Sony Action Cam HDR AS20 Review and Video Test

This video: Sony HDR AS20 Review and Video Test
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Today we’re reviewing the Sony HDR AS20 Action Camera. The Sony HDR AS 20 is one of Sony’s entry-level action cameras and goes head to head with GoPro’s entry-level Hero+ action cam.

The form factor of the Sony HDR AS20 is very different from GoPros and other action cameras. It almost looks like two cylinders stacked on each other and then encased in plastic. Sony HDR AS20 weighs about the same as the GoPro without its waterproof housing and is made from this smooth plastic. The lens is positioned on this little protrusion at the end of the body and is right above the pair of stereo microphones. The main control interface is on the right hand face. The Sony HDR AS20 can be turned on by holding down the record button which is on the rear face. And you can toggle through menus using the previous and next buttons on the right hand face. There is a Recording Lock slider button on the rear face. The battery and micro sd card live under a slide-open compartment under the record button. There’s also a covered compartment on the bottom which houses a multi-connector micro usb port to charge the camera and connect it to a computer. A micro HDMI port and an even stranger 3.5mm microphone jack, for connecting an external microphone to the Sony HDR-AS20. Not exactly sure how that’s useful for an action cam of this size, but it’s there if you ever happen to need it.

Like other action cams, the HDR AS20 comes standard with a waterproof housing that is waterproof for upto 16ft underwater. The housing is pretty rugged and snaps securely around the Sony HDr AS20. It also has a ¼-20 female thread, so you don’t need any specialized adapters to mount it. The form factor of the Sony HDr AS 20 is a blessing and curse. More a curse than a blessing. The rounded corners ensure that you really cannot mount it to anything without strapping on the waterproof housing. And mounting it sideways messes up the video you record. So you kind of limited in how you can mount the Sony HDR AS20. There are however lots of mounting accessories available for the camera.

The Sony HDR AS20 does come equipped with WiFi, so you can remotely control and setup your shot. The App works but it’s glitchy and tends to hang occasionally. It’s definitely usable but by no means superbly smooth. Companion apps have never really been Sony’s strong suite.

When it comes recording formats, the Sony HDR AS20 records 1080p at 60 and 30fps. It also records 720p at 30, 60 and even 120fps for super slow motion video. It records in the MP4 file type and can record files in either the NTSC or PAL format. The Sony HDR AS20 can also snap 12MP stills and has a built-in intervalometer for timelapses.

On paper all these specs and features seem absolutely amazing. However, this is where the story takes a turn for the worse. We first strapped the Sony HDR AS20 to a moving car to see how it would handle fast-moving action footage. We then strapped the camera to the front fender of the car and tried to get some close range footage of the tire in motion, as you can see here. In both cases, the footage was shot in 1080p at 60fps. And in both cases the footage was extremely disappointing. The footage lacked any dynamic range whatsoever, everything appeared muddy and lacked in sharpness and detail. And even in 1080p at 60fps, the video didn’t appear smooth, like 60fps is actually supposed to look. The color reproduction was good but the lack of sharpness and dynamic range spoiled the footage overall. Now this quality might have been acceptable a few years ago, but in today’s crowded action cam market, it’s well below average.

Overall thoughts about the Sony HDR AS20. Sony has tried hard to cram the Sony HDR AS20 with lots of useful and not so useful features, while selling the AS20 an at affordable price point. However, when it comes to its most important feature- video quality- Sony seems to have missed the mark by a long shot. We certainly cannot recommend the Sony HDR AS20 to anyone in the market for a budget action camera. I’ll put links to some affordable alternatives to the Sony HDR AS20, in the description below. If you own an AS20, tell us about your experience with this camera, in the comments below. Hope this review was helpful. If it was, please hit that LIKE button and subscribe for more reviews. Thanks for watching!

[CME]

I run this exact model camera for all my dirtbike adventures and it performs well. video and sound quality is great, as good as GoPro. totally satisfied with it.

[Shaurya_yadav.]

I found this in my storage room tf and it's still working perfect

[nzbeeker]

Your comment about the 3.5mm microphone port... all of my videos are using this... I have a lapel mice inside my helmet.

[Zippsters]

I’ve owned one for years and hardly ever used it. Once I had an iPhone I didn’t need it. I have been thinking I should try it but with listening to your review - probably not worth the trouble.

[RT]

Just picked it up second hand will test it out

[martinhoelicker]

I have one. I use it for road cycling. I bought it when Sony was selling it for $149 plus they gave a 64GB Micro SD card for free.

[LanceCampeau]

I have 6 of these cameras... they have served me well under mostly studio conditions...

[jamesm]

I have a Sony AS20 that I record when I ride my 03 Blaster and I love the footage and it has a great price 9/10 for me.

[yeemane]

I see you are driving a Honda. Good choice! They make the most dependable cars around. Nice review as well

[elmazvejseli]

I already have this for about 1 year, and i like it. Perfect for skiing and snowboarding.

[rafaelsanjuan]

I have an HDR-AS20 (model with black latch instead of lime green) and I just popped my lens out with my thumbs. I had a minor chip which didn't look good on video. The lens is glass by the way.. not plastic. I also took a sewing needle to the microphone holes in the front and broke the diaphragm. Now I'm left with a decent, non water-resistant but still decently shock-resistant action cam. Best of all, it stands on its own now. 

It's pretty decent for the price, sometimes the best cameras are the ones that capture the shot. Having a camera you don't care too much about is a good creative tool as well.

[Allbbrz]

me to was contemplating this, but to start with, it cannot be attached to a tripod neither has any way to put a harness on... it's just a "meehhh"
Thank for the video !

[UGPepe]

the 3.5mm jack is probably the most useful feature, people are hacking their action cams on youtube to add that thing.

[pcgarbage]

but did you record with it inside the waterproof housing? maybe thats why it looks muddy and unsharp.

[lethalchaos]

The footage is good but if the camera its in the waterproof case u cant barely hear the audio...u need to take it out the camera to get a good audio.

[theflashingscotsman]

Sony's refusal to put a 1/4-20 mount on any of their action cameras is one of my pet peeves. I bought this one, superglued a mount on top, and flip my videos in post. But I'm pretty sure this is my last Sony action camera.

[risejustice]

hey guys can you plz tell me, what type of micro SD chip I need for the AS20? I have 1 but don't know which SD it runs on . Your help is much appreciated thank!

[caezarshort]

I have this same model, i run into problems such as internal fogging. How can I fix this?

[elguapofromdaBay]

Anyone know what app to use with this ?? For wifi set up and to wake around it

[klausgpach]

Hola ahora ya no esta la aplicación play memories y pues ahora no se con cual. Lo puedo conectar en mi celular