Canon HV20 Expert Reviews

- With the world going high-definition, is only fair to expect any footage you shoot should be too.

Video quality, options, 10x optical zoom

Size, limited cables in the box

When it comes to video performance the Canon HV20 is very impressive. As we start to live in a HD world this is on the very cutting edge

The unstoppable popularity of high definition has ushered in of a wave of affordable HD camcorders for home users and Canon's HV20 is no exception. In an effort to grab some of this lucrative market, Canon released the HV20.

Improved graphics card, Takes RAM up to 4GB, Santa Rosa chipset, Longer battery life, Competitive pricing, Crisp picture, Clear sound, Wide range of features, Very stylish design, Solid build quality, Lightweight, Strong performer, Robust build, Fair ...

No antiglare screen option, High price, Flat virtual surround, Processor not up to scratch, Poor connectivity, Not the most attractive to look at, Audio quality can be hampered by upwards-facing mic

If you're looking for great value high definition without sacrificing functionality, the HV20 is a great place to start. Comprehensive connectivity coupled with fantastic user-friendliness and superb playback quality make it the leader in its class.

Canon grabs the crown for the most fully featured HDV camcorder for under $1500

However, the HV20 does miss having a lens ring, with a small roller wheel taking care of manual focusing. There's also a separate button for backlight compensation. The remaining functions are accessible using the joystick next to the Start/Stop ...

Although HD broadcasting is slow in coming to the UK, HD camcorders are arriving thick and fast, and prices are dropping. Sony had the first few generations of the consumer HDV market to itself, but Canon has now joined in, with the HV20 representing ...

Canon grabs the crown for the most fully featured HDV camcorder for under a grand.

canon hv20 review: Canon's HV20 camcorder is a great choice for HD-happy amateurs, but its low-light performance could have been better.

Excellent video quality, Good feature set, HDMI output, Accessory shoe

Can't change white balance while shooting, Night mode doesn't help poor low-light performance

Canon's HV20 camcorder is a great choice for HD-happy amateurs, but its low-light performance could have been better.

HD goes retro.

10x zoom; Crisp GD footage; Good at night

Plasticky build; Small display

Reliable rather than racy, but the tortuous PC editing will put most punters off

Canon's attempt to create an HD movie star

Canon's attempt to create an HD movie star

Stunning picture, Stunning picture, Optical image stabiliser, Ultimate connectivity, 25p cinema mode, SD card slot

Camera is on the bulky side, Camera is on the bulky side

£700 might seem expensive but you won't find a better camcorder for anything less than twice that.

The HV20 records 1920-x-1080-pixel interlaced (1080i) HDV video (or standard DV) footage to MiniDV tapes. It offers a 24p mode to simulate the look of film...

High capture quality for a sub-£1,000 camcorder. Wide range of accessories.

Few manual controls. No pro audio inputs.

If you're looking for an HDV camera to complement your XL A1 or H1, or for Web or motion-graphics projects, the 510g HV20 is the best sub-£1,000 model on the market

After a slow start with HDV, Canon is back on form with this prosumer offering.

After a slow start with HDV, Canon is back on the form it had when the market was predominated by DV. Not only does the company now produce the best professional HDV camcorder currently available, the HX-A1, it has the most successfully realised HDV ...