Sony DCR-HC20 MiniDV Handycam

Although it’s compact and easy to use, the Sony DCR-HC20 MiniDV Handycam delivers subpar video and still-image quality and lacks a few critical features.

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Nov 16, 2004

Although it’s compact and easy to use, the Sony DCR-HC20 MiniDV Handycam delivers subpar video and still-image quality and lacks a few critical features. This makes it difficult to recommend for any class of user.

The unit lacks a built-in flash (though it has a dumb shoe), but with a maximum still-image resolution of 340,000 pixels, you wouldn’t buy this camera for shooting stills anyway. It is also missing an analog-to-digital conversion function.

The small 1/6-inch CCD delivered a paltry 350 lines of video resolution. GretagMacbeth color chart videos showed decent color accuracy, though there was some fringing between colors.

In our “talking head” trials, the image looked soft and ... // 50% Remaining