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Canon ZR200 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom (High Metal)
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4 new or used available from $285.00
Average customer review:
Product Description
Whether it's your first island vacation or baby's first steps, you can trust Canon's ZR200 to preserve every moment with spectacular color, clarity and detail. Part of the new line in ZR digital camcorders, the ZR200 combines ergonomic styling with a variety of enhanced digital features. Compatible with both Windows XP and Apple Computer systems, the ZR200 features Canon's advanced DIGIC DV system, a 20x Optical Zoom/360x Digital Zoom lens, and a versatile SD Memory Card/MultiMedia Card slot. Want to give your movies a touch of Hollywood style? The ZR200 gives you the ability to shoot true widescreen photos and videos thanks to its high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode. You'll also get the advantage of Canon's world-renowned expertise in photography and broadcast television with every video and photo you take. Stylish, versatile and affordable, the ZR200 is a welcome addition to all of your life's most vibrant moments. Audio Recording system - PCM digital sound - 16 bit (48 kHz/2 ch); 12 bit (32 Image Sensor - 1/6-inch CCD, approx. 680,000 pixels / Effective pixels - approx. 340,000 pixels Number of Recording Pixels - Still image - 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 pixels / Movie - 320 x 240, 160 x 120 pixels, at 15 frames per second Still mages may be stored on a SecureDigital SD card It's PictBridge compatible - make prints without a computer MiniDV tape format Tape Speed - SP - 18.81 mm/s (0.74 ips), LP - 12.56 mm/s (0.49 ips); Maximum Recording Time (with an 80-min. cassette) SP - 80 minutes / LP - 120 minutes. Lens - f=2.8-56 mm, f/1.6-3.2, 20x power zoom Viewfinder - 0.33-inch. TFT color, approx. 113,000 pixels / LCD Screen - 2.4-inch. TFT color, approx. 112,000 pixels Microphone - Stereo electret condenser microphone DV Terminal - Special 4-pin connector (IEEE 1394 compliant) Unit Dimensions - 2.0 x 3.7 x 5.1 inch / Weighs 15.2 ounces without battery pack
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #4198 in Camera & Photo
- Brand: Canon
- Model: ZR200
- Dimensions: 5.00" h x 7.00" w x 8.00" l, 3.26 pounds
- Display size: 2.4
Features
- 1/6-inch CCD imager with 680K resolution
- MiniDV recording format offers up to 530 lines of horizontal resolution
- 20x optical zoom with image stabilization
- 2.4-inch LCD screen
- Has special high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording format
Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Whether it's your first island vacation or baby's first steps, you can trust Canon's ZR200 to preserve every moment with spectacular color, clarity, and detail. Part of the new line in ZR digital camcorders, the ZR200 combines all the style and great looks of the ZR100 with a variety of enhanced digital features. Compatible with both Windows XP and Apple Computer systems, the ZR200 features Canon's advanced DIGIC DV system, a 20x Optical Zoom/400x Digital Zoom lens, and a versatile SD Memory Card/MultiMedia Card slot. Want to give your movies a touch of Hollywood style? The ZR200 gives you the ability to shoot true widescreen videos thanks to its high-resolution 16:9 widescreen recording mode. You'll also get the advantage of Canon's world-renowned expertise in photography and broadcast television with every video and photo you take. Stylish, versatile, and affordable, the ZR200 is a welcome addition to all of your life's most vibrant moments
 The ZR200 can shoot in either wide-screen 16:9 format (above) or standard 4:3. |
You want your memories to last forever--that's why you've taken the time to capture them. And you want to shoot in widescreen format to get everything you can out of your new widescreen TV or home theater system.
So why is the way you record widescreen images so important? Because you want an image made for widescreen, not adapted for widescreen. Widescreen is the future--every HD television is widescreen.
The story of how we do it may be a bit technical, but the result is clear to see. Canon camcorders use the entire width of their image sensors to capture your video in true 16:9 format. What difference does that make? It's simple. With more pixels captured, you get better image quality. Some competitors' camcorders force the wider picture into a smaller space on the sensor--giving you a less-true image, with fewer pixels and lower quality. On a Canon camcorder, the canals of Venice will be as grand as you remembered them.
