Most people love to get their hands on a new high-tech Digital SLR. They want to take pictures of great quality and probably some just want to look like a professional Photographer. I am not most people. While people gawk and salivate at the newest model of Nikon or Canon DSLR’s, I seem to pick up my jaw everytime I see one of those professional videocameras in front of me or being used during productions. The sad thing though is these cameras are just extremely expensive for my budget and also I won’t be able to use it all the time like for example shooting a video of your dog trying to catch a mosquito in broad daylight.

Eversince, I’ve been looking for consumer cameras that would actually be able to simulate the way Professional Video Cameras like the Panasonic AG-DVX100 capture amazingly beautiful videos in 24p. “24p” means 24 frames per second in progressive scan mode. 24p brings out the film look that ordinary video cameras can only dream of. Ordinary cameras shoot in 60i. 60i shoots in 30 frames per second (29.97 to be exact) with interlacing fields that make the video look like “what you see is what you get”. The problem though with 60i is it lacks that artistic feel that the 24p brings to your most memorable videos.

Some cameras try to simulate 24p visually but never actually succeed at all. That was until I saw the features of this beautiful piece of machinery called the Canon HV20.

Features:
Not only is this camera 24p capable, it also shoots 24p in High Definition up to full 1080i. This camera also features a lot of manual controls ranging from manual focusing and shutter speed control. To those who are familiar with Pro-consumer digital cameras, these features make you feel like a pro even if you’re only using a consumer based camera. With shutter speed controls, shooting in slow motion is possible making you able to shoot movements ala-300 without any drop frames that are often seen when video clip speeds are decreased in post production.

A video shot by a youtube user using Canon HV20

Not most consumer cameras give you a good sense of manual focusing like the HV20 does. There’s a dial where in you can do focusing manually which makes focusing more accurate thus giving you that sense of artistic control over your shots.

Value:
Now, this is what makes HV20 my dream camera. Some people dream because they think those dreams cannot be achieved. I beg to disagree, when I dream I want to make sure I can reach that dream at the soonest time possible. The HV20 with all its cool features ranges from $800-$1300. For an HD camera that can do mostly what professional cameras can do, this has got to be a no-brainer if I had that kind of money in my pocket. Recording those greatest moments in your life with a consumer camera but with the looks of an oscar-winning film is truly an amazing dream for video or film enthusiasts who can’t afford professional cameras that can even cost more than your annual rent.

This isn’t a review but just reading the features and seeing samples of what this camera can do makes me praise Canon for giving financially challenged people a choice rather than being forced with mediocre features. Sadly, I couldn’t find this model anywhere in Metro Manila since it was released last 2007. If anyone can find me a shop that sells this model, please contact me through my contact information found here.