My kind of camera! Read to find out why!
Written: Feb 05 '01
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Pros: SLR design, prog. scan CCD, Canon's quality optics, firewire, manual controls
Cons: Not good in low light,
The Bottom Line: Excellent camcorder with features usually only found on very expensive professional level DV camcorders!
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| chippervw's Full Review: Canon Optura MiniDV Digital Camcorder |
Got this camera for a steal off an online auction site! Got it used, but good as new!
I researched A LOT for just the right DV camcorder.
I wanted:
-Progressive Scan CCD
-Manual focus
-Manual Aperture
-Manual Shutter
-Still Photo mode
-Firewire
I also decided that I didn't need a separate multimedia card for the still pictures, didn't need some huge digital zoom (which is a joke anyway b/c it gets so "pixelly"), and didn't want the standard camcorder shape.
The Optura fit the bill perfectly!
-It is one of VERY FEW camcorders that offer manual focus (Canon seems to be about the only one offering this - i mean, how can you have any control of your videos without controlling the FOCUS!?)
-Also has manual controls of the aperture (how MUCH light gets in) and shutter speed (how LONG light gets in) which enables many possibilities for creative control.
-Still picture mode- has a switch above the record button that switches the camera to Photo Mode. records still pictures on 5 seconds of the DV tape.
-FIREWIRE- What a great invention. I wanted this interface to hook up the camera to my computer to use a wonderful and easy to use program called iMovie 2 (review of that coming at a later date!) to edit my movies
VARIOUS FEATURES:
-Several "Auto" modes for those of you who don't want to worry or mess with aperture and shutter and focus!
-Accepts Canon Flashes on a hot-shoe on top of the camera, turn this into a quite capable digital still camera
-Different digital effects
-SLR design, like Single Lens Reflex cameras with interchangeable lenses, this camcorder "feels" wonderful in your hands. Good grip for a steady hold.
-OPTICAL image stabilization, this is also a Canon exclusive feature. many camcorders offer image stabilization, but using DIGITAL technology. Optical IS produces a much smoother and better looking result!
-Option of 12-bit or 16-bit sound recording. Lets you dub extra audio onto already filmed footage when you record in 12-bit sound.
-14X Optical Zoom. The only zoom that really matters. Sony camcorders and others boast 320X zoom or something absurd like this, when in reality it would look terrible if you actually used that 320X zoom. When a camera changes over to digital zoom from the optical, a clear "pixelization" begins and the picture begins to divide up into thousands of little pixels (little squares on the screen) and the picture becomes terrible.
-Progressive Scan CCD. Records 30 full frames per second. What does that do, you ask? First of all, it makes your video look much better (500 lines of resolution= better picture quality than a live TV broadcast!). And secondly, it allows you to pause video and get much clearer still pictures extracted from video footage. Imagine what you could do with 30 full pictures recorded every second!
Negative Comments:
Probably my only negative comment about this camera would be its performance in low light. The picture gets very grainy and is definitely NOT the same quality as the real potential of this camera's capabilities!
----Canon has discontinued this model and replaced it with the Canon Optura Pi. So don't confuse the 2 models. Look for the original Optura on ebay, or refurbished models.
HAPPY DV FILMING!!!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 525.00
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Epinions.com ID:
chippervw
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Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 1 member
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