In addition, the LCD on your ZR will display the image in a "letterbox" view--from side to side and top to bottom, what you see will be what you get. There's no guessing and extra work when looking at an image that's distorted like a fun-house mirror.
To make it even easier, a Widescreen Button lets you switch from standard 4:3 to 16:9 Widescreen Mode at the touch of your finger. You can also use the widescreen feature in both Program Mode and Easy Recording Mode and can be used along with the camcorder's advanced image stabilization.
Every one of the camcorders in Canon's ZR series gives you this hi-res "true" 16:9 at a very affordable price. Why shouldn't your camcorder shoot as wide as your widescreen TV? It should--and it's hard to match the widescreen video, or the value, you'll get from your Canon ZR.
Remember--widescreen is the future--be sure you invest in that future with a Canon camcorder.
Let Genuine Canon Optics Worry About The Details
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 the ZR200's 20x Optical Zoom/400x Digital Zoom lens, giving you the power to capture vibrant videos and photos. Now you can enjoy that summer outing, first-year birthday party, or family reunion, with the confidence that your Canon digital camcorder won't miss a single detail.
Leave Your Options Open By Shooting Video And Photos
Simplify your life by having the best of digital video and digital photo worlds in one streamlined device. The ZR200 gives you the ability to take high-resolution XGA-quality (1,024 x 768 pixel) digital photos onto a memory card while recording stunning video.
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Treat Yourself To The Ultimate In Style And Functionality
Sporting a high-metal finish, the ZR200 combines sleek design with sophisticated usability. Smaller in depth and lighter by 2 ounces than previous ZR models, the ZR200 takes on a seamless, fluid appearance with a 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.
Once you own a ZR-series digital camcorder, an entire world of movie and still-image making possibilities opens up as a result of 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. VIC manages it all with one single chip. The result is seamless connectivity whether you are connecting to a computer, TV, or VCR.
Keep Your Eye On The Ball Even In Bright Light
No more squinting into the LCD display of a camcorder during the Little League championships. That's because the ZR200 camcorder features an innovative backlight feature that boosts the display's brightness by 250%. Simply press the LCD Backlight button for improved visibility even during the peak of a sunny summer's day.
 Night Mode brings out low-light detail other camcorders miss. |
Shooting indoors with minimal light? No problem. The ZR200 features a Night Mode specifically designed to capture those important low-light memories. Once selected, the Night Mode automatically boosts the sensitivity of the CCD and lowers the shutter speed to help brighten the subject.
Take Advantage Of True Digital Connectivity
It couldn't be easier to transfer your digital movies to your computer's hard disk, edit your scenes, and then use them to create high impact Web sites, video e-mail, interactive CDs and DVDs, or a personal video album. That's because the ZR200 features a USB terminal and DV terminal (IEEE 1394 or Firewire) for effortless transfer of your memories without any loss in quality.
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| With image stabilization (top) and without | |
Capture all the action without the shake thanks to the ZR200's 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 handheld at full telephoto.
Shoot Like A Pro With Automatic Exposure Settings
Want to capture a quick photo but don't have time to manual adjust the settings? With the ZR200 you can select from a variety of preprogrammed auto exposure modes (Easy Recording, Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand & Snow, 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.
For the more hands-on users, the ZR200 allows for manual control of the focus, exposure level, white balance, and shutter speed controls. You'll also be able to take advantage of the auto-wind, date search, and end search capabilities, and two recording speed modes: LP and SP.
Give Your Movies Added Style With In-Camera Effects
For the digital video artist in you, the ZR200 offers a wide selection of faders that can add visual appeal and greater imaging variety. Choose from Fade Trigger, Wipe, Corner, Jump, Flip, Puzzle, Zigzag, Beam, and Tide.
What's in the Box
ZR200 camcorder, NB-2LH battery pack, CA-570 compact power adapter, STV-250N stereo video cable, WL-D85 wireless controller, IFC-300PCU USB cable.
