Canon ZR800

CNET Editors' Rating

3.0 stars
    Overall score: 6.6 (3.0 stars)

Good

Average User Rating

14 reviews

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Canon ZR800 - camera on Canon ZR800 - top Canon ZR800 - side Canon ZR800 - back
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  • Canon ZR800 - Video
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  • Canon ZR800 - top
  • Canon ZR800 - side
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CNET Editors' Review

CNET Editors' Rating

3.0 stars Good
    Overall score: 6.6 (3.0 stars)
  • Design: 7.0
  • Features: 7.0
  • Performance: 6.0
  • Image quality: 6.0
  • Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
  • Reviewed on:

The good: Inexpensive; easy-to-use joystick control; 35x optical zoom; above-average color reproduction; microphone jack.

The bad: Poor low-light performance; bottom-loading tape compartment; not enough stabilization at maximum zoom; no still image capture.

The bottom line: Canon's latest entry-level MiniDV camcorder is a great choice for anyone looking to create video on a shoestring budget.

Review:

If you don't mind working with tape, a budget-level MiniDV model such as Canon's ZR800 can be one the best deals in the camcorder market. Sure, it doesn't include still image capture or some of the nice extras--such as an accessory shoe--that can be found on pricier models, but for videographers who are tight on cash, the ZR800 offers solid video quality at a low cost. Plus, since the education market demands a microphone input, Canon always includes one on its least expensive MiniDV model, so while the ZR830 and ZR850 step-up models don't include a ... Expand full review

If you don't mind working with tape, a budget-level MiniDV model such as Canon's ZR800 can be one the best deals in the camcorder market. Sure, it doesn't include still image capture or some of the nice extras--such as an accessory shoe--that can be found on pricier models, but for videographers who are tight on cash, the ZR800 offers solid video quality at a low cost. Plus, since the education market demands a microphone input, Canon always includes one on its least expensive MiniDV model, so while the ZR830 and ZR850 step-up models don't include a mic input, the ZR800 does.

We like the layout of the controls on this year's ZRs. All controls are within reach of your thumb or fingers on the right side, and on the bezel of the 2.7-inch wide screen on the left side. This is much better than designs that put important buttons on the left side of the body, behind the screen, where you can't readily see them. Plus, Canon redesigned the menu system to be more like the one on its digital still cameras. When you press the Function button, a list of options appears on the left side of the LCD, and the choices for each of those options appear in a strip along the bottom of the screen. Last year's ZR500 had three buttons below its LCD screen, but the ZR800 only has two: Function and Digital Effects. Canon now makes you delve into the menus to switch between wide-screen and 4:3 recording modes. While this model has a microphone input, it doesn't have an accessory shoe on top, so if your mic isn't a handheld you'll have to get creative with the gaffer's tape if you want to mount it on the camcorder.

Canon's Easy mode lets you shoot on autopilot and does a nice job making decisions for you. Program mode gives you a choice of eight autoexposure presets, four white balance settings (including evaluative), three image effects, and a handful of digital effects. You have to dig one layer deep--into the setup menu--to choose one of the six shutter speeds, adjust zoom speed, switch between 16:9 and 4:3 recording, or turn on and off the digital zoom, automatic slow shutter, or electronic image stabilization. Our one gripe about the setup menus is that they don't scroll--that is, when you reach the top, you can't wrap to the bottom by pressing up again. Since the option to exit is at the bottom, this becomes even more frustrating. Canon doesn't include still image capture in the ZR800, but given its submegapixel sensor, we didn't miss it much.

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Average User Rating

3.0 stars out of 14 user reviews

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star: 5
  • 4 star: 4
  • 3 star: 1
  • 2 star: 1
  • 1 star: 3

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Most Helpful User Review

4.0 stars 6 of 7 users found this review helpful

"affordable performance with minor issues" By Magicleland

Pros mic port, built in lens cover, decent image quality, inexpesive

Cons Bottom loader, no accesory shoe,

Summary With the consumer world making the switch over to disc and hard drive options, there's still some of us who know what were doing and stick to tape, don't argue tape is better for camcorders. Being the owner of a Canon xl2 and a canon elura 100, I ... Expand full review

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Specifications

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Quick Specs

  • Optical sensor type: CCD
  • Effective sensor resolution: 0.68 megapixels
  • Flash type: None

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