have you used the camcorder canon with low light ( 1,2 lux capable ) is the quality acceptable ( how is in comparison to Sony )

A lot of blue noise at 1,2 lux. Compared to Sony z1u (a very old model) there is no comparison, the z1u can't even go anywhere near that low light. Seriously, this is better in every way than a camera 10 years ago that costed $5000 except it doesn't have buttons for every single thing ever or a hot shoe but you can add an extension bar for that and you don't need all the buttons.

Since the G20 shoots in 60i and not 60p, is there a difference in the quality of the video? I thought 60p was much better to use than 60i.

It depends. Technically 60p is a better image as far as it is cleaner for green screen work and special effects. Broadcast TV is in 60i. If your eye is trained to a pro level there is a difference. If this is a camera for family vacations, you can't tell a difference. I use it as a "B" camera for paid work and it is great. Plus I shoot in 24p which is what most cinema and pro video is shot at. 60 frames is for broadcast or slow motion.

How is the audio quality w/ internal / external mics? Are the input jack and headphone jack reliable?

The sound is surprisingly reasonable, however... That is in comparison to the G10. The M30 is actually a little better, IMO. The g20 does great at high and some mids but the lows are completely lost, the m30 is great at mids and lows, and the g10 is just tinney no matter what you do.For live events (like a concert which is my prime use for my gear), you HAVE to set the audio level to manual, and crank it down to 20- 35 depending on the venues sound levels. That being said, if you are looking for a decent low cost directional mic that you can mount to this camcorder, get the rode video mic and the hotshoe mini to hot shoe adapter and you will be VERY pleased with the output. If you are looking to tap into a sound board, or external audio source via the jack, just make sure to check the levels and it should be perfect. Lastly, if you want to record GREAT audio to match the great video this produces, Look into getting the Tascam DR40. Record audio/video separately and then merge/sync with your editing application. Also is nice doing it that way because you can move around with your camcorder with no shift in audio lag or volume. However the timecodes in canon gear and Tascam gear are slightly out of sync. Not noticeable at all on a 10 minute recording. But if you record a 2 hour event, its synced at the beginning, and off by about 2 seconds by the end of the recording. I noticed this while working on some editing. Verified by having 4 camcorders, and 2 Tascam devices (dr40 and dp004) start recording at the same time with a stop watch, let them all run for 3 hours recording my tv. Loaded them all into my app, everything synced at the beginning, but at the end everything was out of sync. The canon camcorders were all within a half second sync with each other, the jvc everio 440us was about a second off the cannon camcorders, the Tascam audio recordings were within a half second of each other. When all mixed together and synced at beginning, the audio was off by a few seconds from all 4 camcorders. I cant really point the finger at any device, as they were all off in their own way. Every single device was less than 'real recording time' meaning everything sped up a tiny bit.The Jack seems very sturdy, I have plugged in/taken out a shotgun mic easily 500 times, and no signs of wear yet.

Is it worth paying about $500 more for the G30 or are you all pretty satisfied with the G20?

We are very satisfied with the G20! I don't know what I would have to have to justify the added cost of the G30. My daughter just returned from her 10 day trip to Italy with some awesome footage and stills taken with G20. She loves it!

Flash Memory Installed Size	32
Flash Memory Bus Interface Type	SPI
Flash Memory Type	SD
Zoom	optical
Optical Zoom	10 x
Digital Zoom	200 x
Maximum Focal Length	42.5 Millimeters
Minimum Focal Length	4.25 Millimeters
Maximum Aperture	2.8 f
Lens Type	Zoom
Focus Type	Auto Focus
Minimum Aperture	1.8 f
Compatible Devices	Laptop, Personal computer
Connectivity Technology	JPEG
Color	Black
Water Resistance Level	Not Water Resistant
Has Image Stabilization	Yes
Wireless Compability	2.4 GHz Radio Frequency
Item Dimensions D x W x H	8.3"D x 3.6"W x 3.2"H
Item Weight	21.9 Ounces
Sensor Type	CMOS
Style Name	Vixia
Image stabilization	Optical
Number of Batteries	Lithium Metal batteries required. (included)
Form Factor	Handheld
Features	Night Vision, Anti-Shake, Time Lapse, Low Light
Screen Size	3.5 Inches
Display Resolution Maximum	FHD
Supported Audio Format	Dolby Digital
Image Aspect Ration	16:9
Video Resolution	1080p
Exposure Control Type	Program (P), Aperture Priority (Av or A), Shutter Priority (Tv or S), Manual (M)
Video Capture Format	AVCHD
Supported Image Format	JPEG
Image Capture Speed	60 fps
Shooting Modes	Slow Motion
Effective Still Resolution	2.37 MP
File Format	AVCHD

CanonVIXIA HF G20 HD Camcorder with HD CMOS Pro and 32GB Internal Flash Memory

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