Canon ZR20 Digital Camcorder

The picture quality of the Canon ZR20 digital video camcorder makes it an excellent personal camcorder for either the beginning video artist or the designated family photographer. In addition, it's light and small enough to carry with you in a large jacket pocket or purse. This combination of portability and recording quality make the ZR20 an excellent value.

Anyone who has used any type of camcorder will be instantly familiar with the ZR20's controls. All the normal recording tools are accessible with your right hand. Zoom, mode, and snapshot controls are placed within easy reach on the right side, and playback and special effects options are arrayed on the left side with the LCD monitor. Fade and digital effects are hidden in the LCD compartment, and a small jog dial on the camera's lower left side controls volume, menu selection, and manual focus. The LCD screen is 2.5 inches and provides a crisp picture, but a color viewfinder is also provided, which can be used to conserve battery power and provide a more compact package for recording in tight or crowded locations.

The ZR20's Easy Recording mode makes taping on the fly an easy undertaking, as it automatically optimizes recording settings for the best picture quality. Video quality is sharp with excellent color reproduction. However, dark scenes with low contrasts have a slightly grainy texture. For extra control, the focus, white balance, and exposure can be manually set. As for audio, the high tones are slightly tinny, but sound playback is surprisingly accurate from the small single speaker. The only complaint I have is about the snapshot feature. While the button is easy to reach, it records a still shot with an arbitrary length of six seconds. This is useful if you download single frames to your computer, but it would've been nice to have had the option to set the length of the still.

Several special effects are available, including art, monochrome, sepia, and mosaic modes, plus three fade/wipe settings. For even more options, the IEEE-1394 connection lets you simply transfer the video onto your home computer to let you edit your footage and add any effects that you want, provided you have the correct equipment. RCA and S-video input/outputs are provided for quick and easy transfers to VHS. Interestingly, the S-video and RCA outputs are in separate locations on the camera. This probably allows for more efficient use of available space on the ZR20, but it's somewhat awkward to have wires sprouting from multiple locations when you're ready for video transfer.

A fun little accessory with the ZR20 is its remote control. Aside from the obvious convenience of remote playback of your videos on your TV, remote recording is a fun way to make personal video journals, star in your own movies, or clandestinely record documentaries of your housemate's disturbing personal habits.

All in all, this Canon piece offers excellent recording quality in a convenient little package. With such an agreeable price, plus compact dimensions and a low weight, the ZR20 is perfect for family vacations. Add in the decent battery life and clear LCD screen playback, and you have a real winner. --Matt Deffer

Pros:

• Very easy to pick up and start recording
• Good recording quality
• Lightweight and small
• Convenient remote control

Cons:

• AV outputs are in multiple locations
• Grainy video in locations with minimal light

Canon's sleek and compact ZR20 camcorder is small enough to fit in your pocket, and comes equipped with both a color LCD view screen and a color eyecup viewfinder, an image stabilization system to steady the jittery hand, and a digital zoom that magnifies up to 200 times.

To help ensure that you get the quality footage you want, Canon has included a number of preset shooting modes. These modes will automatically adjust the settings of your camcorder for a variety of shooting situations. There is also an additional set of special effects available during both recording and playback that will help add a little flavor to your movies. These effects include black-and-white, sepia, and mosaic, among others.

Also, using the ZR20's digital photo mode, you can take over 700 still photos with an 80-minute MiniDV tape. With the IEEE 1394 port you can connect the ZR20 to a DV-ready personal computer to edit video or e-mail photos. Included in the package are an A/V cable, power adapter, shoulder strap, and battery pack.