Customer Reviews
High optical zoom
A key feature of this camera is its high optical zoom, which is necessary for filming events where you are trying to key
in on a particular person or thing but are relegated to filming at a distance - e.g., graduation ceremonies, sports events, stage recitals. The Canon MiniDV camcorder starter kit with a case and extra battery is a good additional purchase. As other reviewers have noted, it is necessary to buy a firewire cable for transferring video from the camera to the computer. I have not noticed the excess noise that some other reviewers have mentioned. I have found this to be a fine product for its price.
Great Camera!!
Just bought this camcorder today. I want it mainly to film my family. I have 3 boys who play sports. Haven't really used it that much yet, but it has GREAT features. It takes great still pictures too. The instructions are really easy to follow in the manual. I bought mine at Sam's Club. It came with a case, all of the hook-up cables for the TV, computer, etc. I was going to buy a DVD camcorder, but decided if I wanted to take my tapes and burn them onto a DVD later, I can. Plus, when I do burn them to a DVD, it will be to a full-size DVD and won't be on the 30 minute mini DVD that those camcorders record on. Oh! And this camcorder came with software for my computer. I've read the manual, and now I can't wait to be able to use the camera. I hope this review helps someone. I know I really enjoyed reading reviews before I purchased a camcorder because they helped in the determining factor of my purchase.
some people don't know what they are talking about
overall i think this camera is very nice. I like the wide lens attatchment becaus i skate and like to get close and have everything in the shot. i also like this product because it has high quality picture and awsome sound. some people said after filming, during the playback you could hear the sound of the motor. those people are idiots. the only reason for that is becasue they were filming videos on to the memory card witch has a purpose of still images. when you are recording video on to a mini dv tape, that noise will not show up at all. the battery life could be better but you can just pick up an extra at walmart for 20 bucks which isnt bad. the night vision isnt that high quality, i mean it works fine and all its just that it is a light and i would prefer an infared system such as in the sony hc21 for about the same price. but i think this camera is a better choice. my only other complaint is that the whole purpose i bought this product was to get my skate footy on to my computer to make a video but this camera only comes with a usb cable that is only good for putting pictures on to your computer. the usb isnt fast enough for transfering video content so you need to go out and buy a 1EEE 1394 firewire cable for around 25 bucks and if your computer dosent have a firewire cable than you will either have to buy a firewire hub or a pci card for your computer. the pci card goes for about 30 bucks and the hub is around 50. so to sum it all up the canon zr300 is most deffinatly worth the buy pretty much everything that the manufactuer description is accurate and its is a very high quality camera. if you buy it you will not be dissapointed. don't listen to the people who say it records the sound of the motor because it dosent unless you are recording with the memory card witch is just plain stupid. also dont listent to people who say it doesnt work good indoors because they are also wrong.
