Camcorder Reviews

This bag is 1" longer and 3/4"wider than the CBV12 & 15. It also costs ... more. I bought the CBV15 which is a bit smaller and I really like it. The CBV12 is the same size but incudes a detachable camera bag as part of the size. You have to decide what is best for you. Here is my review of the similar CBV15:

The great advantage of this bag is that the entire top unzips (it's actually a double run zipper which gives you a wide storage space while everything stays in place). It was great for my movie camera so I got another one for my digital still camera. I can keep 20 mini CDs plus marking pens, extra battery and charger, and my bulky but essential viewing hood. When the bag opens you can see everything, place everything, and when it closes everything stays in place. After a year I've decided the design is probably the most convienent I've used in 30 yrs.

I have a Panasonic DV-51 (cool camcorder for beginner) and this bag is just the right thing for it. It has 2 front zipped pockets which can hold the cables and adapter/charger. You will have to squeeze in the tapes and extra battery with the camcorder. You can resize compartments inside the bag. This helps to make space for batteries, tapes etc. You wont be able to use this bag for Sony Digital8 camcorders as they are pretty big and will be the only thing which you can fit in the available space. I would advise against using this bag for any camcorder heavier/bigger than the Panasonic PV-DV51.

This camera bag is exactly what I needed. The design is not bulky, but slim, making the bag comfortable to tote on long walks. I use it as an accessory bag as opposed to a camera bag.
But this bag is well constucted, lightweight and looks good. It can serve as either a bag for a large camera and some accessories or the accessories themselves, such as conversion lens.

I'd been looking for an inexpensive bag for my new Olympus E-100 RS for a couple of months . Most bags were too small or too big for the camera. This one is just right. Very reasonably priced too.

summary: if you own a dv camera, it's probably similarly sized to the panasonic dv-600 camera (a little bigger than the size of a mid-sized nerf football). this bag works well for that sized camera, and it looks sharp, too!

more info: this bag has a few nooks and crannies that are good for taking around important accessories. i'm able to carry around about ten tapes, an extra battery, and the various cords* that connect the camera to the tv and computer. in addition, it seems to be padded well - i feel confident that the camera is safe in the bag.

and it looks sharp, too. a couple of people have just randomly stated how they like the bag. i'm not sure why, exactly, maybe because the leather looks like it's of good quality, and the construction looks sturdy.

i like this bag, and i think you will too if you own a dv camera.

Nice quality. Very compact. Will not have room for tons of extra cords and batteries for your camcorder but the essentials will fit. I have a Sharp VL-AX1U and it fits perfectly. If you are buying this for a digital camera it would also work very well.

The great advantage of this bag is that the entire top unzips (it's actually a double run zipper which gives you a wide storage space while everything stays in place). It was great for my movie camera so I got another one for my digital still camera. I can keep 20 mini CDs plus marking pens, extra battery and charger, and my bulky but essential viewing hood. When the bag opens you can see everything, place everything, and when it closes everything stays in place. After a year I've decided the design is probably the most convienent I've used in 30 yrs.

Now THIS is a bag. The main compartment is roomy enough to hold most camcorders (or cameras with an extra lens + flash). There's a padded divider which you can move around to fit exactly the cam you have.

The front accessory pockets are great for keeping tissues, spare film, booklets, pens, etc. (You *know* some gum will end up in there. lol)

The detachable pack is the best part in my opinion. I currently have it off on my bag, but there are times when I need to pack extra supplies and it's great for quickly attaching to the bag. This is a must have option/feature that you should always look for!

The ergonomics of this bag fits everyone's needs the pouches hold everything video. This is great!

