The SC-MX20 allows you to record in 4 different modes: TV Super Fine (720×480 60i), TV Fine (720×480 60i), TV Normal (720×480 60i) and Web & Mobile (640×480). As you can guess, the finer the quality the less recording time you get.

Here’s a screen shot comparing the 4 different modes. From left to right we have Web & Mobile, Normal, Fine and SuperFine.

There are many built in features you can modify making the SC-MX20 one of the most customizable entry camcorders on the market. To start we have Focus (Auto, Face Detection, Manual), Anti-Shake (HDIS) Off or On, Digital Effect (Off, Black & White, Sepia, Negative, Art, Emboss, Mosaic, Mirror, Pastel, Cosemetic, Stepprinting), Aspect Ratio 16:9 (Off or On), Resolution (TV SuperFine, TV Fine, TV Normal, Web & Mobile), Wind Cut (Off or On), Voice Mutt (Off or On), Back Light (Off or On), Interval Rec (Off or On), C.Nite (Off, Auto, 1/30, or 1/15), Fader (Off, In, Out or In-Out), Guideline (Off, Cross, Grid or Safety Zone), Digital Zoom (Off or On), Settings (Storage Info, Format, File No, Time Zone, Date/Time Set, Date Format, Time Format, Date/Time, LCD Brightness, LCD Color, Beep Sound, Auto Power Off, TV Display, Default Set, Version, Menu Color, Transparency, Language, or Demo), iScene (Auto, Sports, Spotlight, Beach, Snow, High Speed, Food, Waterfall or Manual), White Balance (AUto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Tungsten or Custom WB), Exposure (Auto or Manual) and Shutter (Auto or Manual).

Here’s a video recording some TV being played off my 55A630. The movie The Mummy and is from from a Blu-Ray disc.

TV Super Fine

TV Fine

TV Normal

Web & Mobile

For basic recording, the SC-MX20 does the trick. You can see there is some barrel distortion in the lens making the flat TV curved. Low light recording can be grainy and some detail is lost in the recording. You could use the C.Nite feature which is intended for low light situations but the manual itself says that it is really only to be used in slow-motion type recordings. In daylight, for an entry camcorder it’s more than acceptable. As a camcorder designed to record videos and be shared on YouTube, you can get away with some quality loss and not expect HD family videos.

The microphone picks up low frequencies making the voices appear a bit hollow, WindCut does help to reduce this a tiny bit but can cut out other meaningful recordings.

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