Canon ZR70MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 22x Optical Zoom, Digital Still Mode, MMC Slot, Image Stabilization and Wide Angle Attachment

I bought this as an upgrade 4 a Sony Hi-8 camcorder. This upgrade was a big leap considering their diffrence in size. Once I got hold of this, I was smitten right away. It fits in my hand like it was custom-made. The controls were easy 2 reach & the menu functions were not hard 2 get used to. What really blew me away with this camcorder was the 22x optical zoom. During the time I bought this (2004), no other Mini-DV camcorder brand in the same category possessed Canon's far ranging 22x optical zoom. A lot of the major big name brands had less than 15x optical although their digital zoom would go as far as 900x. The ZR70's digital zoom only goes 2 440x max. But digital zoom didnt really bother me that much because as a lot of people know, digital zooms degrade the picture quality. Once you get past the maximum optical zoom, noise starts 2 appear on your image or video. This is true with this camcorder but with the far reaching optical zoom, I have little need 2 activate the digital zoom. You can use this with a regular Mini-DV tape or an SD card, although the resolution with the SD is not that great, only less than 1MP resoultion. That fact didnt also bother me because this is a camcorder--meant 2 capture images in motion. If I wanted 2 take sharp pictures, a digital camera can handle that. The 2.5" color LCD is sharp although not as sharp as today's standard. The color EVF is comfortable. Another attraction that drew me is the Image Stabilization, it functioned perfectly especially 4 those close focusing, totally reduced or eliminated the jitter. The main camcorder play/record/function buttons are illuminated in different colors that you can customize in your own preference. It also has a wide angle attachment lens 2 capture those breath-taking panoramic scenes. It connects 2 you PC via Firewire port so you can transfer motion images 2 your pc. I am still using it until now. Except 4 the product advisory from Canon which they fixed 4 free, I have not encountered any problems with this camcorder. It suits my particular need very well, in fact, it exceeded my expectations.

As others have mentioned, this camera, along with a slew of others from Canon have a CCD problem relating 2 heat. I just experienced this problem & called Canon per their website.

I made the mistake of referring 2 the "product recall" 2 which I was endlessly chastised by the customer service rep because it is really a "product advisory." (I originally bought the camera 4 over $700, now I'm being treated like trash because I used the wrong words... nice.)

In returning the camera 4 service, I was told not 2 use the original packaging & that I should bubble wrap it & place nothing around it in a large box. (so it can fly around inside) They pay 4 UPS shipping, which she said takes 7-10 days.

Once they receive it, they will determine if heat caused the problem or if the CCD is broken. If it's broken, then I have 2 pay. Considering that they want it 2 be flung around inside a large box during shipping, I can see where this is going.

I would not recommend this camera 4 this problem alone & would not recommend Canon products at all due 2 their customer service anymore.

I've had this camcorder 4 about 2 years now & have used it 4 everything from backyard footage 2 filming corporate events. My kit included the wide angle lens attachment, a standard life battery, software CD & an 8 MB SD card. It performs great. It has great sound through the regular microphone. I even recorded a fireworks display & the fireworks did not overdrive the sound. You could still hear nearby voices even while the fireworks were going off. It has a hot shoe 4 connecting accessories. Although I always intended 2 add a microphone 2 the hot shoe, I never did get around 2 it. I think the standard mic is sifficient 4 my needs.

When I recorded 4 corporate events, I ran the soundboard right into the A/V on the camera using a standard RCA 2 Headphone jack. This was a handy feature since we were in a warehouse environment & the sound system mixed all the audio. I could film from a long distance & still patch in the audio 2 make it sound great. The recorded video turned out really superb & my customers were quite pleased. I used the included Studio 8 2 edit the video & record onto the DVD.

The still camera is around a megapixel. Not great as far as quality unless you're shooting in good outdoor light. Dark lighting definitely looks grainy on the stills, even with the night shot mode enabled.

The camera model, along with some other Canon DV cameras are affected by a recall. It will freak you out when you don't see any video on your viewfinder or LCD. It just goes black. In short, the cable that connects the CCD (which digitizes the video) gets disconnected. Canon will repair the defect (they will also pay shipping both ways) regardless of warranty status. The process was easy & did not take very long.

I presume people had problems with this product (ZR70MC).I guess most of them are CCD related.I owned ZR70MC since 2004 & I noticied CCD problem recently (Camcorder LCD went blank even when lens cap is removed) & one year warranty on product had already expired.Canon customer service was efficient & they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).When I received camcorder I noticied that record button is not working. Canon customer service or repair center again came 2 my rescue & they repaired it free of cost (they even provided shipping label).
I rate their customer service as best.But as some one noted earleir this camcorder doesn't perform well in low light conditions.

