A powerful package

I am by no means a video expert. I've done well over 4,000 shots on various digital still cameras.

Previously, I owned a full-size VHS camcorder for a couple of months that I had purchased off of eBay, but due to the size of the unit and the like, it was rarely used and I wound up selling it to a friend rather than let it collect dust.

My spouse and I discussed getting a camcorder to take with us for some of the trips we take. We love going to aquariums, zoos, and auto races. While we have a wonderful digital still camera, some of the venues are better suited to a video camera compared to a still camera.

Purchasing Rationale:

I spent about a week doing research on various digital camcorders. I had the following requirements:

1) MiniDV format Media
2) At least 1 MegaPixel CCD for video
3) S-Video in/out
4) Under $600

I have previously owned three Canon still cameras -- one 35mm SLR, and two digital still cameras. I have always been happy with the quality of Canon products, so I was leaning towards the purchase of a Canon Camcorder.

I mainly picked the Optura 400 because unlike the Elura series of Canon digicams, it had an S-Video in. Even though I own a DVD recorder, I like to occasionally take content from my satellite dish and package it such that I can play it on my computer and Pocket PC. I thought that the easiest way to do this would be to transfer the content to a MiniDV tape and then edit it on the computer.

I also was impressed by the Optura 400's 2.1MP still photo capability. This is by no means a full substitute for my main digital still camera, but in a pinch it is more than capable of shooting acceptable 4x6 prints.

Additionally, several internet review sites rated the Optura 400 quite highly.

First Impressions:

Man, is this thing small! Canon wasn't kidding when they said it was palm-sized. This in my mind is both a benefit and a caveat. Obviously, the smaller size makes it extremely portable and easy-to-carry. On the other hand, I long for some of the heft that I used to have, especially when trying to use the far end of the zoom. However, the image stabilization seems to do a good job of nulling out most of the small shakes, except at full zoom. I found that using two hands to hold the camera helps quite a bit. Obviously for long-term shooting with any video camera, a tripod would be a good item to have.

It took a quick read of the manual to understand where everything went, but once that was done, most of the controls were easy to understand. My only complaint about the controls is that the zoom lever doesn't fall naturally in my hand, and the full-auto vs. program mode switch is easy to bump and switch unintentionally. Another ergonomic note is that the tape door is on the bottom of the unit, so if you're shooting on a tripod, the camera would have to be removed to switch tapes.

The LCD is easy to view in all lighting conditions. The viewfinder is practically useless in my opinion.

Build quality is what I've come to expect from Canon. Everything has a nice solid feel to it.

Video Quality:

I've shot about 35 minutes of video of animals in dim indoor conditions and in outdoor snowy conditions. The color from all the videos was accurate and bold, with minimal noise. I shot several videos of fish that were quite impressive to watch on the TV. Overall, a huge improvement from what I used to see on the VHS unit.

Photo Quality:

I was less than impressed with the flash photography. The camera does offer a focus assist light for low light conditions that seems to do a good job of helping the camera find focus. Most of the outdoor pictures turned out quite nicely, though I did notice a bit of purple fringing on one of the outdoor pictures with a lot of snow. Not nearly as nice as the photos from my digital still camera, but a decent substitute should you be in a pinch.

PC Connectivity:

Canon could have made this a little more streamlined. Video is easy enough to transfer through the firewire interface, but the only way I've been able to transfer photos is via USB. This means I have to carry two cables instead of just one with me should I wish to transfer both photos and video to my PC.

The software Canon includes is quite nice. Zoombrowser-EX is easy to use and much nicer than most other digital camera software I've used. I'm even considering switching to using this as my primary software.

Canon includes a copy of Pinnacle Studio 9.0SE for non-linear video editing. This is enough for most home users. I'd recommend purching the "plus" upgrades for $19.95 from Pinnacle. After only a hour or so of fiddling, I was able to splice together a short video with a soundtrack background and burn an SVCD. Other formats are also available, including DVD.

Overall:

I have always liked Canon still equipment, and the Optura 400 does not disappoint in the video department. I'm very happy with the quality of the video I've recorded, and impressed with the software packages included. The still photo capability is better than other digital camcorders, but still not a full substitute for a dedicated digital camera.

The small size of the camcorder is great for portability, but it would be well advised to try one of these in your hand before buying.

Quite satisfied with my purchase and I'd recommend this camcorder for both novices and intermediate users.