinder, microphone / headphone jacks and manual shutter control are badly missed.Likewise negative: the high costs for memory sticksUnfortunately, the great display of the SR-11/12 was not used, but on the other hand the camera is clearly more compact than its HDD-siblingsThis cam shines with unusual (in this price category) manual controls and smart automatic modes and a touchscreen.But the small 1 chip sensor limits the picture quality too much.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-CX11Panasonic HDC-SD20
slashCAM Review
HDR-CX11 Review
HDR-CX11 Review
HDC-SD20 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts SonyHDR CX11 - AVCHD files on Mac os x cut!
SonyHDR-CX11E AVCHD files via Mac in Apple Final Cut 4
 


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 20.Mai 2013 - 18:00
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