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  • Performance

  • Format

  • Tour

  • Auto / Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Comparisons / Conclusion

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Tour
  • Auto / Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Comparisons / Conclusion

Performance

One can attempt to assess the ZR700’s vide performance based on its imaging system and the performance of its parent models. Under bright light conditions, past ZR models performed fairly well. The ZR400 had 1/4.5" CCD with 1.33 MP (gross) and produced bright images with good color representation. With a smaller imager of 1/6" CCD with 680K gross pixels, The ZR700 will most likely have less stellar images. Expect low light to take a hit, but a smaller CCD does not necessarily correlate to a worse picture overall. Remember, this is only our best estimate; it is impossible to thoroughly test camcorders at CES. Stay tuned for a more in-depth analysis in the coming months.

Low Light Performance

Until more rigorous tests are administered to the ZR700, one can only speculate on its potential lowlight performance. This model has a smaller, 1/6" imager than last year’s model, which produced grainy images with well-saturated colors. It is fair to assume that the reduction in imager specs will have a negative affect on its low light performance. The built-in video light will be of some assistance, but ultimately the performance quality of the performance comes from the hardware.

Format

Compression

With the ZR series, stills are captured as JPEGs in Fine, SuperFine and Normal compression modes. The video for the ZR700 is the standard DV compression at 25 Mbps per second.

Media

The ZR700 records video onto MiniDV tapes, and is capable of capturing stills onto an SD card. This year Canon has refrained from shipping its ZRs and Elura with any SD cards.

Editing

The ZR700 offers very little on-camera editing features, but this is typical of entry level models. Some of the limited visual effects available are making the image black and white or sepia, or mirroring the screen. The user can use a fade transition in between shots or scenes. The included Digital Video Solution Disc will provide marginally more intricate editing features.

Tour

The Front
The front of the ZR700 showcases the only noticeable difference in appearance between the new ZR camcorders. This model sports a video light, located in the center of the camcorder’s front. A stereo microphone and 25x optical zoom lens is situated above the video light.

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The Right

The biggest and most significant aspect of the ZR700’s right side is the MiniDV loading mechanism, which ejects outward from the body for the tape to slide straight down. The mode dial sits at the rear. Above the loading mechanism is the SD card slot, covered by a gray port cover. An adjacent cover conceals to the right: DV, A/V, and USB. Above these is a mode switch. A adjustable, gray hand strap lies at the bottom of the right side of this model.

The Left

The left side of the ZR series is home to their LCDs. Most control features cannot be operated without opening the 2.7" Widescreen LCD. Unlike last year, when most control buttons were in the LCD cavity, these models have the function buttons on the LCD panel itself, below the screen. This is the bigest change in the ZR line this year. Unfortunately, also like last year, placing the navigation controls inside means opening up the LCD for adjustments, which costs battery life. A rear control panel might have been preferable.

The joystick is followed by the function button, Digital effects button, Widescreen mode, and the light button. This new arrangement is better, because the user doesn’t have to dig into the cavity to make adjustments.

The Back

 The back of this camcorder measures 1.9". Such a thin frame probably explains why the navigation is located on the LCD panel. The battery occupies much of the rear. A silver record button clings to the right edge. The 0.3" color viewfinder (non-extending and non-pivoting) lives above the battery. This camcorder ships with a bigger battery than models from previous years, which is a blessing, but can potentially be an issue. If the battery is bulky it might get in the way of the user’s thumb as he or she tries to press the start and stop button. I can’t say for certain because the ZR700 that I had access to at CES was plugged into a DC adapter; this port is also located on the back.

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****The Top**

Because of its thin frame the top of this camcorder does not have too many features: a zoom toggle and photo button hang along the top-right edge. In front of these buttons are two toggle switches for alternating between P (manual) and Easy mode, and video and tape modes, respectively.

Auto / Manual Controls

Automatic Control

Canon has followed Sony’s lead and put an Easy mode in place. In Easy mode the camcorder has complete autonomy over the image quality decisions. Adjustments such as white balance, exposure and focus are determined by the camcorder. At CES, the ZR700 made its adjustments swiftly and accurately. The adjustments to exposure were not as seamless as the adjustments made by the Elura 100, but they were satisfactory. Similar to the Elura the ZR100, the ZR700 had trouble making automatic adjustments when nearing full zoom capacity. Most camcorders suffer this at full zoom, reaction but these two models in particular seemed to experience the problem sooner than most.

