Canon DC220

Astute observers will notice that the DC220 shares most of its features with the slightly less expensive DC210. In this case, the extra cash gets you an autofocus upgrade to Canon's nine-point AiAF system, a miniSD card slot for capturing still images, a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 connection, PictBridge compatibility for direct photo printing to compatible printers, and Canon's Digital Video Solutions software package. That means that if you're not interested in shooting still images with your camcorder and you don't need Canon's software, then you may want to consider the DC210.

Weighing 15.9 ounces with battery and a DVD installed, and measuring 3.5x2.1x5 inches, the DC220 is fairly light and somewhat small for a DVD-based model. Compared to similar models from last year, it shows some improvements in design. Canon now includes a tiny joystick, well located for your thumb, to navigate the menus. That's a big step up from the array of buttons on the left side of the DC100's body. However, the DC220 does have a triad of annoying buttons on its flank. You use them to access the menu, change the information displayed on the LCD, or enter and exit quick start mode (aka standby mode). In our field tests, we found these buttons less responsive than we would've liked. In many cases, it took more than one press, not to mention more force than we prefer to exert on the side of a camera body that we're trying to hold still. It might make sense for Canon to put the menu and display controls along the bottom of the LCD, though the dual-function playback, zoom, and record controls that are already there might not leave enough room. Fortunately, Canon placed the rest of the controls in all the right places.

Canon includes a decent array of controls and features for a midlevel camcorder. You can choose from program, shutter-priority, or night exposure modes, and there are four white-balance settings, including evaluative. We were impressed with the DC220's long 35x optical zoom lens as well as with the camera's electronic image stabilization, which remained effective out to about 85 percent of the zoom range. That's quite good for such a long zoom. Plus, if you have a hard time keeping those variable-speed zoom rockers moving smoothly, the DC220 includes three constant zoom speeds.