Canon Optura 300
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CNET Editors' Review
The good: Lightweight and compact; fits well in the hand; well-placed controls; quality snapshots; autofocus-assist lamp for shooting photos in dim light.
The bad: Clumsy manual focus; short battery life; limited manual control; no infrared night mode; poorly placed microphone; no accessory shoe.
The bottom line: The slick, compact Optura 300 is an excellent choice for picky shooters who want a solid vacation camcorder without the excess baggage.
Editor's note: We have changed the rating ... Expand full review
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 sleek Optura 300 travels well. Its compact body easily slips into a jacket pocket; its 1 pound, 2 ounces won't weigh you down; and you can just as handily pull out the camera when the need arises. The vertical design offers a comfortable grip but will perhaps be a bit more manageable for people with larger hands. And the 300 feels solid: its fittings and its moving parts bespeak precision manufacture and well-executed construction.
User ReviewsSee all user reviewsMost Helpful User Reviewstars 5 of 5 users found this review helpful "Excellent Camera for All Uses" ByPros Purchased the Optura 300 about a year ago before a European vacation and after heavy research. Quality and size were major issues of concern. We've been nothing but happy with the Optura 300. It's small enough to fit in a jacket pocket, but still produces Cons Only concern is the placement of the microphone (just above the eye hole). It seems to pick up a lot of sounds from the person behind the camera, to the loss of the subjects. But, all things considered, it's not a reason to pass up this model. Most Recent User Reviews (Showing 2 of 20 reviews)Where to BuyPricing not available  Where to BuyPricing not available 
Which camcorder is right for me?
Before you fall in love with just any old camcorder, you need to know precisely what you're looking for, lest you realize somewhere down the road that you chose the wrong machine.
We've compiled a handful of typical user profiles that should help outline what type of camcorder is right for you. Ask yourself the hard questions, then match your needs to one of these user profiles. To bone up on the audio specs that matter for your user type, take a look at our section on capturing good sound with video.  
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