Canon ZR200 Camcorder Review

by Nathaniel Hansen
Published on Mar 31, 2005 12:00 PM



The middle-of-the-line ZR model this year, the Canon ZR200, was unveiled at the Consumer Electronic Show in January 2005. Priced as the second model in a three cam line up in the entry level consumer camcorder market, the Canon ZR200 may be a ZR fanatic’s best buy, with very few changes over the pricier ZR300. If you can do without a useless 8MB SD card, an overly bright “assist lamp,” an included .6x wide angle attachment, and an extra 2x in the optical zoom reach, this could be the ZR for you. With a hardware set up identical to the ZR300 and last year’s ZR90, the ZR200 is poised to perform well in conditions equivalent to daylight and decently in conditions less than 100 lux, which is the rough equivalent of any indoor room. Consumers can snag the Canon ZR200 with a street price tag of $359.99 USD.

Video Performance (5.7)
Like the Canon ZR300, the Canon ZR200 has a 1/6 inch 340K effective pixel imager, with 340K effective pixels for capturing video or images to tape, and 450K effective pixels for capturing stills to SD media. The Canon ZR200 has the same hardware set up (CCD and glass) as last year’s ZR80, so it’s safe to assume performance will be similar. According to the manual, users can switch the ZR200 to “high resolution 16:9” mode to achieve 450K effective pixel recording for video. There is of course one caveat for this increase in pixel density: no more image stabilization. While this won’t be a major deal for users who aren’t zoom happy, it will be a problem when accessing the upper echelons of the ZR200’s improved 20x optical zoom axis.

Though all of Canon’s ZR camcorders contain the same-sized image, they tend to produce slightly better video performance as you go up the line. The ZR100 performs slightly worse, than the ZR200, which performs slightly worse than the ZR300. All of the camcorders produce good images in bright light levels of 3000 lux. It is just that the ZR300, compared to the ZR200, has slightly more vibrant reds and greens, very subtle difference. There is little to no noise, and the gray scale isn’t marred by a color’s bleeding into its progression.

Video Resolution (12.6)
Footage was captured of a standard resolution chart in the Canon ZR200’s regular 4:3 mode and 16:9 mode. The stills were exported to Imatest Imaging Software in order to calibrate the camcorder’s true resolution. In 4:3 mode, the camcorder produced approximately 279.5 lines of vertical resolution, and 452.8 lines of horizontal resolution at its best, generating a real resolution of 126557.6. The Canon ZR200’s 16:9 mode provided approximately 264.5 lines of vertical resolution, with 475.8 lines of horizontal resolution at its best, producing a real resolution of 125849.1

The Front (6.0)
The 20x optical zoom lens is the dominant feature on the front of the ZR200. The only difference from the ZR300 is the missing LED or as Canon calls it, the “assist lamp.” (Who knew that camcorders played basketball?) Below the lens, users can admire the sizable Canon name and logo; if these logos get any bigger, Canon should be paying users to carry their digital imaging “advertisement” around. Directly below the name is the automatic sensor, which assists in making automatic adjustments to white balance, exposure, focus, shutter speed, etc. (take care not to cover it accidentally). Directly beneath the sensor are the dual mono electret condenser microphones. Unless you handle the camera with two hands, and your hands are abnormally large, the mics shouldn’t be in the way.

The Right Side (9.5)
At the very front of the ZR200 in an easy-access location are the AV, DV, and USB ports. They are discreetly hidden by a gray port cover that snaps nicely in and out of place. The rest of the right side is taken up by the bottom-loading tape mechanism (boo) and the horizontally positioned strap. The strap is adequately sized and, thankfully, performs its job to the best of its ability. At the back of the right side, Canon has lowered the position of the mode dial, making it a little more difficult to access with the thumb, at least for me. Above the mode dial, users can attach a neck strap to the bar provided, although I doubt that anyone really does this anymore.

