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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-XR520 and Canon HG21

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Model

Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Canon Informationen zu Canon

Name HDR-XR520HG21
European name ?HDR-XR520VEHG21
US name ?HDR-XR520VIXIA HG21
lowest US price 1700 $1100 $
On the market since March 2009 September 2008
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Canon
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
Video formats ? AVCHD
AVCHD
Recording Medium Built-in hard disk
Memory Stick PRO Duo
Built-in hard disk
SD Card
SDHC card
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
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
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/30p
Max Bitrate ?16 Mbit/s24 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG2
MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?240 GB120 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
 Canon
Optical Zoom ?12 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?42,9 mm43,6 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 ?1/2,8 inch1/3,2 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? 2070000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/8001/2.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/501/2
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ? Yes
Expanded Focus ? Yes
Peaking ? Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
 Off
Histogram ?No
Yes
adjustable sharpness ? Yes
Adjustable color ? Yes
Cinegamma ? Yes
Black Strech ? No
Knee ? No
Colorbars ? No
Misc.
Shot Transition ? No
Custom Presets ? No
Set Time Code ? No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
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
Mini-jack
Lanc ?No
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? AI
Advanced Mini
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 510 g490 g
Weight (with battery) 590 g 
Battery type  Canon BP-2L13
Battery capacity   
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 71 mm80 mm
Width 75 mm77 mm
Depth 134 mm139 mm
Relative Size ?78
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?123200 Pixel 123000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,2 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?307200 Pixel 211000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
No
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Manual Focus ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
 Joystick
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
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-XR520Canon HG21
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
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-XR520Canon HG21
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
SD Card
Medium included ? No
Effective pixels ? 2760000 Pixel
Resolutions ?4000 x 3000 - Max
1920x1080
1440x1080
848x480
640x480
2048 x 1536
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
Specials GPS with geo-tagging functionality25 P-Mode
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
View 1  
View 2  
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
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 goodGood
Color performance ?Very goodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?PoorPoor
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Handling ?GoodSufficient
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		364342
Pros + very good low-light sensitivity
+ iris control ring and touch-focus work together very nicely
+ sharpness and colors practically at the upper limit of AVCHD
+ Many manual controls
Cons + very few possibilites for manual control
- No zebra function
- no 1/25 sec. shutter speed in cinema mode
- small wide angle
- manual focus control badly implemented
Conclusion The Low-light picture quality is very good and sets a new standard for the sub 1000 euro camcorder classBut there is no histogram, no zebra, no shutter-control, no focus assist and no picture adjustmentThis is sad, especially because Sony could probably unlock these functions via firmwareLike its predecessors this cam satisfies with its very good image sharpness and the good manual controlsThe small wide-angle and missing zebra-function must be critizised.In comparison some competitors have notably better displays (Sony SR11/12) and more external manual controls (Sony SR11/12, CX11, Panasonic HS100, SD100).
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR520Canon HG21
slashCAM Review
HDR-XR520 Review
HG21 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts Final Cut Pro plugin for SonyHDR-XR520VE
Camera Case for SonyHDR-XR520VE
SonyHDR-XR520VE flickering beam on BRAVIA TV
Buy Panasonic HDC-HS300 / Canon HG21 / SonyHDR-XR520VE
Wide Anglefür XR520 + Beginner Questions
HD video import of SonyHDR-XR520VE in Final Cut Express (Mac)
Lens / wide Anglefür SonyHDR-XR520VE
Microphone Windscreen for Canon HG21
Canon HG21 HF or M306?
Canon HG21 sound problems
Canon HG21 transferred via USB takes forever
Canon HG21 and Win7 64
DOF and wide angle adapter for Canon HG21
Canon HG21 fail!
Canon HG21 is here ... Small disappointment
Microphone HG21 searched for (; DM-100 or MKE 400)
Third-Battery BP-819 (; or others) with Canon HG21
Problems installing HG21 Win7 Drivers and Vista
Canon HG21 or SonyHVR-HD1000E
Buy Panasonic HDC-HS300 / Canon HG21 / SonyHDR-XR520VE


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 11.Februar 2012 - 12:40
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