Canon will repair no questions asked.
It take 2 weeks total.
That is great support.
Talk 2 anyone else about a 2-3 year old product.
The funny thing is the part giving the problems is Sony.

I love the camera. It will be around 10 years after the repairs.

Designed 4 point & shoot simplicity, Canon's ZR series camcorders allow everyone 2 get great results without any effort at all. Place the camcorder in your hand, & it fits comfortably & securely, like you have owned it 4 years. No learning curve is necessary as you soon find yourself shooting crisp, vibrant video & life-like digital photos, just by pressing a single button. Canon, the trusted name in optics 4 decades, has made capturing memories more convenient, exciting, & easier than ever.The ZR70MC allows you 2 achieve unparalleled performance with unbeatable simplicity. Its extensive feature set is complimented by a sleek, cutting-edge design which instantly becomes an extension of you. All the beauty of life will be captured with ultimate precision, superb clarity, & rich color.

The advanced Canon ZR70MC MiniDV camcorder brings together all the features of the ZR65MC, from its ease of use 2 still photo mode & digital effects. It also adds a 22x optical zoom, 440x digital zoom, motion JPEG movie mode, Super Night mode, & an advanced accessory shoe 4 powering a microphone or video light.

Lens
The ZR70MC features a high-performance 1/6-inch 680,000-pixel CCD 2 capture high-quality video & digital photos. The zoom technology found in the ZR65MC lens is the same as Canon uses in its broadcast TV lenses. The ZR70MC is fitted with a high-performance 22x optical zoom lens, which can easily handle all your shooting needs--from wide-angle shots of all the family at the reunion 2 close-up sports action at full telephoto. The ZR70MC's 440x digital zoom significantly expands the telephoto magnification of the subject.

Image Stabilization
Canon's image-stabilization system corrects camera shake caused by, 4 example, an unsteady hand. This image-stabilization system makes 4 smoother & steadier video even with hand-held shots, at full telephoto, & with shots taken from a moving car.

Digital Stills & Motion JPEG
In addition 2 high-quality video, the ZR70MC also captures crisp XGA (1,024 x 768 pixels) digital still images. The ZR70MC stores these images via the built-in slot 4 Secure Digital (SD) & MultiMediaCard memory cards. You can also choose 2 store still images on the MiniDV tape. The camcorder records the photos 4 approximately 6 seconds, as well as recording the sound 4 your verbal notes or narration.

Designed 2 help you make Web videos, motion JPEG mode produces compressed AVI files that are smaller & easier 2 run & send by e-mail than conventional video files. They're also stored on the memory card & transferred via the USB connection. Record a 10-second clip at 320 x 240 or a 30-second clip at 160 x 120.

You can search through the recorded tape 4 your photos using the supplied remote control. This photo search feature allows you 2 search 4 images recorded in photo mode. Search forward or backward through the images one at a time, or jump 10 pictures backward or forward from the current position.

More Features

• With Super Night mode, the assist lamp lights up 2 illuminate your subject
• Print photos directly 2 Canon bubble jet printers
• 2.5-inch fold-out color LCD screen & 0.33-inch color viewfinder
• The My Camera function is designed 2 let you customize a number of features, including start-up image & sound, shutter sound, start-stop sound, & the self-timer sound
• Shoot panoramic still photos, then edit them together on your PC with the PhotoStitch software
• The full-function wireless remote control works at distances up 2 16 feet
• A wide selection of faders & special effects, including sepia, black & white, wave, mosaic, & more
• For low-light situations, the VCR playback controls can be illuminated in any one of six colors: turquoise, blue, green, yellow, violet, & orange

Inputs & Outputs
The ZR70MC comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also referred 2 as FireWire), which provides a lossless connection 2 a PC or other DV machines, as well as USB connectivity 4 transferring still photos. Additionally, the ZR70MC features two types of analog audio & video inputs & outputs: composite & S-video. The analog audio inputs of the ZR70MC let you dub or insert editing from CDs, cassettes, microphones, or the soundtracks of other videocassettes.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV is the new, preferred format 4 personal & broadcast-quality video, & it is highly regarded 4 its high audio & image quality. With up 2 540 lines of horizontal resolution & minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 2 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Power, Size, & Contents
The ZR70MC comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack, which has an approximate battery life of 2 hours 20 minutes when using the LCD screen. The camera itself measures 4.1 by 2.3 by 5.8 inches & weighs 18 ounces. This package includes the ZR70MC camcorder, battery pack BP-512, power adapter CA-570, wireless controller WL-D79, shoulder strap, stereo video cable, wide attachment, USB cable, 8 MB Secure Digital memory card, & the DV Network Solutions & Digital Video Solutions CD-ROMs.