Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I was somewhat skeptical of the reviews this camcorder got on here. However, after having it for 3 weeks I have found that this is a great product. For it's price it does have a few drawbacks but it is loaded with options. One of my friends, an amateur filmer, thought I paid $800 when I showed him all the specs. Here's a lowdown of the advantages and disadvantages:
Pluses:
1) 18x optical zoom. Let's face it, you DO NOT want to use digital zoom. Digital zoom just "pixelates" your picture(i.e. makes it unclear and messy). If you are looking for good zoom, totally disregard digital zoom and get as much optical zoom as you can. I haven't seen any miniDV Sony camcorder with more than 10x.
2) All the options included. S-video to connect to your tv, 4-pin firewire to connect to your computer..... etc. etc. This sucker is loaded.
3) Low light performance. Ok, there is a lot of controversy on this, but I was filming surfing from a pier an hour after sunset and I still got workable footage. This wasn't even with the night mode on. The worst thing about filming in low light is you have to have a really steady hand because the camera doesn't focus as much. Also, make sure to stay on your object because refocusing can take up to 10 seconds.
4) No motor noise. I don't know what everyone else is talking about but on the playback there isn't any motor noise. I'll leave it at that.
5) Color viewfinder. Don't need to waste batteries by using the LCD.
6) It's made by Canon. Almost every electronic product I have is Canon. They have been excellent to me. When my digital camera broke after having it for a year they fixed it under warranty no questions asked.
Minus
1) The image stabilizer. Compared to a Hi-8 this is a tiny camcorder. You will have to learn to make your hand ultra-steady if you want to get good footage. Still, I don't find this a drawback because you learn quickly how to keep your hand from shaking. Otherwise, buy a tripod.
Accessories you should buy
I struggled with this area because what's included with the camcorder is hard to find. I bought:
1) A Tiffen 30.5 mm UV filter. You can shoot up-sun and the footage still comes out clear.
2) A BP-512 battery. You NEED one of these or a higher version. The camcorder comes with a battery but it barely lasts for an hour. The BP-512 lasts for around 2 hours if you don't use the LCD.
3) A Firewire 4 pin to 6 pin cable. I have an eMac and the firewire port is 6 pin, while on the camcorder it is 4 pin. With one of these you can edit your footage on your computer.
4) If you plan on hooking it up to the tv, buy an s-video cable. The camcorder only comes with an s-video to analog connector(the 3 colored things, red yellow and white)
5) Also, get a camcorder bag. You don't need a huge one because this thing is tiny. Any camcorder bag will work, you'll probably want one that has some form of water resistance just in case.
6) You might want a battery charger. The camcorder comes with one but I bought a TurboCharger anyway.
7) MiniDV tapes. No miniDV tapes come with the camcorder so unless you buy some you'll have nothing to record from.
Summary
Overall, if you are looking for digital quality and don't have a whole bunch of money to spend, go buy this camcorder. Keep in mind that you'll need an extra $150 for accessories and you'll be set.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon ZR60 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 18x Optical Zoom and Image Stabilization
Looking for an easy way to break into the world of digital video? Look no further than the Canon ZR60, which makes capturing valuable family memories as simple as pressing a button. Connect your camcorder to a computer running Windows or Mac operating systems, and experience the digital world like it was meant to be: quick, seamless, and fun.
Lens The ZR60 features a high-performance 1/6-inch 680,000-pixel CCD to capture high-quality video and digital photos. The zoom technology found in the ZR60 lens is the same as Canon uses in its broadcast TV lenses. The ZR60 is fitted with a high-performance 18x optical zoom lens, which can easily handle all your shooting needs--from wide-angle shots of all the family at the reunion to close-up sports action at full telephoto. The ZR60's 360x digital zoom significantly expands the telephoto magnification of the subject.
Image Stabilization Canon's image-stabilization system corrects camera shake caused by, for example, an unsteady hand. This image-stabilization system makes for smoother and steadier video even with hand-held shots, at full telephoto, and with shots taken from a moving car.
Digital Stills For added flexibility, you can take up to 700 still images on a MiniDV single tape. The camcorder records the photos for approximately 6 seconds, as well as recording the sound for your verbal notes or narration. You can search through the recorded tape for your photos using the supplied remote control.
This photo-search feature allows you to search for images recorded in photo mode. Search forward or backward through the images one at a time, or plus or minus 10 images from the current position.
More Features
2.5-inch fold-out color LCD screen and 0.33-inch color viewfinder
The My Camera function is designed to let you customize a number of features, including start-up image and sound, shutter sound, start-stop sound, and the self-timer sound
The full-function wireless remote control works at distances up to 16 feet
Inputs and Outputs The ZR60 comes with the standard IEEE 1394 port (also referred to as FireWire), which provides a lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines. Additionally, the ZR60 features two types of analog audio and video inputs and outputs: composite and S-video. The analog audio inputs of the ZR60 let you perform dub or insert editing from CDs, cassettes, microphones, or the soundtracks of other videocassettes.
MiniDV Format MiniDV is the new preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.
Power, Size, and Contents The ZR60 comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, which has an approximate battery life of 75 minutes when using the LCD screen. The camera itself measures 4.1 by 2.3 by 5.8 inches and weighs 18 ounces. This package includes the ZR60 camcorder, battery pack BP-508, power adapter CA-570, wireless controller WL-D80, shoulder strap, stereo video cable, and the DV Network Solutions CD-ROM.
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