Canon ZR60 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 18x Optical Zoom and Image Stabilization
by Canon

List Price: $449.99
Our Price: $108.88
You Save: $341.11 (76%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Digital Camera
See more product details

Digital Photo Product Details

• MiniDV camcorder with 18x optical zoom, 360x digital zoom
• Image stabilization for smoother and steadier video
• 2.5-inch fold-out color LCD screen and color viewfinder
• Takes digital still photos and stores them on tape
• Connects to PCs and Macs via Firewire (IEEE1394)

• Pinnacle Studio HD V14 [OLD VERSION]
• Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 [Old Version]
• AmazonBasics Universal Camera Case for Digital Cameras HF (Black)
• Adobe Premiere Elements 9 [Old Version]

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Canon ZR60 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 18x Optical Zoom and Image Stabilization

Customer Review: very good value for the money
Summary: 5 Stars

I videotaped a test footage by both Canon ZR60 and my old analog Sony TRV65 (which used to be a relatively high end consumer-grade camcorder back in 1998), and burned them side by side to a DVD. I found the following: (1) The video noise level of the Canon in poor light condition is exactly the same as that of the analog Sony; (2) the Sony measures the light intensity differently - it tends to bring up the details in the shadows while overexposing the bright spots, whereas the Canon adjusts the exposure for the bright spots, while the shadow come out quite dark in the picture - hence the wrong impression that the Sony has a better light sensitivity (3) Canon has a selection of several color temperatures through the menus (such as artificial light and sunlight), which makes the overall results better - Sony tends to make outside colors bluish and the insight shots reddish (4) the analog Sony has a better microphone with a better sensitivity - the voice of a person who speaks in a quite room 6-8 feet from the cameras comes out louder in the Sony's footage (5) The motor noise in the Canon is indeed somewhat louder than in the Sony, and it sounds like a high-pitch tone whereas the sony's motor sounds as quite hummering in the background. This noise is audible when you videotape in a quite room with little or no background sounds and is a little annoying, but it is not untolerably bad. Hence, I can say that the Canon, while is much smaller, is overall not any worse than the 6-year old high-end Hi-8 analog camcorder. Of course the technology has developed in 6 years, but for this rockbottom price the Canon shows a very decent performance.

Now for the features. A great advantage of ZR60 is that it has a built-in analog-to-digital converter which allows one to connect any analog video source (a VCR or an analog camcorder) and use the Canon as a capture device to convert analog video into digital. This feature was a primary reason why I decided to buy this camcorder as I have some 25+ analog videotapes and want to convert all of them to DVD. Converting and editing home videos is a slow process, but I already converted 8 hours of home videos to DVDs with the excellent image quality, and none of the problems which video capture boards (which are typically priced over hundred dollars) are known for (such as poor audio/video synchronization). Sony also includes this feature in some of its digital camcorders, but those are usually priced over eight hundered dollars.

Additionally, for those for whom the motor noise is a serious issue, there is a microphone jack on the camcorder (a feature usually found only in high-end camcorders). Plug in any stereo microphone, and all motor-related noices in the video will be gone.

A compact size and relatively easy operation is also a great plus.

I have only a few minor complaints. There is no "record while the button is pressed" mode which I got used to in the past - you always have to press the button once to start the recording, and press it again to stop the recording. Image stabilizer is not very efficient. There is no built-in title generator to add the date or location to the video (this can be done later on a computer, but you have to remember the dates and the names of the places). Finally, the only software enclosed with the camcorder is a totally useless program for videoconferencing - nothing at all for image editing (fortunately, there are free Windows Movie Maker in WinXP and iMovie on the Mac which are good enough for the first experiments with digital video editing).

Overall, while this camcorder is not the most advanced piece of video technology, it is a very decent camera which gives you a lot for the money and helps a lot in a transition from analog to digital video. If you are shopping for a camcorder in this price range and cannot afford or do not want to go for a $800+ camera, this Canon is a great deal.

There are a couple of other modifications of Canon, ZR65 and ZR70, which cost more, but differ mostly in features which in my opinion are not very valuable or practical.

Description of Canon ZR60 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 18x Optical Zoom and Image Stabilization

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.

Camcorders

• Camera & Photo > Camcorders