General Features
Mini DV Camcorder Features
Digital Still Camera Features
Software Requirements
Specifications

General Features

HDV 1080i: The Canon HV20 camcorder captures true 1080i High Definition resolution video in 16:9 format, using MiniDV cassette tapes. The HV20's true 16:9 widescreen HD image is made for your new HD widescreen TV. At the same time, the HV20 gives you the flexibility to record in SD (standard definition) mode, too. That means you can enjoy the ultimate in HD video and photo quality, and still shoot SD video for viewing on your non-HD equipment

True HD CMOS Sensor (1920 x 1080) Image Sensor: The 1/2.7"-inch CMOS sensor (2,960,000 gross-pixels) reproduces high-resolution images at 1920 x 1080 resolution with full HD information in video images. The HV20's CMOS's high color resolution and advanced color reproduction gives brilliant results. It is also unique in featuring Canon's proprietary noise reduction technologies for crisp, sharp images. Low noise technology also means that even in dimly lit scenes, the signal from each pixel is as pure as possible, with minimal noise or other aberrations. As an added benefit, the CMOS sensor provides outstanding image capture in low light conditions. The camcorders effect gross pixel count is determined by what mode the HV20 is used in.

• 16:9 Movies: approximately 2,070,000
• 4:3 Movies: approximately 1,550,000
• 16:9 Still Images: approximately 2,070,000
• 4:3 Still Images: approximately 2,760,000

RGB Primary Color Filter With Bayer Pattern: The HV20 uses an RGB Primary Color Filter with Bayer Pattern that separates light into red, green and blue color components. This results in vibrant images with deep, rich, accurate color and natural-looking tones. In addition, the Bayer pattern delivers sharp, high definition image without creating false colors.

Digic DV II: Designed specifically for HD, DIGIC DV II ensures optimal image quality. It also ensures optimal image quality for still images, even though video and still images have different color requirements. The DIGIC DV ll image processing produces video with improved color reproduction; especially in skin tones, and dark and light scenes. It also uses a hybrid noise reduction system that employs two types of noise reduction for high definition images that are crystal clear. Plus, DIGIC DV ll features improved continuous shooting of digital photographs with the HV20. You can shoot five (3.1 Megapixel) still images per second, and enjoy faster processing of your images to your memory card (1.4x normal card; 2.5x Hi Speed card). It also helps lower power consumption for longer battery life.

High Definition Video Lens: The HV20 comes with a High Definition video lens with a 10x Optical zoom and 2000x total digital zoom. The digital zoom can bet set to either 40x or 200x. The HV20 allows you to select one of 3 pre-set zoom speeds for smooth, steady, professional looking zooms or you can choose the variable speed option that depends on how you operate the zoom. Press gently for a low zoom or press harder for faster zooms. The HD lens's super spectra coating technology results in images with minimal flare and ghosting. Plus, the HD lens' aspheric design reduces aberration and increases resolution, ensuring crisp, sharp video and enhancing the HD image quality. It gradation ND system gives you better exposures in bright shooting situations. The camcorder's built-in electronic lens cover means you never have to go looking for your lens cover again. Turn your camcorder on and the lens cover automatically opens; turn it off, and the cover closes.

Super-Range Optical Image Stabilization: The HV20's stabilization design corrects camcorder shake instantly. Canon's Super-Range OIS corrects for a wide range of camcorder motion: the fast vibration you'd experience while recording from a moving car; the medium-speed motion of hand-held recording; and the slower motion of body sway.  In addition, optical stabilization keeps your shot steady without a loss in image quality. You can also use it for taking sharper, clearer digital photographs with your HV20.

2.7" Widescreen LCD Screen: The HV20 features a 2.7" TFT, color widescreen LCD screen (211,000 pixels) to make it easy to compose and review your shots. The bright screen lets you see exactly what your camcorder is recording, and what your widescreen TV will display later. You can rotate the LCD screen 90-degrees downward and 180-degrees toward the lens allowing the subject to monitor the LCD screen. The LCD screen also features a backlight that you can set to either normal or bright. The LCD Screen's frame contains zoom, playback and focus assist controls for added convenience.