Manual Control

It is impossible to make manual control adjustments without the LCD being open on the ZR700 because the LCD houses the Function menu button and joystick. This renders the viewfinder virtually obsolete in P mode (manual), unless you want to continually close and reopen the LCD. The menu is laid out with fair clarity, but the user will mostly likely get lost a few times before acclimating. The manual controls are available for shutter speed, exposure, focus, and white balance. They are initiated with a push of the joystick found underneath the LCD screen. A downside to the placing the controls here, which became apparent after only a minute of operation, was that moving the joystick causes the camera to shake and upset the shot.

Zoom

All of this year’s ZR camcorders are outfitted with a 25x optical zoom; however the ZR700 is the only one that has 1000x digital zoom capacity (vs. the 500x and 800x digital zoom on the ZR500 and ZR600, respectively). We do not consider this a selling point, and image quality at even close to 500x zoom is severely compromised. It would be wiser to move the camcorder closer to the object. If zoom is paramount among your concerns, find a model with a higher optical zoom and please, buy a tripod. Panasonic’s entry level MiniDV model this year, the PV-GS29, has a 30x optical zoom capacity.

The ZR700 offers 4 zoom speeds in the menu system. By setting it at a fixed speed, this will prevent the zoom from responding to differing pressures on the zoom toggle. Zoom 3 is the fastest option, Zoom 1 crawls at a snail’s pace. Zoom 2, naturally, is in between. The last option is called Variable, which leaves the user to manage his or her own need for speed.

Focus

The user can manually focus an image by switching the camcorder to P mode with the switch on the right side of the camcorder. Once in manual mode, press down on the joystick, and select manual focus. To achieve the desired adjustment move the joystick towards the portrait or mountain icon. A focus ring would have provided the user more control, but that feature rarely bestowed on lower-end camcorders.

Exposure

Manual exposure adjustments are executed the same way manual focus modifications are made, through the use of the joystick. This is a far better means of implementing manual control adjustments than having to press buttons on the LCD cavity on previous models. The camcorder does not offer any true numerical value (F-stops) for exposure adjustments.

Shutter Speed

This model, in accordance with all the rest of the ZRs and the Elura 100, offers shutter speed control ranging of 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000 and 1/2000 when capturing video. In still mode, 1/1000 and 1/2000 are not available. Panasonic offers manual shutter speed ranging from 1/60 to 1/8000, and JVC sets an upper limit of 1/4000.

The ZR700 offers a Slow Shutter feature in the menu. This feature opens the shutter for a longer period of time to allow more light to travel through the lens. The Canon booth workers at CES were unable to confirm whether the shutter speed would be variable and automatically adjust to lighting conditions, or whether it would remain fixed at 1/30 in Slow Shutter mode, as on last year's Canon models. Our bet is with the former.

White Balance

Manual white balance can be accessed in the function menu. The options available for white balance are Auto, Indoor, Outdoor, and Manual. In the past, Canon’s white balance has been accurate, though not necessarily a one-touch procedure.

Gain

The ZR700 does not provide manual gain control.

Still Features

Still Features

The ZR700 captures stills on an SD card at a max resolution of 1024 x 768, while its parent model, the ZR400, was capable of taking stills at a higher resolution of 1152 x 864. That maximum performance can only be found by moving up to the Elura-class camcorder this year. The reduction in imager and still resolution will affect the image quality of the stills captured. Beyond the resolution, the new ZR700’s still feature set has not changed much. Both camcorders can take stills at compression levels of Fine, SuperFine and Normal. Most of the same manual controls are available in both video and still mode. Fewer shutter speed options are available in still mode: 1/60, 1/100, 1/250.

Handling and Use

Handling

The ZR700 is 16% smaller and 12% lighter than its parent model, the ZR400. This thin frame is very portable and can be palmed relatively comfortably. The camcorder’s glossy "Gray Smoke" finish might prove to be a bit slippery, so I wouldn’t advise operating the ZR700 without using the included strap.

The control panel, located under the LCD screen

While the ZR700’s structural improvements have made the camcorder more convenient, it has created a new set of operating problems. The biggest change in Canon’s remodeling has been moving the function control buttons from the LCD cavity to the LCD panel. The new Joystick provides users with a better means of navigation than the jog dial of lat year. But the problem with this feature is its location. Moving the joystick or pushing the buttons will shake the camcorder. This problem is most noticeable when making manual control adjustments--manual exposure and manual focus. The Elura 100 has wisely positioned the new joystick towards the back, allowing the user to make manual control adjustments virtually with one hand. The other hand can serve as a support anchor by holding the camcorder steady. Also by removing the awkwardly situated external buttons, the ZR700 is now left with a sizable menu. The user needs some time to figure out exactly where the desired features are.

