Product Description

The vibrant color of a summer sunset, the exhilarating action of a championship goal, and the tender moment of a newlywed kiss are all preserved in spectacular color, clarity and detail by the ZR100. Canon's most affordable, yet exceptionally powerful, digital camcorder brings together a variety of advanced features in one stylish package. Inside the streamlined body of the ZR100 is Canon's DIGIC DV system, which delivers outstanding image quality videos. With the 20x Optical Zoom/400x Digital Zoom lens, you'll also quickly appreciate why the name Canon is synonymous with professional image quality in photography and broadcast television. Another highlight of the ZR100 is its high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode, which lets you capture true widescreen videos. With the ZR100 in hand, all of life's most precious moments are yours for the taking.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4733 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Canon
• Model: ZR100
• Dimensions: 5.00" h x 8.00" w x 8.00" l, 8.00 pounds
• Display size: 2.4

Features

• Sleek, compact MiniDV camcorder and digital still camera
• 20x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 360x) with image stabilization
• High-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode for true widescreen playback
• 2.4-inch LCD screen with option of letterbox-style display and brightness adjustment for viewing on sunny days
• Low-light recording settings

From the Manufacturer
The vibrant color of a summer sunset, the exhilarating action of a championship goal, and the tender moment of a newlywed kiss are all preserved in spectacular color, clarity, and detail by the ZR100. Canon's most affordable, yet exceptionally powerful, digital camcorder brings together a variety of advanced features in one stylish package. Inside the streamlined body of the ZR100 is Canon's DIGIC DV system, which delivers outstanding image quality for both videos and photos. With the 20x optical zoom/360x digital zoom lens, you'll also quickly appreciate why the name Canon is synonymous with professional image quality in photography and broadcast television. Another highlight of the ZR100 is its high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode, which lets you capture true widescreen photos and videos. With the ZR100 in hand, all of life's most precious moments are yours for the taking.

Capture Brilliant Photos and Videos with DIGIC DV
Take advantage of Canon's renowned image quality for both your videos and digital photos, thanks to the DIGIC DV system. DIGIC DV utilizes two different color techniques to maximize video quality for viewing on TVs and still image quality for print or computer display. The ZR100 also features 16-bit Digital PCM audio, ensuring that every moment you capture sounds true to life.

See Farther with Genuine Canon Optics
Zoom in the action with the ZR100's 20x Optical Zoom / 360x Digital Zoom lens. Canon is known the world over for its vast expertise in designing and crafting precision lenses for 35mm and broadcast TV cameras. That same expertise goes into every ZR-series digital camcorder, giving your videos and photos brilliant color and clarity.

Spoil Family and Friends with Widescreen Images
Impress even the most die-hard movie aficionado with the ZR100's high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode. Typically reserved for more expensive camcorder models, the 16:9 widescreen feature allows you to record true widescreen videos and photos for playback on home theatre systems. For enhanced accessibility, a Widescreen Button makes it easy to switch from the standard 4:3 mode to 16:9 Widescreen Mode. You'll also see exactly what you are shooting thanks to the 2.4-inch LCD screen's letterbox-style display.

The 16:9 widescreen feature is available in both Program Mode and Easy Recording Mode, and can be used in conjunction with the camcorder's advanced image stabilization.

As Comfortable to Hold as It Is Affordable
The ZR100 brings together a streamlined design with easy-to-use controls, and wraps it all in an attractive high metal finish. With its seamless, fluid appearance, the ZR100 is smaller in depth and lighter by 2 ounces than previous ZR models thanks to the reduced gap between lens and viewfinder.

Enhanced design features include:

• New Program Selector: Located beside the LCD display, the Program Selector makes it easy to quickly switch modes.
• Finger Rest: Located on the upper side of the grip, the finger rest improves stability while shooting.
• Easy Operation Buttons: PLAY and STOP buttons are now independent, while the FF and RW buttons are located together, improving usability by preventing accidental pressing of the wrong button.
• Oval Grip: An oval-shaped grip located on the top of the lens improves shooting comfort while adding a touch of style.
• Flat Zoom Lever: The brand new flat zoom lever not only makes for stress-free zooming, but also helps reduce the physical size of the camcorder.
• Slim Operation Switch: For increased miniaturization, the ZR camcorders feature an innovative Slim Operation Switch.

Keep Sight of Your Subject when Outdoors
Planning a trip to the tropics or even out to the local park? The ZR100 camcorder features an innovative backlight feature for improved visibility of the LCD display. Simply press the LCD Backlight button to give the display a 250% boost in brightness. Shooting in bright light has never been easier on the eyes!

