Canon ZR400 Camcorder Review

Video Performance (7.5)
One of the biggest upgrades featured on the ZR400 from the ZR300 is its imager upgrade. The ZR400 features nearly the same CCD as found on this year’s Elura models: a 1/4.5-inch CCD with 1.33 MP (690K effective for video, 1.0 MP for stills). With nearly double the effective pixels found on the other ZR camcorders this year, the ZR400 allows for Elura quality video in a ZR model’s body.

Compared to the other ZR models at 3000 lux, the ZR400 really stands out in its crispness. There is not too much difference between the color quality of the camcorders, but in between the color tiles, and basically in all the differentiating lines on the chart, you can tell the difference.

Video Resolution (14.5)
The Canon ZR400 captured video footage of a standard resolution chart in both 4:3 and 16:9 modes. Stills were later exported into Imatest Imaging Software to determine the camcorder’s approximate real resolution. In 4:3 mode, this model produced an image with approximately 484.8 lines of horizontal resolution, with 300 lines of vertical resolution at its best, generating a true resolution of 145440. In widescreen mode, the image displayed 524.9 lines of horizontal resolution, with approximately 296.2 lines of vertical resolution, yielding a real resolution of approximately 155475.38.

The Front (7.0)
The front of the ZR400 looks just like the ZR300’s front, featuring the camcorder’s built-in stereo microphone, night mode light, and the termination of the lens barrel. It fills out the pear shape of the ZR series nicely, and is colored, like the rest of the camcorder, in glossy gray.

The Right Side (9.5)
The right side of the ZR400 is nearly identical to that of the ZR300. It is the side gripped during handheld use and this time is colored glossy black. The camcorder’s gray, pseudo-suede strap runs along the bottom of the right side and towards the back of the camcorder, with the mode dial resting slightly above the strap. Options include Play/VCR, OFF, and CAMERA. The switch to toggle between tape and card media is located further up on the right side, inching its way up the curved top of the camcorder. Behind this switch are the camcorder’s excellent zoom toggle, and easily gripped photo button. Below these controls, the strap loop is built into the camcorder’s frame.

The Left Side (9.0)
The button-filled left side of the ZR400 is where most of the control happens. For VCR mode, there are four buttons, running along the upper portion of the left side. Directly below this row, the LCD screen’s cavity is located. Flipping out the LCD screen reveals a number of small rubber buttons. From the front they read: LCD Backlight, Widescreen/Data Code, Digital Effects on/off, AE Shift/End Search, and Card Mix/record pause/slide show.

The LCD screen is opened easily enough using a small groove on its bottom edge. Next to the groove, the user will locate the camcorder’s jog dial, the main navigational tool for use with the menu system and when adjusting manual controls. Above this dial is the camcorder’s SD/MM card slot, which can be opened once the LCD screen has been opened, and further above still rests the camcorder’s Easy/Program Mode switch. (Program basically means “not easy mode”.)

The left side of the Canon ZR300 is, for the most part, intelligently laid out. My only complaint is the positioning of numerous buttons under the LCD, making access while using the viewfinder impossible. Many of these buttons could have been placed within the menu, or included in the row of buttons above, or on, the LCD. I think next year’s ZR models will be quite different, as the design is due for an upgrade.

The Back (7.0)
Not much is happening on the back of the ZR400. Like the ZR300, this camcorder is mainly controlled via its left side. The camcorder’s viewfinder rests centered on the top of the back, with the battery below. Hidden below the battery are the camcorder’s menu button (located around the corner from the jog dial) and the camcorder’s DC input port. On the right side of the back is the camcorder’s mode dial and record button, which deviates entirely from the overall color scheme of the machine and is swathed in a rich creamy color.

