Canon Elura 100 Camcorder Review

Comparison
Canon ZR700
Seeing this camcorder side by side with the Elura 100 might be confusing. Both models sell at the same price point, $399 MSRP. What’s the difference? First, there’s the obvious class gap between the bottom-end ZR line and the middle class Elura line. The ZR camcorders (ZR500, 600 and 700) all have a 1/6” CCD and give the same video performance. What is the difference between the 700 and the other ZRs? At the top of the line, the ZR700 has the add-ons of a larger digital zoom (1000x), a video light, longer battery life and analog inputs.

Jumping the boat to the Elura buys you a larger, 1/5” imager, first and foremost. This chip produces distinctly better video. The analog inputs are the same, but the Elura also has a mic jack. (The ZR500, oddly enough, is the only ZR model to feature a mic input). The Elura can take lens attachments, while the ZR models cannot. The Elura 100 has a “mega” video light, twice as bright as the ZR700’s. Digital zoom is dropped to 800x, but the LCD resolution is increased to 123K pixels (versus the ZRs’ 112K).

So why, you might be asking yourself, would anyone choose the ZR700? There are three fundamental areas where the Elura cannot top the ZR700. The first is battery design. The Elura 100 has the unfortunate distinction of having a power cell that tucks into the LCD cavity, thus preventing the possibility of an expanded battery.

Next is handling. The ZR700 was smartly designed with most of the controls on the LCD panel, including the joystick control. The Elura 100, by contrast, has a rear cluttered with tiny buttons. The ZR’s design left the back of the body free of controls, and thus it could be made into a very slender body. There’s your last benefit: style. We reluctantly admit that many consumers buy camcorders as a status symbol. Well, if that’s your interest, the ZRs look better.

But pound for pound, we still have to go with the Elura 100. Just be sure to buy a second battery.

Canon Elura 80
The Elura 100 replaces all three Eluras of last year, the Elura 80, 85 and 90. Canon explained that their lowest-priced model was the best seller. Coupled with the shrinking MiniDV market, the entire series was truncated to one model.

The Elura 80 has the same pixel count as the Elura 100, though the CCD was larger (1/4.5” versus the Elura 100’s 1/5”). The Elura 100 used its CCD more effectively, however, both in bright and low light. The Elura 80 could also take slightly larger stills (1280 x 960 vs. 1152 x 864), though the performance was about the same. The body in the Elura series (e.g., the Elura 100) has shrunken; it’s about 35% smaller and 26% according to Canon.

Winner: Elura 100.

Panasonic PV-GS39
The GS39 is Panasonic’s second cheapest MiniDV model, priced $50 less than the Elura 100. It has a smaller 1/6 imager, and the results were evident. The Elura 100 had a much sharper image and better low light. The Panasonic trumps the Canon brand in manual control, offering fully independent shutter speed, aperture and gain. Handling is also better on the GS39.

The Panasonic’s 30x optical zoom tops the Elura 100’s 20x. The Elura, however, has a mic jack and analog inputs, making it far more flexible. Our jury is hung, but the Elura 100 seems to be the better camcorder overall.

Sony DCR-HC26
The HC26 is Sony’s bottom-end model, priced at $350. The next model up, the HC36, is actually more comparable to the Elura 100, but we’ve already written a full review and conducted tests for the HC26, so the results are worth comparing. For feature comparisons read the HC36 comparison below.

The HC26 and HC36 both have 1/6” CCDs, smaller than the Elura 100 (1/5”). In bright light, the HC26 could not match the Elura’s sharpness or noise suppression. In moderate low light, the camcorder performed almost identically with the Elura 100. In darker light levels, the Elura’s larger chip gave it the edge. Winner: the Elura 100.

Sony DCR-HC36
The HC36, the next step up from the HC26, is expected to have the same performance as its younger sibling. The MSRP is $400, the same as the Elura 100. The Sony offers the same optical and digital zoom of 20x/800x. Stills are recorded to MemoryStick Duo, while Canon uses the more universal SD card format. Canon’s stills are also much larger, 1152 x 864 versus the Sony’s 640 x 480. The HC36 offers no video light, but it does have the Sony accessory shoe. The HC36 does not have the analog inputs or mic jack.

Handling the Canon Elura 100 was no cakewalk, but we still prefer a joystick to the Sony touch screen menu system. Our reasons are many, but battery life has a lot to do with it. If the touch screen is your only means of control, than you are required to have the LCD open, thus cutting down on battery life. Of course, the rear-mounted battery on the Sony is a better design than the Elura’s in-body battery housing, as it allows you the option of purchasing a longer life battery.

Our verdict favors the Elura 100. Performance is clearly better on the Canon, and the number of ports makes it a more flexible camcorder all around.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (5.0)
The external layout for the Canon Elura 100 is a bit confusing and this may turn away beginning users, but the Easy mode and preset shooting modes will provide the point-and-shoot user with some friendly options.

Budget Consumers (7.0)
With a price identical to the ZR700 and larger CCD of 1/5”, in addition to other improvements, the Canon Elura is a strong lure for the budget market interested in function over form.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3.0)
The Canon Elura 100 does have some still mode options and is equipped with an SD card slot, but without an in-camera flash or other still image features, this is hardly a hybrid camcorder.

Gadget Freaks (2.0)
There are no features on the Canon Elura 100 that would earmark this camcorder for the gadget freak. This is a standard MiniDV camcorder with standard MiniDV features that have been on the market for several years.

Manual Control Freaks (3.0)
The manual control freak will think that the Canon Elura 100 falls short when compared to models from Panasonic that provide extensive manual control over parameters like gain and aperture.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (3.0)
With the bargain-basement price of the Canon Elura 100, there would be no reason for the pro or serious hobbyist to consider this camcorder.

Conclusion
The Canon Elura 100 has a good deal going for it. Though the $399 price tag is the same as the Canon ZR700, the video performance is clearly better. This is due, in part, to the slightly larger CCD. Low light performance was less sharply divided, with the ZR’s gain proving more effective, but comparable with the Elura at very low light.

The mic input and analog inputs are a huge boon to any camcorder. They allow flexibility that you might not even know you need. Want to add a narration track to your footage, or use a wireless mic? What about transferring old Hi-8 cassettes to the computer. These are important considerations, and the Elura 100 will accommodate. 

Normally, we would complain a great deal about the enclosed battery design. By placing the battery in the LCD cavity, Canon has curtailed your option of purchasing an extra long life battery. However, the included BP-208DG battery lasted an incredible 2 1/2+ hours. That is the duration of some long life batteries. We still don't like the closed battery, but, hey, it's got a mic jack so, we can love it despite it's faults.

In conclusion, this is an excellent middle-of-the-road camcorder. A quick glance at the comparisons section above will show that it trumped every challenger, either by virtue of its performance or features.  There are certainly handling issues, so be sure to try this one out before you buy it. Make sure you’ll be comfortable with the button placement in the back. Aside from that, this is one of the best camcorders in its class. Canon is certainly delivering the goods this year.