Panasonic HDC-HS20

Low Light Sensitivity (1.4)

In another repeat performance from last year, the Panasonic HDC-HS20 proved that it was no more the low light champion than its predecessor, the HDC-SD9. In our low light sensitivity test, the HS20 was able to produce 50 IRE at 21 lux—slightly better than the SD9's results last year. While several camcorders seem to sacrifice some sensitivity for sharpness (or vice versa), the HS20 doesn't have a strong showing in either regard. (More on how we test low light sensitivity.)

Required Illumination *

* the lower the lux required, the better the performance

With much of the competition increasing sensor resolution for 2009, there isn't a lot of competition in the sensitivity department. The Canon HF20 was only able to muster 50 IRE at 18 lux and even the high end Canon HF S100 was stumped around 12 lux. The Sony Webbie MHS-CM1 fared even worse than the HS20, requiring a full 27 lux to produce 50 IRE. Of the camcorders we've tested so far this year, only the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 has shown the kind of impressive low light performance we've come to expect from top-of-the-line high definition camcorders. It achieved 50 IRE with just 9 lux of light.

Low Light Colour (4.42)

The Panasonic HDC-HS20 performed with slightly below average colour accuracy in low light—unsurprising, considering the poor sensitivity. It's difficult for any camcorder to perform well under poor illumination. For the HS20, this means that the colour error produced at 60 lux was 7.28 with a saturation of just 56.87%.  (More on how we test low light colour.)

Auto Low Light Colour Performance
Colour Test Chart (above), colour Error Map (right)
The Panasonic HDC-HS20 produced a colour error of 7.28 and a saturation level of 56.87% in our low light colour testing. (The map on the right is a diagram of the colour error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular colour.)

This performance is similar to what the Panasonic HDC-SD9 was able to provide last year. The mid-range Panasonics simply aren't targeting the consumer with low light video needs. Even the Canon HF20, which looks slightly darker in the comparisons below, has more accurate and vivid colours than the dull, washed out HS20. The Sony MHS-CM1, whilst still slightly washed out has more vibrant-looking colours than the Panasonic.

Low Light Comparison
Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20
Sanyo VPC-HD2000	Sony MHS-CM1

Of all the camcorders tested so far this year, it's the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 that stands out as the winner in terms of low light colour performance. It doesn't have the sharpness to match the Canon HF20 or Canon HF S100, but the colours are remarkably strong, bright, and accurate. Looking at the image above, it might even be hard to tell that the Sanyo footage was taken at just 60 lux. The Panasonic, being just a mid-range camcorder, isn't expected to perform as well as the Sanyo VPC-HD2000... but the price difference doesn't seem proportionate to the gap in performance.

Low Light Colour Score Comparison

Low Light Noise (12.23)

Low light noise is one area where the Panasonic manages to beat out the competition. We measured the noise levels at 0.455% —considerably lower than the noise measured by the Canon HF20 and Sony MHS-CM1. (More on how we test low light noise.)

Noise at 60 lux Auto
Panasonic HDC-HS20 100% Crop	Canon HF20 100% Crop	Sanyo VPC-HD2000 100% Crop	Sony MHS-CM1 100% Crop

As we mentioned in the section on bright light noise performance earlier in this review, the numbers only tell half the story. The Panasonic HDC-HS20 may have better testing results when it comes to noise alone, but remember that a blurrier image is bound to mask a lot of the finer detail—including fine noise. The above crop from the Canon HF20, in particular, shows just how heavily sharpness can influence the visibility of noise. The Canon preserves so much information that the presence of noise is highly emphasised.

Often, the best low light performance is produced by a delicate compromise among sensitivity, resolution, and processing. The Canon HF20 and Sanyo VPC-HD2000 performed similarly in low light, but we preferred the brighter, clearer image of the Sanyo to the dark and noisy Canon—even though the Canon produced a sharper image. The Panasonic HDC-HS20, meanwhile, performs much more like the Sony MHS-CM1—a budget camcorder designed for the YouTube audience. The Sony did poorly in the noise department, but it has a sharper, more vivid image. If you spend a significant amount of time shooting in dim lighting conditions, the Panasonic isn't likely to be your best choice.

Low Light Noise Score Comparisons