Canon ZR830 MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom
By: Canon Average Rating: 4.5 Total Reviews: 29
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 On: 2008-04-28
Bought it for my husband, he loved it. He wanted a camera that would take picture of tiny prints as he wanted does laser marking and pad printing. This camera zooms upto 35x so it takes great pic.
 On: 2008-04-20
We havent much of a chance to use it yet, but we think it will be just fine- once we get the hang of it. The size is nice, and its light-weight. Focusing with the zoom has been a challenge, but then again maybe we just havent gotten the knack of it yet. Its our first video camera!
On: 2008-04-04
My first digital camcorder was a GL2, which cost about $2,500.00. When the heads went bad, I decided not to fix it, and a year later, I bought the ZR830. Wow! Not only is this little camera easier to use than the overweight GL2, but the picture is just as great and needs much less light than the GL2. With a 600 watt light the picture is excellent and the shadows are not as overwhelming on film. The GL2 does not make a true 16:9 widescreen picture, it spreads the pixels, so you get a fuzzy picture. The ZR830 just blocks the view to make a widescreen so you have a true pixel size. The sound is much better on the GL2, but almost too good. It picked up everything that made any noice at all. I just turn the sound all the way up on the ZR830 and do some editing in Final Cut Express and it sounds just as good, without all the little annoying extraneous sounds that you cannot hide. If I had it to do all over I would have bought the ZR830 instead of the GL2, and not just because of the price, but It is hard to believe the price difference compared to the quality difference, which in most cases is none. And that is just my opinion.
On: 2008-03-25
As an aspiring filmaker, and with a very fixed budget, this was a great purchase, it has great features and the menu options are great. This is perfect to start off filming, and for family get togethers, its great!
On: 2008-03-20
I really like this little camcorder. I did a ton of research on it. I was looking at about 50 other cameras. This is light weight which really makes it easy to hold even for periods of time. I held it for 30 minutes at my childs play. I recommend the tripod. But it was really easy to use. I didnt have much time to practice before his play. If you know how to work a VCR you are over qualified to work this camera, thats how easy it is to use it. As for the picture and quality I really think they are pretty good. Sure other people were saying that you cant tape in the dark, well duh! My kids play was in a basketball stadium and I was probably 50 feet back or more from the stage with the audience in the dark and the lights flickering on and off on stage it did do pretty good. That little camera did get a good work out. But yes I would recommend it. Great product especially for the price.
 On: 2008-03-20
To begin, this is the first camcorder Ive owned. Its possible I was expecting more...I own a Nikon CoolPix 8mp digicam that takes movies, but obviously not with any great quality.
I was kind of expecting a little better quality (higher resolution) from the camera. From that point of view I was a little let down...its sufficient, dont get me wrong, but its only a step up from my digicam.
The device takes memory card and tape...It wont store video on the card however, unless a tape is in the device...didnt really say that in the manual and confused me (I had a mem card when device arrived, but no tapes).
I got a little annoyed too trying to figure out how to copy from tape to PC...theres SQUAT about this in the manual, and this is tough to find even on net searches.
WHAT YOU NEED TO COPY VID TO PC:
FIREWIRE CABLE --> You MUST have this cable to copy to PC...$35+ part...BE AWARE
The software that came with the device kinda blows...I dont know why, but software thats bundled with digicams and now i see this camcorder, is always chintzy...Use Microsoft Movie Maker instead...WITH FIREWIRE CABLE AND MS MOVIE MAKER, YOU CAN EASILY PULL VIDEO OFF THE TAPE, and you dont have to be a rocket scientist...hopefully I can save someone the headache I went through trying to figure this out...easy enough once you know...
So, summary is, for the money, decent, not great...will suffice since Im a cheapO.