The Left Side (9.0)
The left side of a modern camcorder is as important as the back of a digital camera. The left side is home to the controls and the LCD monitor that hides them all too often. Thankfully, Canon habitually places some of the more important controls outside the LCD area. In the case of the ZR200, Canon has placed the playback and limited image controls above the LCD in a horizontal line. Starting at the front, the buttons read: fast forward/record search/-, rewind/record search/+, play-pause/focus, stop/night mode.

Under these controls rests the LCD, which can be flipped out via the lip at the bottom right. Once opened, several more buttons are revealed: LCD Backlight, Wide Screen, Data Code, Digital Effects, AE Shift/End Search, Card mix/Record Pause/Slide Show. At the far right of the left side is the camera’s mode switch, allowing users to shift between easy and manual modes. Manual mode is depicted as [P] and ease mode is spelled out in caps. Below the mode switch is the SD card port cover, which when flipped open reveals the SD card slot. Below the SD card port is the jog dial which allows users to scroll through the menu and make selections mostly in manual mode.

For the most part, the left side is intelligently laid out. With the exception of the hidden buttons under the LCD, I like the layout and design of it. Hopefully camcorder manufacturers will eventually move to include more on-camera access to features like exposure and shutter speed. For now, users will have to dig through the menu to make those adjustments. But for EASY users, the layout is great.

The Back (7.0)
The back of the Canon ZR200 is crowned with the useless electronic color viewfinder. Why they include these stagnant viewfinders is a mystery to me, but users who want to interact with it can feel free to pull it an inch towards them, which gives the nose a little more room to grease up the battery and mode dial. This is especially true for those of roman decent, like me, who have a slightly larger olfactory organ.

Below the viewfinder, users can insert the battery into the battery receptacle, and then release it via the battery release button on the top right. The right side of the back has two useful buttons/dials, namely the white record button, and the back of the mode dial. The mode dial feels lower than on previous models, seemingly from the placement of a neck strap slot directly above.

The Top (8.0)
The front right side of the top of the Canon ZR200 has an extension that juts out slightly from the camcorder body. This improves handling, as the index or middle finger falls naturally here when holding the camera hand in strap. Nearly on plane with this grip ledge, but at the rear of the top and to the right, is the media switch, which allows users to switch between card and tape as a recording format. Behind this is the narrow zoom toggle, and at the very rear is the photo button. At the very back of the top users can extend the viewfinder one inch.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (5.0)
Easy would be the best adjective (or noun if you’re Canon) to describe automatic control on the ZR200. Automatic control has been dubbed EASY by the manufacturer and for the most part this is an accurate description. When in easy mode, the camcorder takes control over picture adjustments including shutter speed, white balance, focus, and exposure. These are critical elements that together make up the image. Shot composition is still up to the user, although that too will probably be automated at some point in the future.

White balance is a crucial element to quality video work, and improper white balancing from shot to shot is almost as distracting as zooming ad nauseam. The Canon ZR200 makes decent adjustments to white balance when shifting from room to room, or from indoors to outdoors. The shift is virtually seamless, with the transition occurring so slightly and delicately so as not to attract attention.

Exposure is also controlled manually, and in an overall effective manner. The jump can be too fast at times, but rarely will the light shift so dramatically.

It’s impossible to tell when the shutter is being manipulated, so it’s difficult to say whether or not it does its job well. I am assuming, since Canon is one of the major lens and camera manufacturers in the world, that the shutter is handled just fine.

Focus is also controlled automatically on the ZR200, and it makes virtually seamless transitions at lower optical zoom settings. Once the camera reaches the higher zoom levels, and in low light settings in particular, the focus has a difficult time making smooth adjustments in a timely manner. Often the focus is jittery as it stutters to determine the focal distance between objects.

Light plays a major role in the effectiveness of any camcorder’s automated features: the more light (to a degree), the easier it is for the sensor to make adjustments. The ZR line has, for several years, been criticized by this publication for poor performance in low light, and this is the major reason for the criticism. If the majority of users are utilizing EASY mode, as Canon claims, and are not concerned with low light, then Canon (indeed all camcorder manufacturers) needs to adjust their low light paradigm. Users do need to operate their camcorders in low light situations, and, contrary to the manual, in situations with less than 100 lux of available light.