Connect Seamlessly to Your TV, VCR, and Computer
Your ZR100 digital camcorder opens up an entire world of move- and still-image making possibilities thanks to its MiniDV format (a worldwide industry standard). But what about those older analog videotape memories? Canon makes updating them to digital a breeze with its advanced Analog/Digital Converter technology.

Simply connect your TV or VCR to the ZR camcorder's Analog Line-in/Converter and record every priceless moment directly to DV tape. You can even convert the analog signal into a digital signal for direct transfer to digital video devices or computers equipped with an IEEE1394 terminal. (The Analog to Digital Converter may not function depending on the software used.)

It's all thanks to Canon's exclusive connection circuit, called VIC. VIC is a virtual powerhouse. Traditionally, multiple chips were needed to perform the camcorder's input and output functions. However VIC manages it all with one single chip. The result is seamless connectivity whether you are connecting to a computer, TV, or VCR.

Shoot Vibrant Video Even in Low Light
Dinner parties, school plays... there's nowhere you can't take your ZR100 thanks to its Night Mode feature. Specifically designed to capture those important low-light memories, the ZR100's Night Mode automatically boosts the sensitivity of the CCD and lowers the shutter speed to help brighten the subject. The result is vibrant videos and photos that will last a lifetime!

Transfer and Share Your Digital Memories
The ZR100 features a DV terminal (IEEE 1394 or Firewire) for connection to a DV-compatible computer or another DV-camcorder. Transfer your digital movies to your computer's hard disk without any loss in quality. Then, edit your scenes to create high impact Web sites, video e-mail, interactive CDs and DVDs, or a personal video album. Let the creativity run wild thanks to true digital connectivity.

Enjoy Ultra-Smooth Videos
In addition to the ZR100's superior optics and image processing technology is its high-quality image stabilization system. The result of Canon's superior electronic expertise, the image stabilizer is able to correct camcorder shake instantly, even when shooting hand-held at full telephoto. The result is ultra-smooth videos that keep the focus on your subject.

Print Your Digital Photos Without a Computer
When you're ready to print your digital images, a single cable is all that's required to connect your ZR100 to a PictBridge-compliant printer. You can then control a variety of printing options from the camcorder's menu. Choose from a range of different paper sizes with options for borderless or bordered prints.

Exif Print (2.2)
The ZR100 supports Exif Print (2.2), a worldwide standard that enhances communication between digital cameras and printers. At the time of shooting, vital camcorder settings and scene data are recorded with the image, resulting in realistic and reliable color reproduction. Poor lighting or mistakes can also be corrected, allowing photos to be even better than the originals.

Shoot Complimentary Close-ups
For close-ups that your family and friends will love, select the innovative Skin Detail Function to automatically soften details. The result is a more complimentary appearance (and a more complimentary response from your subject!).

Keep It Simple with Pre-Programmed Settings
Taking great-looking digital photos has never been easier thanks to the ZR100's extensive variety of pre-programmed auto exposure modes. Select the setting that reflects your situation, including Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand & Snow, Easy Recording, Auto, Low Light, and Night mode. There is even an Auto Slow Shutter mode to give your videos a dream-like quality. Each mode is carefully designed to give you the best possible image results under special shooting conditions.

The advanced user will also appreciate being able to manually control focus, exposure levels, white balance, and the shutter speed. In addition, the ZR100 features auto-wind, date search and end search capabilities, and two recording speed modes: LP and SP.

Use In-Camera Effects for Extra Razzle-Dazzle
Let your creative side out to play with the ZR100's wide selection of faders, including Fade Trigger, Wipe, Corner, Jump, Flip, Puzzle, Zigzag, Beam, and Tide.

Digital Effects
For a more creative look, you can switch on the following digital effects during recording or playback: Art, Black & White, Sepia, Mosaic, Ball, Cube, Wave, Color Mask, or Mirror.

Multi-Image Screen
Divide your screen into four, nine or sixteen pictures with the Image Capture function. You can also select the speed the images are captured: Manual, Slow, Moderate, or Fast.

Give Your ZR100 the Personal Touch
Put your mark on your ZR100 with customized start-up images and camcorder operation sounds. The My Camera Function also lets you choose between a variety of operating languages, be it English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, or Japanese, in addition to the date format.

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Customer Reviews

Great picture quality, no noise, best bang for the buck
There may be "better" camcorders out there. Better in terms of more features. But it is unlikely the video or sound quality is much better than this one (in some cases actually worse). A 720X480 video frame (Mini DV standard resolution) can only accomodate approx 340 K pixels - therefore a mega or multi mega pixel camcorder will not improve your video performance one bit. And they cost least twice as much.

