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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Colour & Noise Performance
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03.Motion & Sharpness Performance
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04.Low Light Performance
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05.Compression & Media
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06.Manual Controls
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07.Still Features
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08.Handling & Use
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09.Playback & Connectivity
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10.Audio & Other Features
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11.Canon HF S100 Comparison
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12.Panasonic HDC-HS300 Comparison
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13.Sanyo VPC-HD2000 Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Photo Gallery
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16.Specs and Ratings
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17.Comments
Sony Handycam HDR-XR520VE
Previous: Part 10
Audio & Other FeaturesNext: Part 12
Panasonic HDC-HS300 Comparison
Sony HDR-XR520VE versus Canon HF S100
• The Canon has superior colour and sharpness; the Sony wins in noise and stabilisation
• Neither is a good choice for low light performance, but the Canon's 25p frame rate options give it added versatility
• Both have less than intuitive menu structures, but the Sony's size and jumble of LCD cavity buttons make it more intimidating for novices
• Both offer a slew of manual controls: the Sony has a viewfinder and a superior control dial; the Canon has shutter and aperture control, plus auto gain limit
The Canon has the slight edge in performance, outmatching the XR520 in motion, sharpness, and colour. They are about equal in low light performance, but the Canon also offers 25p recording, which can really help in dim light. The one performance area where the Sony beat out the Canon was in noise; the new sensor on the XR520 produces beautifully clear images. Other than that, the Canon is probably a better choice for beginners, as it's a bit simpler to use and is a decent entry for less experienced consumers that might want to dabble in manual controls. The Sony, on the other hand, is probably the camcorder of choice for manual control enthusiasts: the dial is more versatile and more convenient, there is a viewfinder for more precise image adjustment, and there's still a healthy selection of manual controls.
| Comparison Specs | ||
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| Sony HDR-XR520VE | Canon HF S100 | |
| Price | £1,199.99 |
£1,100 |
| Primary Recording Media | 240GB internal hard drive | SD/SDHC Card |
| Secondary Recording Media | Memory Stick Pro Duo card | None |
| Image Sensor | 1/2.88-inch CMOS | 1/2.6-inch CMOS |
| Effective Pixel Count | 4.15-megapixels (video) 6-megapixels (stills) |
6.01-megapixels (video) 8.02-megapixels (stills) |
| Mic Input | Yes, 3.5mm | Yes, 3.5mm |
| LCD | 3.2-inch with 921,000-pixel resolution |
2.7-inch LCD with 211,000-pixel resolution |
| Viewfinder | Yes | No |
| Weight | 590g (including battery) | 500g (including battery) |
| Dimensions | 71 x 75 x 137 mm |
70 x 69 x 136 mm |
| HD | Yes | Yes |
| Frame Rates | 1080/50i | 1080/50i, 25p |
| Compression | AVCHD | AVCHD |
| Maximum Bitrate | 16Mbps | 24Mbps |
| Optical Zoom | 12x | 10x |
| Stabilisation | Optical (with two settings: standard and active) |
Optical |
| Scores | ||
| Sony HDR-XR520VE | Canon HF S100 | |
| Colour | 7.68 | 8.91 |
| Noise | 6.21 | 4.64 |
| Video Sharpness | 10.59 | 11.32 |
| Low Light Sensitivity | 3.77 | 5.62 |
| Low Light Colour | 6.92 | 6.95 |
| Low Light Noise | 11.02 | 10.67 |
| Still Sharpness | 6.97 | 11.5 |
| Battery Life | 92 minutes | 98 minutes |
| Noise at 60 lux Auto | |
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| Sony HDR-XR520VE 100% Crop |
Canon HF S100 100% Crop |
| Colour Performance Scores |
 |
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