Canon HG20 - HD 60GB HDD / DSHC Camcorder £399

[SSB]

Originally Posted by MarkNorton1

I was all set to order this from QVC then i thought i would do a little more homework, now im as confused as ever!!

I found a Canon HG20 for £399 on line and reviews for this seem very good, seems better in doors as well as having a 60gb hard disc so able to save a little money on buying several SDHC cards, also it seems to record at a the higher 24mbps, it does lack recording in 5.1 which i was looking forward to if im honest, even if it is a little gimmicky, i just dont know which way to look now!!

Does anyone have any experience of one or both of these units at all, I just dont have the time unfortunalty to shop around and go and get a hands on for myself.

Cheers

Mark

Originally Posted by A n d r e w

£399 for the HG20 seems cheap - too cheap. Are we dealing with a known retail entity here?

Originally Posted by MarkNorton1

Found it through a search engine Twenga?

Wilkinson Cameras / Camcorders / High Definition / Canon / CANON CAM HD HG20 HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDER - HALF PRICE DW100 BURNER AVAILABLE WHEN BOUGHT WITH


Company name is Wilkinson? Never dealt with them before and i dont know how well they are known within the camera or retail world?

But I just figured that with the panasonic i would have to spend at least £30 on an SDHC card or so anyway where as initially that wouldnt be required for the canon?

Originally Posted by A n d r e w

I've never dealt with them myself, but it looks like they have a bricks-and-mortar presence: Wilkinson Cameras / OUR STORES

It's a good price. The HG20 is a superior camcorder to the SD20: bigger sensor (better in low light), greater range of shooting modes, and microphone input. Plus the hard drive if that's your bag - not everyone likes the added weight, but it can steady things a bit when shooting freehand.

Might pay to give them a call and check that it's the UK / European version.

Originally Posted by SSB

Wilkinsons are a good company - living in the North West, I've bought a few things from them. They've possibly only got a handful in stock, so I wouldn't dawdle. I'd definitely buy it over the Panasonic - had I seen it before I might have picked it up over the HF100 I got from currys!

Comparison Canon HG20 / HF100 / Panasonic SD20

Originally Posted by markie

Just married? A honeymoon? The Maldives? Are you sure you're going to have time to use a camcorder?


P.S. Thanks for the link to the camera, though, have just ordered one from your link. Is this Canon better, do you think, than the Panasonic ? I'm primarily concerned with ease of use and picture quality.

Originally Posted by TallPaul

Mark, I also ordered one from them wednesday night hence my slightly loaded question, got the same story about missed fedex pickup from one store on Thursday and it would be sent Friday to arrive Monday but no tracking number or email yet, I think the link on here may have flooded them with orders? (you beat me by 10 minutes at least as you posted on here so your ahead of me in the queue!).

Congratulations by the way on the marriage business

The manual says you get 5 minutes more with SDHD than HD(isk), so not a great difference, but of course its a lot more shock proof. (EDIT: You can get the manual from the Canon site: HG20)

I would recommend a small lowepro case, they are very tough and well padded and will protect the camcorder well (I am have been into photography for a number of years and have several of their bags that have survived planes trains and automobiles).

Markie, it depends what he wants to record innit

Originally Posted by SSB

I'm going into Carlisle this afternoon and will pop into the Wilkinsons there - I'll see what stock they have left.

EDIT - 10 in stock. 2 in Carlisle, the remainder in other stores / centrally held.

Carrying over discussion from the Panny thread.

Link to Product on WilkinsonCameras page

[jalaldevil]

Wanna buy this hopefully it doesn't run out of stock until the weekend.

I want to find a few M2TS samples so I could check it on my PS3 how the quality looks like, found a few sample for the Sony 40gb 1080p HD cam and was very impressed.

Has anybody bought this?

[MarkNorton1]

Thanks for that , was a little worried that i was taking over the whole panny thread!!

Mine should arrive on Monday all going well, just wouldnt mind any suggestions on a decent case/bag for it as well as advice on buying a second battery?

[MarkNorton1]

Thanks TallPaul, will take a look at those cases, i seem to remember passing them somewhere on my hunt, just need to make sure i order from somewhere that has them in stock and can get it to me within 5 working days, not a tall order you wouldnt have thought!?