Overall Manual Control (5.0)
Controlled mostly from within the menu, manual control on the Canon ZR200 is tricky at best. From the menu, users can manually adjust exposure, white balance, shutter speed, zoom, and focus. These are standard controls for any camcorder manual mode, but their method of access may prove whether or not the features are necessary.

Zoom Control (8.0)
With 20x optical zoom under the hood, users can get even closer to that subject and still keep their distance. The zoom handles well enough, with several variable zoom speeds possible via the small, narrow zoom toggle. My biggest complaint with the zoom on the ZR line, and the ZR200 included, is that it’s impossible to determine where along that 20x zoom path you are. Equally annoying is the small square/triangle icon that moves from W to T in the upper left corner of the LCD. At one point, it stops altogether even though there is still quite a bit of optical zoom remaining. At about 16 or 17x, the zoom speed slows dramatically, not allowing variation. This is to allow time for the processor to make automatic adjustments, and this is industry standard. The slowing on the ZR200 is not nearly as dramatic as on other camcorders.

Focus (4.5)
The word on the street has it that manual focus on the Canon ZR200 is possible, but doing it is complete torture. Reasons for the headache: 1) No numerical readouts to assist in determining depth of field, and 2) focus is controlled via the small jog dial and menu button located on the very bottom at the rear of the left side.

For users determined to rack focus, be sure that the ZR200 is in manual [P] mode. Next, toggle the small jog dial at the bottom of the left side until you think your picture is in focus. If you have trouble judging depth of field in real life, then good luck visualizing it through one of the worst LCDs on the market. More on that later.

While manual focus is possible on the ZR200, it may prove to be more trouble than it’s worth. Canon can’t be ripped on too badly though, as at this price point users will be hard pressed to find any camcorder that is easy to focus manually. In fact, I don’t think there is a camcorder available that has easy to use manual control functions for under $500 USD.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.5)
Users have the ability to manipulate exposure on the Canon ZR200, but they have to access the AE/Shift button under the LCD. Awkwardly positioned under the LCD, the small gray circular AE Shift/End Search button can be pressed in manual mode, calling up an AE icon in the upper left corner of the LCD screen.

Users can then adjust the exposure by toggling the jog dial up and down, between the -2.0 to +2.0 range. Be warned however: the change in exposure is not in sync with the numerical read out. After a few seconds, the difference will be visually noted.

Shutter Speed (3.0)
The Canon ZR200 offers manual control over the shutter speed. When in manual mode, pressing the menu button engages the manual control menu. Simply scroll to the second option down called Camera Setup. Press in the jog dial, and a new menu will appear. The Canon ZR200 defaults the shutter speed to Auto, but users can select other speeds, namely 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and 1/2000. Any shutter adjusting will require this three-step jump thorough the menu hoop. This is the case with the majority of manual control options on most entry level camcorders.

White Balance (7.0)
White balance is one of the more important and useful manual control options on board the Canon ZR200. From within the manual control menu, users can select from options of Auto, Set, Indoor, and Outdoor. In order to set the white balance properly, users will need to fine a true white surface (wall, paper, side of a white van) that is well exposed in the available light. Zoom in on that white surface, making sure there are no shadows in the scene. Be sure the Canon ZR200 is set to manual mode. Next, select Set from the white balance menu. As soon as you engage this option, the icon will begin to flash, so be sure you are focused on the white surface long before pressing the jog dial. Soon the color temperature will begin to shift. When the Set icon stops flashing, the white balance is set and stored. White balance is easy to manually configure, although the same menu hoop jumping is required.

Gain (0.0)
There are no manual gain options on the Canon ZR200 camcorder.

Other Manual Control (0.0)
The Canon ZR200 includes a wind cut feature within the audio. This helps to reduce the dB level so that the mic diaphragms don’t pop when too much wind strikes them. This is a useful feature to have since a lot of video recording takes place outdoors.

Ease of Use (5.0)
By adopting an adjective and changing it to a noun--Easy--Canon has followed Sony in the move to make their automatic mode sound more appealing. It certainly doesn’t get any simpler than Easy. This makes handling the Canon ZR200 a delight, since I’m not concerned with making adjustments to white balance, focus, shutter speed, and exposure. This allows the aspiring auteur time to concentrate on shot composition. Too bad the zoom control isn’t also restricted in Easy mode. That improvement could save a lot of us the Willy Wonka gondola ride every time we watch a friend’s recording of their kid’s birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese. Maybe next year?

The Canon ZR200 is a simple camcorder to operate in Easy mode, and the other camera features work in concert with Easy mode for a pleasurable user experience. The LCD is the most useful tool for capturing good video, as the viewfinder is a joke. While color accuracy and exposure may be better judged from the viewfinder, its static position makes interacting difficult. The zoom toggle and mode dial are well placed. Users should be prepared to maneuver the LCD, as it solarizes in a major way. Check the LCD section for more on that issue.

I will say that ease of use is severely hampered at typical indoor light levels near or less than 100 lux. All of the camcorder’s automatic features are dramatically handicapped due to the lack of incoming light, rendering the pictures inaccurate in many instances. Focus suffers the worst, with white balance a close second. Exposure seems to handle the change in low light, but the grain (blue, red, and yellow pixels dancing on your LCD and TV screen) are everywhere. Users be warned: using the Canon ZR200 at low light levels may hamper the video recording quality, especially in Easy mode.

Still Features (6.0)
It’s rare for an entry level consumer camcorder to have useful still features. The Canon ZR200 is no exception. The Canon ZR200 does include a still photo mode as well as the option of recording still photos to SD media. Users can switch between modes by sliding the media switch on the top of the camcorder to the small floppy disc icon. There are several image sizes available in both still and movie mode: 1024 x 768 and 640 x 480 pixels in Still mode, and 320 x 240 and 160 x 120 pixels with 15 frames/sec. in Movie mode when capturing MPEG footage to the card.

The Canon ZR200 is no hybrid cam, so users should know that the camera’s capabilities are few. The Canon ZR200 does have a photo button, some lame photo realistic shutter sounds, and an accompanying visual of the shutter closing. Technically you “can” take a photo with a ZR200, but why would you want to?

Still Resolution (1.69)
Stills can be captured on SD card at 640 x 480 and 1024 x 768 resolutions with the Canon ZR200. At 640 x 480 the camcorder captured images yielding approximately 146191.6875 pixels (0.146 MP), while the 1024 x 768 images produced approximately 169218.75 pixels (0.169 MP).

Still Performance (3.4)
The ZR200 captures stills in an identical manner to the ZR300, at equal sizes, frequencies, and qualities. The “verdure” nature of the ZR300 is also apparent on the ZR200. Though not as weird–there is some blending evident on the chart--as I originally thought it was, the intense green of these photos is definitely different from other camcorder photos. Generally, these Canon photos show better noise levels that some JVC stills, comparable levels to those of Sony camcorders, but lack the crispness and color balance of lower end Panasonic camcorder stills.

Low Light Performance (3.8)
The low light performance on the ZR200 is surprisingly good compared to last year’s ZR series. While still marred by some noise at both 60 and 15 lux light levels, the ZR200 produces images with less noise than last year’s models, while maintaining much more color information than last year’s camcorders. This really pushes the ZR line in the running against other lower end camcorders this year. With decent manual control and nice zoom control, the ZR200 is a strong competitor.

At 60 lux, about equal in light intensity to average indoor light levels, the ZR200 showed images very similar to both the ZR300 and the ZR100. The ZR200 oddly enough–and this is very subtle–produced slightly less noise than both of its counterparts, though some of its colors weren’t as intense. Remember that this is a very subtle difference and does not really change the camcorder’s relative strengths too much, but to get an idea of it look to the yellow and green tiles in all of the ZR series’ results. It may be hard to get an idea of noise in the smaller versions of the original capture that are posted within this review.

At 15 lux, there is a significant increase in noise as expected, but where the ZR200 really rises above last year’s awful performance and transcends the reputation of the ZR series in so many reviews on this website, is in its color performance at such a low light level. See for yourself.

Zoom Power/Ratio (20.0)
Zoom seems to be the new kitschy element manufacturers are throwing at consumers this year. Virtually all of the camcorders released at CES in January had a boost to the optical zoom. The Canon ZR200 has 20x optical zoom capacity, although without a tripod, anything over 15x will be unwatchable. Although 400x is plastered to the side of the lens barrel, this is the merely an artifact leftover from the digital zoom propaganda machine. Thankfully, that machine was quieted and manufacturers aren’t hyping that faux feature much these days. Considering the Canon ZR200 has Canon optics (we can assume so anyway), the camcorder has impressive zoom power, although I urge users to use this power sparingly. As with too many aspiring “indie” films, too much zoom will kill an otherwise good production.

Wide Angle (7.2)
The Canon ZR200 does not ship with the .6 lens converter that the ZR300 does, one of the few things that one gains with the purchase of the ZR300. As such, the ZR200 wide angle is slightly less than the ZR300’s. In 4:3 mode, the ZR200 had a 36 degree angle of vision, while it had a 46 degree angle of vision in 16:9 mode.

VCR Mode (9.0)
By placing the playback controls outside of the LCD area, Canon has managed to make not only a camcorder, but a handy handheld playback device. Fast forward, rewind, play/pause and stop are all located in a horizontal line above the LCD on the left side of the Canon ZR200. By switching the mode dial to Play (VCR), users can easily shuffle through their video without jumping through the menu, digging under the LCD, or greasing up the LCD by touching.

LCD/Viewfinder (7.0)
Measuring .1 inches smaller than last year’s models, the ZR LCD is one of the worst on the market. The LCD has 112K pixels, seemingly enough to provide adequate resolution. However, the solarizing that takes place is horrific. It isn’t a default, or a freak accident, nor is it your eyes. Be prepared to constantly adjust the LCD in order to get a good accurate look at what you’re recording. Sony has an awesome LCD, so as long as Canon is stealing names for automatic modes, they should steal some LCD technology as well next time.

Also useless is the small color electronic viewfinder positioned at the top of the back of the Canon ZR200. It can be extended horizontally, but has no rotating capability. Why they even include these static viewfinders anymore is baffling. The birth of the LCD has resulted in the slow death of the viewfinder on consumer camcorders. Too bad most manufacturers are still beating a dead horse by making an already useless feature even more inconvenient.

Audio (4.0)
Audio on the Canon ZR200 is mediocre like any other consumer camcorder in this price range. The dual mono electret condenser microphones are positioned at the front of the camcorder body, directly beneath the automatic feature sensor. With the smart positioning of the strap, lingering fingers won’t come near the mic covers. Take care if you shoot with two hands and cradle the camera, as these consumer models pick up everything, including body noise and internal motor noise if it’s quiet enough otherwise. There’s nothing better than a zoom crank whining through a lull in your child’s recital as you attempt to frame that perfect shot.

There is an AV jack under the port cover on the right side of the ZR200. Don’t stick your headphone jack in, hoping to monitor your audio levels. You’ll get feedback and motor noise instead. With a little finagling of the jack, you may be able to “hear” what is being picked up through the dual mono mic, but this is not accurate and will sound very hot.

Handling (8.0)
Slightly smaller in all-around size over last year’s ZR line, the Canon ZR200 fits snugly into place in the palm of the hand. The camera has a gloss over most of it, making it a little slippery to the touch. The strap prevents any slippage, as does the handy finger grip on the top of the right side. The buttons are all well placed, zoom and photo in particular. The mode dial feels lower than on models past, and it was a bit of a stretch for my thumb to make the occasional switch from mode to mode. Not a big deal, but a noticeable difference.

The left side is intuitively designed with the LCD easily opened with the help of the ridge at the bottom. The VCR buttons are also well placed, as can be expected on a Canon camcorder. Poorly placed is the menu button; it’s recessed under the battery, at the very bottom on the edge of the back. The jog dial is ok, but working with the two in tandem feels a little strange. The jog dial is better placed at the rear, rather than obstructed at the front by the LCD like the Elura camcorders.

Overall the Canon ZR200 handled pretty naturally, with the exception of the LCD, which requires constant attention. I find this terribly annoying, and I would urge Canon to contact Sony to find out how they construct their LCD. To me it would be worth an extra $100 to have an LCD that actually worked. The other hangups I had with button placement would be eased over time and through frequent use.

Portability (8.5)
As a relatively small piece of electronic hardware, the Canon ZR200 is pretty portable. It’s hefty and bulky enough to make pocket carrying a little odd, but includes a neck strap holder for a long day at the zoo or Disneyland. It’s not so heavy as to require a doctor’s visit, so the neck strap may be a smart option if you want to have your camcorder constantly at the ready.

Battery (6.2)
Similar to the ZR300’s results, the ZR200 recorded for a little over an hour with its LCD open and a fully charged battery (1 hr., 2 min., 15 sec.).

Compression (8.0)
The Canon ZR200 uses DV compression, storing video to MiniDV tape at 29.97 frames per second.

Media (8.0)
The Canon ZR200 accepts SD and MiniDV tape media.

Editing (8.0)
For some strange reason, manufacturers continue to include “in-camera” editing features that reek of low budget news and cable access production. In-camera edits are permanent, so proceed with extreme caution. Additionally, consulting the manual may be your only hope in attempting to wipe or dissolve a scene via your camcorder. Your best bet is to hook your new Canon ZR200 to any computer via the USB or DV/FireWire port, making a DV transfer simple. Most computers are plug-and-play, and will even recognize the brand and model. It’s pretty handy for even the most timid technophobe.

Widescreen/16:9 Mode (7.5)
Canon is including what they call “16:9 High Resolution” mode, which increases the effective pixel recording by roughly a third. This reads more like marketing hype, perhaps the replacing digital zoom propaganda. Thankfully the mode does increase effective pixel recording from 340K to 450K, provided the electronic image stabilizer is off. When in 16:9 mode, the ZR200 puts black bars on the top and bottom of the 4:3 in order accommodate visualization of the 16:9 image that is captured. When captured using editing software without 16:9 visualization, the image is squeezed into the software's 4:3 viewer. This setup is similar to that of Sony's and Panasonic's.

ZR200's 16:9 captured image squeezed into
a 4:3 frame for editing

ZR200's Standard 4:3 image

Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
There are no alternate frame rates on the Canon ZR200.

Ports (7.0)
Conveniently hidden under a port cover at the front of the right side, the Canon ZR200 hides AV, DV, and USB ports. The DC and Battery port are on the back of the Canon ZR200. The ports are easily accessible and well placed.

Other Features (7.0)
LCD Backlight
The Canon ZR200 has a handy LCD backlight button to boost the LCD’s brightness. Too bad it’s buried under the LCD. Next year, maybe they’ll put the button on the LCD itself.

16:9 High Resolution Widescreen
It smacks of marketing hype, but it’s nice to see Canon sharing higher-end camcorder technology with the entry level models. The widescreen mode, with the image stabilizer off, does increase effective pixels by roughly a third.

Wind Cut
Within the audio section, users can turn on or off the wind cut feature, which is especially useful for outdoor recording.

Comparisons
Panasonic PV-GS19
The PV-GS19 features a similar imager setup as the Canon ZR200. The PV-GS19 has more manual control than the Canon and a 24x optical zoom, 4x more than the Canon ZR200. The PV-GS19 has still options, recording photos to SD media. A wind cut feature, widescreen mode, and headphone jack are also included for the recommended price of $349.99 USD. While we have not tested the PV-GS19 yet, if its performance is anything like the PV-GS35’s, the ZR200 is likely to get a run for its money.

Sony DCR-HC21
Sony’s DCR-HC21 is Sony’s one chip low-budget contender at $350 USD. Like the ZR200, it includes a 1/6 inch, 340K effective pixel imager. It also has a 20x optical zoom like the ZR200, and it includes roughly the same manual control options. Granted, the HC21 has a touch screen menu system and lacks a widescreen mode outside of letterboxing the image. The ZR200 performed better than the HC21 pretty much all around. With the exception of the LCD, the Canon ZR200 may be a better option for users shopping in this price range.

JVC GR-D250
With a street price of $340 USD, the JVC GR-D250 is a fair comparison to the Canon ZR200. The camcorder has a 1/6th-inch 680K CCD with 340K effective resolution for video, as does the Canon ZR200. The JVC has an impressive 25x optical zoom, 5x more than the ZR200. Both cams are bottom-loading, have equivalent ports, and wide screen modes. The Canon ZR200 performs better than the JVC bright and low light levels and includes a better navigational system and a phenomenal zoom toggle.

Who’s it For
Point-and-Shooters (7.5)
The Canon ZR200 is a point-and-shoot camcorder all the way. It has decent offerings for an entry level camcorder, the optics are backed by the Canon name, and it includes an easy to use Easy mode.

Budget Consumers (4.0)
A decent buy for the budget consumer; there is one model down, the Canon ZR100, for slightly less with a lot fewer options.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (4.0)
Absolutely not. This camcorder has photo capability, which should be read: it is “possible” to take a photo with the ZR200.

Gadget Freak (4.0)
Not a choice for the gadget freak; you’ll probably just irritate them with this as a gift.

Manual Control Freaks (3.0)
I’m not too sure what manual control freaks are doing reading entry level camcorder reviews. The ZR200 includes manual control options, yes, but anyone used to real manual controls on a higher-end product will not be impressed.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (2.0)
Not really a good choice for the pro or hobbyist, although a better choice over the Canon ZR300, which offers a few overpriced trinkets and add-ons to justify the price hike over the ZR200.

Conclusion
This would be the ZR model for me. My reviews of Canon ZR camcorders tend to read a little harsh, but they really are decent pieces of hardware for the right type of consumer. My criticism simply reflects what I see as a lack of interest by Canon to make an inexpensive product worthy of that great optics name. If you are concerned about brand name and glass quality, you should be confident with your purchase of a ZR200. If you are looking for ease of use, the Easy mode awaits. If you don’t buy into the hype thrown into the more expensive ZR models, but want some of the treats it offers, like the wide screen mode, the ZR200 will please.

From a performance perspective, the ZR200 did surprisingly well under lower lit conditions. The ZRs of yesteryear performed horribly at anything under 100 lux (as warned by the manual). At daylight equivalent conditions, the ZRs have always done very well reproducing sharp, crisp, accurate colors. This year’s ZR line up doesn’t disappoint, and actually surprised us in the low light realms, effectively putting ZR models back in the running.

There are some handling issues I had with the ZR200, most of which would be lessened with frequent use. The LCD however is one of the worst around, and needs to be attended to by Canon before next year’s release. JVC answered the call with an improved LCD, and Sony has led the industry with one of the best LCD’s available (despite the annoying touch screen menu setup). The LCD solarizes with the slightest movement, requiring constant readjustment. The ZR200 does offer perhaps the best zoom control of any lower end camcorder this year though, and its performance is only overshadowed by some of the lower-end Panasonics.

Outside of this major handling complaint, the ZR200 is well priced, well designed, and looks sharp, especially with the new gloss. As with any conclusion on any camcorder, 70 percent of it is personal preference so be a smart consumer and TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.