Replacing the success of the HG10, Canon HG20 is all set to take its market share. It comes in a new package with a few upgrades like:

• Records on an internal hard drive
• Has a memory of 60 GB compared to 40 GB in the HD10.
• A SHINY BLACK body
• An advanced CMOS sensor
• An increased AVCHD recording bit rate
• A few design alterations
• A reduced cost price at $949
• The viewfinder has been deleted

The next improvement will be HG21 which will have a larger storage capacity of 120 GB, a better viewfinder and an LCD screen for an additional $350.

Some of the key features of the Canon HG20 are:

• 60 GB internal hard drive which makes it bulky, increasing its size up by 30% from the HF11 which works on the principle of solid state memory.
• Can hold 330 minutes of video footage of highest quality in addition to expandable memory options like SD and SDHC memory cards.
• It also uses AVCHD compression codec. Though there have been a few editing and compatibility issues, these problems have been sorted out by the new advanced editing programs.
• The video quality is excellent with sharp images with saturated colors, manual controls and multiple frame rate options.
• It offers the 24P frame rate option which makes the video cinematic with softer and slower motion while the 30P frame rate is faster for action videos or filming sport events.
• It also has an easy button for beginners who do not want to make manual adjustments. This button puts the camcorder in the automatic mode which will allow the user to enjoy the experience hassle-free.
• It has a 1/3.2-inch CMOS sensor and has an effective pixel count of 2,070,000 which offers the best in terms of picture quality.
• With multiple frame rates like 24P and 30P, this camcorder is a top performer even in dim light conditions.

A few difficulties faced by the users are its hard plastic body with a hollow echo and a loud zoom motor. Also, there is a joystick for manual controls which is quite annoying for the advanced users. The competitors like Sony’s HDR11 and HDR12 try hard to compete but fail due to excellent video quality provided at the affordable price range. Thus the Canon Vixia HG20 rises above competition and is a recommended product from brand Canon.