Canon Elura 65 MiniDV Camcorder w/16x Optical Zoom

Other products by Canon

Product Details

Product Manual [10.63mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001GCAWE
• Item model number: 65
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,905 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 4, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer Life is full of special occasions that we wish could be savored forever -- the ultimate vacation, the excitement of a high school graduation ceremony, your family's first trip abroad, the antics of your favorite pet. With Canon's new line of Elura camcorders, no matter where you go the moment never has to end. Elura camcorders feature Canon's DV Photo Plus. DV Photo Plus unleashes the full digital imaging power of your Canon Megapixel camcorder, promising a superior level of clarity, color and excellence for video and photos.

Auto-Exposure Bracketing In uncertain lighting conditions, the Auto-Exposure Bracketing feature will make sure your bases are covered: With a single press of the PHOTO button, the camcorder records three photos with different exposures. Later, you can choose which photo is best for printing or storing.

Canon's DV Photo Plus
DV Photo Plus unleashes the full digital imaging power of your Canon Megapixel camcorder, promising a superior level of clarity, color and excellence for video and photos.

Spoil yourself with brilliant color and clarity
The new line of Elura camcorders combines refined design sensibilities with the best in Canon technology. Featuring a 1.33 Megapixel Image Sensor, the camcorders deliver images with brilliant color and clarity. Photos can be captured at a variety of different image qualities and compression sizes (Superfine/ Fine/Normal) giving you the ability to balance quantity with quality.

Shoot video and photos without interruption
No more struggling to switch your camcorder between video- and photo-taking modes. With the new line of Elura camcorders, you can capture e-mail ready (640 x 480) photos to the memory card while simultaneously recording high-quality video to the tape. You won't miss a minute of the memories you want to capture.

Zoom in on superior images
With an Elura camcorder in your hand, you have image-making power designed by a company renowned for high-quality professional optics. The Genuine Canon Optics found in every Elura camcorder is the result of Canon's vast expertise in designing and crafting precision lenses for 35mm and broadcast TV cameras. The Elura 65 offers 16x optical zoom lens, and 320x digital zoom, taking full advantage of the DV format.

Catch all the action without the shake
Thanks to the Elura's high quality Image Stabilization system, your videos will always look smooth, steady and natural... even when shooting hand-held at full telephoto. In addition, the bright 2.5" LCD view screen makes it easy to compose sensational shots without having to squint into the viewfinder. You can rotate the screen for high-or low-angle shots, or turn it around 180 to record yourself. When you're done shooting, the screen is perfect for reviewing your scenes.

Print and transfer images with ease
The first camcorders to offer a Print/Share button, the Elura makes direct printing and downloading images to a computer a quick, easy and enjoyable task. When the Elura camcorder is connected to a printer, the Print/Share button lights up blue, letting you know that you can begin printing simply by pressing it once. You can also transfer a photo directly to your computer, with just a single press of the button.

Shoot close-ups they'll love
When shooting close-ups of people, the Elura-series camcorders utilize a Skin Detail Function to automatically soften details. The result is a more complimentary appearance that will keep your subjects coming back. And for those moments when your subject is not in the centre of the frame, the Elura camcorders offer three focusing points that will automatically put your desired subject into sharp focus.

Relive those low-light moments
Thanks to the Elura's Night Mode feature, you can easily capture low-light images with the press of a button. Night Mode automatically selects a slow shutter speed and increases the sensitivity of the CCD to brighten up the image, while still preserving color. With Night Mode, what you record is closer to what your eye sees.

Seamlessly connect to your computer, TV or VCR
Embracing the industry's latest and most sophisticated technology, Canon's Elura camcorders feature an 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.

	USB Terminal The USB Terminal also allows high-speed transfer of images from your SD Memory Card or MultiMediaCard to your computer. By using the USB cable and software provided, you can process and organize your images on your PC.

Enjoy wide-screen images
With the Elura 65, you can record high-resolution video in 16:9 format for playback on wide-screen TVs. Unlike systems that record a vertically stretched picture, the Elura 65 uses the full width of the CCD, resulting in a wide-screen picture that has higher quality and shows more of the action happening at either end of the screen.

Take continuous shots at the press of a button

Multi-image Screen You can divide your screen into four, nine or sixteen pictures with the Image Capture function.

