Canon ZR700

Thin is in! That’s the theme this year at CES. Manufacturers have not only been slimming down the size of their camcorders, but the breadth of their product lines as well. At least their MiniDV lines. Canon only released four camcorders to cover both their ZR and Elura series this year. That’s four models replacing seven from last year. Ask not for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for thee, MiniDV. The ZR700 is the top of the ZR line, with a frame 16% smaller than last year’s. Unfortunately, the imager has also shrunk; last year’s ZR400’s 1/4.5" CCD has been reduced to the ZR700’s 1/6". Its predecessor, the ZR400, could also capture stills at higher resolutions (1152 x 664 vs. 1024 x 768).

Although this model lost some important features, it has grown in other areas. The most noteworthy change is the camcorder’s new joystick navigation system, which attempts to make the camcorder more convenient and easier to operate. The camcorder sports a 2.7" widescreen LCD and also ships with a bigger, longer-lasting battery.