Sony Handycam NEX-VG20 Camcorder Review

Performance

The NEX-VG20 had no staggering weaknesses in our performance tests, but the camcorder didn't "wow" us in every category. Its low light results were somewhat disappointing, but part of the VG20's subpar results in low light may stem from the fact that it is bundled with a slow f/3.5 kit lens. The camcorder captured some fantastic footage in our real-world samples, with videos looking smooth and crisp even under an overcast sky. Motion was probably the camcorder's best attribute, and its three distinct frame rate options (60i, 60p, and 24p) are a good assortment to work with. Sharpness wasn't at the level we'd hoped it would be in our test, but we were impressed by the detail and clarity captured in both our motion test and our real-world sample videos.