:)
On: 2008-03-11
I had a couple hundred left from my tax returns and decided to look for a new DV camera. I really didnt want anything too fancy or expensive since I dont plan on using it much, just the occasional family gathering or something to have "just in case." The 35x zoom is insane, I dont know why anyone would need 80x. The widescreen display is sharp, all the features are there, many different settings for different lighting situations, both indoor and out, and the built-in lens cap cover is nice. Its light, all the controls feel like theyre at the right place, and it would be the perfect camera for home movies. I havent used the camera feature, and I probably wont since thats not what I bought it for. If you buy this remember to get a firewire card for your computer and a firewire cable as well, or else good luck transferring video.
On: 2008-03-10
I wont go into the positives too much as that generally is not what I myself look for in the reviews. But there are a few worth mentioning. First off the cam looks and feels great, its easy to use ( I was able to figure it out without looking at the manual) and it has 35x zoom which incredible on such a small camera. Everything else is as youd expect.
Then the bad the two stars get dropped both for sound.
1. The built in mic seems to pick up EVERYTHING which you would imagine is a good thing but what it ends up doing is creating a lot of extra noise outside of what you actually want to hear. Whether its kids off in the distance, a fan in the room your in etc.... it just picks up everything which brings up point 2.
2. With the mic being the problem that it is, it would be great to be able to use an external mic but for some reason they decided not to have a mic port on this model. What makes it stranger is that on the lower standard 800 model there is actually a mic port!! Its a shame, Everything about the cam is awesome especially the price but I need good quality sound so Im left with no other option but to sell her on.
On: 2008-03-10
Youll notice a common complaint with this line of cameras and that is the mic sensitivity/motor noise. The motor itself isnt particularly loud but due to its interior location right next to the mic it can be heard quite clearly when played back on a TV. The mic itself also picks up EVERYTHING in the vicinity. Now youd imagine that would be a good thing but all it does is create a mess of sound that you struggle to hear what you want through. This of course could be fixed if they put an external mic port on the cam but they did not. Whats more baffling is that the lower end ZR800 model actually has a mic port. Other than that I thought the cam to be good. Its 35X zoom was impressive, It was certainly a looker and it felt good in the hand, a nice fit that functioned well. I returned it due to my need for good sound and I am opting to get the zr930 model. Hopefully they have fixed the sound issues with the newer models but even if they havent the zr930 has a mic port and more than that they modified the AV/Audio jack to double as a headphone jack so you can monitor the incoming sound (now thats a way to help fix a problem).
On: 2008-02-27
Folks, Was very happy with the image quality, joystick on the screen, manual features.. but as soon as I connected this to the TV to see what I got, I couldnt get by the buzz of the motor being picked up by the mic. I tried filtering in iMovie, but lost most of the sounds I wanted to keep by the time I made the stray noise disappear. Am sending this back & taking a look at some other models. One of the reviews on the ZR850 listed the Panasonic PV-GS80 as one that doesnt add noise to the audio track.
On: 2008-02-27
Camcorder has good features but the motor noise is quite loud and is captured while recording. Other reviewer had mentioned that turning on the wind filter feature helps and I tried this, but the noise is still audible during playback on the camcorder as well as when transferred to the computer and played back from there.
On: 2008-02-22
I purchased this camcorder on a whim because it was on a Gold Box deal at $169. Now I had been looking at buying one, but wasnt entirely sure what format I wanted MiniDV, HardDrive, DVD disc...so when I received it I wasnt sure if it was going to be everything I wanted. Out of the box and left to charge I did a quick once over of the manual - Seemed pretty straight forward and user friendly. I had purchased some MiniDV tapes when I bought the camcorder, because as Amazon so kindly showed me "It was what everyone one else that had purchased the camcorder bought" and I figured I needed them. Here is my first recommendation and others have pointed this out too - If you plan on recording onto tapes be aware that you will need to have a DV Firewire cable to transfer them to your computer and if youre like me and have a Dell Vostro Laptop youll also need to buy an Firewire Expresscard because youll need the port to plug into. Those two things added about $60 onto my overall price and truthfully that didnt bother me. What bothered me was that after I did my first recording I couldnt get it onto my laptop to send to friends and family until I received the other items. Anyway now I have everything I need and have had a chance to use it all and I am very happy with the quality, ease, and performance of this product. Ive used it to tape sporting events, family functions and outdoor excursions. As it is noted several times in other reviews it is not as good in low light, so as long as youre not trying to shoot in the dark youll be okay. Also I understand that you can put in a memory card and record onto that, which I also believe then can be transferred from the camcorder via a USB cable eliminating the whole firewire thing (Someone please correct me if Im wrong here), but Ive heard the quality is less than desirable that way. I would recommend this camcorder to anyone looking at buying one in this price range, you wont be disappointed.
