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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 14 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Lightweight; easy to use; decent battery life; can be used as a Webcam.
The bad: Average video quality; limited software bundle.
The bottom line: A good but undistinguished home-movie camcorder for people on a budget.
Specifications: Video input type: Camcorder ; Optical sensor type: CCD ; Optical zoom: 18 x ; See full specs
Price range: $999.00 check prices
CNET editors' review
- 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.
For those of you who want a Webcam, just connect the Elura 70 to your computer's FireWire port and you're in business. Using a tripod, I got image quality that was far superior to my iChat AV cam's and worked equally well on Windows with the enclosed DV Messenger 2 software. Nerds, take note: you can even control the zoom and focus settings from your computer via the software!
You can download footage to your computer using a FireWire DV cable. Included is Canon's Digital Video Solution Disks for Mac and PC. This is pretty minimal video editing and capture software, so, if you're a PC user, be prepared to look for something better if you want to get serious about editing your footage. If you have a current Mac, you will have better luck with iMovie. Still footage and 240x320 QuickTime files captured with the SD card can be downloaded via the USB port.
The Canon Elura 70 worked well during all of my test shooting. Because of its small size and user-friendly layout, this camcorder is very easy to handle. It fit in my hand quite comfortably, and Canon's electronic image-stabilization produced really clean, shake-free footage. I gave this one the acid test and handed it off to my 10-year-old daughter (who's just a bit bouncy), and she came back with surprisingly good results.
This model's battery life outperforms that of its higher-resolution siblings, the 2-megapixel Opturas--unsurprising, since a 2-megapixel sensor draws more power than a 1-megapixel unit. Using the same battery, I consistently managed an hour's worth of juice with the Elura 70, while the 2-megapixel camcorders struggled to get more than 40 minutes on the same charge. If you're going on vacation or to an important event, I still suggest getting an additional battery. Charging is accomplished only through the camera, so plan on charging both batteries before you head out to shoot.
The Elura 70 captures 12- and 16-bit sound. I favor the 16-bit sound for its higher quality, and the built-in mic is definitely acceptable. Again, if you are feeling nerdy, put those iPod headphones to use and plug them in so that you can monitor your sound while shooting for that extra bit of control. There is a handy accessory shoe on top of the camcorder for Canon's optional DM-50 directional microphone to get a bit better audio capture when you are shooting from a distance.
Under normal lighting, Canon's Elura 70 produced footage that's good enough for playback on a typical television, but isn't so sharp on better displays. And like most of the cameras in its price range, the performance declines pretty quickly under low-light conditions.The auto white balance feature was very accurate and adapted quickly when I went back and forth between different lighting situations. While the image stabilization worked well, this camera definitely benefits from a tripod.
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- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 14 reviews
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Where to buy
Elura 70 Digital Video Camcorder:
$999.00
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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