I was looking for something really basic. I go for features (and use them) in a Camera - not a Camcorder. When was the last time you used the fancy video functions? Do you even know where they reside on the menu? This camcorder has all the functions you will use and some that you probably won't. Its sufficiently loaded in that regard.

Performance - I faced NO noise issues. In a very quiet room, there is faint noise (when the auto gain circuit increases the mic sensitivity). However, under all my shooting conditions (when the auto-gain ramps down the mic sensitivity), this has not been a problem. My unit was "Made in Japan" - I don't know if this has anything to do with the "noiselessness" of the unit. The sound clarity is awesome - the mic is quite high quality - much better than my old sony 8mm.

Video - WoW - very impressed. Clear and colorful - very close to what my eye sees. Very sharp as well. One can easily read text, see the veins on the leaves, the hair on the eyebrow - on closeups. No problem regarding sharpness and overall color fidelity. Reds tended slightly towards pinkish sometimes (minor). On a dark overcast day - video came out looking just fantastic. It wowed me/wife/dad - everybody.

Low Light performance - On par with other camcorders out there. If you keep the lights in the room on (reasonably well lit), you can capture excellent video (great white balance) with little to no noise. None of the blue tinge that I observed with another brand under the same conditions. In a dim room, the video is noisy, but still quite viewable. It is important to note - that this camcorder has no worse performance than the others in its price range when it comes to low light performance.

Ergonomics - easily fits in your jacket/pant pocket and the controls are well placed. I have no problem with the location of the menu button - as a matter of fact - that is where I think it needs to be! Very easy to manual focus but haven't done so - yet. Autofocus is snappy - no hunting. I don't care how tapes are loaded - from the top or bottom. How many of you shoot using a Tripod and need to change tapes halfway?

The zoom speed depends on how far you press the zoom button - simply great feature. Not just one or two steps. You can go from very slow to very fast zooms.

The unit can work as an analog to digital converter - something I plan to use - to convert my 8mm tapes to digital.

The eyepiece viewfinder is color, does not flip, but very good otherwise. I use it a lot. The flip out display is apparently not the best out there, but I find it to be adequate - if not downright good.

Batteries are charged "in camera". You don't have to take the battery in and out for charging purposes. On the other hand, charging a spare battery ties up the camera (unless you purchase an external charger). The supplied battery seems to last for an hours worth of shooting - works for me.

One last thing - I have not seen mentioned in other reviews and I don't know how other brands perform in this regard. The image stabilization was just too good. While shooting video going through Golden Gate Bridge in a car(no zoom), the shots were almost professional in their stability. The exact same shots taken with an earlier camcorder without image stabilization are unwatchable. Note added later - Compared to a PV-GS150, the image stabilization on the Canon was definitely better. I'll cross compare other aspects with my friends PV-GS150 and report back!

BTW - I don't miss it not having photo taking abilities. All camcorder still pics are horrible when compared to my digicam. Why bother?

It does record hi-res 16:9 images (instead of the cropped ones). Maybe that'll be good for the future.

One purchase that exceeded my expectations.

Capturing - Using a cheap firewire card and included cable (together less than ten dollars), video capture using Ulead software and Win Xp was a breeze. Other software (Pinnacle 9) worked equally well at capturing. Camera could be controlled from the software interface. The file size was approx 12 Gig (DV compression) for 45 min worth of shooting. Video looks very good on computer monitor and on TV. Now to MPEG 2 compress and author a DVD..

You can pass...
I bought this and owned it for two days. Its a decent MiniDV but you can do better at this price!

Noise was a major issue. The motor is just loud and it gets picked up in quiet scenes pretty bad.

Other than that the video recorded was of real good quality. But there was an issue with something going on when inserting a tape. It wasn't ejecting properly for some odd reason. I took it back after finding a deal on a Sony HC20 (that works a lot better/smoother than the Canon).

The only reason why I got this was because it was recommended by an Apple rep... well - this isn't the best MiniDV out there at this price. Panasonic has a fantastic MiniDV for almost the same price... I'd pass on this one guys...

If you don't mind noise
I recently purchased the Zr100...I'm pretty camera literate and knew Canon to be a good brand. Brought the camera home and was playing with...when I was watching what I had recorded I noticed a "white noise" in the background...even when people were talking. The motor/fan on this camera is so loud that it really distorts and videos you take...it sounds like an old reel to reel is running 5 feet away. I called Canon about it and they suggested that I play background sound while recording to drown out the sound of the motor...well that doesn't work for video taping school plays etc...I'm returning this camera...hopefully not all MiniDVs have this problem.