The Top (8.0)
The top of the ZR400 doesn’t have much going on either. Although the camcorder’s excellent zoom toggle and photo button are on the right side of the top, they really belong to the right side of the camcorder. There is no accessory shoe or anything like that. There is a bulbous protrusion on the right front of the top of the ZR400, providing a convenient perch for the user’s pinky.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (5.0) The Canon ZR400’s automatic controls are similar to those of the ZR300. They are decent, and the included Easy mode provides a convenient way to go into full auto mode, with the simple flip of a switch. However, while Canon has gone the way of Sony by including such a mode, the quality of their automatic controls still have a long way to go to compete with Sony. Automatic adjustments to focus, shutter speed, and exposure while functional and accurate are a lot slower than Sony camcorders, and only get more sluggish at a higher zoom ratio.

It should be noted that white balance adjusts well, with color balance appearing to adjust naturally, and with enough lag time to make the shift more subtle.

As with the other ZRs, shutter speed and iris adjustments are working together on the ZR400. This makes adjustments to shutter speed a bit hard to distinguish from adjustments to aperture. If you’re not in Easy mode, you can press down on the jog dial to access the Preset Auto Exposure options of the camcorder. These might be better for getting the look you want without doing any work. Preset options include Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand&Snow, and Low Light.

The automatic focal adjustments on the ZR400 were pretty good at around 90 lux, though there is a still a significant lag time compared to most Sonys.

Overall Manual Control (5.0)
The ZR series has decent manual control this year, though in general no major improvements have been made in this department since last year. Manual control over shutter speed, exposure (offset options, not F-stop), focus, and white balance exist, though are perhaps a bit hard to get to as some of them are squirreled away in the menu system.

Zoom Control (8.0)
While the ZR400 only includes a 14x optical zoom, compared to the 22x found on the ZR300, it still features a brilliant zoom toggle. The toggle is big and broad, easy to grip, and pretty fluid—one of the best. The only problem is that the actual toggle is located directly below the user’s middle finger as opposed to the index finger. I think index finger operated zooms are easier to control.

Focus (4.5)
Manual focus on the ZR400 is pretty bad, even though control using the jog dial is probably a bit better than any button method of, say, DVD camcorders. That said, with no focal indicators, you’ll have to rely on your eyesight to guide you through the focal spectrum. On the ZR400 manual focus is actually one of the more accessible manual controls on the camcorder. Instead of entering the camcorder’s menu system to access the feature, the user can conveniently (sort of) press a button underneath the LCD screen for access. But, again, this feature isn’t really usable. By moving the jog dial the focus changes; there is no indicator whatsoever, and the process is very tedious and inaccurate. This may be more trouble than it’s worth.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.5)
On the ZR400, as on the ZR300, manual exposure is considered AE Shift. Accessed similar to manual focus, exposure (or AE Shift) can be selected via a button in the LCD cavity. Once pressed, the button displays an AE shift value on the LCD screen ranging from minus 2.0 to plus 2.0. Using the jog dial to make the adjustments the user can slowly alter the brightness and darkness of the screen. The changes don’t take place in sync with the numerical readout, so be patient. A few seconds after you lower or raise the exposure setting, the difference will be noticeable.

Shutter Speed (3.0)
Manual shutter speed options are available within the camcorder’s menu system, under the Camera Setup tab. Options include 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000. It is nice to have a manual shutter on a consumer camcorder like this, but I would like to see more options, including some slower rates.

White Balance (7.0)
Manual white balance, like shutter speed, is accessible within the camcorder’s menu system. This isn’t as much a problem as it would be for a control like focus, a control you’d want quick access to. White balance is usually set before shooting, so the adjustment process can afford some tedium.

Options include the standard: auto, set (manual), indoor, and outdoor. Indoor and Outdoor are presets designed as automatic modes limited in their range of detection and adjustment to “indoor” and “outdoor” lighting levels.

Gain (0.0)
There are no manual gain options on the Canon ZR400 camcorder.

Other Manual Control (0.0)
There are no other manual controls on the ZR400.

Ease of Use (5.0)
While the ZR400’s Easy Mode can prompt a sigh of relief from the wary consumer, the camcorder really shines in its button placement. At least compared the Elura models this year, the ZR series features their jog dials in better places: on the lower back of the camcorder. Instead of blindly reaching around the LCD to access the jog dial as with the Eluras, the ZRs probably have this control in the best space on the camcorder. That said, shutter speed and white balance are squirreled away in the menu system, which could be annoying for some.