With the Elura's improved Continuous Shooting Mode, you can capture a rapid succession of digital photos to the memory card just like a camera's motor drive. Shoot 3 images/second at 1280x360 resolution, and an incredible 5 images/second at 640x480 resolution. It's the perfect feature for times when the action's happening fast and you don't want to miss a single moment.

Make mini movies at a moment's notice
With the Elura's improved Motion JPEG feature, you can record short movie clips in 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 for the full length of the SD Memory Card. Afterwards, quickly transfer your mini movie to a computer and attach it to an e-mail or post it on the web.

Get creative with the supplied software
The Elura Kit includes software for image management and editing: ZoomBrowser EX (Windows) and ImageBrowser (Macintosh) which let you easily download, browse, archive, and retouch your photos. It will even automatically resize images and allow you to attach them to e-mail, arrange them for printing, and add text.

Take control of your creativity
The Elura-series camcorders will have you shooting like a pro, thanks to the pre-programmed auto exposure modes (Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand & Snow and Low Light mode). Each mode is carefully designed to give you the best possible image results under special shooting conditions. More experienced users will also appreciate the manual focus, exposure level, white balance, and shutter speed controls.

Faders and Special Effects The Elura camcorders come complete with a wide selection of faders and special effects that can add visual appeal and greater imaging variety. Choose from Fade Trigger, Wipe, Corner, Jump, Flip, Puzzle, Zigzag, Beam and Tide. 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.

Personalize your Elura camcorder
Want to truly set your camcorder apart from the pack? Personalize your camcorder by customizing the start-up image and camcorder operation sounds. With an Elura camcorder, you can choose a start-up image from the included software CD or use your own digital recordings. In addition, the camcorder offers a multi-language display of information in the LCD or Viewfinder, including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, and Japanese.

Product Description

Life is full of special occasions that we wish could be savored forever - the ultimate vacation, the excitement of a high school graduation ceremony, your family's first trip abroad, the antics of your favorite pet. With Canon's new line of Elura camcorders, no matter where you go the moment never has to end. Create home movies and digital photos with life-like clarity. Then, transfer them to your computer with the click of a button. Offering a newly refined ultra-portable design at an affordable price, the Elura 65, is designed to fit your hand and your budget perfectly.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice camera, February 4, 2005

By	Mum to J (New York) - See all my reviews

I was a complete novice in this business (I still am to be honest). I wanted a good camera to keep video track of my fast-growing newborn son. I went after the user comments and reviews of people that knew better, on Amazon, epinions.com and every other place I could find. I quickly decided on a miniDV, and ruled out Sony - the good ones were expensive and I still needed to have some money to obtain baby formula! I settled on Canon Elura 60, but decided finally to go for the Elura 65 because of the true 16:9 widescreen recording feature. The Elura 70 appeared nice, but cost close to $100 extra and the difference between the 65 and 70 were mainly that of the wide telephoto lens and bigger battery included with the 70. The 70 also had 18x optical zoom, the 65 had 16x and the 60 14x. Other than these the cameras were basically the same. I was not sure I would need the telephoto lens, and I knew I would later get a couple of extra batteries anyway, so I stuck with the 65.

I have no regrets.

I had never owned a camcorder, but I have had no problems whatsoever with this one. It's light-weight, compact and very very easy to use. I've done some recordings while standing, and the images appeared remarkably steady, thanks to the image stabilising feature. The images are crisp and clear when played back on our widescreen tv, using either the S-cable or the included stereo video cable. I have not experienced any background noise or motor noise as noted in an earlier review.
My hands are small, and my husband's are big, but we are both comfortable with the Elura 65. It powers on quickly. The buttons are easy to reach - record/pause, switch on/off and even the menu buttons. I especially love to use the zoom during the priceless toothless grin or yawn moment, with the zoom button right at my index finger. The included SD memory card comes in useful for quick stills. The remote access and self-timer function allow me to include myself in the recordings as I'm on my own with my son most of the time. I'm still learning to use the special effects feature so can say little about that. The battery that comes with it seems adequate for now, although I usually use the included power adapter.

