Canon ZR300 MiniDV Camcorder w/22x Optical Zoom (High Metal)

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8 x 7 x 5 inches ; 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007D9C2M
• Item model number: ZR100
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,485 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)

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  Camera & Photo > Camcorders > Digital MiniDV

• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 3, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Camcorders in Canon's ZR line fit your hand as perfectly as your budget. The ZR300 houses some of Canon's most-advanced digital technologies in a sleek shell designed for superior ease of use. Featuring a high-resolution 16:9 widescreen home theatre recording mode, powerful 22x optical/440x digital zoom, and compatibility with both Windows XP and Apple Computer systems, the ZR300 camcorder is the ideal choice for chronicling the many chapters of your life.

Canon, a trusted brand name synonymous with professional image quality in photography and broadcast television, combines advanced technology and ease of use to ensure that videos and photos are preserved with spectacular color, clarity, and detail. From wedding bells to baby steps, college days to golden years, you can trust Canon to capture life's irreplaceable moments.

Shoot Brilliant Videos And Photos Simultaneously
Now you don't have to miss out on capturing the perfect photo while shooting the perfect video. That's because the ZR300 has the ability to take high-resolution XGA quality (1024 x 768 pixel) digital photos onto a memory card while recording video. The secret behind Canon's renowned video and photo image quality is 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. Since the ZR300 also features 16-bit Digital PCM audio and audio-dubbing capabilities, you can be confident that your memories will not only look great, but sound great as well.

For added flexibility, you can take up to 700 still images on a single MiniDV tape (in SP Mode). The camcorder records the photos for approximately six seconds, as well as recording the sound for your verbal notes or narration. There is even a Photo Review button for quick appraisal of your captured images.

Zoom in on Vivid Details with Genuine Canon Optics
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 lenses of the ZR-series digital camcorders. The ZR300 extends your reach with a 22x optical zoom and powerful 440x digital zoom. Snap on the 0.6x Wide Angle Attachment and you're now ready to get the most out of indoor shots, as well as panoramic views of scenery, landscapes, and sporting matches.

Record True Widescreen Moments
Now you can give your footage a touch of Hollywood style! New to the ZR-series camcorders is a 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.

An Easy-To-Use Camcorder That's Easy on the Eyes
By eliminating the gap between the lens and viewfinder, the ZR300 camcorder takes on a seamless, fluid appearance. For added appeal, ZR300 truly sparkles in its pearl silver finish. Smaller in depth and lighter by 2 ounces than previous ZR models, the new ZR300 is easier to carry wherever life takes you.

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--ree 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.

Preview Your Videos Even in Bright Light
Tired of squinting into the LCD display of a camcorder while shooting outdoors? The ZR300 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.

Convert Your Analog Memories to Digital
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. However VIC manages it all with one single chip. The result is seamless connectivity whether you are connecting to a computer, TV, or VCR.

Keep Shooting Long After the Sun Goes Down
No need to pack up the camcorder just because the day is over. The ZR300 camcorder has a Night Mode that automatically boosts the sensitivity of the CCD and lowers the shutter speed in low light conditions to help brighten the subject.

SuperNight and Night+ Modes
For an added low-light boost, the ZR300 features two additional modes: SuperNight and Night+. In SuperNight mode, the camcorder's white LED assist lamp lights up automatically in low-light conditions to provide extra illumination. By switching to Night+ mode, you decide when more light is needed by manually turning the assist light on and off.

Do More with Your Digital Footage
The ZR-series camcorders make it easy 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. All three models feature a USB terminal and DV terminal (IEEE 1394 or Firewire) for transfer of your memories without any loss in quality.

SD Memory Card and MultiMediaCard
For convenient storage and portability of your still images, the ZR300 features an additional built-in slot for SD (Secure Digital) Memory Cards or MultiMediaCards. As an added bonus, the ZR300 kit includes an 8M SD Memory Card, so you can start shooting and sharing straight from the box.

Normal and Motion JPEG Extended Movies
Record movie clips in Normal and Motion JPEG Extended movie formats directly onto the memory card, for clear images and smooth playback. Alternately, you can take the 320 x 240 pixel or 160 x 120 pixel mini-movie and attach it to an e-mail or post it on the web. Best of all, you can record for the full length of the SD Memory Card. (Maximum 60 minutes [512MB SD Memory Card]. When using MultiMediaCards, movie clips are limited to 10 seconds in 320 x 240 and 30 seconds in 160 x 120.)

