Canon ZR830 Camcorder Review

by John Neely
Published on Mar 22, 2007 4:00 PM

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


What’s in the Box?
The ZR830 (Review, Specs, $240) ships with everything you need to begin shooting, after a charge of course. The red and white Canon box includes:

-CA-590 Compact Power Adapter
-BP-2L5 Battery Pack
-Lithium Button Battery
-Stereo Video Cable
-WL-D85 Wireless Controller
-Lithium Button Battery for Wireless Controller
-USB Cable
-Digital Video Solution Disk Software CD-ROM
-MiniDV tape

You’ll probably want to stock up on MiniDV tapes, but the good news is that they last longer than DVDs. Keep an eye on the battery as well, and if you plan on documenting your elongated hike through the Rockies, a backup battery is a must.

Other Features (2.5)

Card Mix – Card Mix is a feature found in the digital effects sub-menu, and it offers the ability to overlay a digital still image (saved to your memory card) on video footage. The camcorder keys out a portion of the video frame, and the still image fills the keyed region. The still’s transparency can be adjusted with a slider and the effect is, well, strange. Try it out. You might like it.

Faders – Someone at Canon clearly loves playing with in-camera fades, and the company has provided users with an impressive array of choices for adding some zing to your footage, including Fade in, Wipe, Corner, Jump, Flip, Puzzle, Zigzag, Beam, and Tide. They are wacky and fun, but you can do so much more with an editing program like iMovie or Adobe Elements that we have to wonder…why?



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