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View multi-angles images
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- MiniDV camcorder
- 18x optical, 360x digital, zoom with image stabilization
- 2.5-inch color LCD and color EVF
- Digital photo mode records onto included 8 MB MMC card
- Analog pass-through ports for direct connection to computer
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List
Price: $698.00 |
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Product Specifications
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Camcorder Reviews Writed by Customer
[ Total Reviews: 47 Average Rating: 
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Read me! Important
2007-08-25
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Giving my unbiased opinion: I am an adult and i know my way around technology. I owned other canon products before from powershot cameras to this ZR45MC. I've had this since early 2002 and I've used it for many things, graduations etc.... I just recently had problems.
first, GOOD: If you're not going for pro quality, technically superior lines this and pixels that....the video is pretty good in my honest opinion. I just used it on a trip to Boston and used it for whale watching and I was quite satisfied. The video was clear, crisp and colorful. It was cloudy and darker when we were out at sea and the video was still good, even after the whale spit out on us... yum. The aqaurium was even darker, still good. I avg anywhere from 1+hr to 2hrs on tapes. I read many reviews on the buzzing noise and I've yet to hear it. Perhaps i wasn't in a super quiet room but even though my videos had some quiet time in them i really didn't notice. The sound it does record is pretty clear. I bought a DVD-R recorder and transfered them immediately over to DVD and they transfer beautifully. It has many features like an adjustment lever by the eye piece to better meet with your eye (which is a plus since i have an extended battery and it sticks out a bit more but no struggles with the eyepiece extended-comfy). You can use the supplied AV cables or the not included S-cable but the supplied AV transfers just fine. It's been good with power consumption on my extended battery (digital concepts lithium BP-522CL 2400mAh)and i keep the stock one as back up but i've never had to switch to it yet. The software is pretty straightforward and I do use either the software from my powershot camera or the camcorder to load pics so they are compatible with each other in this case (zoombrowser EX).
The not so Bad: nowadays with the pixel/resolutions quality of the cameras the 640x480 is not up to snuff anymore. It's better than nothing in a pinch when set to Fine quality. I really wouldn't use standard unless you using it for quick loading pic via internet i.e. ebay pics....
Now the BAD! I really am surprised at Canon's response to this. I began having tape issues which also seems to be a fairly common complain. Now i really don't know if this would be a common issue with age and usage with all miniDV tape camcorders or just particularly Canon's but it began asking me to "eject" tapes more often but i noted it was related to when rewinding. Of all my taped it crimpled 3 and ate 1 (older tapes) during fast rewind. In other words, press stop, then rewind then it seems to be more riskier. HOWEVER, If the tape is playing and i hold my finger on rewind it doesn't have any problems eat/crimping. I contacted canon and they said it may need service. I keep my stuff meticulous....the cost of whatever the probably BS repair is quite high considering it may range from a simple yet $125 - $175 service to a much more costly and not worth the $$ problem. They did offer me to be a member of the canon loyalty progam which they send you an access code to their loyalty website and basically give you credit and a discount towards other items for your product. Think of it as trading in a car for a new one (and yes you still do get somewhat of the shaft but if you want to avoid the headaches of selling and getting something for the item then just bite the bullet). I still think if canon had a decent amount of concern regarding this tape issue they would be a little more proactive about it. It just seemed like he was saying an indirect but courteous "it's old so tough luck". I do note most of my problems have been with the FUJI tapes. I just switched to PANASONIC tapes so it's still early but no problems so far using my rewind method. TDK seem to work well with it too but it seems hard to find now. Too bad, i liked the TDK tapes. Anyone else come across another compatible bard lemme know. Reading some stuff on this, some say it is the type of coating or tape used that may make it more or less compatible but that's internet reading so take it with a grain of salt.
Accesories: aside from the extended lith battery i mentioned, I also have crystal optics 3 lens filter kit (UV, PL and flourescent filter) which i recommend lens filters for any cam for 2 reasons, #1 and priority- God forbid if you dirty or scratch the lens, it's the filter lens that's much cheaper to replace vs. replacing the actual cam lens itself. #2 it does enhance taping if used correctly...it can minimize glare, tone down the brightness if you're taping on a super bright environment or give a more natural look to recording if taping under flourescent lighting....
I guess I'm still keeping mine for now. THANKS FOR READING - I HOPE THIS HELPS ALOT! |
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After 4 years use... still going strong
2006-11-07
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This was my first digital camera, and I absolutely love it. Still going strong after 4 years. I've used it on trips, to record concerts, and just general fun. It's incredibly easy to use.
The complaints I have are geared towards the fact that it's outdated. What once was sleek and smaller than the competition is now big and bulky. It's also slow to load up... meaning you may miss a shot turning on the camera. The battery is so-so, but to fix this just carry around spares.
The good have so far outweighed the bad... fast/easy transfer of video & images to a computer. I can use it as a temporary webcam. I also use it for quick digital pictures (but the quality isn't that great). The battery and memory are easy enough to replace if needed (I haven't needed to yet). The zoom is amazing!
It's overall versatile, and I'll keep using it until it dies (no signs of it so far). |
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great beginner cam
2006-02-27
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one thing to watch out for,when using the zoom button,dont just let it go after you zoom,or it will click and the noise will be recorded. however,if you edit and can dub different audio then it wont matter. that said, we love the camera.
ive been thinking about an off board mic for sterio audio,,just for fun. but since this camera is kinda old now,finding extra parts is kinda tough. when we bought it,they were just comming out and then everything was available,but now,several years later,,, well they arent. ebay or maybe canon outlet in the usa.
in fact i just bid on a remote for it,we lost the other one. man,they come in handy.
id probly also want a clear over lense to protect the main lense from grit and crud. cheaper to get a new cover than new lense. |
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I liked it at first
2005-04-27
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| It was a pretty good camera until it stopped working. One day I turned it on and it started beeping and flasshing an eject tape message. But you couldn't eject the tape and the camera would not respond to anything. I had the camera just over two years when this happened. Luckily I purchased an extended warranty at Best Buy. Best Buy sent the camera to Canon for repair. Canon would not repair it because it would be too expensive so, Best Buy gave me a new camera. And I was allowed to get a different brand, so I went with a Sony Handycam. |
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Remove the cassetter problem...again
2005-03-20
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| As with others, this was a great camera until the remove cassette problem appeared 8 months ago. Now it barely plays or records. I'm never buying another Canon and going back to Sony. BTW, the buzzing is the automatic microphone gain. If there's not enough sound to record it cranks up the input volume so much that you hear the tape motor. |
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