CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 10/11/2004
- Released on: 03/15/2004
Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more. The Canon Elura 70 looks very similar to to the rest of the company's MiniDV line. Weighing just 1.1 pounds, it's very easy to carry around all day--if you wear baggy hip-hop shorts, you can even fit it in your pocket. The controls are logically organized, and the tape loads into the compartment from the top, so you can switch tapes while the Elura is mounted on a tripod. Provided you don't use a tripod with a large platform, you might be able to access the SD card slot as well.
In typical Canon fashion, the manual is well written and easy to navigate. This model should be familiar to anyone who has previously used a DV camcorder, but give the documentation a quick once-over in case you need to access a few of the special features or manual functions. Before you start shooting, make sure to install the supplied 3-volt CR1616 battery that saves all of your menu settings. If you forget, a blinking red indicator appears in the upper-left corner of the viewfinder.
All of the transport buttons lie beneath the foldout view screen. The Elura 70 has a 2.5-inch LCD, but it's not as bright outdoors as those found in Canon's Optura series. You can also switch to the traditional eyecup viewfinder, but it's difficult to see through unless you have 20/20 vision.
In addition to the standard set of automatic features, the Canon Elura 70 can also be switched into manual focus and exposure modes. Due to the somewhat soft image quality of the LCD screen, I did not have great luck improving on the autofocus, but the autoexposure function came in very handy, especially in scenes with harsh backlight. (This is also where that instruction manual really is useful.)In less than optimal light, you can activate the Elura 70's Night, Night+, or Super Night modes. The Night mode slows the shutter speed and bumps up the gain on the CCD (thereby increasing noise). The Night+ and Super Night options activate the built-in a white LED on the front of the camera that adds a spooky feel to the footage if you take close-ups around the campfire. Surprisingly, though, the colors looked better than I expected in Night mode shots, albeit a bit noisy.
I didn't try the Elura's set of corny digital effects (which have names such as Ball, Wave, Puzzle, and Zigzag), fearing of a night visit from the video police. You, too, should resist the urge. Canon offers a skin-detail function with two settings, Normal and Soft. Unless you are dabbling in film noir or shooting a documentary on cosmetically challenged teenagers, leave it set to Normal or you may find your footage is consistently soft.
The Elura 70's 1.3-megapixel image sensor will capture a 1,280x960 pixel still image that's good enough for desktop wallpaper or a quick e-mail. It also features Canon's Print and Share function that will let you print directly to a PictBridge-compatible printer. It will make acceptable 3x5-inch prints for the refrigerator, but don't expect any more than that.
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