As for  the process it takes for the user to become acquainted with the button structure, the layout on the ZR400 does a pretty good job of making it easy, though not as easy as glancing through a manual. But if you buy one of these guys without a manual, fear not; the ZR400 is intuitive enough.

Still Features (7.0)
The ZR400 captures stills to SD/MM card with a number of options. They can be captured at resolutions of 640 x 480 and 1152 x 864 with compression levels of normal, fine, and super fine. Most manual control available in tape mode is available here. Shutter options are limited to 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, and Auto. There is a soft skin function which softens skin tones (go figure). LCD review intervals from 2 to 10 seconds exist, so you can see the photo you just took without switching modes. Focus priority mode, available in the menu system, allows users to select one of three focal points (bracketed squares on the LCD screen) to guide the camcorder’s focus. The jog dial is used for this. The same AE presets available during video recording are available here by pressing the jog dial in when outside of the menu system. The ZR400’s widescreen mode is not available in card mode, but motion JPEGs can be recorded at resolutions of 320 x 240 and 160 x 120.

Still Resolution (4.1)
The Canon ZR400 captures stills to a MultiMedia Card at a resolution of 1152 x 864, and the standard 640 x 480. At its best, the camcorder produced a resolution 344763 (0.34 MP) pixels.

Still Performance (5.5)
The still performance on the ZR400 is very good. All of the green overkill found on the ZR300 is gone. The excellent crispness of the Elura still has been adopted, and yet, the colors of the ZR400 are great, perhaps a bit better than some Eluras. Take a look at the blues for an example of the ZR400’s great color. My only complaint is that the grayscale could be a bit more brilliant.

Low Light Performance (3.75)
Although armed with a “better” CCD than the other ZR models this year, the ZR400 doesn’t really surpass them in the low light category. We saw this trend with most of the Eluras this year as well. While they excel past the ZRs in bright light conditions, when it comes to low light, things level out. You could attribute this to the astounding improvements made to the ZR series, compared to its performance last year, but in the end, it is what it is.

Though we’ve scored the Eluras and the ZRs pretty evenly for low light this year, their test results were not identical in quality but rather similar in overall caliber. For instance, while both sets feature pretty fine noise, the ZRs seem a tad muddier in general, though their colors are better saturated. All in all these are similar images at both 15 and 60 lux light levels for both sets of camcorders.

Zoom Power/Ratio (14.0)
The Canon ZR400 features a 14x optical zoom, unfortunately not as powerful or extended as the ZR300’s 22x optical. This could be a real detractor from the ZR400. It also features a 280x digital zoom.

Wide Angle (7.2)
Like the ZR300, the ZR400 ships with an included .6x Wide Angle attachable lens. This makes the angle of vision a bit wider, but just so you know, when trying to zoom with the attachment on, even if it’s a slow zoom, the camcorder has a hard time focusing. You really shouldn’t be zooming too much with the wide angle attachment on anyway—I mean, it’s designed to work as the opposite of zoom; but if, say, you want to slowly zoom in from a big establishing shot on to maybe one element of it, a la Robert Altman, you’d have a tough time.

4:3 Standard Aspect Ratio LCD View

Widescreen Aspect Ratio LCD View

The Canon ZR400 exhibited wide angle measurements of 36 degrees in 4:3 mode, while measuring 43 degrees in 16:9 mode.

VCR Mode (9.0)
The Canon ZR400’s VCR/playback buttons are very conveniently placed in a row above the camcorder’s LCD screen. They are extremely easy to flip and reference to. The camcorder can be connected easily to a television, using the supplied RCA to A/V port cable. No S-Video port or composite compatibility is provided. There is a USB port with which the user can dump all the photos from the included MMC onto a computer. Though if you’ve bought the right computer, it probably already has a SD/MMC card port built in. All of this data can also be previewed on the camcorder itself. Stills can be viewed in a slide show mode if desired. Playback zoom on stills and video can be achieved using the camcorder’s zoom toggle and jog dial.