This is a quality bag and well made is you are someone looking for a compact bag to hold a single camera. We wanted a bag that would hold our camcorder as well as a small 35 mm camera and film. We found this bag a little to small for our needs.

i'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT ALL CAMERA ACCESSORY BAGS CANNOT BE SHIPPED TO LOCATIONS OUTSIDE OF THE U.S. I HOPE THIS WILL CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

REGARDS,
RM

I had high expectations for this camera and was extremely disappointed. Sure it has a great zoom and is easy to use, but that doesn't amount to anything when the picture quality is poor. The camera performs decently when in sunlight, but if you're trying to take some video indoors, your picture will be extremely grainy. The low-light/night mode on this camera is worthless, so don't even bother. I would return it if it weren't a 4 hour drive to the store I bought it from and only 6 days left before they won't accept a return. There's also a 15% re-stocking fee if I do manage to make it there in time. If only I had bought a Sony Handycam. I probably would have been much happier than I am right now. If it was possible to give this camera a zero star rating, I would have.

We use Canon in general because of their amazing compatibility with a wide rage of formats. The ZR-Series is no exception. You are able to achieve high quality with ease. The VIC chip makes a big difference when you are importing a lot of video to edit on your PC/Mac. You'll need to pick up a Firewire for $10-15 because Canon doesn't include one in this box.

I recommend visiting http://www.canondv.com/zr90, there you can view videos of this camcorder. That will help you see if this camera is right for you. Sony, Sharp, Panasonic and most every respective brand have similar videos on their sites to help you compare. Of course Amazon.com has the best prices.

Also I find it very odd that nearly every negative reviewer ends up mentioning Sony as an alternative. As a professional I wonder why someone wouldn't mention Panasonic, JVC or Sharp now and then. You would have to spend at least $595.00 to find a Sony that compares indoors or out. Even then you won't find features like Canon's Digic technology.

If you are serious about sound you really need a boom/shotgun microphone no matter what brand of camera you use. An external mic will help you capture directional sound. For voices, wireless microphones will always give you superior results. You can then mix both boom and wireless feeds to create dynamic sound. Unless you are shooting pro video the Canon mic is adequate and features a handy wind filter if you decide to activate it.

I bought the ZR 90 for its easy use and multi-applications. It delivers!! Okay, I too have read that it needs an add-on microphone. Not for my uses! I use it for digital video and stills and for webcam communications. It delivers!!! I did go to a 64MB SD memory card....but that was an inexpensive,simple matter....one trip to Wal-Mart. I researched before buying and have not been disappointed. Do suggest Canon include firewire cable in the package--can't download video without it. The ZR 90 is everything I expected and delivers higher quality pictures than expected. I have no complaints about the sound.

I was looking to upgrade from my VHS-C to the Mini DV format since it is supposed to be much better, but believe that it was a big mistake getting this camcorder. To me the quality isn't much better than older formats and nothing to gawk about in awe as some may have you think. I will probably be using my VHS-C until it breaks now that I have seen this Mini DV format in action and how horrible it can be. In this review I would like to talk about why this camcorder is so bad.

PROBLEM #1: VIDEO QUALITY IN LOW LIGHT AND INDOORS

This camcorder records video that is absolutely horrendous in low light and indoors. My 3 year old Panasonic VHS-C is absolutely leaps and bounds above this camcorder indoors and outside at night time as far as quality is concerned. The picture quality is so bad that it is not even worth trying to watch unless you want a headache. The night mode that the camcorder has does absolutely nothing except slow the shutter speed down to the point where everything looks like distorted robot movement. As another reviewer stated I can not stress how bad the quality of low light and indoor video is on this camcorder but heres some comparisons. Old 8mm camcorders (the kind you view with a projector remember these) look 100 times better than the ZR85 as far as quality is concerned in these situations. My digital camera and VHS-C camcorder look like a Hollywood film production compared to the ZR85. Basically think in you're worst imagination what it can look like and then multiply those bad thoughts by 1000 to get a clear picture of how bad it is. This was not the fault of the lighting in my house or outdoors where I was recording, I tried using streetlights, LED flashlights, a 2.25million candlepower spotlight, halogen flashlights, my backyard 500 watt floodlight, all the lights in the house on, all the lights in the house off, etc and in every situation the video quality was pure garbage. I tried changing settings on the camcorder to improve it such as the low light setting, night mode, changing the white balance, shutter speed, etc, no improvement there either. I even went to the store and bought the light that mounts to the top of the camcorder and tried with that on and no improvement there either. The picture is so dark that even under any of these lighting conditions you can't see anything with clarity. I did have two other people with me at the same time recording with my digital camera and VHS-C and both of those were hugely better than the ZR85.

