The canon zr500 is a mini DV camcorder with 25x optical zoom. It is highly desirable bit of kit and would make a perfect gift for anyone looking for a camcorder. It has true widescreen recording and the 25x optical zoom on the canon zr500 is extremely powerful.

The canon zr500 has a clear and sharp 2.7 inch widescreen LCD which is fantastic for playing back your videos and showing your friends. The color and clarity of the video is exceptional due to the digic DV image processor.

One of the best features of the Canon zr500 mini Dv camcorder is the zoom control. This control is remarkably smooth preventing annoying jerkiness when zooming in and out.

At a compact size of 4.5 x 1.9 x 3.6 and weighing only 2lbs, this lightweight camcorder can be taken where ever you go ready to capture that perfect moment.

The canon zr500 has a multitude of extras including a useful button which allows you to switch from the standard 4:3 to 16:9 widescreen HR.

Whether or not you are standing at the back of a crowd or right at the front, the canon zr500 800x digital zoom and 25x optical lens allows you to always have the perfect shot for any occasion.

Another good feature is the auto exposure mode. Here you can select from a variety of scene or exposure modes to create the best results possible in any situation or difficult lighting environments.

You can choose from beach, sunset, fireworks, night, sports, snow, portrait and many more making the Canon zr500 perfect in any conditions.

The Canon zr500 also has the added bonus of having a firewire or iLink allowing you to share your videos with extreme ease. The firewire allows you to connect your camcorder to your computers DV terminal with virtually no loss of audio or video quality.

Transferring your videos to your computer not only allows you to view your footage on your pc, but it also allows you to back up your special moments somewhere safe.

The Canon zr500 is a great little camera for someone that wants something small and compact. It suits both amateurs and more experienced camcorder users.

This is because it not only offers a wide amount of pre set settings for a newbie it hosts a multitude of adjustable settings should you wish to manually configure are own conditions.

If you already own a high-tech camcorder and feel the canon zr500 is a step backwards you couldn’t be more wrong. This camcorder is a fantastic back-up to an expensive alternative as it is small, affordable and you can still receive perfect results. It’s simply great to throw in your pocket for a trip away where you maybe concerned about damaging a more costly camera.

Sony has once again created a robust high-definition camcorder that is not only light weight, weighing in at less than 3lbs, it is also compact enough to fit inside a coat pocket so is perfect for travel.

The HVR A1U is suitable for both DV (digital Video) shooters and HDV (high definition video). It has numerous professional features and of course has superb image quality.

The HVR-A1 not only has XLR inputs it also has independent control of channel 1 and channel 2 audio. The HVR A1 can record an SD video signal to DVCAM tapes as well as HDTV video and DV video.

Because the HVR A1U features a newly developed 1/3 inch C-MOS imager it is capable of creating 3 mega pixel still images which is perfect if you do not want to carry both a camcorder for filming and camera for still images when you are on the go.

General Information About The HVR A1U
Product Type - Camcorder
Optical Sensor Type - CMOS
Min Illumination - 7 lux
Max Shutter Speed - 1/10000 sec
Microphone Operation Mode - Stereo
Microphone Type - Built- in
Wide Screen Video Capture - Yes
Camcorder Sensor Resolution - 3 mega pixels
Camcorder Effective Video Resolution - 1.2 mega pixels
Camcorder Effective Still Resolution - 2.8 mega pixels

The HVR A1U also offers a whole host of additional features including DV input, digital still camera function, RGB color filter, analog to digital conversion with pass through, built in speaker, Color bar, Histogram and backlight compensation.

The HVR A1U has precise image acquisition and superb detail and clarity due to the 14 bit A/D and DXP digital extended processor.

When you are looking to buy a camcorder, you are buying something that gives you the ability to record memories in both picture and sound. Although the image quality is undoubtedly the most important aspect of a camcorder, the audio side which is often overlooked is just as vital as the video.

Having a camcorder with good sound quality can make a huge difference when you play back your videos, its sets the mood as well as helping the viewers know what is going on in the video.

The HVR A1U offers excellent sound and video quality so is perfect in every way. Although this may not be the cheapest camcorder around you really are getting what you pay for. With everything considered this camcorder is not only great value it is a handy small camcorder that is perfect for mounting in your car or on your motorcycle.

This is a great camcorder for anyone starting out or wanting to upgrade, the menus are extremely easy to use and are predominantly touch screen making it simple to understand and save settings.

The Panasonic PV GS500 camcorder is continuing to grow in popularity in the camcorder market. It is also referred to as a digital palmcorder and offers a wide range of facilities for both still and moving video.

Because the Panasonic PV GS500 has 4 mega pixel still picture recording the pictures are fantastic, they are exceptionally life like, vivid and can be enjoyed both printed and viewed on your TV

You can also use the Panasonic PV GS500 as a web cam. Simply connect the PV GS500 to your computer via a USB cable and fire up windows messenger or what ever software you are running and turn on. This is an especially handy addition if you also want to use the camcorder for video surveillance or even teleconferencing.

The Panasonic PV GS500 is a small digital camcorder at an affordable price. It offers superior images and facilities and can be used in a multitude of ways. It is simple to set up so is suitable for both armature and more experienced camcorder users.

Panasonic PV GS500 Specifications
Main Features
Color Support Color
Camcorder Sensor Resolution 1 mega pixels
Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 4 mega pixels
Media Type Mini DV Lens System
Still Image Format JPEG
Supported Flash Memory SD Memory Card

Product Type Camcorder
Digital Zoom 700 x Optical Sensor
Size 1/4.7
in Optical Sensor Type 3CCD
Portrait mode Exposure Modes Manual, Program,
Webcam Capability Yes
Min Illumination 5 lux
Image Stabilizer Optical Min Shutter Speed 1/2 sec
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 sec
Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
in Optical Sensor Type 3CCD
Shooting Programs Low light , Spotlight , Sports mode , Surf & snow ,
Portrait mode Exposure Modes Manual, Program,
Automatic Camera Flash Built-in flash
Widescreen Video Capture Yes

The PV GS500 is excellent in low and normal lighting conditions and has bright accurate color with plenty of fine detail. It is solidly constructed and unlike a majority of lightweight camcorders the PV GS500 has a tough metal frame that really does the job when it comes to protecting the camcorder.

The Panasonic PV GS500 offers a wide range of additional features including backlight compensation, built in edit capability, built in light, built in speaker, macro focus, PC connection, Self timer, self demo mode and view finder.

With all the features this camcorder has to offer and because it is so simple to use it really makes it ideal for armatures as well as experienced users and would make a perfect gift for an older child, the price is affordable and the camcorder is tough enough to be suitable for the younger generation.