-be as small as possible
-easy to work, and on moment's notice
-be able to take both long movies and still photos

I had a digital camera (Hewlett Packard 315), but hated it because I could not take many pictures quickly in a row. Also, photos came out very grainy. I also knew that a movie captures sounds, emotions, and more in-depth memories: so much more than a photograph. So I decided to sell my camera in exchange for a camcorder.

While doing my research I decided upon this camcorder, the Elura, mainly because of its size. I travel a lot, and knew that if it wasn't as small as possible, I would never use it. I figured spending the extra money on this compact camcorder was well worth it.

I looked at these at Best Buy to get a feel for it physically before buying one. I had to see for myself how it fit into my hand and how my fingers reached the controls. It is a vertical camcorder, unlike the more common horizontal ones.

Two tips here: The controls are on the right side, so if you are left-handed, it may be very hard for you, depending on how ambidextrous you are. Also, with any very compact camcorder, if you have extremely large hands, it may be somewhat of a challenge to work the controls.

At Christmastime, retail was $999 with a rebate of $100, making it $899 at Best Buy. As an avid eBay-er, I decided to check it out there first. Even though possibly risky, I found one brand new for $710 + $20 shipping. The seller even sent me a free Canon camcorder case and double-life battery (not standard).

Like anything new, it took a while to get used to and find my way around. The quality of movies is wonderful, especially considering the size. Don't count on the still photos too much, as with any digital camcorder/camera. It takes Mini DV tapes, which are about 1.5" x 2.5" x 1/3". They are usually 60 minutes long in SP mode. Mini DV tapes can be VERY expensive (Appx. $15 each), but I was able to get 10 new tapes on eBay for $38.

One thing that I dont like as much about this camcorder is the life of the battery. The one that comes standard only lasts about 1/2 hour, so I definitely recommend an additional one or two. The double-sized battery I received with mine lasts much longer (at least an hour or more). Usually very expensive, I just picked one up on eBay new for $25.

Also something I dislike about it is that you have to re-set the time and date stamp each and every time you remove the battery to charge it. I always like to have the time and date set so I can remember when things happened. But if you dont care about that, it wont matter.

If you plan on using this a lot in low-light situations, it does not do very well on its own. A light is available (separately), but it is the size of the camcorder itself, defeating the purpose of the camcorder being so small.

However, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. It is very simple to use (even without the manual... I hate manuals!) and records to VHS in a flash. The size is able to be carried anywhere, even in my tiny handbag to go out at night with.


Recommended:
Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 710.00
Recommended for: Trendsetters - Hip and Stylish Gadgets