PROBLEM #2: OUTDOOR PICTURE QUALITY

I wasn't too impressed with the outdoor picture quality of this camcorder either. This was my first attempt at a Mini DV camcorder and I was expecting a big improvement over VHS-C but as it turns out they look about the same to me on a 36" tv. The outdoor quality is much much better than indoor however.

PROBLEM #3: BATTERY LIFE

I'm not sure how canon rates it's battery life or how others got more than me but the battery life is unacceptable on this camcorder. Using the LCD I got around 30 minutes before the thing was dead, with the viewfinder about 40 minutes, that is ridiculous.
RECOMMENDATION

As far as good things there really were none that I can think of about this camcorder compared to others I looked at in the store, and I'm hoping the store I bought it from will let me return it or exchange it even if I have to pay a restocking fee it's worth it to me. If you are looking for a Mini DV camcorder and want to occasionally shoot video indoors or at night I would recommend straying far away from this POS. I haven't tried any other models yet but I don't believe that any of them can be as bad as this thing. I may try one of the other brands with night vision before sticking to VHS-C but as of yet I haven't been convinced that Mini DV is worth changing to.

We purchased this camcorder yesterday and have been extremely dissapointed in the quality of video. So much so, we will be returning it as soon as possible. When filming indoors, both at night with typical lighting in our living room, and during the day with typical lighting from the windows on a sunny day. The quality of the video is extremely bad, very grainy. It is so bad that it is not even worth watching. Had I received this camera for free, I would not waste my time filming anything inside. Maybe there are settings to improve this, or maybe our house has strange poor lights - but in any case - I do not have the time nor knowledge to mess with settings, nor am I going to buy a new house that has better lighting. Maybe my standards are too high. But I can not tell you how bad the indoor video was.

However, I went outside today in bright sunshine and made some recordings. I was very impressed with the quality of video in these circumstances. The optical zoom is very good, colors are great and sharp.

Knowing that I will be filming alot of video insdoors this camera is not acceptable. In fact, we also bought a regular Canon digital camera and the video it takes (only 30 seconds at a time) is actually much better than the ZR85. Not great, but alot better than the camcorder.

If you are looking for a home video camera, are not an expert videographer, looking for an inexpensive camera to film some videos indoors - than this is NOT the camera for you.

Why is everybody so upset that it doesnt make indoors look like outside???
It doesnt make anything darker on the video filmed inside, it just gives an accurate depiction of what the lighting is really like. Its not going to make the scene look like you have 1000 watt bulbs everywhere, but that is realistic. Those people claiming that having the the video resembling the actual envirenent that is was shot in is bad, is a bunch of crap. Film in a dark area and the footage will dark. Shouldnt that be obvious??

Advantages: tiny, easy to set up, effective wind noise filtering, good low light, long battery life, uses same battery as Canon G3 still camera, analog to DV conversion, plug & play with Macintosh iMove & Final Cut Express

Disadvantage: no external mic input, barely wide angle (about 35mm equvilent), not easy to hand hold due to tiny size and low weight

I locked this thing to a sturdy Gitzo tripod, set it four feet away from my 82 year old mom, and interviewed her over a 3 day period for a family oral history project. All shot on a south facing front porch, in shade. Excellent skin tones and audio. An external lapel mic would have been nice, but it would have inhibited her. The quality of the video, when locked down on a tripod is very good. Zoom is smooth and variable. Auto-focus did not hunt during long takes. The supplied battery would run for over two hours with the 2.5 LCD panel active. While the battery is compatible with my Canon G3, the AC adapters are different. Too bad. I like being able to share batteries. But at least I can use one device to charge a spare while I'm using the other.

Most cameras of this genre tend to be stonger on the telephoto instead of on the wide end. I'll be getting the aux wide adapter shortly.

There are lots of things you look for in a camcorder. Features, quality construction, and something easy to use are all things to consider. In the lower price range a lot of camcorders are alike and you have to look at some small specifics to figure out what's the best buy.