Picture Transfer Protocol
The ZR300 goes even further to make life simple by supporting Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP). PTP enables data communication with a computer without the need to install dedicated driver software. In other words, PTP creates a direct link with the computer to access the camcorder as though it was an external card reader. (This feature is available only with computers running Windows XP or Mac OS X [version 10.1 or later] operating system.)

Say Goodbye to Shaky Shots
Capture all the action without the shake thanks to the ZR-series camcorder'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 hand-held at full telephoto. From sporting events to childhood antics, you won't miss a beat with a ZR300 digital camcorder.

Your One-Stop Digital Photo Lab
When you're ready to print your digital images, the ZR300 camcorders offers flexible connectivity with a variety of printers. A single cable connects your camcorder to a PictBridge-compliant printer, giving you printing option control 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 ZR300 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.

XGA High Resolution Photos
The ZR300 gives you the power to capture stunning high definition photos. Just press the photo button for XGA (1024 x 768 pixel) images that are then automatically stored on a removable SD Memory Card or MultiMediaCard. For added flexibility, you can select the compression size (Superfine/Fine/ Normal) to tailor how many photos you can fit on the memory card. You can even select how long you wish to review a still image after recording.

Keep the Focus on Your Subject
Perfect for when the subject you want to photograph is not in the center of the frame, the ZR300 digital camcorder offers the choice of three focusing points. The result is a more dramatic composition in which you decide where the focus should be sharpest.

Skin Detail Function
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!).

Take Advantage of Automatic Settings
The ZR300 will have you shooting like a pro, thanks to the pre-programmed 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 movies a dream-like quality. Each mode is carefully designed to give you the best possible image results under special shooting conditions.

More experienced users will appreciate the manual focus, exposure level, white balance, and shutter speed controls. The ZR300 also offers auto-wind, date search and end search capabilities, and two recording speed modes: LP and SP.

Make Your Movies Sparkle with In-Camera Effects
Your ZR300 camcorder comes complete with 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.

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. (In Card mode, only black and white is available.)

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.

Turn Your Camcorder into a Webcam
Available as a free download for the ZR300 is the versatile DV Messenger2 software. DV Messenger2 allows you to use your ZR300 for Internet Video Chat with Microsoft Windows Messenger through IEEE1394. Control the zoom and focus of your camcorder or the camcorder of the person you are chatting with. Preview thumbnails and transfer photos. You can even watch and control the video playback of either camcorder right from your computer.

Personalize Your Camcorder
Add your own personal touches to your ZR300, such as customized start-up images and camcorder operation sounds. With the My Camera Function you can also select your preferred operating language, be it English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, or Japanese, in addition to the date format.

What's in the Box:
ZR300 camcorder, NB-2LH battery pack, CA-570 compact power adapter, STV-250N stereo video cable, WA-28 wide attachment, WL-D85 wireless controller, SDC-8M SD memory card, IFC-300PCU USB cable, Digital Video Solution Disk for Windows, Digital Video Solution Disk for Macintosh

Product Description

In a sense, life is a trip. It consists of all the feelings and experiences one has from birth to death. A camcorder can help preserve life's highlights and even perpetuate one's existence as videos are viewed by subsequent generations. That's a very worthy endeavor. That's where the Canon ZR300 comes in. The ZR300 houses some of Canon's most-advanced digital technologies in a sleek shell designed for superior ease-of-use. Featuring a high-resolution 16:9 widescreen home theatre recording mode, powerful 22x optical/440x digital zoom, and compatibility with both Windows XP and Apple Computer systems, the ZR300 camcorder is the ideal choice for chronicling the many chapters of your life. A built-in image-stabilizer helps reduce camera shake from normal hand movements for a smoother video image result. You can use the ZR300 after sunset: In SuperNight mode, the camcorder's white LED assist lamp lights up automatically in low light conditions to provide extra illumination. 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. 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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for a Family Camcorder, October 31, 2005

By	Ryan Griffin (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I previously had a Sony High-8 Handicam, but with the arrival of our baby girl, I really wanted to upgrade to digital. I was looking mostly at Sony, but saw a great price drop on Canon on Amazon along with a $50 rebate and it was too good to pass up. I have been very pleased with the camera and it has been perfect for our purposes.

