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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Canon HG21 and Sony HDR-CX520V

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Model

Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
Picture ?
Manufacturer Canon Informationen zu Canon

Sony Information on Sony

Name HG21HDR-CX520V
European name ?HG21HDR-CX520VE
US name ?VIXIA HG21HDR-CX520V
lowest US price 1100 $951 $
On the market since September 2008 August 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Canonlink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
Video formats ? AVCHD
AVCHD
Recording Medium Built-in hard disk
SD Card
SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
built-in flash memory
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
video resolutions US ?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
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s16 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?120 GB64 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ? Canon
Sony
Optical Zoom ?12 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?43,6 mm42,9 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 ?1/3,2 inch1/2,9 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?2070000 Pixel 4150000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/2.0001/1000
Maximum shutter time ?1/21/25
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
AE-Shift
Infrared recording ?Yes
Yes
Expanded Focus ?Yes
No
Peaking ?Yes
No
Signal Processing
Zebra ? Off
No
Histogram ?Yes
No
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
No
Adjustable color ?Yes
No
Cinegamma ?Yes
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 ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		No
About Special Equipment
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
No
Headphones ?Mini-jack
No
Lanc ?No
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ?Advanced Mini
 AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 490 g370 g
Weight (with battery)  450 g
Battery type Canon BP-2L13
Sony NP-FH60
Battery capacity  1000 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 80 mm62 mm
Width 77 mm65 mm
Depth 139 mm125 mm
Relative Size ?85
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
No
Color Viewfinder ?Color
-
Viewfinder format ?16:9-
Viewfinder pixels ?123000 Pixel  
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 2,7 Inch3,0 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?211000 Pixel 230000 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Rocker
Manual Focus ? Joystick
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ? Joystick
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
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 ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
Audio Formats ?Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
5.1 Internal
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
No
Still

[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
Recording Medium ?SD Card
Memory Stick Duo
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ?2760000 Pixel 6631000 Pixel
Resolutions ?1920x1080
1440x1080
848x480
640x480
2048 x 1536		3640 x 2160 max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
Specials 25 P-Mode-50 upscaling in playback mode
- image stabilizator corrects hand rotations
- GPS receiver built in
Product Shots

[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
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 ?GoodVery good
Resolution ?GoodGood
Color performance ?Very goodGood
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?PoorPoor
Configuration / image ?SatisfactorySufficient
Configuration / sound ?SatisfactoryPoor
Handling ?SufficientGood
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodVery good
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Satisfactory
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		342328
Pros + sharpness and colors practically at the upper limit of AVCHD
+ Many manual controls
+ multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ six freely configuarable display buttons
Cons - No zebra function
- no 1/25 sec. shutter speed in cinema mode
- small wide angle
- manual focus control badly implemented
- no microphone and headphone jacks
+ mediocre display resolution
- upgradeable only with expensive and proprietary MemorySticks
Conclusion Like 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).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.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Canon HG21Sony HDR-CX520V
slashCAM Review
HG21 Review
HDR-CX520V Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts 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
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 24.Mai 2012 - 14:40
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