Viewfinder: The camcorder also features a 0.27" TFT color viewfinder (123,000 pixels) to use to save battery life or when it is just to bright outside to use the LCD screen.

Instant AF (Auto Focus): The Instant AF feature uses an external sensor, in combination with the HV20's autofocus system, to help significantly decrease the time it takes to find focus, even in low light conditions. This system achieves focus instantaneously, reducing focus "hunting." The benefits of Instant AF are especially seen in high brightness, and night shooting situations. With Instant AF, it's possible to capture fast, accurate focusing, even when following a moving subject.

Manual Focus: The HV20 features a manual focus in situations where the Autofocus may not work well, such as recording reflective surfaces, subjects with low contrast or without vertical lines, fast moving subjects, through wet windows or night scenes.

Infinity Focus: Use this function when you wish to focus on faraway subjects such as mountains or fireworks.

Exposure Mode: The Canon HV20 allows you to select from the following exposure modes.

• Manual: allows you to adjust the exposure manually to correct underexposed or overexposed subjects
• Auto Mode: the camcorder adjusts the focus, exposure and other settings automatically, allowing you to just point and shoot.
• Program AE: the camcorder automatically adjust the aperture and shutter speed to obtain the optimal exposure for the subject
• Shutter-Priority AE: the camcorder automatically sets the appropriate aperture value while you set the shutter speed
• Aperture Priority AE: the camcorder automatically sets the appropriate shutter speed while you set the aperture value
• Cine Mode: gives a cinematic look to your video recordings
• Special Scene Recording Modes: The HV20 features the following Preset Scene Recording Modes to match special conditions.
  • Portrait: camcorder uses a large aperture, achieving a focus on the subject while blurring other distracting details
  • Sports: use this mode to record sports scenes or fast moving events
  • Night: use this mode to record in low-light conditions
  • Snow: use this mode to record in bright ski resorts, it prevents the subject from being underexposed
  • Beach: use this mode to record on a sunny beach, it prevent the subject from being underexposed
  • Sunset: use this mode to record sunsets in vibrant colors
  • Spotlight: use this mode to record spotlight scenes
  • Fireworks: use this mode to record fireworks

Auto Backlight Correction: With this feature turned on, you can have the camcorder automatically correct for the backlight with the press of a single button when shooting subject with a strong light source behind them.

Auto Slow Shutter: In this mode, the camcorder automatically uses slow shutter speeds to obtain brighter recordings in places with insufficient lighting.

White Balance: The camcorder's auto white balance system compensates for a wide range of lighting conditions. The white balance can also be set manually or by using one of the six preset modes: Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent or Fluorescent H.

Image Effects: The HV20 allows you to record with the following saturation and contrast color effects:

• Vivid: emphasizes the contrast and color saturation to record in crisp colors

• Neutral: tones down the contrast and color saturation to record in neutral hues

• Low Sharpening: records subjects with softened outlines

• Soft Skin Detail: softens the details in the skin tone area for a more complimentary appearance

• Custom: allows you to adjust the brightness, contrast, color depth, and sharpness of the image

Level Markers: The Level Marker feature allows you to easily keep your camera level for more professional looking video. Simply press the Level Shot Control button, and a horizontal marker appears in your viewfinder. Line up any horizontal lines in your shot, such as the horizon, to the marker and you can be sure your camcorder is level.

Grid Markers: The HV20's Grid Marker feature lets you compose your shot accurately, according to the grid in your viewfinder. You can even choose from two different colors for the grid. This ensures that you see the grid, no matter what the background color of your shot.

Assist Functions: You can use the Assist Functions to make sure you adjust the focus and exposure correctly for your video or still images. The camcorder features the following assist functions.

