Canon ZR500 Mini DV Camcorder

Picked up from TigerDirect for $200 after rebate, very good price for a decent little camera.

The Good:

Very portable, fits in the palm of your hand, or in a coat pocket. Takes decent video in outdoor or bright light situations. Has some manual controls to improve video quality in lower light situations. True 16x9 CCD, built in lens cover, lightweight. Sound from onboard microphone is adequate, has jack for external mike.

The Bad:

Lower light performance is frustrating. Almost any indoor video has needed brightness and contrast adjustments in Vegas, which result in a slightly noisy picture. Optics seem well below par for a Canon product.

This is the camcorder you buy when you're taking a trip and don't want to lug around a lot of equipment. This is NOT the camcorder you want to record important events, such as weddings, etc.