In preparation for an upcoming trip to Denmark and then Sweden I wanted to bring a new camcorder with me. But not just any camcorder, I wanted a killer (think, something far more sophisticated than I would ever be able to fully use). Of course, a killer might cost a small fortune (think, more money than I have). I ended up going with the Canon HV20. It is a single chip (think, not great in low light and contrast), high-definition (think, way better than average television quality) and compact (think, stick it in your backpack, not your pocket).
While I have not field tested in travel conditions, I have managed to do some simple run and gun shooting around the yard. I only half believed that the camera would do what I imagined it could (think, fantastic images in a tiny package). In The Know Traveler has been using high-definition on all of our podcasts since the beginning. The camera we have been using has three chips and is most definitely a killer (think, see above). I did not imagine my new one chip could possibly measure up to our much more expensive camera package.
My initial findings, think amazing (think exceeded my expectations of clarity). My shots included the proverbial close-up of a bee in a purple flower and a blue sky contrasting green-leaf trees.
The downside is that the camera does not come with the wildly overpriced HDMI cable. I suggest buying it online for deep discounts. In the next couple of posts, I will cover indoor, sound, personal settings, and filters.
Written by Devin Galaudet
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