Customer Reviews

Canon ZR800 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I am writing to offset some negative opinions on this unit. I bought the Canon because it has facilities for an external mike. I am a new camcorder user and so have no practical experience to bias my opinion one way or another. First on the matter of tape drive noise: yes I can hear it if I put the unit up to my ear. But no noticeable noise comes up on actual movie clips when played back through my computer. Second, they claim you can interconnect and capture clips to your computer. What they don't tell you is that you need a Firewire card and cable (about $70.00 total at Best Buy). You cannot simply hook up through the available computer USB port. Fortunately, Microsoft provides the necessary drivers in the XP OS and minimal capture software called "Moviemaker".

I am not too pleased with the tape system but considering the price of the unit, I think it is a bargain. Finally, I have become aware through short experience with the unit that the ergonometric design for the right hand was very well thought out. Your thumb easily controls on/off and tape transport functions. It is really easy to use, at least for right handed users. All considered, I am satisfied with the product. Of course, if it dies next week, I will have a different opinion.

I recently purchased the Canon ZR-800 (my first digital camcorder) and couldn't be more pleased. The color reproduction on this camera is the best I've ever used or seen. As to the motor noise complaints lodged by others, I can honestly claim that the motor noise has at no time been noticeable during playback. I am even using this camera for amateur movies, and its many features make it very controllable. Granted, the ZR-800 is not in any way a professional camera, but it does a great job for those on a micro-budget. The 35x lens is a great addition and makes extreme closeups look great. The "Widescreen" feature isn't true 16:9 (rather more like 4:3 widescreen)but it still looks great. I bought it primarily for the microphone input to use my shotgun mic, but even without it the sound is pretty good. All in all, a bargain for what I paid for it.

I love this camcorder. It is very easy to use, the piture quality is great. You can record wide screen or full screen. Light weight, fits in the palm of your hand which is more stable and less shaky when taping. The controls are within easy reach while taping. It is so easy to use that both of my kids have even been using it and they are only 9 and 6. It is also a great price. Can't wait for all our summer vacations to start taping.

I bought this camcorder two weeks ago from best buy. I just wrote my review and then read the others and I had to add this in, there were comments being made that you can hear the tape while recording and then in the play back. I slightly hear the noise when I am taping, but I cannot hear it when I am playing it on my dvd player. To hear the noise while taping you have to have it right next to your ear. But not noticable on the playback on computer or through the dvd player.

One of the distinguishing features of this camera is the mike jack, which is rare these days.

Combine this jack with a Rode Videomic and an L-bracket and you have a great little outfit that can get a lot of work done.

Another great thing is the Firewire (IEE 1394) socket.

I have just verified that you can use this socket to dump video directly to a computer running Adobe Premire Elements. Just hook up the wire, open the program, open the video capture screen, and click "Get Video" and you will see the counter run.

It's just like capturing from tape except you have saved yourself the capture step. This gives you the effect of a Firestore. This probably also means that this little machine and the HV20 will work with Firestore.

Another great socket is the AV out. You can use this to monitor your sound. I would use the AV cord to plug into an RCA to 1/8" stereo (male) adapter from radio shack, then a female to female coupler, then headphones (with volume control) or maybe a cheap headphone amplifier.

Bottom line: you have to spend a lot more to get more- the next bump is up to $1,000.

I was attracted to the Cannon ZR800 due to the very small size and very low cost. However, you get what you pay for, although you get much more in other brands for just a little increase in cost. I've already returned my Cannon ZR800 and replaced it with the Sony DCR-HC38. The smallest problem with the Canon is the continued motor noise, which you should be aware of it if you have read any review for any of the ZR800 predecessors. The problem is that the motor is very loud, and you will hear a very annoying whirr if you are indoors. This could be forgivable given the low cost, but the problem with the zoom noise is not. When you zoom in and out, a very noticable clicking noise occurs when you let go of the zoom switch. It is a loud click and when you play back your video this click is amplified on your video. It is impossible to watch a video and not notice this click. It is annoying, unusual and a big flaw with these new ZR Cannon camcorders. I called technical support, the person took a ZR800 and tried it out and then acknowledged that a problem does exist (she seemed stunned that this noise was occuring). Bottom line, this camcorder is absolutely unusable due to this clicking noise and would not be worth using even if it were free. Do not but it.

BTW, I love the Sony DCH-HC38 which is a bit more expensive and, like the ZR800, just recently came onto the market.

I really think this camcorder is great. I'm amazed at how good the picture is for the price. It's nice and light and easy to carry around, and I got tons of great video from my family's recent trip to Disney. I'm not a real technical person when it comes to these recorders, but I can certainly say I'm very happy with it esp. for the money.

The Canon ZR800 camcorder is a solid little unit with plenty of features for the most folks. And with a great price, it's surprising that Canon even included an external microphone input (after all, 90 percent of video is the AUDIO). Actually, I bought the ZR800 as a "deck" to play and capture mini-DV tapes that were recorded on my prosumer camcorder (avoiding wear and tear on the expensive cameras), but once I tried the ZR800 I loved it and often use it for day to day use instead of hauling around huge camcorders.

I've owned this camcorder for over six months and have not once noticed any of the so-called "motor noise" everyone keeps complaining about. The on board microphone is, however, very sensitive and produces surprisingly good sound. If you're not satisfied with it, you can add your own external microphone. Picture quality is excellent, whether you are viewing it on a computer or tv (with my computer monitor set to HD resolution, my videos look far superior to that of most dvds). The camera does generate some noise in darker areas, but its not enough to really ruin the image. It has numerous manual settings (exposure, shutter, focus, etc) and automatic modes and an easy mode(which actually works pretty well) for those who just want to point and shoot. Overall, a great little camera.

I've had this camera for about four months and have been very pleased! The picture quality is great, especially in low-light conditions. I heeded the earlier reviews about the audio quality and bought an external mic - Very glad I did. I got the ATR25 mic and it is a little cumbersome to hold b/c it doesn't attach to the camera body, but it is well worth it b/c the audio is so much better. Highly recommend this if you want to spend less money now and wait for the hard drive camcorders to improve their image quality and price.

Okay, I've got it all of a couple days now, so I'll probably update this later, but right now...

...this thing rocks!

I have not noticed any significant motor noise during operations OR playback, though I have not yet dropped a video into my workstation yet. Sometime in the next couple of weeks I'll get around to that, but for now, WOW!

Couple of friends suggested the new UltraFlip digital recorder, but I wanted more features than it provided. High on the list was 16:9, removable storage, external mic, firewire, and ideally a name I know and trust. I'm a pro photographer with a small arsenal of Canon still gear, so the name part was good to go! Otherwise, this met all my needs, and came in at the same price as the UltraFlip. Awesome! Wanted this as an upgrade to my time worn Sharp Minicam, and wow, such a good choice! Have not had any problems, nor ran into any of the cons in some of the other reviews.

Want to get started playing with some video? Don't want to spend a fortune on a camera? Thinking about the UltraFlip? Get this wonderful camera!