Customer Reviews
Great Camera, Battery Sucks
Great Camera, Battery Sucks
I bought this camera to replace an old Panasonic VHS-C camera. After reading many reviews over at www.camcorderinfo.com (a great site BTW), I decided to save a few bucks and get the ZR 200 instead of the 300. The light seemed useless to me and I already had a SD card.
The ZR 200 outperforms our old Panasonic in every way. Very happy with this camera. I've been using it mostly in "easy" mode. I did try out the wide-screen feature, and MAN was it cool! I filmed a concert band at a local community college, in low light, on a ti-pod with lots of panning and zooming. It really did a great job. It looked like a freakin' documentary!
You will read lots of reviews complaining about motor noise. These are greatly exaggerated. I've used it to tape the audio of my wife's sonogram (fetal doppler sounds) in a very quiet doctor's office and it worked perfectly, no motor noise.
This is a consumer level camera, and as such performs very well for casual capturing. Kicks butt for home movies, low light concerts. Real pros might want to consider spending more.
One bummer, the battery really sucks. It lasts about one hour, so you'll want to get another one, or do what I do and plug it in whenever you can.
One little tip: You must hold the focus button down! You will read complaints of slow manual focus times, and I noticed the same thing, until I HELD DOWN THE FOCUS BUTTON. Manual focus is very snappy.
Amount Paid (US$):
239.99 (www.dell.com, w/ 2 coupons from www.dealmac..com)
Ease of Use:
Excellent; operates with the touch of a button
Durability:
Good; solid it will last until new technology develops
Battery Life:
Average; lasts 45-90 minutes
Movie Quality:
Good; stable and crisp image, very good sound
Recommended for:
Home and Families - Keep Memories of Family Vacations
Pros:
Great Images, Very Small, Easy to use
Cons:
Batteries only last one hour.
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommend it for home, family buyers AND budget buyers.
Overall Product Rating:Above Average
Recommended: Yes
Works great, easy to use, a few minor complaints
This camera replaced Canon's ZR85, which was another lightweight, no-frills camera. This one is even lighter, and a fair bit smaller. It fits just right in the palm of my hand. If it was any smaller or lighter it would be awkward -- I like there to be a little bit of weight to a camera, since that gives it a litle bit of stability due to inertia; as it is it is just right.
It has more functions than you'd really want in such a camera -- if you are ever going to do something with the footage you will be using a computer and an editing program, so you don't really need the editing modes on the camera. Still, there's no complaint here, and it's flexible enough for most non-professional, home users.
My only complaints are: when they "upgraded" to the ZR200 from the ZR85, they got rid of the neck strap. So this unit is totally free floating and you have to be more careful about dropping it. I suppose you could rig a neck strap but it isn't included and it would be a little more awkward, since the slots they give you to fasten a strap are very close together. I ended putting one on there but rarely use it, because it makes the camera twist around a bit. I really liked the neck strap on my ZR85 as a way of stabilizing the camera: I could put the camera down near my waist, and look through the LCD monitor, and the tension from the neck strap would help me keep the camera steady as I walked, usually while filming my children ahead of me. The other complaint is that the viewfinder on this one no longer swivels up and down, but is fixed in place. This makes it much less usable for me -- because it means that the camera has to swivel with your head if you are using the viewfinder. It means that I use the LCD screen much more often than I used to, and that runs the battery down much more quickly. Still, for simplicity and convenience and ease of use, you'd be hard pressed to find a better camera at this price.
A Great Compact Camcorder
I purchased this camera to replace my Panasonic VHS-C camcorder. I was very surprised at how much smaller the camcorders are as compared to when I had my VHS-C. This camera is great. Its small, compact design makes it easy to fit into the palm of your hand, and the mini screen is perfect for viewing images while recording. The feature that really sold me on this camera, aside from its low price, was the image stabilization. With the stabilization on, there is no image bouncing, and you'll be sure to get clear, sharp images every time. I was disappointed in the short charge that the battery holds, so I recommend purchasing another battery or plugging the camera in whenever possible. The tapes the camera uses are very small, and you can easily store several in a camera bag.
I highly recommend this camcorder. It was ranked the best camcorder in its price range by Consumer Reports magazine. You'll be sure to get many hours of enjoyment using this teriffic camcorder from Canon.