The ZR80 is a good camcorder, but it has one major flaw that its predecessors did not - it has no mike input.

The built in microphones on almost all camcorders, certainly those selling for less than $1000, are notoriously bad. They generally pick up 180 degrees of sound. In a group situation, at a party for example, the audio sounds like utter chaos. Canons also seem to be especially prone to picking up motor noise from the camera itself. Thus, if you're interested in good sound you need to have a camcorder with a mike input.

Unfortunately, Canon chose to reduce the features on their 2004 ZR line by taking away the mike input. Why they did this is astonishing because it makes no sense.

If you want a Canon camcorder with good sound you really need to either get an older model - almost any of the older ZRs including the 45, 50, 60, 65 and 70, all of which have mike inputs - or forget the ZR completely and go for an Elura or any of their other product lines that have this necessary feature. If you're accustomed to the typical sound one gets from an on-camera mike (or you plan to never use it in situations with lots of sounds), maybe this model will be fine for you.

!!!!!!!!!hey almost free camcorder!!!!!!!! The SONY MICROMV DCR-IP7 is the most expensive camcorder. You can get this camcorder for $130 dollars. http://www.havingit.co.uk/item.php?ID=DCRIP7B T Just sign up. And get your camcorder. P.S If u go to the webpage , there are other things. But i don't no if u can get them...cause maybe they are fake The only thing u can trust is this camcorder its the best camcorder. U can trust it because it got one U will love it and it really works try it P.S U neeed to register fast otherwise someone else is going to take ur spot u should regsiter today so u get this camcorder sonner, mybe if u would u register tomoro u will get this camcorder in a have a year...but u willg et it..but sign up now for this 1500$ camcorder it really works i have gotten over 10 camcorders ...and if u signed up...u have to refer a lot of people so u get it quicker

This is my first camcorder. I also have a Canon S30 (3.0 mp). I bought the ZR70 based on my experience with Canon and the feature set. I'll start with my positive impressions:

-The 22x optical zoom is great. I feel confident in
knowing that I'll probably never need a longer zoom. I
don't even need to use the digital zoom with the ZR70.
-The feature set for this camera is impressive. It has
many digital effects and scene transitions. However, with
most video editing software, any effect not included with
the camcorder can be added in with a computer.
-The battery life is pretty good. It will outlast an 80
minute tape. The battery charges in the camera, but an
external charger is offered by Canon.
-The ZR70 is compact and fits easily into my hand. It is
almost as small (and light) as my S-30.
-Most importantly, the image quality (video) is impressive
outdoors and in a well lit room

The negative:
-If the room is not well lit, expect a lot of grain. Also,
the 'super night mode' has little to offer. The light on
the front of the ZR70 is blinding and doesn't help the
image quality. However, while the grain is very noticeable
on my computer, once burned to a DVD and played on my large
screen TV, the grain is much less noticeable.
-The camera does pick up motor noise. It isn't that loud,
but keep in mind that it will be in all of the movies you
take. You can buy an external microphone, but as I've not
used one, I can't comment on any improvement it may offer.
-The digital camera mode is a joke. 1024x768 is a decent
resolution, but the camera picks up so much noise (grain)
in the images that they are almost unuseable. This is to
be expected in most camcorders however, and I have my S-30,
which takes great shots. (Don't expect great stills from
a camcorder OR great video from a digital camera)
-The image stabilization isn't that great. Thats to be expected though, with the long zoom.

In conclusion:
I don't know if I would recommend the ZR70. I was close to returning it myself, but didn't want to go through the hassel. I mainly compared the ZR70 to the current offerings by Sony (TRV33, etc.). The reviews for the Sonys are good, but I can't get past the touch screen LCD. In my opinion, that is a very impractical way to control the camcorder. If you won't be using the camcorder in darkness frequently and don't mind the soft motor noise, the ZR70 is a good buy. Hopefully Canon will address the low light grain and the motor noise in their future products.