LCD/Viewfinder (7.0)
Like the ZR300, the ZR400 features a 2.4” LCD screen. This is a tad bit smaller than last year’s models, and suffers from the same problems. There is significant solarization when the screen is viewed from an angle. This is a common problem, and one that has only been corrected by Sony. The small viewfinder is located on the back of the camcorder, and can be extended about a half an inch towards the user.

Audio (4.0)
Audio on camcorders this cheap isn’t too spectacular. There is no microphone input or manual audio levels on the camcorder, which is a shame. For a microphone input, look into Canon’s Elura series. This would make it easier to monitor audio in case you were trying to record a loud event or anything that would require some discretion or altering.

Users can use the A/V jack as a headphone jack. However, pushed in all the way, the jack will pick up a lot of noise, mostly electronic noise. Pull back on the jack just a little, so there is about 1/8th of an inch of the jack showing, and you should be able to hear audio through the microphones on board the Canon ZR300.

There is a wind cut option on the ZR400 (though Canon refers to it as windscreen), which can be set on Auto to reduce some of the lower frequencies picked up on windy days. Twelve and sixteen bit audio can be captured.

The included wide angle adapter

Handling (8.0)
The Canon ZR400 handles similar to the other ZRs this year. It is covered with what another one of our reviewers calls a “Krispy-Kreme glaze,” but this is more of a gray-tinted glaze. That glaze goes on the metal-flavored donut...er, camcorder. (Mmmm…zinc.)

The best thing about this ZR is its zoom toggle. It is large and grooved and able to be controlled with much ease, especially compared to most other consumer camcorders this year. And we know how much zoom is loved among amateur videographers. The problem is that the toggle is located not only under the middle finger of the user, but also too far down the right side of the camcorder, making it a bit hard to reach during handheld recording. It would be much easier if the toggle was placed even a quarter inch more towards my index finger, as I find it much easier to move my index finger independent of my other fingers. But then again, maybe I'm a mutant.

The jog dial and menu buttons are oddly placed and difficult to reach, but better at the rear of the left side than at the front, like the Elura camcorders. The menu button is awkward as it’s under the battery, so it’s a bit of a stretch to hit it. It should be pretty easy to use after a day of practice. The solarization of the LCD screen takes more away from handling ease than you’d think. It requires you to always stay directly behind the screen. This may be a problem if you’re trying to record in a crowd or something.

Portability (8.5)
The ZR400, as a ZR camcorder, is pretty small, but not small enough to be pocket sized. While the size of the camcorder does help its ability to be traveled with, it also presents a handling problem, especially where the zoom toggle is concerned. Holding this camcorder normally, the user wraps his/her hands around the right side of the camcorder and, ultimately, the top of the camcorder, making zoom adjustment difficult. That said, however, of the smaller camcorders, the ZR400 is one of the best in its utilization of space.

Battery (6.2)
With the included battery fully charged, the ZR400 recorded for a little over an hour with its LCD open (1 hr., 2 min., 15 sec.).

Compression (8.0)
The Canon ZR400, like the ZR300, uses DV compression and stores video to MiniDV tape at 29.97 frames per second. JPEGS are compressed at normal, fine, and super fine levels.

Media (8.0)
The Canon ZR400 accepts SD/MMC and MiniDV tape media.

Editing (8.0)
Canon includes some totally crappy on-camcorder editing options on the ZR400. These are awful and should not be used. If you really want to editing your footage there are some affordable, decent programs that should do everything you need, and which can be learned without a manual. Adobe’s Premiere Elements is cheap, and there’s even a free version of Avid on their website. While not fully recommended this version does the trick for basic editing.

Widescreen/16:9 Mode (7.5)
Canon’s widescreen mode is basically the same one seen on Sony and Panasonic camcorders. It records a 16:9 image squeezed onto the tape to be pulled out on your 16:9 TV. On the 4:3 LCD screen, black bars letterbox the 16:9 image, giving you a better visualization option than seeing the squished image (as you would with some JVC camcorders).

For users interested in utilizing the widescreen mode, simply press the widescreen button under the LCD on the left side of the camcorder body. You will notice a difference, as more of the scene appears on the left and right, despite the letterboxing.

