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

Seriously, this has a terribly grainy picture.

I purchased this camcorder at the 'After Thanksgiving Day' sale. I got excited playing with all of the features that it has, and yes, it has a lot of cool features. But then I hooked it up to my TV and saw that it has the 'worst' picture quality I have ever seen in a camcorder. My dad's 15-year-old VHS camcorder has better quality than this. Oh yes, I used the low light settings and the night settings and all of that, but I still ended up with grainy video.

If you are considering this camcorder, I highly recommend that you go to a store that has it connected to a television so that you can see the picture quality. The image in the LCD is fine because it's only 2.5". Compare it to other camcorders. If you care at all about the quality of what you are recording, and if you can only afford a camcorder in this price range, consider borrowing someone else's camcorder until you can afford a better one.

Am I bitter about this camcorder? Yes. I returned it. I now own a Sony DCR-TRV22. Yes, it cost almost twice as much as the Canon, but it is well worth it! Night and day difference. Much, much better quality, and I can sleep at night now. I was so disappointed with the Canon. So pleased with the Sony.

Low light performance is bad and Canon customer service is awful, but the camcorder is decent for the price. You might be happier spending more money to get a better picture (look at the 3ccd camcorders from Panasonic) but this one will work fine for taping birthday parties.

Just like consumer reports rates Canon as prone to repair, they were positively correct. We bought a ZR45 one year ago and it is already broken, costing us double the price of it to repair it. They will not do anything for us. They tell us now that if you go to humid climates with their camcorders you can get battery corrosion from the moisture, and that is what we got. There repair department and company have been horrible to work with, we are still not satisfied with their decision of not helping us just after one year. We will not be buying another Canon product.

I am a owner of Canon camcorder now. I thought of buying this product, as it is for a good price, but I stumbled upon a better model ZR80 for a much much cheaper rate(only canon knows why it is so). Try to do a search on it and you will find too. I am not here to say that ZR60 is a bad camcorder. I am just saying that it isn't a good choice if you are looking for a handycam in this range.

I wouldn't get this camcorder. It looks really good with its [inexpensive] price, size, and nice features but it has horrible Indoor quality (stinks in dim light) and can you say HUMM? LOL. It has major motor problems and it comes on tape. If theres a quiet enviroment u will hear it but other wise u won't. It all depends. So what im saying its only good outdoors, in day time, and in loud environment. I would suggest checking out Sony Camcorders (trv22 or 19). I know they are really [costly] but sorry....camcorders are geting real [poor] these days and the only way is to get a sony ...Or maybe you could just get a used one so its not big on ur budget!