Canon ZR700 digital camera review

The Canon ZR700 comes with a CCD that measures1/6th inch, with 680K gross pixels, 340K effective pixels in 4:3, and 450K effective pixels in 16:9 with the image stabilization turned off. When shooting with this imager the video results tended to be oversaturated, producing an image that while strong and vibrant was not necessarily an accurate representation of the actual color chart. This tendency towards oversaturation is common amongst the lower-priced models of nearly all manufacturers. It displayed an improvement over last year's ZR300, which struggled with both image and noise. Although noise levels didn’t show a huge improvement between 2005 and 2006, the amount of color information being produced by the ZR700 is definitely an improvement over the ZR300.

Technical Details

• Model number: ZR700


• Image sensor: 1/6-inch CCD, approximately 680,000 pixels


• Tape format: Video cassettes bearing the DV mark


• Maximum recording time (with 80-minute cassette): SP: 80 minutes; LP: 120 minutes


• Lens: f2.6 to 65 millimeters, f1.8 to 2.6, 25x power zoom


• Minimum illumination: 2 lux with night mode


• Recommended illumination: More than 100 lux


• Viewfinder: 0.3 inches, 123,000 pixels


• LCD screen: 2.7 inches, approximately 112,000 pixels


• Number of recording pixels: Approximately 340,000 pixels (tape 4:3), approximately 450,000 pixels (16:9, image stabilization off), approximately 400,000 pixels (16:9, image stabilization on), approximately 450,000 pixels (card)


• Power supply: BP-2LH battery pack (included), CA-570 power adapter (included)


• Remote control: Wireless


• Dimensions: 1.9 x 3.6 x 4.5 inches / 49 x 92 x 115 millimeters (W x H x D) excluding protrusions


• Weight: 13.4 ounces / 380 grams


• What's in the box: ZR700 camcorder, BP-2LH(nb-2lh battery replacment) battery pack, CA-570 power adapter, WL-D85 remote control, STV-250N stereo/video cable, IFC-300PCU USB cable, software CD-ROM (Digital Video Solutions for Windows and Macintosh), user's manual

Canon NB-2LH rechargeable Battery pack for Canon ZR700 Digital cameras features Lithium-Ion technology for maximum battery life power. It retains full charge capacity after multiple recharges, making it free from Memory effect. It is extremely lightweight and easy to carry.

As with other ZR models, Canon's Easy mode takes the guesswork out of shooting, while Program mode provides access to eight autoexposure modes, three white-balance options (including evaluative), nine digital image effects (including the nifty split-screen Mirror effect), six shutter-speed settings, and even a clever level marker that overlays a horizon line on the LCD to help you shoot even, centered images. That's a lot of manual controls for an entry-level camcorder. Plus, you can add a handful of lens converters and filters, another unusual bonus for this price range.

As for still photography, the ZR700 delivers about what you'd expect: low-resolution images that can't overcome the low-resolution sensor, despite the included digital camera amenities such as scene modes and nine-point autofocus. In our tests, the 0.7-megapixel snapshots exhibited relatively accurate colors but with noticeable noise and a lack of sharpness.

In a word,Canon's latest entry-level camcorder, the ZR700, is easy to use, affordable, and ideal for wide-screen moviemaking, but low-light performance remains a problem.