Canon XA20 Professional HD Camcorder

The Canon XA20 Professional HD Camcorder is a compact “run-and-gun” camera well suited to ENG, event coverage, independent and documentary filmmaking, and educational institutions, combining strong optical performance with versatile recording capability in a portable, ergonomic body.

At the core of the XA20 is a 1/2.84-inch HD CMOS Pro image sensor (3.09MP total, 2.91MP effective, capturing approximately 2136 x 1362 pixels), paired with Canon’s DIGIC DV 4 image processor, delivering stunning picture quality and outstanding dynamic range even in low light. Minimum illumination is rated at 1.0-1.2 lux in standard Auto mode, improving to approximately 0.1 lux in Low Light (Slow Shutter) mode. Horizontal resolution reaches 1000 TV lines or more in Full HD recording.

The integrated Canon 20x HD optical zoom lens offers a 35mm-equivalent focal range of 26.8-576mm (28.8-576mm with Dynamic IS engaged), with a maximum aperture of f/1.8-2.8 and a minimum object distance of just 23.6 in. (60cm), extendable to a combined 400x zoom with digital zoom, plus a built-in 2x digital teleconverter. An 8-blade circular iris renders out-of-focus highlights and bokeh in a more natural, pleasing manner, and the lens includes an endless-type manual focus/zoom ring along with user-programmable power zoom direction and sensitivity modes, with speed settings including Variable, Constant (16 levels), Fast, Normal, and Slow.

The camera records Full HD 1920 x 1080 video at up to 59.94p, with native 23.98p (24p) recording available for a cinematic look, and can simultaneously encode footage to two different codecs and bit rates, letting users capture high-resolution AVCHD or MP4 master footage on one SD card while generating a lower-data-rate, web-ready MP4 file on the second card at the same time. Five-axis Dynamic Optical Image Stabilization compensates for camera shake in five directions for notably steady handheld footage, and an automatic correction circuit helps reduce image distortion for cleaner results.

Handling centers on an 8.77cm (3.5″) OLED touchscreen with a 10,000:1 contrast ratio (approximately 1,230,000 dots), along with a 0.24-inch color electronic viewfinder offering 1,560,000 dots of resolution and a 45-degree tilt for flexible shooting angles. The camera offers full manual control over exposure, focus, white balance, gain, and shutter speed (max 1/2000 sec), alongside automatic modes, with professional monitoring tools including a pre-record buffer, peaking, zebra bars, color bars, and reference tone.

Audio capability includes two phantom-powered XLR inputs with manual gain control via the detachable handle, which also integrates a built-in microphone holder and an infrared emitter and diffuser for shooting in extreme low-light conditions. Connectivity includes built-in dual-band Wi-Fi with FTP file transfer capability, remote control from a smartphone or tablet, HDMI and composite video output, and dual SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slots supporting simultaneous recording for instant backup or dual-format capture.

Key Features
– 1/2.84″ HD CMOS Pro sensor (2.91MP effective) with DIGIC DV 4 processor
– Minimum illumination of 1.0-1.2 lux (approximately 0.1 lux in Low Light mode)
– Canon 20x HD optical zoom lens, 26.8-576mm equivalent, f/1.8-2.8
– Up to 400x combined zoom; built-in 2x digital teleconverter
– 8-blade circular iris for natural bokeh
– Full HD 1920×1080 recording up to 59.94p; native 23.98p (24p) mode
– Simultaneous dual-codec/dual-card recording (AVCHD/MP4)
– 5-axis Dynamic Optical Image Stabilization
– Automatic image distortion correction circuit
– 3.5″ OLED touchscreen (10,000:1 contrast, ~1,230,000 dots)
– 0.24″ color EVF (1,560,000 dots, 45° tilt)
– Full manual control (exposure, focus, white balance, gain, shutter speed)
– Pre-record buffer, peaking, zebra bars, color bars, reference tone
– Two phantom-powered XLR audio inputs with manual gain control
– Detachable handle with built-in microphone holder and IR emitter/diffuser
– Dual-band Wi-Fi with FTP transfer and remote control
– HDMI and composite video output
– Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots with simultaneous recording support