Panasonic MiniDV Tapes (Pack of 5)
Belkin F3N401-06-ICE IEEE 1394 4-Pin/6-Pin 400 Mbps FireWire Cable (6 Feet)
2 Port Expresscard Firewire Card
On: 2008-02-11
I really like this camcorder/camera. It is easy to use and takes great video and pictures. I like the fact that it fits nicely into my purse (medium sized purse). It comes with everything you need minus the tapes and SD card. My only complaint would be that the battery doesnt last very long but that could be rectified with a lithium battery. The nice thing is that the battery charges super fast. I got a really good deal on this when it was the deal of the day and couldnt be happier. This is an awesome buy.
On: 2008-02-11
Weve had various Canon cameras for a long time, and this one is just like the rest...it just works. It doesnt have an external lens cap, which is nice, but since in has an internal cap, I sometimes forget to close it. That would be the only downside I have found so far!
On: 2008-02-11
I purchased this item for my husband and he loves it. It is lightweight, has an intuitive design, and mates easily with our computer. Batteries are reasonably priced, and seem to last a while. I would recommend this product for anyone looking within this price range.
On: 2008-02-10
This is not a top-notch camcorder but for its price it does the job pretty well. It is sleek enough to sit nicely in the palm and can be operated with ease using one hand. The movies in the day time are excellent but at night with dim lights the quality is very poor.
On: 2008-02-05
This is my first camcorder and video-recording experience, so I am obviously no expert on the matter of camcorder equipment, but I am into digital photography and know quality images when I see them. I am so pleased and pleasantly surprised with this camcorders vibrant picture quality. I even zoomed in once and the picture did not pixelate on me. (I just came up with that word.) I discovered the quality of this equipment today, after taking this camcorder out to shoot snow scapes around town in widescreen format. Still without a firewire, I viewed the clips I shot on a 55" Mitsubishi TV screen through the AV cable provided when I returned home, and all I can say is WOW!!! Now that I know this camcorder can sure deliver, I will get a firewire. Let the video addiction begin! :)
On: 2008-02-05
Being this is my first camcorder and video-recording experience, I am hardly an expert on either subject, but I am into photography and recognize quality images when I see them.
Taking this out for the first time, I drove around town to shoot the landscape on an exceedingly beautiful day. The partly snow-covered red sandstone cliffs contrasted beautifully against a pristine royal blue sky with puffy white clouds. Videotaping in widescreen format, I noticed how the picture did not pixelate when I slowly zoomed in. When the battery pack ran down, I plugged the power/recharging AC cord into an adapter I keep in the car so I was able to keep videotaping.
After returning home, I reviewed the clips via the included AV cable on a 55" TV screen and was amazed at how crisp, clean, and vibrant the images looked. It WAS an exceptionally beautiful day and I am no expert but I believe this camcorder delivers.
Note: To review and edit via your computer you will need to make downloads via a firewire cable. Since one is not included with this product and because there are two different pin number combinations sold youll need to be sure the one you buy is compatible with your particular hardware.
On: 2008-02-01
I seemed to have done a lot of research on camcorders prior to purchase but in the end paid the price on inferior products. I purchased a Flip and sent it back because I couldnt get the data off the device. I purchased an Aptic and sent it back because of some clicking sound being recorded while recording. The Flip was a nice little device; I liked it but couldnt get the data off, which discovered many others seem to be having the same issue with it. The Aptic was just a bad one altogether and couldnt even hold a candle to the Flip picture, which was good but produced this HUGE avi file.