[TallPaul]

Also, I totally failed to mention Crumpler, they are the funky option and also built to last. Check out the pretty boy XXL (they all have stupid names FYI).

If you want to order online try Warehouse Express, but to be honest for a bag you really want to see it in my experience. Lots places carry bags, even Jessops, might be worth a look if you can get to the shops this week, worst case at least you could order online later.

SSB thanks for asking, with a bit of luck then Mark and I should get ours tomorrow. Hows your HF100 working out?

I have been eyeing up the long range battery (as the supplied one lasts 55mins apparently) and the wide angle lens, but both options are super expensive, have a play with the camera first I think.

Oh, there is no HDMI cable in the box according to the Canon website, I ordered a mini-hdmi to HDMI cable from www.ebuyer.com, the 2m cable was only £4.33, looks like they are sold out though, they have the longer cables still:

3m @ £6.99
5m @ £5.62

Oh total I just realised I ordered a 2m mini hdmi to mini-hdmi cable, ****, that's no good! (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/158991) what a muppet The picture shows the right cable, but the description is wrong, hmm....

[SSB]

Originally Posted by TallPaul

SSB thanks for asking, with a bit of luck then Mark and I should get ours tomorrow. Hows your HF100 working out?

No problem at all - I was passing anyway, so it satisfied my natural curiosity if nothing else

Enjoying the HF100 - it hasn't been tested heavily yet, but the images even in pretty shonky conditions (our old house is pretty dark) are very good. Software is a bit on the lean side ... I uninstalled all the zoombrowser stuff after installing it and have hardly used the ImageMixer one.

You might want to check this out. I was determined to be able to use WMP and WME9 to play and re-encode video for emailing / uploading and this enabled me to do it.

[MarkNorton1]

Well my HG20 arrived this morning at work first thing, well pleased!

Just got to get throough the next 8 hours or so before i can have a play!!

[SSB]

I'm guessing you can at least charge it up at work ...

[chentong]

Originally Posted by MarkNorton1

Well my HG20 arrived this morning at work first thing, well pleased!

Just got to get throough the next 8 hours or so before i can have a play!!

Is it brand new and in it's original packaging? Apparently some users complained about the packaging and condition of their products.

Thanks

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by chentong

Is it brand new and in its original packaging? Apparently some users complained about the packaging and condition of their products.

Can you be more specific? "Users" of which company? There haven't been any complaints on this forum, as far as I'm aware.

NOTE TO SENU: Any chance we can correct "DSHC" to "SDHC" in the subject header of this thread, Senu?

[SSB]

But then how will the dyslexic searchers find it?

[chentong]

Originally Posted by A n d r e w

Can you be more specific? "Users" of which company? There haven't been any complaints on this forum, as far as I'm aware.

NOTE TO SENU: Any chance we can correct "DSHC" to "SDHC" in the subject header of this thread, Senu?

Wilkinson www.wilkinson.co.uk Review in Online Camera Shops at Review Centre

Good Points: good price and quick delivery
Bad Points: Poor customer service, didn't receive a ring back, never resolved the issue.
General comments: I ordered a Canon 40d body. They sent it in as white non original box. I sent off for Canons cashback but it was refused as it didn't have an original barcode. When I asked Wilkinsons Cameras, they said they had included a cut out barcode, but I couldn't find this in the box. They could not send me another, costing me £100.00
sidwemn's review and ratings | 80 words

[TallPaul]

No delivery here yet... but had it sent to home as I am home today with our 13 day old daughter (hence camcorder) so couriers usually come later in the day to the house than to the office I find.

Ref other comments, it better be new and unopened or its going back!

[indie24]

Still waiting on mine, i bought the sd20 from QVC so only got a few more days before im within the 30 days to return. I ordered mine from wilkinson camera on thursday 13.30 and was hoping they would send it to me on friday since their cut off date time is 12pm. No reply from either emails.

[TallPaul]

Yeah I sent them an email last Thursday after I spoke to them asking how much for Saturday delivery and got no reply.

I think they are more of a ring them up kinda shop.

They don't seem to update their system with tracking number or send out an email either, did you get an email or tracking number Mark or just a camera via fedex?!