The cons I've seen:
1. Images are kind of dim when recorded in low light. I understand this is a problem with many cameras. I plan to obtain the video light. There's a handy hot-shoe feature on this camera for just such accessories.
2. The user manual comes in 3 languages in one volume, so it's kind of bulky. Can be annoying when I want to take the camera with me when I go out. Would be nice to go with the manual just in case some quick check is needed. It's not really an issue however as it's nothing to do with the cam itself.

Overall I would describe this as a very nice middle-range camera for under $500, with enough features to satisfy my needs and keep me from craning my neck with wistful looks at the next high-tech, top-of-the-range camera.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent camera, extremely satisfied...so far, January 16, 2005

By	Steven Vance "Web designer, student" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've only used this camera for about an hour. This is what I have to say about it keeping in mind that I've only used it for that long. This camera is very small! It's not as small as the Sony DCR-HC20, but close enough. For big hands, like mine, the palm of your hand may hurt when you hold it for more than 2 minutes. It might be beneficial to glue some type of neoprene or faux fur on it to cushion your hand.

I like the placement of the Firewire port (it's in the front, right under the microphone). It's easy to open this port and plug in a cable. The S-Video port is right next to it. It doesn't get it the way. Right around the corner from these ports are the other ports: headphones, microphone input (huge plus for this camera, so many new ones are omitting this feature), AV output and AC input. These are also really accessible.

One of the tipping points about this camera that got me to purchase it was the top loading tape. Top loading tape allows you to switch tapes when it's on a tripod, where my camera will usually sit (because it functions as a webcam/videoblog maker for m). If you have bottom loading tape (like all Sony's under $1000), you CANNOT change tapes while it's on a tripod. You should use a tripod as much as possible because your video will be soo much more watchable and people will appreciate this as well. No one has steady hands!

Situations where this is really important:
-Your child's band concert that runs for more than 1 hour.
-Your child's sports game that runs for more than 1 hour.
-The school play or musical that runs for more than 1 hour.
-A battle of the bands that runs for more than 1 hour.
-Anything else that runs for more than 1 hour.

I'm having a hard time understanding why Sony doesn't make top loading tape camcorders under $1000. Canon's ZR series have bottom loading tapes, but the Elura line is very affordable.

For the amateur iMovie maker, try out the 16:9 widescreen feature. The Elura 65 utilizes the full width of it's image sensor (AKA CCD) to make widescreen video. You will need a software program that can understand widescreen. Right now, Final Cut Express and Pro can do this and the new version of iMovie (HD) shipping in iLife 05 can understand widescreen. Filming in widescreen can be fun for amateurs but can get serious for people using affordable cameras to make indie films. A lot of cameras (mainly the cheaper Sony's) say they have 16:9 widescreen, but it's faking it: they just chop off the top. The sides aren't extended. The Elura 65 makes the sides go wide whilst chopping off the top. This is "true" widescreen.

I'm giving this 5 stars in my preliminary review because there's really nothing yet about this camcorder that irritates me or I think should give it one or two less stars. I most likely won't write a bigger review after extended use of the camera. The camera has a nice lends, image sensor (Digic DV), and megapixel resolution. This amounts to a lot more effective pixels that are capturing your video than most video cameras.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great little camcorder!, July 20, 2004

By A Customer

We purchased the Elura 65 for our new baby who is due in one month. This camera is small and sleek with a very nice look to it. We just received it a few days ago and have done several tests in different lighting. The quality is BEAUTIFUL outdoors and indoors with the lights on or with the natural sunlight coming in. However, the picture was very dark and grainy when we filmed at a wedding the other night. Keep in mind that the lighting in the place was very dim...there was little to no light. I've done a lot of research on Mini DV camcorders recently and I've yet to see one that takes good pictures in low light areas. I'm wondering if there is an external light that I can purchase for my new camera. This is not reason enough to return the camera, since the reviews on all the other brands and models state the same problem. I just think it's something that needs to be fine-tuned on ALL mini DV cameras in general.

The 16x optical zoom is fabulous on this camera and there is NO motor noise (or at least none that we can hear) as the Canon ZR models claim to have.

One drawback which MAY be a problem is that since this camera is so small (smaller in height than the Canon ZR models), it seems like it can be hard to hold steady...but I'm hoping that's where the image stabilization will come in.

Overall, it's a great little camera!