-
CNET editors' rating:
3.5 stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 14 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
The good: Comfortable ergonomics; convenient controls; large zoom range; effective image stabilization; included wide-angle lens converter and built-in video light.
The bad: Visible noise and artifacts in video; poor low-light video quality; limited exposure controls; no backlight mode; bottom-loading cassette hatch.
The bottom line: This affordable MiniDV camera offers a good range of home-video-oriented features, as well as comfortable, smooth operation, but its video quality doesn't rise above average.
Specifications: Video input type: Camcorder; Optical zoom: 22 x; Media type: Mini DV See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 10/07/2004
- Released on: 01/01/2004
Weighing a little more than a pound, the Canon ZR90 isn't the smallest MiniDV camera in its price range, but it's still fairly compact and comfortable to hold for long periods. Its viewfinder swivels up instead of just pulling out horizontally, as is the case on some other budget-priced models. The 2.5-inch LCD is reasonably sharp and easy to use as a viewfinder in all but very bright light. Buttons and a jog dial provide convenient access to many settings, and setup options are available via easily understandable LCD menus. It's not the ideal camcorder for a lot of tripod use since the cassette hatch opens from the bottom, but we like the placement of its microphone in front instead of on top, and there's an accessory shoe for mounting an external microphone or video light.
Canon provides all the automatic features you'll need for home moviemaking, including a selection of useful scene modes, faders and effects, and manual focus operated via the jog dial. One notable omission is a backlight mode. Exposure controls are limited to exposure shift and shutter-speed selections available in the menu system. If you want to capture acceptable but by no means high-quality photos or Motion JPEG video for Internet use, you can record them to an SD card and upload them via USB. You can even take VGA snapshots while you're shooting video. Canon's included DV Messenger software allows you to use the ZR90 as a Webcam too.
The 22X zoom lens gives you plenty of flexibility in framing your shots, and the included wide-angle converter is helpful for capturing a group of people in a room or for landscape shots. However, it impedes the functioning of the autofocus, so when you pan and zoom with the converter on, you have to wait a little while for the focus to sort itself out. Otherwise, the autofocus and autoexposure work well, adjusting quickly to changing scenes and light levels. Only in very low light did the autofocus start to hunt.
The Canon ZR90's video quality is about average for its price class. Canon's electronic image stabilization works well, so you get a steady image throughout the 22X zoom range. Colors are also well saturated and pleasing, if not entirely accurate. This camcorder's flaws are typical for a budget model: visible artifacts, blown-out highlights, and a lack of fine detail. We also saw some color fringing in high-contrast areas. We tried out the Soft Skin Detail mode, which is supposed to make people's skin look smoother, but saw little discernable difference in our footage of people with wrinkles.
The one area in which the Canon ZR90 falls down even for an affordably priced model is in controlling the electronic noise. Even in highlight areas of well-lit shots, we could see a little noise creeping in. As you can guess, this becomes a real problem in low light, so if you do a lot of indoor taping, you may want to think twice about this camera. There's a built-in video light that you can use to improve low-light video quality somewhat or to shoot in situations where there's no other light source. The degree to which all of the ZR90's video flaws are noticeable will increase with the quality of your television set.
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Canon Inc.,
- MiniDV,
- converter,
- camcorder,
- video
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 14 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
