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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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2 models found [ Permalink for this page ]   

models compared on this page: Sony HVR-Z5 and Sony NEX-VG20

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

Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Sony Information on Sony

Name HVR-Z5NEX-VG20
European name ?HVR-Z5ENEX-VG20
US name ?HVR-Z5UNEX-VG20
lowest US price 3339 $ (2199) $
On the market since December 2008 November 2011
Manufacturers URL link to Sony 
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
Video formats ? MiniDV
HDV
DVCAM
AVCHD
Recording Medium MiniDV/HDV-Cassette
external flash memory
SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
SDXC card
video resolutions EU ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
DVCAM 720 x 576/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/25p
HDV 1440 x 1080/24p
HDV 1440 x 1080/30p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
video resolutions US ?HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
DVCAM 720 x 480/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/25p
HDV 1440 x 1080/24p
HDV 1440 x 1080/30p
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
720 MiniDV x480/24p
MiniDV 720 x 480/30p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60p
Max Bitrate ?25 Mbit/s28 Mbit/s
Compression format ? DV
MPEG2
MPEG4
on-board memory ?  
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
Sony
Optical Zoom ?20 x11 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,5 mm32,5 mm
Filter diameter ?72 mm67 (kit lens)
mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optically and electronically
ND Filter ?3No
Exchangable optics ?No
Yes
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?31
Size of image sensor ?1/3 inch1/APS-C (23.4 × 15.6mm)
inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?1037000 Pixel 16700000 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 ?1/16.0001/8.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/41/4
Apperture control ?auto
manual
AE-Shift
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?No
No
Expanded Focus ?Yes
Yes
Peaking ?Yes
Yes
Signal Processing
Zebra ?70-100%70%
100%
Histogram ?Yes
Yes
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
No
Adjustable color ?Yes
No
Cinegamma ?Yes
Yes
Black Strech ?Yes
No
Knee ?Yes
No
Colorbars ?Yes
No
Misc.
Shot Transition ?Yes
No
Custom Presets ?Yes
No
Set Time Code ?Yes
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		About Special Equipment
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
 
HDMI ? Out
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394		 In
Out
-
USB ?No
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ? XLR
Mini-jack
Headphones ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Lanc ?Yes
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? Standard
1 x 1 x Standard Hotshoe
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 2200 g1300 g
Weight (with battery) 2200 g 
Battery type  Sony NP-FV70
Battery capacity   
Charger ?external
internal
Remote control Yes
No
Size
Height 169 mm91 mm
Width 188 mm130 mm
Depth 451 mm223 mm
Relative Size ?14326
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?1226880 Pixel 1152000 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,2 Inch3,0 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921600 Pixel 921600 Pixel
Touch Screen ?No
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Ring
Ring
Manual Focus ? Ring
Ring
Manual Aperture ? Ring
button
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?Yes
Yes
ND Filter ?Yes
No
Exp Lock ?Yes
No
Gain ?Yes
No
White balance ?Yes
No
Push AF ?Yes
No
Audio Levels ?Yes
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons		61
Audio

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
Audio Formats ?MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
Microphone ?external XLR
Mini-jack external
5.1 Internal
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
Memory Stick Duo
SDHC card
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ?1037000 Pixel  
Resolutions ?1440 x 8104912 x 3264
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?No
No
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
Specials "Smooth Slow Record" slow motion mode: 6 seconds are recorded with 200 half frames/sec., resulting in a 4-fold slow motion.But the recording in without sound, in HDV resolution and in an inferior picture quality (interlaced not 25p).optional flash recorder for simulataneous recording on tape and flash. 
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
View 1
 
View 2   
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
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 goodVery good
Resolution ?GoodSatisfactory
Color performance ?Very goodGood
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SatisfactorySufficient
Wide Angle ?Very goodVery good
Configuration / image ?Very goodVery good
Configuration / sound ?GoodSatisfactory
Handling ?Very goodGood
Portability ?SatisfactoryGood
Photo function ?SufficientVery good
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?Very goodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		419396
Pros  + APS-C chip with interchangeable lens
+ complete manual control over iris, shutter, gain, white balance
Cons  - Image characteristics can not be changed
- no motorized zoom
- Scaling artifacts
Conclusion  A large imaging sensor and manual control when filming, coupled with the handling of a classic camcorder.This combination is offered by no other manufacturer in this price range.But due to the fixed image characteristics a flat film look can not be achieved.Since the image quality is comparable only to medium-level HDSLR, the device offers few advantages over the DSLR-competitors besides the familiar form factor.A zoom rocker or an ND filter would be a nice addition.Furthermore Sony needs to realise that to a large extent it is the manual control settings that make companies like Red, Canon or Panasonic successful in the large-format sensor world.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HVR-Z5Sony NEX-VG20
slashCAM Review
HVR-Z5 Review
NEX-VG20 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts Why? Auto Sound of Z5 so low?
flickering horizontal line after logging of sony z5 1080i 25p material
Test: SonyHVR-Z5E: High Sharpness & Intelligence s.kleinen keys
Prices and data SonyHVR-Z5E
 


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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