Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon ZR40 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, & Digital Still Mode

Love this little camera. Video taken outside is outstanding, inside can be a little fuzzy without bright lighting. Zoom is fabulous. The only thing I don't like is the fact that you can only charge the battery while it is mounted to the camera, which defeats the purpose of having multiple batteries if your wanting to have one battery charging while still using the camera with another battery.

I've had this camcorder for almost half a year now, and I have no major complaints whatsoever.

After doing research for Sony, Canon, JVC, and Panasonic, I finally settled on this one and have not been disappointed.

The camcorder itself is easy to use. It took only a quick glance through the manual and I was well on my way to videoland.

The minidv tapes are pricey and this records in SP (60 min for regular tapes) and LP (90 min), so you'll want to check those out before buying.

Hooking up to TV requried several tries the first time for some reason, but now I have no problem.

No software comes in this package, but I tested this with several, including Windows Movie Maker, Ulead VideoStudio, MGI VideoWave, and the $...rebate software ArcSoft Showbiz. Depending on the program, the video takes up different amounts of space on your hard drive, but just for the record, using MGI VideoWave, a 4 min clip took up 875 MB (yes, that's right.) However, Windows Movie Maker take up only a fraction of that. I haven't explored making VCDs due to the limited memory on my computer (Win ME) but it should go smoothly.

You'll find that the zoom allows you to read the text on a newspaper up to about 30 feet away clearly, and that this product is sturdy, reliable, and has excellent value.

I think the new line of Canon camcorders has come out already, and if you are thinking about buying one, don't hestitate: it's the best deal out there!

I have used the camera for a month and am impressed by its features and picture quality. I agree with the other reviewers that indoor shoots require good lighting. I bought a video light and it helped a lot. Outdoor footage with sunshine is superb! If you are new to the video world (like I am) this camera is all you need to get started.

I can't complain--I absolutely don't need still capabilities as I already have a much better compact digital camera than any camcorder offering. Being able to plug-and-play with iMovie on my iMac simply is amazing.

Well, I recently purchased a Canon ZR40 at J&R, not amazon, too expensive. Anyway, this is a great camcorder. It does everything possible for the price. The digtal effects are great and the playback is great, too. The only very minor problem is that it has a short battery life. You have to recharge it a lot, but it's really fast to recharge. GREAT CAMCORDER!!!!!!J&R, thanks.