Canon Hv20 Dilemma

[Chris110]

Hi everyone,
I currently own a Sony Hdr-Hc3,but im looking to upgrade to Canon Hv20.I will be keeping the Hdr-Hc3 as a backup thoe.Canon Hv20 seems like a excellent camera,and has everything I want,but theres one problem.I keep hearing many reports about how the Canon has stopped working out of nowhere(remove cassette,tapes not playing,moisture errors,and motherboard stoped working) with all this in mind im freaked out about buying the Canon now.If I don't buy the hv20 I will get the Hv10 instead even though it's not as nice as the 20.If you were in my position what would you do?Thanks for any help.
Christopher

[SenorKaffee]

Really? That´s new to me.

[Chris110]

The reports are posted in Trouble In Paradise forum.And i've found some reports on dvinfo.net

[skinnyboy]

Every peice of equipment has a failure rate of some kind. I think 6% is considered normal. I have no idea what it is for the HV20.
The real question is how quickly it can be replaced if there is a problem.

The vast majority of people with these cameras have no problems. But there is no guarantee that you won't be one of the very few who do.

Any camera you get will be in the same boat. The only reason you are hearing about the HV20 is because it is A) enormously popular sales-wise and B) is enormously popular on forums like this.

[Terfyn]

Skinnyboy is right. Just make sure that you have a good guarantee. Mine's for two years so, if I do have a problem, the camera is swapped.
Tape mechanisms need to be treated with care but the mechanisms in the older cameras (Analogue) were often more tempramental.

[Ian-T]

Had mine since day one....no problems here.

[CJDaniels]

I got mine two months ago, I brought mine to Europe for a 5 week vacation, 10 countries. It got packed, unpacked, jostled, carried on, rained on, baked, A/C'd nd humidified, dragged thru 15+ musuems, 11 palaces, Versailled, Louvred, canals, nightclubs, restaurants, pubs, subways, street fairs, parades, doubledecker busses, boats, planes, trains and automobiles. Put 13 1-hour tapes through it end to end, and it is working perfect.

[fstopopen]

just for the record, I have had mine sent in to canon more days than I have had it. I got the "remove the cassette" problem. sent it out... 2 weeks later I got a camera. I shot with it for a while and then my firewire connector broke. I had to send it back AGAIN. I've only shot with it a couple of days, but I've been the proud owner of an hv20 for 2 months. I hope this is the end of my "return" saga.

drake

[SpiritCatcher]

Any manufacturer is going to have a small percentage of issues. I think since these cameras are getting so cheap and yet so powerful, it creates a lack of respect for the gear. In my 5 years as a professional, dealing with gear, 90% of all gear issues stem from mistreatment, rushing to reload thereby cramming the tape into the carriage and slamming it shut. Gropping the thing like a rental car wheel rapidly rewinding footage quickly and repeatedly, through the menus, challenging the thing to malfunction. Granted these are people using rental gear, but I see my "video buddies" treat their own gear like a truckstop whore, only to whine when it breaks! Like I tell them...Breathe, take your time, respect the gear, it will serve you well. You couldn't do what this thing does, for under 3,000, just a year ago. Canon has always backed their exceptional products in my experience. Happy Shooting!

PS I pause as I push post... as my HV20 is arriving in the next 24 hours, PRAYS please dont be the small percent with an issuehttp://hv20.com/images/smilies2/hv20-smilie81.gif

PSS I am not blaming you for your problems, and my heart goes out to anybody with an issue. Just making a counter point to some of the "Oh Canon %$#*@!" Any ways, Best.

[Terfyn]

Well said SpiritCatcher. Just a glance into the tape mechanism shows a complex precision piece of engineering. Swiss watchmakers could learn a thing or two.
Having sais that, I would like to see a larger camera body with a more robust tape mechanism, all the machinery to locate the tape is visible as are the heads. Not a camera to use for filming desert warfare!

[Sean Michael]

I have both an HC3 and an HV20. I think you will be very happy with this combo.

I use the HC3 as a backup camera. It does certain things well, and has some features (like Nightshot) that come in handy.

The footage from both cams matches well if you shoot in 60i.