• Zebra: a striped pattern will appear over areas of the picture that are overexposed (too bright)
• Peaking: the silhouettes of objects in the picture will be emphasized in order to allow you to focus manually more easily

Bright Ultra Video Light: The HV20 uses an ultra bright video light to allow you to shoot subjects in color in low light up to 4.9 feet away.

Advance Accessory Shoe Terminal: Another pro-level feature of the HV20 is the Advanced Accessory Shoe Terminal on the camcorder which allows you to attach extras such as a video light, flash or directional microphone without additional wires or batteries to raise the production value of the video you shoot.

Wireless Remote Control: The wireless remote control lets you operate your HV20 from a distance, so you won't be left out of the picture. It is also very useful for playback of your video and helpful when you have the camcorder stationed on a tri-pod.

Self-Timer: This feature allows the camcorder to start recording after a 10-second or 2-second (using wireless remote) countdown.

Magnify Playback: During playback, movies and still images can be magnified up to 5 times. You can also select the area of the screen to be magnified.

On Screen Display: When this function is set to "On" the camcorder's on-screen displays will appear also on the screen of a connected TV or monitor.

Multi-Language Menu Display: The camcorder features 17 different menu language displays to choose from. You can select from languages such as English, French, Spanish or German.

Power Save: In order to save power when the camcorder is powered by a battery pack it will automatically shut off if left without an operation for 5 minutes.

Mini DV Camcorder Features

Recording Format: The HV20 records in 1080i or in a standard DV mode onto a miniDV tape. The HV20 allows you to choose between recording in HDV or DV standards. You can choose from the following standards.

• HDV: high definition video at 1080i specification with 16:9 aspect ratio
• HDV (PF24): high definition video at 1080i specifications for recording with a progressive frame rate of 24 fps
• DV Wide: standard definition digital video with 16:9 aspect ratio
DV Normal: standard definition digital video with 4:3 aspect ratio

DV Record Modes: In the DV mode you can choose between two recording modes.

• (SP) Standard Play: for best recording quality in DV mode
• (LP) Long Play: recording in LP mode extends the available recording time on the tape 1.5 times

DV Audio: The camcorder allows you to select between two DV audio modes.

• 16bit: records sound at the highest quality
• 12bit: used to dub audio or add a music track later with an external device

24p Cinema Mode: 24p Cinema Mode enables you to achieve a professional "film-look" with your recorded video. You can change the camcorder's frame rate to 24p, which provides the same frame rate as movie film. In addition, you can use the HV20's CINE setting, which changes the color and tonal characteristics, evoking the look and feel of a movie shown in a theater. For added flexibility, these settings can be used together or independently.

Wind Screen: The camcorder automatically reduces the background sound of wind when recording outdoors when Wind Screen is turned "On".

Last Scene Locator: After playing back a tape, you can use this function to locate the end of the last scene recorded on the tape in order to continue recording from that point so you are not recording over previously recorded video you want to keep.

Playback Standards: You can choose for the camera to automatically playback either HDV or DV recorded material or you can choose for it to only play back one or the other.

Built-In Speaker: The camcorder plays the video's sound with it's built-in speaker. You can adjust the audio recording level for the built-in speaker or for an external microphone. You can display the audio level indicator while recording or playing back the tape. When you're using the viewfinder for playback, you can connect a pair of headphones to listen to the sound. You can also use the headphones to check the audio level while recording.

Playback Modes: The camera uses the following special playback modes - Fast Playback, Reverse Playback, 1 Frame Reverse/Advance, Frame-by-Frame Playback, Slow Playback, and Double Speed Playback. During these playback modes there is no sound.

Marker: If you wish to return to a particular scene later, mark the point with the zero set memory and the tape will stop at that point when you rewind for fast forward the tape.

Date Search: You can locate video on the tape by searching changes in the date and time.

