Why is quality so much better with my HV20 than with my 600D/T3i

If you want sharpness like you get with the Hv20 on your DSLR, use a slow aperture of F8 or smaller and make sure if you are using a custom picture profile setting that the sharpness level is turned all the way or most of the way to the maximum. You can also check the sharpness settings for whatever picture mode you are using to shoot video. The small chip size on the HV20 also creates sharper, and a deep depth of field (as opposed to shallow) out of the box just because of the physics involved.

Having said that, increasing sharpness will make your video look less and less like film - film has a softer look to it than video. So yes HV20 footage may be perceived as sharper but there's a reason I and many other left the camcorder style cameras behind. People with a photography background seem to be among those who are the best "pixel peepers" - and they often bring up this sharpness concern but for me it's totally not a concern.

Steve Crow
Crow Digital Media
http://www.CrowDigitalMedia.com

Hi Lars,

"You should be able to get the sharpness on your budget."

You are right the Canon HV20 is a real stunner and we have been using it along side 2 Canon 5D Mark II's for over 3 years, the 5D images & video from a 35mm sensor are better at a price, but, on a split screen you may not notice .
However, setting the HV20 to cinema mode will in my opinion degrade the image , softer (as Steve says) you may like that.

So set it on say Program AE or TV mode and it will select the sharpest possible aperture, say F11 to F22.That is what you have done, I think. You will need a 1920x 1080 monitor for best results to compare.

My grand daughter has bought a Canon 600D ( it is equipped with an EF-S Lens for the smaller sensor not the EF L Series Lens for the pro cameras., I have not used it, but, regardless, if it is similar to the 5D Mark II #go into,

You can improve the sharpness by adjustment in the camera Menu.

#1. MENU>
PICTURE STYLE> scroll down to say > Landscape>Click on >INFO Detail Set and you will have a menu of, Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, Color Tone.In Sharpness you have 7 levels to tune your camera to, try it. You will need to use the dial on the rear ? Read the Manual, you should not have that issue.

The problem you have is that the Lens designed for that camera may not be as professional as the EF L series professional lens System designed for the 35mm Sensors of the other Canon EOS Cameras.
We have been in the image business for over 30 years and the images out of the 5D Mark II is as good as or better than that out of a Zeiss equipped Hasselblad, a medium format camera.

You will get it right or go back to Canon Service and get them to check it out.

Incidentally , you can buy the EF lens for that camera at a price, but,the zoom length will change as will the wide angle coverage.

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA

Good result,

35mm film is still a tad better than digital "C" drive on the 100 foot screens in Australia , but, it is improving . The high definition quality that you get from 1920 x 1080pa, and you can do it yourself, is extraordinary.

Quote : (I'm just a happy layman but in my opinion film these days are more about colour balancing than softness. Looking at the popular Cinema Picture Style sharpness is set to 3.)

The world has changed ..................

Freelance Imaging & Video
AUSTRALIA