Canon DC50 Digital DVD Camcorder (10x Optical Zoom, 2.7" Widescreen Colour LCD)

Amazon Customer Reviews

(5 out of 5)

We're sooooo in lurv

Did a lot of research before buying: looked at mini dv's, but tape seems so old-fashioned and fiddly now, and besides they're on the way out. Hard disc drives didn't convince on reliability, and reviews of earlier dvd camcorders criticised quality of recording compared to tape.

And then the DC50 came along. Canon have obviously learned lessons along the way and produced a truly fine new-generation DVD camcorder. It has an extra-large CCD sensor to let in lots of light, which was a big factor in my buying it. Also a factor were the number of excellent customer and official reviews.

Can't do a teccie's review, as I haven't got to grips with the software yet and haven't done any editing. However I've just come back from the Edinburgh Festival and really put it through its paces, both on land and sea. It feels good and solid in the hand, and the main buttons are well positioned for one-handed use. The wide screen is great, and of course for playback in-camera you just jump from scene to scene, as opposed to tedious rewinding and fast-forwarding with tape. As a point and shoot it's dead easy, but this camcorder will do so much more (like fading in and out of scenes), and I'm still getting to grips with all its functions. I'm not bothered about using it as a stills camera, but there's 5.3 megapix for you to play around with!

Battery life (BP208) is about 90 minutes for recording, longer for playback. You can recharge it in-camera using the supplied charging lead, but I would suggest a spare battery (about £30 for a proper Canon one) and battery charger (I got a good one on the internet for about £12, including an in-car charger), then you can recharge both at once prior to going out. You will get about 25 - 30 minutes of recording time on a disc, using standard play. Both disc and battery are quick and easy to change.

You can do either some editing in-camera, or just simple deleting, depending on which of 2 modes you initialise your disc in (something I'm still trying to get my head round), but it's also easy enough to download to your pc using either USB or the disc itself. And the real beauty of this system is that you can just finalise the disc and pop it straight into a dvd player for immediate viewing.

Most importantly of all, the quality of the movie is simply astonishing. The colours are vibrant and sharp, and even in low light situations (such as the Tattoo or inside pubs etc) I didn't have to change to a low-light programme. That huge CCD sensor did its job. The Tattoo looked fantastic, and even inside a dark shop was almost as light as day. Sound quality is excellent too. Replaying the disc on our lcd television, my teccie husband and I could'nt believe the quality: as good as anything on tv. Even the camera shakes of a nervous newbie operator (me) didn't matter too much, thanks to the superior image stabilisation system.

I cannot tell you how good this camcorder is: I think it's probably one of the best on the market, and answers all previous criticisms about dvd camcorders. It's worth every penny, and there's nothing to disappoint. If you're thinking of buying one, if possible don't economise with a cheaper one (with smaller CCD): this is a case where you really get what you pay for. The quality is truly outstanding, with all the advantages and ease of use of dvd. And I find Canon consistently excellent anyway (2 digital cameras and a photo printer - all brilliant).

(5 out of 5)

"Total Agreement" Total Camcording"

Canon DC50?,....I can tell you everything you want to know about this amazing camcorder. A GREAT PRICE, FOR A GREAT CAMERA. AAH! you want to know more? JUST GO TO "REVIEW", READ Gabrieiio Bowie's "Nursie" Review, He says it all! Want more?...DON'T DELAY, BUY IT TODAY!...Then lets hear your SAY!
KEN 2E0KEG