The master stroke - even or especially for passionate amateur filmmakers

Those like me who has been dealing for decades with the private filming, has been able to witness a fascinating development - from chemical film (I started in the 70s with Super-8 cine film) on Video8 / Hi8 (SONY's legendary CCD-TR 805 with optical Image Stabilizer) and miniDV (Sony's three-chip camera DCR-VX1000) to today, unimaginable for those times quality. The passion is still there, even if I never become a "professional".

My review I write for those who undergone a similar development and still have fun at the filming, without ever having obtained the higher orders of a semi-professional camera operator. The professionals like me therefore forgive my perhaps naïve at times appearing assessment, but I think this camera should not be solely reserved for them, but is also suitable for avid "Amateur" videographers.

I use the NEX-VG 20 only four weeks ago and I'm still at the beginning to develop gradually its manifold possibilities. Therefore, I will add my experience here in sections.

What fascinates me is compared to previously used devices among other things:

- The lack of any running noises or other, caused by the camera disorders
- The virtually noise-free picture even very dark scenes
- The color naturalness and high fidelity of recordings
- A really clean and atmospheric 5.1 sound via built-in microphone (the "fur-pompom" to wear over the microphone part of the accessories supplied)
- The "Focus Expansion": This allows the image in the viewfinder / display fourfold represent enlarged to allow more accurate manual focus
- The other many manual controls
- A still largely simple operation
- An activation code for the post-program "Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11" is included with the accessories

Disappointed had me initially that the camera does not have a power zoom. But now I find this solution even better because the hand that is required for manual zooming, the lens support and the picture steadiness is thus quiet. Turning the lens is actually "like butter" possible.

I will use my vacation in the next two weeks to test as Amateur Camera extensively for their practicality. Of course, I will complete my experiences here.

Because of my enthusiasm, I would nevertheless like to make a conviction equal to the beginning: SONY is a very big hit with this camcorder also for passionate amateurs and opportunity Filmer. Even now I can not and do not want to help but awarded five stars earned.

*******

Evaluation of the individual aspects

SERVICE
Who has already filmed, comes with this camera certainly cope intuitively good. The accompanying manual (the 80-page German-language section is hidden in the first half) is to launch indeed quite helpful, but not comprehensive enough. Only the PDF manual on the supplied CD is the information that eventually are also definitely of interest.

PICTURE AND SOUND
It is possible to use different quality levels, which take quite different (not supplied) space on the memory card. I use the resolution 1920 * 1080 / 25p for video and 5.1 audio. The camera produces here MTS files on a data rate of 20 Mbit / s (AVC) for video and 448 kbit / s (48 kHz, 16 bit) feature for the Dolby Digital sound (read with "Media Info").
In the presentation on my canvas (image width about two meters at 1.09 meters Image height projector SONY VPL-HW 30 ES) I almost fell jaw down, especially with the attention to detail (tile distant houses; rapeseed flowers on the field) was concerned, without flashy colors as hitherto sometimes be seen sticking out of their surfaces. So I've always liked that.

ACCESSORIES
The list of Product Description I will not repeat here, yet I have the following points:
A memory card is not in, but must be purchased separately (I use this here Transcend Extreme Speed ​​SDHC 32GB Class 10 memory card [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] Den to my mind to small supplied battery NP-FV70 I supplemented with this:. Sony NP -FV100 lithium battery (V series). This fits perfectly into the battery compartment of the camera and has with 3900 mAh significantly more capacity than the only marginally cheaper NP-FV70 (2060 mAh). Watch out, there are circulating probably cheap deals that otherwise as claiming no original batteries from Sony are.
The battery is charged in the device, here is recommended, depending on the financial situation a separate charger.

FINISHING
The camera produces on request directly to an attached USB DVD Burner an AVCHD disc which can be played by many BluRay players. The format used by me (see. Point "Picture and sound") or higher that does not work, unfortunately. I have the program "Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11" used to post, accompanied by a free activation code for. The video file created (format M2TS, BDAV, 1920 * 1080 / 25p) can be with my Media Player (Western Digital Live HD Media) play without hesitation and without any lag).

My impression is the quality here is undiminished by - but I have no effects added. The calculation of the project required on my MiniPC (Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 4200+ 2GB of RAM), but here already almost an hour eleven minutes of total running time. Clearly, alongside here is more powerful hardware that I'm going to do in a few months.