TV Type: You can select between a 4:3 aspect ratio or a 16:9 aspect ratio for the video out based on your television's aspect ration.

HDMI Out Terminal: The HV20 makes sharing your High Definition video on your HD television even easier by utilizing an HDMI output terminal. HDMI uses only a single cable to connect your camcorder to your TV for the highest quality playback of digital video and audio. HDMI cable is not supplied.

Component Out Terminal: The camera also comes supplied with a Component video cable that is used to view video from the HV20 on to your TV. You can select the output of the Component Out Terminal to display either 1080i or 480i depending on what standard you recorded in and the capability of your TV.

Audio Out: You can select the audio track to use during the playback of a tape with audio dubbed over the recording. You can choose from the following.

• Stereo1: original sound only
• Stereo2: dubbed audio only
• Mix/Fixed: mixed audio with the original sound and dubbed audio at the same level
• Mix/Var: mixed audio where the balance between the original sound and the dubbed audio can be adjusted

Faders: You can select one of the following faders:

• Fade Trigger: When you start recording, the scene gradually fades in from a black screen. When you stop recording, it gradually fades out.
• Wipe: When you start recording, the picture begins as a thin vertical line in the center of the screen which gradually expands sideways until it fills the whole of the screen. When you end a scene, the image is wiped from both sides of the screen.

Analog to Digital Converter: The analog to digital convert lets you share and record video you have stored on analog videotapes. Simply feed the analog signal from your TV, VCR or analog camcorder to your HV20 to convert the signal to digital for recording on DV tape. Or use your HV20 as a signal converter by connecting it between an analog device and another digital device.

Video Streaming: You can edit and share video with the HV20 through your PC. Once you're connected to your computer, DV streaming and ultra-fast transfer of movies is simple. The HV20 uses the Firewire IEEE 1394 protocol connection so there's no loss of picture or audio quality in the process.

Digital Still Camera Features

Still Image Recording: The HDV camcorder is also a high performance digital camera capable of capturing stunning 3.1 Megapixel photos in a 4:3 aspect ratio or a 2.07 Megapixel photo in a 16:9 aspect ratio. You can record in the following still image sizes - L: 2048 x 1536 (4:3), LW: 1920 x 1080 (16:9), M: 1440 x 1080 (4:3), or S: 640 x 480 (4:3).

MiniSD Memory Card Compatible: The HV20 allows you to store digital photos on an optional miniSD Memory Card (sold separately). The miniSD Card offers the benefit of high-capacity storage in a very small size.

Still Capture from Tape: The HV20 even lets you capture a still image from an already recorded movie. While playing the movie in your camcorder, simply press the photo button to capture a 2.07 Megapixel still frame on a miniSD card from your miniDV tape. The still image can be recorded at a 16:9 aspect ratio with either 848 x 480 (SW) pixels  or 1920 x 1080 (LW) pixels.

Simultaneous Photo Recording: The HV20 can record HD video and capture a 2 Megapixel photo to a memory card simultaneously. During Simultaneous Photo Recording the still image can be recorded at a 16:9 aspect ratio with 848 x 480 (SW) pixels or 1920 x 1080 (LW) pixels.

Histogram Display: The HV20 comes with a Histogram Display. The display allows you to see the brightness information of your still images, so you can adjust your exposures as you shoot.

Auto Intelligent Auto Focus: Auto Intelligent Auto Focus ensures sharp images and gives creative flexibility. Even when your subject isn't in the center of the frame, the HV20's Ai-AF will automatically select from 9 metering frames on the screen to help bring images into sharp focus. When the Focus Priority is activated, the camcorder records a still image only after the focus has been adjusted automatically. You can select from the following Auto Focus Priority modes.

• ON/AiAF: depending on the shooting conditions, one or more AF frames out of the nine frames available are automatically selected and the focus is fixed on them

• ON/Center: in this mode, a single focusing frame appears in the center of the screen and the focus is automatically fixed on it. This is convenient for making sure the focus is exactly where you want it.