This is a great little camera (fits in your hand nicely) for the beginer as well as the more advanced video buff that does not want to carry a heavier equipment.
Very easy to use, it has a number of effects (usual fade-in and out, sepia, black and white and various fun digital effects) that will make your movies fun to watch.
Menus are easy to follow and make sense. Documentation is good.
The 22X optical zoom is realy nice and beats out the competion. Most camcorders optical zooms don't even get close to 20X.
The wide angle attachment is a very nice addition as it realy makes a difference when shooting indoors to get more of the room.
Mine came with a free Pinacle Studio 8 editing software which is a good entry level software.(You will need a serious PC, though, if you are going to do any large editing work as digital movies require a lot of space and memory).
The only serious con is the image quality in low light situations. The resulting image is grainy and cold and the camera's "spot" light is useless.
Some reviewers have complained about the motor noise that is picked-up by the built-in microphone, it is noticable when filming in a church (!) but for most applications,you will not notice it.

Before buying this I did lot of research finally came down to canon zr70mc and sony dcr-hc30. (don't fall for other canon models like zr80-85. they lack features ) Both models are appealing for price. Sony has bigger lcd and better lowlight performance while Canon have better zoom (22x as compared to 10x of sony ) and lots and lots of features. Some people say canon is having better image stability So it can afford 22x zoom w/o problem.
in zr70mc you can download video from TV/VRC or other camcorder witout any additional accesories. So easily copy old analog tapes to this digital camcorder Or burn DVD's. Canon also provides wide angle lens (very useful ) Plus sony has only 3 months labor while canon gives 12 months labor warranty.

only tape loading in zr70 is little difficult if you use tripod.

Overall this is a good value. I tested indoor using 100w room light. Picture was little yellowish. But I got filter set from ebay for 17$ and all looks good now.
NOTE: protect lens and always use uv filters.

Pros: Easy to operate; generally good video quality; strong home-video feature set.

Cons: Constant low-level noise; middling low-light performance; no control over auto power-off.

Summary: As noted many times before, the indoor lighting is not very good..but I expected this much from reading other reviews. But what has really bummed me out is that 3 months after purchasing the camera (with little use in that time) the camera eject refused to open. So now my cassette is stuck inside the camera. We have provided the maximum power to the camera by using the power from the wall outlet and still no tape eject. My wife contacted Canon support. They told her there are only 2 places in the country that fix Video Cameras..(yeah, ok)..and that we would have to ship back to them. According to their tech support, it sounds like an alignment problem. Sounds like I'm taking my car to the mechanic. They said they would have to get it back to the factory to re-align it. Give me a break. If you do not plan on using this camera for alot of indoor footage..and if you are lucky enough to avoid getting a CANON LEMON, such as mine..you may be okay. But my Canon experience has been horrible .regardless of whether or not the problem is covered under warranty (which it better be) I'm disappointed with my decision to choose this product.

As stated many times before by many people this camera does not do well in low light.

Knowing that the camera does very well in well lighted situations. Even turning on extra indoor light will produce acceptable results. I have had no problems with motor noise or audio/video problems.

What makes this camera attractive is the features it has for the price. The digital effects, the chroma keying with the SD card pictures and best of all the digital to analog and analog to digital converter.

The price of this camera puts it in the range of dedicated digital to analog and analog to digital converter. This allows you to transfer old VHS or VHS-C tapes to DV. Cable boxes or TiVos with RCA outputs can also be used. Once on DV they can be transferred to the computer for editing and then burned to CD or DVD. Since it has the onboard converter it can also be used to edit video on a TV screen if your video editor supports it.

The camera also acts as a digital camera but even on the best camcorders the output is not on par with stand-alone digital cameras and is added as an after thought.

If you can live with the cameras low light problems then this camera will do well. If not save your pennies and get a better camera. If your need to get old footage in to your computer to put on DVD then consider this camera. With a Mac it will also work as a web camera without any addition software. If you are shooting a lot of low light footage this is not the camera for you.

I used this camera to take close-up pictures easily at the US Grand Prix Pit Walkabout today and I found it outstanding. Even from distances as far as 100 feet, you can zoom in far enough to see very detailed parts of the cars, like small wires used for telemetry. I highly recommend it, although the battery life is incredibly short and there is next to no space (8MB) on the card I got with it. But this is to be expected.