4:3 Aspect

Widescreen Aspect

Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
There are no alternate frame rates on the Canon ZR400.

Ports (7.0)
The ports on the Canon ZR400 are concealed under a port cover on the front of the right side. A/V, DV, and USB are available. The DC and Battery port are on the back of the Canon ZR400. There is no microphone port. For a mic port at the same price, try the Elura 85.

Other Features (7.5)
Electronic Image Stabilization
The ZR400 features electronic image stabilization. Optical would be better; try the Opturas for a Canon that’s equipped.

Night Modes
Night modes of Night, Night+, and Super Night are available on the ZR400. In night mode, a slow shutter kicks in when the light levels gets really low. In Night+ this slow shutter is accompanied by the video light, which stays on no matter what. In Super Night mode, the slow shutter function is assisted by an automatically adjusting assist light. This means that if the light level gets low enough the slow shutter kicks in, and then the lamp, if necessary.

Windscreen
A windscreen option can be set to either auto or off in the menu system. This feature cuts out the lower frequencies of the camcorder’s audio signal in windy environments when low levels of static can be ubiquitous.

Comparisons
Canon Elura 85
The main difference between the ZR400 and the Elura are in the camcorders’ body types and features. The Elura features an accessory shoe (cold), slightly bigger stills, a burst mode, some additional digital effects, etc. Both camcorders have equal low light and bright light video performance, and the ZR has slightly better still image quality.

Sony DCR-HC32
Sony’s mid-grade lower-end HC model, the DCR-HC32, is available for around the same price as the ZR400. Overall, the ZR400 is a better buy; you’ll get better video quality, both in bright and low light. The Canon has more manual control, and provides a better way to access it. The Sony will win in the automatic control department, so if you’re just looking to point and shoot, it might be good. Both camcorders feature a 2.5” LCD screen, but the Sony’s is a touch screen.

Panasonic PV-GS35
The PV-GS35 is Panasonic’s poster child 1 chip camcorder this year. The camcorder features a 30x optical zoom, which is pretty amazing. Other advantages over the ZR400 include its microphone port and amount of manual control, which is a lot. While the Panasonic is slightly better at low light, the ZR400 excels past it in bright light considerably.

JVC GR-DF550
The ZR400 is probably a bit less compact than the GR-DF550, but it does feature a better navigational method. Both camcorders feature comparable manual control and automatic controls. The Canon features a better widescreen mode. However, there are multiple low light modes, auto gain controls and the like, which are nice, and make the JVC a better low light performer than the ZR400. The ZR400 has better low light performance.

Who It's For
Point-and-Shooters (7.0)
With its new CCD, the ZR400 performs better than the other ZR models, and includes just as much automatic control. It has an easy mode, making things all the more easy.

Budget Consumers (4.0)
As the most advanced ZR model, the ZR400 is priced comparably with the Elura 85. So the question is really whether you enjoy the ZR’s physical body shape. Also, the Elura 80 is available for less, so you could have Elura performance for less than the ZR400’s cost.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (6.5)
Still performance is one of the reasons to buy this camcorder. It has Elura quality video performance with slightly-better-than-Elura still quality.

Gadget Freak (3.0) The only real gadget this ships with is a wide angle attachment.

Manual Control Freaks (4.5)
The ZR400 has average manual control. Not quite as much as Panasonic MiniDV camcorders, but more than Sony, and more easily accessible than JVC.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (2.0)
No, this is for point-and-shooters.

Conclusion
The best things about the ZR400 are its improved image and still performance. All the rest is basically the same as the ZR300. It ships with the same wide angle attachment as the ZR300, has the same amount of manual control, has similar Night Modes, has the same body (aside from the color), feels the same, tastes the same, etc.

Performance is what sets this camcorder apart. The user achieves Elura-like video and low light performance with the look of a ZR. It should be noted that the ZR models other than the ZR400 have similar low light performance to Elura models as well. So, if you want some better video performance out of ZR models, check out the ZR400, because perform it will. Also--and here’s the kicker--still performance on the ZR400 is great, even a bit better than some Eluras, and a lot better than any other ZR camcorder.