But now here came the ZR830...
Let me just briefly say when I purchased the ZR830 from Cannon that I wasnt immediately overly happy because I really needed to get the recordings on to my PC. I just didnt know anything about Firewire or IEEE-1394 Cards. I almost sent this back but decided because of the *really* nice picture to go-ahead and take it to the next step and get a Firewire Card by StarTech, which included the cable for a desktop for about $25. Problem solved, they even give you a copy of ulead editing software, which is amazing. Laptops use a 4pin Firewire connect, Desktops use a 6pin Connect. I can now get my recordings on to my PC.
I learned that quality pictures from DVD disk on some of the new camcorders, and saving recordings to hard disk such as SD cards are hard to acquire unless you are spending hundreds of dollars more on real expensive cams. The DVDs and hard disk on some of the new cams cant hardly touch the picture quality produced by this small little guy called the ZR830. Also, I dont have any problems with noise recordings like some professed from the ZR800s. This is a great cam with a noble optical zoom. I made the right choice by keeping this product that I got for a reasonable price from Amazon seller.
On: 2008-01-31
I seemed to have done a lot of research on camcorders prior to purchase but in the end paid the price on inferior products. I purchased a Flip and sent it back because I couldnt get the data off the device. I purchased an Aptic and sent it back because of some clicking sound being recorded while recording. The Flip was a nice little device; I liked it but couldnt get the data off, which discovered many others seem to be having the same issue with it. The Aptic was just a bad one altogether and couldnt even hold a candle to the Flip picture, which was good but produced this HUGE avi file.
But now here came the ZR830...
Let me just briefly say when I purchased the ZR830 from Cannon that I wasnt immediately overly happy because I really needed to get the recordings on to my PC. I just didnt know anything about Firewire or IEEE-1394 Cards. I almost sent this back but decided because of the *really* nice picture to go-ahead and take it to the next step and get a Firewire Card by StarTech, which included the cable for a desktop for about $25. Problem solved, they even give you a copy of ulead editing software, which is amazing. Laptops use a 4pin Firewire connect, Desktops use a 6pin Connect. I can now get my recordings on to my PC.
I learned that quality pictures from DVD disk on some of the new camcorders, and saving recordings to hard disk such as SD cards are hard to acquire unless you are spending hundreds of dollars more on real expensive cams. The DVDs and hard disk on some of the new cams cant hardly touch the picture quality produced by this small little guy called the ZR830. Also, I dont have any problems with noise recordings like some professed from the ZR800s. This is a great cam with a noble optical zoom. I made the right choice by keeping this product that I got for a reasonable price from Amazon seller.
On: 2008-01-29
When recording video to the SDHC card and zooming in or out, there is terrible noise. Otherwise, it seems like a good deal so far (I bought this on a gold box offer at $170 - I would not pay $249 for this camera).
by: rdarkholm On: 2008-01-24
I read all the reviews in my searches for a camcorder and this is our first camcorder, well...second but the first we bought and too with us to Brazil a family member fell in love with the camera and we gave it to them and the minute we returned we bought the camera again for ourselves. Thats how much we like this camera. Its easy to use and I love the playback features with TV and computer. Im sure when we get better we might want something fancier but this is just perfect for our home videos.
On: 2008-01-24
This is a fairly small camera that makes an excellent movie inside and outside. It works quite well under limited lighting. Very pleased with the price I paid for it.
On: 2008-01-12
This is a great video camera for the price! I bought that after I broke my old Sony and Im glad I broke it! Because this camera is smaller, shoots higher quality video, very easy to use and it gets great battery life. This is a must buy for anyone looking for a good priced video camera. I rate it 5 Stars! You cant go wrong when Consumer Reports rates it #1.
