Canon HV20

Pros: HD ability, manual controls, stunning video quality, accessory shoe (for external mic, video light)

Cons: Some pieces may feel a little cheap to some, but to me they felt fine.

The Bottom Line: The video quality is incredible.

Review: After taking only 20 minutes or so of footage inside at night in low light and then in the morning in bright, direct sunlight, this camcorder has exceeded my expectations in every way. In fact, I must say that I was dumbfounded at the stunningly high ...

Pros: Great HD Quality! Very nice dynamic range, 24p shooting & cinegamma.

Cons: Small, doesn't look like a pro camera.

The Bottom Line: It's great for families, filmmakers, videographers, etc. It's just superb all around and it doesn't cost much. I always thought I'd have to spend thousands for quality like this.

Review: The Canon HV20 is very impressive for such a low price. It can be now be had for about $500-$600 on Ebay and the quality you get dollar for dollar make it the best p4p camcorder on the planet. The resolution is 1440x1080p at 16:9 ratio. It's not the ...

Pros: Crisp clear video and sound

Cons: Nothing

The Bottom Line: Clean clear video

Review: I finally upgraded to a new camera with 16:9 lens, no old fashioned 8mm tape which had crummy quality to begin with. This camera takes some awesome video without the complications of the normal process. The exterior screen is big enough that you don’t ...

Pros: Picture quality, connectivity, easy to use, battery life, HDV easy to process, 10x optical zoom

Cons: HDV limitations, ergonomics, NTSC only, no firewire cable included

The Bottom Line: Great picture under most conditions combined with a low price (for HDV in 2007) makes the HV20 a solid choice.

Review: Just as we've come to accept the marginal quality of standard TV standards like PAL and especially NTSC, High Definition television finally is ready for the mass market. The vastly superior resolution (2 MPx) of HD-TV is a stark reminder that the 0.3 MPx ...

Pros: Picture Quality, Fast focusing & Image Stablilization.

Cons: Low quality MPEG 1 Audio only. No Canon telephone support. No software included. Connector covers.

The Bottom Line: The HV20 is an award winning HDV camera with quality in all the right places.

Review: My Sony DCR-HC42 died after just 2 years and 20 hours worth of recording. Too costly to repair I decided to look what I could afford in the HD arena. By purchasing the HV-20 I think I have what I need. With there being only 2 or 3 serious vendors in ...

Pros: High quality video in HD mode and lots of menu choices

Cons: Need all the other HD compatible equipment to utilize and appreciate this cameras HD mode

The Bottom Line: Have all the other proper HD compatible equipment, computer with HD DVD burner, HD DVD player , HD television, to appreciate the best this camera offers

Review: After having the older Canon GL1 semi professional standard definition digital video recorder that gives good 480 resolution video quality in the 4:3 screen size but poor video quality in the 16:9 widescreen mode, I decided to upgrade to the HD Canon ...

Pros: Wonderful video quality; sound is okay but would sound better using an external mic.

Cons: The design is awkward compared to my GL-1; The camera doesn't feel very solidly built.

The Bottom Line: For the money, amazing HD quality. Canon makes the best lenses once again.

Review: I have been making home movies since 1991. I have been through a variety of formats--VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV, and finally HD. For the last six years I have been using the prosumer Canon GL-1 model. It has a 3CCD chip and takes spectacular movies. ...

Pros: Compact, sharp, dual-mode, popular, good sound, shoe, 24p, sensitive.

Cons: Tricky controls/menu/zoom, grainy low light loses red, silver paint, crude strap and viewfinder.

The Bottom Line: The HV20 does its intended job well, and can fill both hobbyist and professional needs. I think it is the best HDV camera in its size and price range.

Review: I bought the HV20 to take over the job of my TRV-900 DV camcorder, which is to serve as b-roll/POV camera and backup to my Sony Z1 HDV at event jobs, and serve as my personal camera for funstuff and family occasions. Initially I chose a Sony but ...

Pros: Good price and quality compared to its competitors.

Cons: Focusing issues, annoying LCD screen, lack of stop-motion feature or "anti-ground" filming.

The Bottom Line: If you absolutely have to remain below the $1000 mark, then this camera is the best. If willing to go slightly over, get a Sony.

Review: I always do my research before purchasing anything over $100, and in this case, at ~$950, I've read nearly all of the available consumer/professional reviews of this product before making my purchase. While I am for the most part satisfied with the ...

Pros: GREAT video quality, small size, ease of use.

Cons: Initial sound problem, other than that I'm very happy.

Review: I've had this camera for a few weeks now and I'm really enjoying it. The video I've taken with it seems to rival the quality from PBS HD, but of course I'm not a professional videographer. The size is surprisingly small (at least to me), I don't think ...