iPhone 3GS from AT&T. Free ShippingCanon ZR830 MiniDV Camcorder
Manufacturer: Canon USA Part number: 1879B001
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- If you don't shoot in low light and don't plan on using it to shoot still images, this feature-rich camcorder is a bargain.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 02/08/2010 |
| 4ElectronicWarehouse.com | | No | as of 02/09/2010 |
CNET editors' review
Canon ZR830 MiniDV Camcorder price range: $279.00 - $471.98
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 03/01/2007
The good: Easy to use menu system with joystick control; impressive color in good lighting; wide-screen LCD; built-in lens cover; low price.
The bad: No accessory shoe or microphone input; bottom-loading tape compartment; low-resolution still photos; not enough stabilization at maximum zoom; poor low-light performance.
The bottom line: If you don't shoot in low light and don't plan on using it to shoot still images, this feature-rich camcorder is a bargain.
Canon's ZR830, the middle of the company's three new MiniDV camcorders, is a whole lot like last year's model, the ZR600. In fact, other than a longer 35x optical zoom lens and some minor menu changes on the ZR830, the two products are virtually the same. Of course, given the ZR600's solid performance, that's a good thing. But, if you plan to shoot any still images with your camcorder, you might want to step up to the ZR850, which includes a 1-megapixel sensor instead of the 680,000-pixel CCD found in this model.
We like the layout of the controls on this year's ZRs. All controls are within reach of your thumb or fingers on the right side, and on the bezel of the 2.7-inch wide screen on the left side. This is much better than designs that put important buttons on the left side of the body, behind the screen, where you can't readily see them. Plus, Canon redesigned the menu system to be more like the one on its digital still cameras. When you press the Function button, a list of options appears on the left side of the LCD, and the choices for each of those options appear in a strip along the bottom of the screen. Last year's ZR600 had three buttons below its LCD screen, but the ZR830 only has two: Function and Digital Effects. Canon now makes you delve into the menus to switch between wide-screen and 4:3 recording modes. The lack of accessory shoe and microphone input is annoying, but also typical of camcorders in this price range.
Canon's Easy mode lets you shoot on autopilot, and does a nice job making decisions for you. Program mode gives you a choice of eight autoexposure presets, four white balance settings (including evaluative), three image effects, and a handful of digital effects. You have to dig one layer deep--into the setup menu--to choose one of the six shutter speeds, adjust zoom speed, switch between 16:9 and 4:3 recording, or turn on and off the digital zoom, automatic slow shutter, or electronic image stabilization. Our one gripe about the setup menus is that they don't scroll--that is, when you reach the top, you can't wrap to the bottom by pressing up again. Since the option to exit is at the bottom, this becomes even more frustrating.
In Still mode, you can capture JPEG images at a pixel resolution of up to 1024x768. You still have access to the same autoexposure, white balance, and image effect settings, though your shutter speed options are limited to 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, or auto. That's more than you see in some camcorders, as is this Canon's nine-point autofocus system. The stills we captured were better than we see from some submegapixel camcorders, but can't approach what you can get from a decent dedicated still camera.
For a camcorder in this price range, we liked the video we captured with the ZR830. In decent lighting, the ZR830 captured relatively accurate colors and reasonably sharp footage. As you might expect from its higher pixel count, the ZR850 yielded slightly sharper results, but its more noticeable benefit was in low-light shooting. Unlike its slightly pricier sibling, the ZR830 couldn't achieve focus in our tough low-light test. As usual, the camcorder's electronic image stabilization couldn't quite compensate for the long end of its zoom lens. We found that it was effective to about 75 percent of the zoom range.
If you're looking for a tape-based camcorder, you'll likely be pleased with the ZR830, but given the slight increase in price associated with stepping up to the ZR850, it probably makes sense to splurge on this model's big brother. While the benefit to your video footage is modest, you'll notice the increased pixels if you end up shooting any still images.
User reviews
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Great buy!!! Highly Recommended!!!
by geezweaz on April 19, 2008
Pros: Very good quality, great features, cool effects (EX: black&white, sepia...), good picture quality, 35x zoom, worth the price!!
Cons: I have not had any yet.
Summary: This is a great camera!! I highly recommend it!!! Totally worth the price!! So easy to use too.
Summary: This is a great camera!! I highly recommend it!!! Totally worth the price!! So easy to use too.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon USA
- Part number: 1879B001
- Description: Around the world, the name Canon means optical excellence, advanced image processing and superb performance. And Canon digital video camcorders are no exception. Whether you're shopping for your first camcorder, or would like to upgrade from analog to digital, the ZR camcorders are a perfect balance of style, performance and affordability. The ZR digital camcorders give you a brilliant Genuine Canon 35x Optical Zoom lens, Canon's advanced image stabilization system, Widescreen HR recording, DIGIC DV image processing, Joystick controller, and Level and Grid Markers. The results are brilliant video and digital photos that you can easily share with family and friends. The ZR830 comes with an array of features that turn your camcorder into a digital still camera, including 9 Point AiAF (Auto Focus), Progressive Photo, Simultaneous Photo Recording, Special Scene Modes, and Image Effects. It is also compatible with SD HC (High Capacity) memory cards for storing even more of your images. All this, plus the ZR830's ease-of-use makes it easy to capture life's precious memories.
General
- Product Type Camcorder
- Digital Zoom 1000 x
- Effective Sensor Resolution 6.8 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/6"
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Min Illumination 2 lux
- Digital Video Format MJPEG
- Special Effects Vivid, Neutral, Low-sharpening, Skin detail
- Image Stabilizer Electronic
- Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Spotlight, Night mode, Sports mode, Slow shutter, Portrait mode
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Camera Flash None
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
- Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 0.45 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Exposure Compensation ±2.75 EV range
- Remote Control Camcorder remote control - Infrared
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory None
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Floppy Drive None
- Media Type Mini DV
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 2.6 mm - 91 mm - F/2.0
- Focal Length 2.6 mm - 91 mm
- Lens Aperture F/2.0
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 9
- Optical Zoom 35 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 2.6 mm
- Max focal length 91 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Features Built-in lens shield
- Focus Adjustment Automatic
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Digital Still Camera Function Yes
- Additional Features AE lock, PictBridge support, 16:9 widescreen mode, Takes photos while movie recording
- Remote control Camcorder remote control - Infrared
- Software Drivers & Utilities
- Included Accessories Hand strap
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type Electronic
- Viewfinder Diagonal Size 0.35 in
- Viewfinder Resolution 114,000 pixels
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK), 1 x USB, 1 x Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support Apple Mac OS, MS Windows XP
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Cables Included 1, 1 x A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery type - Lithium ion
Battery
- Supported Battery Canon BP-2L5
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 530 mAh ( Included )
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts and labor - 1 year
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 112,000 pixels
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.2 in
- Depth 4.7 in
- Height 3.6 in
- Weight 13.4 oz
Accessories
Manufacturer info
- Canon USA
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Canon USA products on Shopper.com
-
- Website: http://estore.usa.canon.com/
- Address:
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 - Phone: 516-328-5000
- Email: mediacontact@cusa.canon.com
