Home > Consumer Reviews > Canon ZR60 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 18x Optical Zoom and Image Stabilization

The ZR60 has a mic port and a remote, both of which are missing on newer models such as the ZR80. The motor noise through the built-in mic is audible much of the time so I ordered an external Sony mic. The newer models supposedly are 18% smaller, but the ZR60 is small and light to begin with. Image stabilization is good but not great. Video quality is great with adequate light. If shooting in low light, experiment with the AE +/- settings. By using AE minus settings you are just telling the camera not to crank up the gain. You might have to read the manual (horrors!) to learn how to adjust AE. 18x zoom is plenty long; if anything I would like to have some more room at the wide end. Digital zoom, as on every video and still camera I've ever seen, is a useless marketing gimmick.

I picked up this unit as a refurb for $247, and considering I can also use it as an analog to digital pass-through to hook my VCR to my computer, I think it was a great deal. The Firewire cable you need to hook the camera to your computer is not included. You can have a local retailer gouge you for $30, or you can find one online for about $11.

I got this camcorder last week and it has a good optical zoom, pretty cool digital effects and the analog to digital converter feature is a plus. I've only owned the camera for a couple days and I am very impressed with what I have seen so far. The low light quality leaves a bit to be desired but overall a very good camera. The manual focus can be a bit of a struggle because of the location of the buttons. For the average user this is a great point and shoot camera DV camcorder. However, I was very dissapointed by the indoor performance. Like all the digital effects, this indoor video is very, very grainy. Since we will be using the camera mostly inside, it is worth spending a little more to get better indoor quality. We had the Sony TRV27 and returned it to buy this camera just because of the price difference. Big Mistake! The Sony took way better indoor video. Outside, they are about the same. But despite that, this camera is to take short videos and import old VHS tapes to DV and download to the computer to edit. A must try!!

I bought this camcorder when my daughter was born after I saw a short video my brother made. I had been thinking about getting one, but wasn't sure what I would be able to do with it. Six months after getting it, and recording hours of tape, I sat down to author my first DVD. After two days of working in the basement, I came up and showed my wife 5 short (3 - 5 min) videos (complete with transitions and music). She was crying. It was worth it. I burned several copies and sent them to family members who were equally impressed. All that was made possible by using this camcorder.

O.K. Now to the camcorder review.

This is a great camcorder. It is small (palm sized) and light. The controls are all easy to use/understand. I opted for this model instead of the ZR65 and up because of price, and I didn't need the ability to take stills (I have a Canon G2).

The picture quality is fine. I have used it primarily indoors and in low light. Admittedly there is some grain, but it is totally acceptable when you look at the benefits of going digital. In better lighting conditions, the grain is not noticeable.

I have opted for the next size up battery (Canon BP512) because the one supplied only last about 30 minutes. For $45 I can get close to 1 1/2 hours of recording time. Plus I have the original as a backup.

The fully functional remote is also a nice feature. It does everything for the camera.

This camcorder feels like it is a quality piece of equipment. It never feels flimsy, or weak. It has a solid feel to it.

Canon makes great digital optical equipment. I have the G2 digital camera, and a flat-bed scanner, and I have no problems with quality (image quality or build quality). I highly recommend this.

Okay, I have been going back and forth for 6 months. So, should I get Sony, Canon, one of the other manufactures... Some people say Sony's are terrible, other say Canon's are good but terrible in low light. All say things about both manufacturers and loud noise heard over the mic... So, what is a guy like me, adicted to reading reviews before making purchases to do?

Well, I was to wait and tonight I found that Canon announced 3 new XR models; ZR80, ZR85 & ZR90. All basically the same price as these and it appears they fixed the low-light problems. Of course I will wait until they are availible next month and I get to read more reviews; and so should you. I never buy any electronics in January since most new electronics come out by March. I just wanted to give all you nutty review-adicts (like myself) a heads-up.

I had a Sony Hi-8 that was great. I love my Canon digital cameras so I thought I'd get a Canon MiniDV. Well, it works fine and has good features. The video is great, the audio and low light is probably not up to the Sony camcorders. Still, for the money I liked it and was happy. Just out of warranty it goes black and won't record. The shutter or CCD is dead. Reading online this seems to be a common problem with Canon camcorders. So, my new Sony MiniDV is rocking. If you are looking at a Camera, get a Canon, if you are looking at camcorders, get a Sony.