Canon ZR100 Camcorder Review

Canon introduced the 2005 ZR series with the ZR100, a camcorder trying to come out of the shadow cast by the bleak performance of its ancestor, the ZR80. Canon ZR100 Superb color quality; choice of automated and manual shooting modes; low price; solid battery life-BP-2L12 battery; supports add-on lenses and filters.

Canon ZR100 Camcorder Specs

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  Power Supply (rated)
  7.4 V DC (Canon BP-2L12 battery)
  


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  Power Consumption (While recording AF="ON")
  2.3W (using viewfinder), 3.1W (using LCD screen in normal brightness)
  


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  Television System
  EIA standard (525 lines, 60 fields) NTSC color
  


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  Video Recording system
  2 rotary heads, helical scanning DV system
  


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  Audio Recording system
  PCM digital sound: 16 bit (48 khz/2 ch); 12 bit (32khz/4 ch)
  


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  Image Sensor
  1/6-inch CCD, approx. 680,000 pixels Effective pixels: approx. 340,000 pixels
  


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  Tape Format Videocassettes bearing the "MiniDV" mark.
  


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  Tape Speed SP: 18.81 mm/s (0.74 ips), LP: 12.56 mm/s (0.49 ips)
  

Automatic mode on the ZR100 has been dubbed EASY mode by Canon. The camcorder has a mode switch on the left side, and when in Easy mode, users can rest assured that the camcorder is in a fully functioning automatic mode; the camcorder makes automatic adjustments to shutter speed, white balance, focus, and exposure. These crucial picture elements are part and parcel of any automatic mode, and in plenty of light, they adjust beautifully

With camcorder manufacturers competing for patrons, the newest fad is to increase the optical zoom. Every manufacturer this year at CES unveiled their entry level camcorders, and all had been given an extra dose of optical zoom. The Canon ZR100 has 20x optical zoom, and for such an inexpensive camcorder, this is quite the gift, and it breaks from the trend of giving cheaper camcorders less optical zoom power.

Ignore the 400x digital zoom, as this is simply pixel enlargement instead of true movement along an optical z-axis. It will be difficult, as it’s plastered all over their literature and monogrammed directly onto the side of the camcorder body.

With the included the battery fully charged, the ZR100 recorded for a little over an hour with its LCD open (1 hr., 5 min., 32 sec.).The ZR100 battery is a brand new,powerful battery,longer battery life.

All in all, the Canon ZR100 packs a lot of punch in a remarkably small unit. The ZR100 delivers Canon’s legendary quality optics with amazingly large zoom magnification capabilities and decent low light capabilities.