• Off: this option is used if you wish to record a still images as soon as you press the Photo button

The Drive Mode: This feature allows you to choose between Single or Continuous Shooting and Exposure Bracketing. You can catch every instant of a moving object with continuous shooting or use the exposure bracketing to record the same picture in 3 levels of exposure in order to choose the picture you like best. You can choose from the following options.

• Single: records a single still image

• Continuous Shooting: records 3 images per second (2.1 images per second with flash)

• Hi-Speed Continuous Shooting: records 5 images per second

• Auto Exposure Bracketing: records a still image in 3 different exposures (dark, normal, light in 1/2 EV steps), allowing you to choose the shot you like best

Flash Modes: You can use the built-in flash for recording still images in dark places. You can choose from the following modes:

• Auto: flash fires automatically according to the brightness of the subject

• Red-eye Reduction, Auto: flash fires automatically according to the brightness of the subject and the assist lamp lights up to reduce the red-eye effect

• Flash On: flash always fires

• Flash Off: flash does not fire

Light Metering Modes: The camcorder measure the light reflected from the subject in order to calculate the optimal exposure settings. You can select from the following metering modes:

• Evaluative Metering: used for standard conditions. The area within the frame is divided into several zones and light is measured based on subject position, brightness, direct light, and backlighting.

• Center-Weighted Averaging: averages the exposure from the entire frame but places more weight on the subject at the center

• Spot: measures the area within the spot AE point frame

Digital Effects: You can select from the following effects:

• Black and White: makes the image black and white
• Sepia: makes a monochrome image with a brownish tint
• Art: adds a paint-like effect, called solarization, to the image

Review: You can select the time to display a still image after it has been recorded to Off, 2 seconds, 4 seconds, 6 seconds, 8 seconds or 10 seconds.

Playback Modes: You can view your still images as a Slideshow or in an Index Screen.

Image Jump: You can jump ahead to a specific image without having to browse all images one by one. You can jump ahead 10 to 100 images.

Protect Sill Images: You can protect sill images from accidental erasure.

USB 2.0 Connection: The camcorder features a USB 2.0 full speed terminal for fast transfer of photos.

Print and Share Button: Print & Share allows you to simply connect your camcorder directly to select Canon printers or any PictBridge-compatible printer with the supplied USB cable. Then, with a simple touch of the Print & Share button, print directly from your HV20 without going through a computer. Print & Share also makes it easy to transfer your still images to your computer. Simply connect your HV20 and your computer, press the Print & Share button and your photos are downloaded to your computer.

PictBridge Printing Capability: PictBridge is a standard that allows you to connect a PictBridge compliant camera directly to a PictBridge compliant printer and make prints, regardless of brand.

Exif Print (Exif 2.2): The Canon HV20 conforms to "Exif Print", a worldwide standard. Vital camera settings (such as: exposure mode, white balance, exposure time) and scene data are recorded to the image file when it is captured. Printers compatible with "Exif Print" are able to use this information to produce high quality photographs, exactly the way they were intended at the time of capture. This intelligent communication process also allows the printer to correct for poor lighting or mistakes, resulting in photos which can be even better than the originals.

DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) Settings: On the memory card, you can select which image or images you want to print and how many copies you want. This is convenient for printing images all at once on a Canon Direct Print function compliant printer or printing at participating photo labs. You can set print orders for up to 998 still images.

Software Requirements

Video Transfer: You can transfer recordings to a computer using the HDV/DV terminal of the camcorder. Your computer will need the following equipment and meet the following system requirements.

• Equipped with an IEEE1394 (DV) terminal or an IEEE1394 (DV) capture board

• DV cable

• Video editing software

• Appropriate driver

Specifications

Number of still images that can be recorded on a memory card:

Battery Charging, Recording, and Playback Times: