Canon ZR300 First Impressions Camcorder Review

Canon has released its most expensive ZR model to date at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, the ZR300. The ZR300 sits atop the ZR model line both in price and in features. However, the added features over the less expensive ZR200 may not be justified for many consumers.

When it comes to releasing a line up of camcorders, I am usually surprised to find that most manufacturers release three in a series, with one usually having not enough features to be interesting, one having a good number of features at the right price, and one that’s over-priced with one or a few trinket features thrown in for good measure. Case in point: the Canon ZR series this year. The ZR300 is poised to perform well in optimal conditions, but the minute differences between it and the ZR200 make the price hike hard to swallow.

Video Performance
The Canon ZR300 is equipped with the same processor, CCD, and glass as last year’s ZR90, therefore users can expect more of the same by way of video performance. A first impression article isn’t meant to be conclusive, so what follows are simple specifications. The Canon ZR300 has a 1/6 inch 340K effective pixel imager, with 340K effective pixels for still imaging. Like the other ZR models, when the ZR300 is switched to 16:9 mode with the image stabilization switched off, the CCD has 450K effective pixels for video. Canon calls it “high resolution 16:9” mode. This was the same 16:9 mode found on last year’s Optura 400 and 500, Canon’s premiere matchbox-style camcorders.

Under optimal light, the ZR300 will probably perform very well. The ZR300 has a maximum focal distance of 56 mm in 4:3 mode and a minimum focal distance of 2.6 mm (4:3 mode). The Canon ZR300 also has a filter diameter of 28mm. Consumers can rest assured that the optics on any Canon camcorder are some of the best in the world, no matter the price point. Look to the full ZR300 review later in the year for conclusions pertaining to video performance.

The Front
The Front of the Canon ZR300 is similar in its design to the ZR 90, in that it is home to the lens, the microphone, and the Canon logo. The Canon lens has a 28 mm filter diameter, a 2.8 mm minimum focal distance and a 2.8 mm minimum focal distance in addition to a 56 mm maximum focal length. This information is displayed around the filter diameter.

The Right
The right side of the Canon ZR300 houses the tape mechanism (which loads at the bottom) as well as the strap, USB and DV port, Headphones/AV terminal, and mode dial. The mode dial is accessed from the back, but has lettering on the right side, much like the ZR90.

The Back
Like the other ZR models, and most camcorders in general, the back of the Canon ZR300 is home, primarily, to the battery port, as well as the main mode dial/record button. The battery is smaller on this year’s models, as well as cross compatible with Canon’s other digital imaging products.

The Left
The left side of the ZR line up is the brain center, where users can find access to the numerous controls. The ZR300 is laid out with the navigation/playback buttons, digital effects, and picture effect buttons tucked away under the LCD. The LCD screen takes up the majority of the left side. The playback buttons, (play/pause and stop) double as Focus and Night Mode feature buttons for users to access during filming. Beneath the LCD, starting towards the front, are Backlight, Wide Screen, Digital Effects, AE Shift/End search, and Card Mix/Record-Pause slide show buttons.

Users can utilize the program mode selector switch located at the back of the left side. The icons P for manual mode and Easy, for automatic, make switching a cinch.

The Top
There is no accessory shoe on the top of the ZR300, so the top is very streamlined. On the top is a thin rubber grip to assist in handling running back towards the viewfinder. The viewfinder can extend back but not rotated, unlike last years models, where even the entry-level ZR80 had a rotating viewfinder.

Picture and Manual Control
Automatic Control
Automatic control on the Canon ZR300 is standard, and seems to perform well in optimally lit conditions. Canon has made a change this year, adopting a Sony style naming method by calling their automatic mode “easy.” This replaces the random square that used to signify automatic mode.

Once in easy mode, users can breathe easy knowing that shutter speed, exposure, focus, white balance and gain are on auto pilot.

Overall Manual Control
Like most consumer camcorders under $500, manual control is available but a bit tedious. By placing the ZR300 program switch under the P, users can access the manual control features via the menu. Manual controls over the zoom, focus, exposure, and shutter speed are available on the ZR300.

Zoom
Unlike the relative zoom increase seen on the ZR100, the ZR300 retains the 22x optical zoom capability found on last year’s ZR90. The zoom toggle is on the top right side of the camcorder body. It’s a slim, but very operable toggle.

Focus
This year Canon introduced a new feature for manual Focus. It functions a little like Spot focus features on Sony camcorders. On the ZR line up, users can now choose from three focal spots in the frame, selecting the area they’d like in the sharpest focus. Bringing the camera in to focus manually otherwise is a pain, as users have to rely on hand eye coordination across a tiny space. The camcorder’s jog dial does offer better manual adjustment than, say, a couple of buttons; a focus ring would be optimal though.

Exposure
Manual exposure steps from -2.0 to 2.0 (in steps of .25) are available on the Canon ZR300. Like other manual controls, they are controlled and accessed via the menu and jog dial. It would be great to see some true F-Stop values, but I guess we’ll have to wait. How long? Who knows? Panasonic seems the only manufacturer to includes these options on affordable MiniDV camcorders.

Shutter Speed
The Canon ZR300 includes 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, and 1/2000 shutter speed steps, accessible through the menu system, by using the jog dial. I like these options, though some slower settings to get some nice trailing effects would be nice also. Additionally, without true F-stop options, manual shutter speed is rendered kinda obsolete, as the user cannot truly adjust exposure, as a combination of both shutter speed and iris settings.

White Balance
The ZR300 is equipped for setting the white balance manually. Users can access the feature through the menu, and have indoor/outdoor, auto, and set options available. Once “set” is selected it will flash, indicating that the white balance is being set. Go figure. Also, indoor and outdoor presets will narrow the window of performance (in this case, a window of acceptable light temperatures) to accommodate a particular environment (n this case, indoor or outdoor, accordingly).

Gain
There is no manual gain control on the Canon ZR300.

Still Performance
The Canon ZR300 includes a still photo mode, with an SD card slot on the back right side of the camcorder body. Users can switch between card and tape mode by shifting the mode switch between the card and tape icon on the top right side of the camcorder body. Canon throws in an extra 8mb SD card for users to fill up in two or three photos. I guess it’s the least they can do to justify the price increase, between the ZR200 and the ZR300. Several image sizes are available in still and movie mode: 1024 x 768, 640 x 480 pixels in Still mode, and 320 x 240, 160 x 120 pixels, 15 frames/sec. in Movie mode, when capturing MPEG footage to the card.

VCR Mode
Users can access the VCR mode by moving the mode dial to Playback. The VCR mode on the Canon ZR200 is easy to use, with playback buttons located on the top of the left side. When switched to playback mode the LCD can be flipped around, making a perfect handheld playback device with controls easily accessible.

Low Light Performance
A first impressions review is no place to offer conclusions or comment on low light performance. Look for the full review later in the year. In it, we’ll take the camera apart. We can make some assumptions, however, about the performance of the ZR300. As the camcorder retains the same imager as last year’s ZR90, the ZR300 cannot be looked at to improve the ZR90’s relatively abysmal low light performance. Indeed, all of last year’s ZR’s, all of whose imaging specs are not improved upon this year, showed pretty bad low light performance with much noise and bad colors.

LCD/View Finder
The LCD on the Canon ZR300 is 2.4 inches diagonally, .1 inches smaller than last year’s models, with 112K pixels. Canon has added an LCD backlight feature that slightly brightens the screen. There is a noticeable difference, but not sure it can keep off the glare. When the LCD is flipped out, the Backlight button is easily reachable with the left hand.

The color viewfinder has 113k pixels and can be pulled out towards the user. Unfortunately it cannot be rotated.

Audio
16 bit and 12 bit PCM Digital audio is recorded to Mini DV tape on the Canon ZR300. Like previous models, the mic is on the lower front of the camcorder body. Users can access the audio modes within the menu. The AV port on the front right side doubles as a headphones jack. There is no external microphone jack.

Handling
The Canon ZR300 handles as well as the models before it, but has a few enhancements. Canon has included a rubber sliver grip atop of the camcorder’s body. Overall, the camera is slightly smaller, a little lighter, and fits nicely in the hand. The layout of the buttons and other important elements is intelligent, making navigation a cinch. The zoom toggle(s) are ergonomically placed, and are responsive.

The strap fits nicely, and is easily adjustable. Playback buttons are on the outside of the camera body, not buried within or under an LCD, which is a big plus. The only down side to handling is the bottom loading tape mechanism. Personally I prefer a top loading camcorder, as it’s a little quicker to load, and doesn’t require removing the camcorder from its tripod to switch tapes during a shoot.

Ports
DV, USB, and AV composite ports are hidden under port covers on the front and right sides of the camcorder body. DC and battery ports are located on the back of the ZR300. Unfortunately, there is no external microphone input port.

Other Features
There are a few features worth mentioning on the ZR300, namely the 3 point feature focus, 16:9 mode, and Zoom Browser. The main selling point that Canon is trying to push here is the high resolution 16:9 mode featured on all of their MiniDV camcorders this year. The zoom browser isn’t really a great feature, but it’s in the bag. Also, to help justify the price, Canon throws in a .6 lens converter, making the lens a little wider.

Conclusion
Canon has made a few adjustments to body style and some minor upgrades with features like the 16:9 mode, but users who are familiar with Canon can expect to see more of the same this year. That shouldn’t be read negatively, as Canon has an excellent reputation for producing outstanding products in that price point. But as far as performance issues go for camcorders released by Canon last year, there will be no significant changes to watch for.

Low light performance doesn’t seem to be a big concern for Canon, as the imaging specs on this year’s ZR series is similar to last year, so users shouldn’t expect any big surprises out of the ZR line this coming year. I suspect they will perform extremely well under optimal bright light conditions, but fall off the charts when the lights come down. As you can read in our reviews of last year’s ZR’s, low light performance of the ZR80, ZR85, and ZR90 was abysmal, with much noise and poor color representation.

Major improvements are the inclusion of the 16:9 mode, the rubber grip atop the body, and the slight weight reduction. I would have loved to see a boost in optical zoom for this camcorder, as we saw in the ZR100. Panasonic has turned up the heat for other manufacturers this year by significantly boosting optical zoom on their entire entry level GS line up. It would have been nice to see Canon do something similar, and I suspect that they are gearing up for some significant changes to happen next year.