LCD Screen well worth the extra
Written: Dec 16 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: good picture quality, auto-focus mode
Cons: slightly dated
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| ccn158's Full Review: Canon ES400V 8mm Analog Camcorder |
The Canon 400V is essentially an upgraded version of the earlier and popular model the G1000; just that for an extra $150 or so you get a rather impressive 2.5in LCD screen. Well worth the money if you ask me, and I'll detail the added benefits later on.
In the meantime, what you are getting here is a high-end non-digital camera, ideal for those of you who aren't quite ready to take advantage of the digital capability. Since I work with cameras digital and non-digital every day, I get to see a lot of models, and this is one of the better ones.
The camera is quite easy on the eye, the ergonomics are good and it's slightly more rounded that the G1000. It's a bit more bulky, however, but that's due to the extra space required by the screen.
The 400V takes advantage of Canon's 'Flexizone' technology; which is an auto-focus mode. It's quite useful and does free up your hands to an extent, but perhaps not too useful if you're filming fast-paced events. Still, a nice feature, not that we haven't seen it before.
The 22x optical zoom and the 550x digital zoom are impressive, particulary when you consider other cameras of the same class are offering 20x and 200x respectively. This makes it ideal for group shots, and the like. Zoom controls are easy and intuitive to use.
But perhaps the best thing about the 400V is the 2.5in screen. This makes it extremely easy to see what you have been doing, and therefore edit your films. The picture quality on the screen isn't that great to be honest (possibly better on Panasonic and Viewfinders) but it's still good. The screen swings out nicely and fits into the side of the camera snugly.
Other accesories include a small remote control, which you can store in your pocket. From the remote you can zoom in and out, start/stop recording, but mainly I use it for playback. I keep the remote well away from anyone else - it's so annoying to be filming and someone else is messing about on the zoom functions!
All in all - this is a fine camera, especially if 1) you want a good 8mm camcorder or 2) you can't afford a digital one. This will last you a very long time, and the quality of picture is very good.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ccn158
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Member: Simon Liau
Location: London, UK
Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 87 members
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