The rear of the ZR700 can prove to be cumbersome to users too. The back of the camcorder is 1.9" wide, which leaves little room for maneuverability. The battery is advertised as being bigger and longer lasting than that of the other ZRs (ZR600, ZR500). At CES the camcorders were plugged into the DC adapter, so my criticism is a calculated assumption, but I’m nearly certain that the user will have trouble getting a thumb around the battery in order to press the record button; the record button clings to the edge of the camcorder’s rear to the right of the battery slot. Another issue with the battery is that the viewfinder that sits on top of it does not extend towards the user. If one chooses to use the viewfinder, a face must be pressed against a battery that might get pretty warm during extended use.

LCD/Viewfinder

By placing the navigation controls on the LCD, Canon has essentially rendered the color viewfinder null. The 2.7" Widescreen LCD also houses a several feature buttons: the Function menu, the LCD Back Light, the Widescreen / Data Code, and the Digital effect. Unless the user is in Easy mode the camcorder cannot be operated effectively unless the LCD is open. In stark contrast, the 0.3" color viewfinder is not in the least versatile. The viewfinder does not extend outward or tilt upward, meaning the user has to press a face against the battery.

The comparably priced PV-GS39 also offers a 2.7" Widescreen LCD. The Sony DCR-HC26 and DCR-HC36 will only have a 2.5" non-widescreen LCD. It is important to note, however, that Sonys are known for the quality of their LCDs, mostly their ability to be viewed at wide angles without solarizing.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio

This model captures audio with a stereo microphone that is located underneath the video light. In the menu system, the user has the option to record audio in 12 bit and 16 bits. The camcorder does not have a microphone jack, which handicaps the use of an external microphone. It is puzzling that Canon has put a microphone-in port on the low-end ZR500, yet omit it from the upper-tier models. They explained that educators are one of the large markets for low-end ZR camcorders. This group also demanded mic inputs. Canon conceded, but why hold out on the other models? Surely it can’t cost more than few cents. Thus is the mystery of pricing.

VCR Mode

One simply has to turn the mode dial on the right side of the camcorder to the playback icon to view pre-recorded images. With the joystick the user can navigate through the footage with relative ease. The handy Search feature, which is in the menu system, will cue the tape to the last recorded image on the MiniDV. All Canon MiniDV camcorders permit viewing in the standard 4:3 or widescreen mode.

Ports

This model’s ports are housed on the right side of the camcorder. The A/V, DV, and USB ports are grouped under a gray cover, while the SD card slot sits alone under the adjacent port cover. A DC in port can be located on the back of the camcorder near the battery slot. The entry level camcorder in the ZR series, the ZR500, does not have an SD or USB port. Similar to previous generations, Canon does not offer an accessory shoe with its ZR series.

Other Features

Other Features*

Image Stabilization*--The ZR700 features Electronic Image Stabilization. Canon, like most manufacturers, does not offer the preferable Optical Image Stabilization on its low-end models. Windscreen *--The Windscreen feature reduces unwanted noise from the wind by cutting low frequencies during outdoor recording. *Level Shot Control--The Level Shot Control is a line that appears across the screen of the LCD during recording to aid the user with centering and leveling the shot. A/V-DV The ZR700 can convert old media to comparable digital video with its analog-to-digital pass through capability. The A/V-DV feature is accessed in the menu system.

Comparisons / Conclusion

Conclusion

The evolution of the ZR700 goes beyond the new Gray Smoke paint job and a thinner frame. This model has a 2.7" widescreen LCD, and a bigger, longer lasting battery. The camcorder has a 25x optical zoom capacity, which is larger than the 14x optical zoom from its parent model, the ZR400. The camcorder has also revamped its navigation system, which is an improvement from previous models.

Even though the new navigation system makes it more convenient to access and implement these quality control features; the location of the joystick leaves something to be desired. Placing the joystick and other features on the LCD will sometimes cause the camcorder to shake slightly as these features are being utilized.

In addition to size, Canon has also trimmed some much needed specs from the ZR700. This model’s ancestor, the ZR400, had a bigger imager and was able to capture stills at a higher resolution. Sadly, Canon is not alone in this trend of making camcorders more chic and convenient while regressing image quality. We merely anticipate, mind you, this loss of image quality. Our full review will tell the tale.

Meet the tester

Nick Hyacinthe

Nick Hyacinthe

Editor

Nick Hyacinthe is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of Nick Hyacinthe's reviews

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