Canon ZR500 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by James Murray
Published on Jan 20, 2006 4:00 PM

Intro Performance
Format Tour
Auto / Manual Controls Still Features
Handling and Use
 Audio / Playback / Connectivity
Other Features Comparisons / Conclusion


Handling
The handling on the ZR500 seems to have improved over last year. The body has slimmed down by 16% in size and 12% in weight. The jog dial, which received a lot of complaints, has been replaced with a four-way navigation pad – a type of control you’ll also find on most JVCs this year. But you cant please everyone. Some people have already complained about the placement of the navigation pad. Certainly, it raises some issues. If the navigation controls are located on the LCD, Canon has essentially negated the viewfinder as anything but a secondary viewing device. You can’t use it to make adjustments, because the viewfinder shuts off when the LCD panel is opened. Also, we have to question whether the ZRs shrunk in “the right way.” Panasonic claims that shorter, fatter camcorders actually lay better in the hand. Conversely, Canon has squeezed their camcorders thin. Which is better? It’s a matter of personal preference. The Canons certainly win in aesthetics, but the Panasonics sure felt right. We need a little bit more time with this one – and we need camcorders that are not tethered to the manufacturer’s booth.

LCD/Viewfinder
 The LCD screen on the Canon ZR500 provides a large viewing surface of 2.7 inches, which is great when capturing in 16:9 aspect ratio. When shooting in standard 4:3, the image will appear pillar-boxed. The 112K pixel count is a little low. There is no increase in LCD resolution through the rest of the ZR series. Only a step up to the Elura 100 will boost the pixel count to 123K. As stated above, the LCD panel is also where the control panel is located.

 

The camcorder also comes with an Electronic Color Viewfinder that has 123,000 pixels packed onto a 0.3-inch screen. But it has its own limitations and restrictions; it is unfortunately unable to extend or rotate away from the camera body. This means users will need to press a face into the battery pack to really get close enough for an accurate image reading. Also, because the control panel is located on the LCD panel, changes to image quality, such a focus, cannot be gauged with the viewfinder.



<< Still Features | Audio / Playback / Connectivity >>