Pros:
-Size: Very compact and easy to take along, but not so small that Dad fingers can't easily work all the controls.

-Layout: Well designed controls. I am more of the tech geek and can easily find and use features, but my wife does not like gadgets as much and can easily pick up the camera and shoot great video.

-Picture: We have a Canon digital still camera and have come to expect great picture quality from Canon. We were not disappointed.

-Features: Love the Analog to Digital conversion feature. I am able to digitize my old High-8 tapes, or even continue to use that camera for situations when I want longer battery life (see cons)

Cons:
-Battery: The battery does not last long and you will need a backup. My old high-8 had the upgraded battery that shot for 18 hours so I will still use that on occasion. It seems though that most digital camcorders in this range have a similar battery life.

Summary:
We love this camera for shooting clips of our daughter. It is super easy to transfer footage to the computer and edit into short clips for the web so that far away family can see the baby. We did not need some of the higher end features like 3 chips that come on the more expensive cameras, so this was perfect. Know what you will be using the camera for--If you are looking for a family camcorder that is easy to take along to different events, easy to use, and shoots great quality video for family videos/vacations/little league/etc., then you will love this camera.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for the price, January 5, 2006

By	Duble0Syx (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews

After reading other reviews and about the features I decided to purchase one of these, rather than a Sony brand. The big selling point is the widescreen recording. The night mode shooting on this model could use some improvement. Even with the built in light on, in darkness you can see no further than 10 feet away. For me this was the biggest downside. The only advantage is you still have full color. Auto focus doesn't work so well in low light either. The viewer gets jerky in night mode as well. Personally I prefer the green nightvision Sony camera's have, just put it in black & white mode and it's fine. Connecting this camera to a PC couldn't be easier. You just need to buy a IEEE 1394 cable (sold seperaltly) for about $30. If you don't have any special software you can use Windows Movie Maker to capture the video. I see people complaining about the batter life. Battery lasts about 50-80 minutes depending on what your doing, which seems pretty reasonable to me. Again, if you want super-long batter life, go with a Sony. Camera is small, takes sharp still photos, even for such low res (1024x768). Has some rather advanced features, like setting the shutter speed, auto/manual focus, image stabilization, etc. The image stabilization isn't so great, but effective. So overall, if widescreen is a must, and shooting in pitch blackness is not, this is a great camera. Otherwise check out a Sony, they have great image stabilizers, can shoot in the pitch blackness and long battery life, but no true widescreen or other handy features Canon's do.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars some people don't know what they are talking about, January 10, 2006

By	M. mahon "stop bush" (clinton connecticut) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

overall i think this camera is very nice. I like the wide lens attatchment becaus i skate and like to get close and have everything in the shot. i also like this product because it has high quality picture and awsome sound. some people said after filming, during the playback you could hear the sound of the motor. those people are idiots. the only reason for that is becasue they were filming videos on to the memory card witch has a purpose of still images. when you are recording video on to a mini dv tape, that noise will not show up at all. the battery life could be better but you can just pick up an extra at walmart for 20 bucks which isnt bad. the night vision isnt that high quality, i mean it works fine and all its just that it is a light and i would prefer an infared system such as in the sony hc21 for about the same price. but i think this camera is a better choice. my only other complaint is that the whole purpose i bought this product was to get my skate footy on to my computer to make a video but this camera only comes with a usb cable that is only good for putting pictures on to your computer. the usb isnt fast enough for transfering video content so you need to go out and buy a 1EEE 1394 firewire cable for around 25 bucks and if your computer dosent have a firewire cable than you will either have to buy a firewire hub or a pci card for your computer. the pci card goes for about 30 bucks and the hub is around 50. so to sum it all up the canon zr300 is most deffinatly worth the buy pretty much everything that the manufactuer description is accurate and its is a very high quality camera. if you buy it you will not be dissapointed. don't listen to the people who say it records the sound of the motor because it dosent unless you are recording with the memory card witch is just plain stupid. also dont listent to people who say it doesnt work good indoors because they are also wrong.