On: 2008-01-11
This is a great video camera for the price! I bought that after I broke my old Sony and Im glad I broke it! Because this camera is smaller, shoots higher quality video, very easy to use and it gets great battery life. This is a must buy for anyone looking for a good priced video camera. I rate it 5 Stars! You cant go wrong when Consumer Reports rates it #1.
On: 2008-01-01
After buying my 8 year old cheap plastic toy video cameras, and his constant asking to use my video camera, I decided to get him his own. This unit has the highest rating by Consumer Reports for the price. My son records and erases his videos over and over. Its no light weight and it takes nice still shots too. Id trade him my 8 year old video camera in a heartbeat. The price here is the same other stores charge for the ZR 800,which cant take stills.
 On: 2007-12-25
My Canon ZR400 died just after a year. It suddenly stopped accepting the tape. Turned out, three other friends who bought it when I did, got the same problem and theirs died too. Other than that, Camcorder was good. :-)
I bought Sony HC38 now. Yet to find how it is. However, I anticipate Sony shouldnt disappoint.
Good luck Canon buyers..!!
On: 2007-12-14
I have been very happy with this mini DVD recorder. It is very easy to use, takes good videos, and also has the benefit of taking good still shots. I would recommend it to anyone.
On: 2007-11-21
This Cam is not that good. Poor quality pictures especially recording at night time even with bright light.
On: 2007-11-20
This Cam is not that good. Poor quality pictures especially recording at night time even with bright light.
On: 2007-11-06
Works fine, the battery life isnt the best so you may need to upgrade to a better battery. Playback is great but the only problem I found was in darker areas you need a lot of light for clear playback. Its my first camera so I may need to adjust something somewhere.
On: 2007-11-05
Works fine, the battery life isnt the best so you may need to upgrade to a better battery. Playback is great but the only problem I found was in darker areas you need a lot of light for clear playback. Its my first camera so I may need to adjust something somewhere.
On: 2007-10-10
its a pretty good camera got good picture and good audio some pretty cool features on it. Its a good camera for the price if you looking for something to just record family evens and stuff I would recommend it but if your looking for a movie quality then your buying the wrong camera.
On: 2007-09-22
I bought this product just because allows store photos and videos in a SD memory. Nevertheless I must say that the quality of image is very poor even if I formed the camera of the best way and tried it in the best environmental conditions.
The relation price - quality is acceptable and is very easy to use.
On: 2007-08-11
I like this Camcorder. I am the first time Camcorder buyer. I tried all the features of it and it really works fine. I used JVC MiniDV tape and it gives excellent result with it. But it did not give me the same kind of quality with Sandisk SD card. One draw back is battery discharged very fast. If you are going for a tour, its better to keep extra battery.
But overall this is a good buy at given price.
On: 2007-07-16
This camera is a wonderful choice for those looking to make professional movies, or tape family gatherings, or whatever. You can either record onto a mini dv tape, or a memory card. The camera is fairly easy to navigate (although not quite as easy as previous models of this series that I have used.) It can record in widescreen or fullscreen, has an excellent zoom lens, and a handy picture stablizer that will compensate for shakiness on hand-held shots. The transfer quality is very good, which is useful for editing purposes and/or burning DVDs of your projects. The camera comes with all required accessories including a battery, AC adapter, A/V cords, etc. It does not come with a firewire cable so you will need to buy that seperately, if you plan to edit your movies. I have greatly enjoyed using this camera. I also love using iMovie to edit my completed tapes. For anyone wanting to have fun filming home movies or something a bit more professional, this camera would be great on both levels.
On: 2007-05-10
Very happy with the purchase. Had been a Hi 8 camera owner for earlier in my kids lives -- but using this now to tape games and transfer to disk. Very simple to learn and operate and very good quality video for my purposes.
On: 2007-05-09
Very happy with the purchase. Had been a Hi 8 camera owner for earlier in my kids lives -- but using this now to tape games and transfer to disk. Very simple to learn and operate and very good quality video for my purposes.
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