Canon ZR850 Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Mar 6, 2007 3:42 PM 
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Audio (3.0)
The ZR850 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $265) is capable of recording audio in 16bit and 12bit. 16bit records audio in the highest quality, while 12bit records audio on two channels: Stereo 1 (leaving two channels free), and Stereo 2 (for audio dubbing and adding a sound track later). Whether recording in 12bit or 16bit, the ZR850’s audio playback produces a cacophonous of white noise. The ZR850 has a wind screen that reduces the amount of blasting sound brought on by nature’s elements and can be turned off for indoor recording when a more sensitive microphone is desired. However, given the plethora of background noise, you may want to keep it on all the time.
The ZR850 allows you to select the audio channel when playing back a tape with audio recorded on two channels This aids in honing in on a particular part of audio or sound bite and opens the doors for budding amateur music video directors. The playback volume can be adjusted via the Function menu button located on the LCD panel.
The microphone placement compliments the ZR850’s handheld design. At the base of the front of the camcorder, the microphone seeks refuge from a rogue finger that could possibly wander into its territory and violate its quality of sound. There is no external microphone jack on the ZR850, despite the fact that the entry-level ZR800 comes equipped with one, that Canon claims is a demand in the camcorder’s educational audience. We sincerely wish that Canon had chosen not to repeat this same choice they made last year. While we love an entry-level model with a mic input, it makes it difficult to recommend the step-up models, even if they have compelling features because they lack the mic input.
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The Function menu and adminstration menu in playback mode |
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Playback (3.0)
The VCR mode on the ZR850 is accessed via the mode dial. When activated, the LCD screen or viewfinder (whichever is chosen) displays a blue screen with tape playback controls in the bottom right corner of the screen. These controls are dictated by the joystick and include play/pause, fast forward, rewind, and stop. The speaker volume is adjusted by the joystick, and that is accessed by pressing the Function button to bring up the Function menu. Here you’ll find record pause, end search, digital effects (try mosaic or ball), still image size, and the video quality selector. Pressing the joystick’s center brings you to the administrative menu that includes VCR, audio, display, system, and date/time setups.
The audio dubbing feature can be accessed in the audio setup screen, but good luck figuring out how to use it. We spent an inordinate amount of time scouring the menu and manual for direction, only to come up short. We leave it to you to decide if this is a feature worth banking on when trained monkeys like us can’t figure it out.
Connectivity (4.5)
On the right side of the ZR850, there are two panels of ports. The one closest to the mode dial is a slot for SD, SDHC, and MMC cards. While SD cards do not hold ample amounts of storage space, SDHC cards now run up to 32GB—but at a foreboding price. The next set of ports contain the AV in/out jack, USB terminal, and DV terminal. With AV output and input, you can connect the ZR850 to a TV screen and record from the camcorder to a VHS tape or from the TV to the camcorder’s MiniDV tape. The USB and Firewire terminals enable the ZR850 to be hooked up for capturing within an editing program like Adobe Premiere or Apple Final Cut Pro.
Beware of the port covers. Although this was mentioned in the tour, it is worth noting again. The puny strips that secure them to the body of the ZR850 are no match for a hefty tug. We actually ripped off the AV/USB/Firewire port cover.