Canon ZR850 1MP MiniDV Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom

1-megapixel CCD image sensor; image stabilization
Genuine Canon Optics with 35x optical zoom/1000x digital zoom
DIGIC DV image processor; still image recording
2.7-inch widescreen LCD monitor; widescreen HR recording
Smooth zoom control; level shot control

Customer Rating:
Summary: Adequate for a family camcorder
Comment: I have owned this camera for 18 months which makes it a dinosaur in this digital age so there's probably not even anyone out there who will read this review, but in the slight chance that there is.... This video camera is not your best option for low light/indoor use. In this price range (I paid $250), I woud consider a comparable Sony to get a little better indoor video quality. Outdoors and in brightly lit spaces this camera is better than it's competition thanks to its higher resolution sensor.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Easy to use, good value
Comment: I bought this item used and paid very little. It hadn't been used much.
I could use it right out of the box without even having to open the manual.
It is very user friendly. I like the mini DV format compared to the memory cards and DVD's. Its much cheaper and can hold a lot and can be written to multiple times. I also had some old mini DV tapes lying around which I wanted to play. That's why I decided to buy this and it has worked great.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Camera at a great prie
Comment: We purchased this camera refurbished and so far so good. It's a handy small camera with great picture.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Camcorder
Comment: Canon's ZR850 is a quality product. It's user friendly. It takes great pictures and videos. I bought it from Amazon.Com who gave me a great deal.

Customer Rating:
Summary: This camera is just awful
Comment: I just got this camera today and have already decided to return it. My first problem was the graininess of the photos. Even on the highest quality setting in good lighting, the photos were grainy. I was willing to overlook that since I bought this as a camcorder and not as a camera. But I was stunned by how loud the motor is on this thing. When I played back my video, it sounded like I recorded it standing next to an airplane that was about to take off. I was hoping to use this camera to record a seminar, but the video would be useless with all that noise from the camera drowning out the speaker. I got a really good deal on it and thought it would be a shame to have to return it, but there's no point in having a video camera that requires you to dub over all the videos you record because of noisy playback. It also doesn't make sense to me that you have to go into the camera's menus to get the LCD light to turn on. I think an on/off switch somewhere on the camera would have made more sense and would have been easier to use. Personally, I do not like what's available on the market for ANY digital camcorders I've seen that are in the home-user price range. I think I'm going to downgrade back to Hi8 and just take my chances that I'll be able to find a place that stills sells the tapes.