Canon Optura 500 MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
List Price: $1,499.99
Details
- 2.5-inch LCD with 180-lengths rotation
- Mini video faint, ring light adapter for close-up shot, USB 2.0 connectivity
- 10x visual zoom lens (digital zoom to 200x) and image stabilizer
Description
From summer escapes to winter wonderlands, life-force is meant to be savored. That's why Canon created the Optura 500 digital camcorder. Make merry the convenience of holding a digital video camcorder and digital camera all in one imminent. Low and compact, the Optura 500 camcorder features a swivel grip and palm pad... complete comfort when shooting long days at sporting events or marathon birthday parties. For those desiring glorious videos and photos, supreme ease-of-use and powerful versatility, Canon's Optura 500 camcorder has it all. Incorporating Canon's latest digital technologies, the Optura 500 digital camcorder comes total with features normally reserved for higher-end professional camcorders and cameras. Sprout, watch, print and share your favorite memories in vivid limpidity and stunning color. Best of all, the Optura camcorders are easy to use, allowing you to take to every second of every moment.Canon raises the stakes for all-in-one digital imaging devices with the let out of the Canon Optura 500 (and the companion Optura 400; see a comparison table at the end), which is as adept at shooting digital video as it is snapping outrageous-resolution digital stills. Shorter and more lightweight than its predecessors, the brushed silvery Optura 500 weighs just 1.2 pounds with tape and freestyle and measures 2.1 x 4.2 x 4.0 inches. Like its sibling, the Optura 500 offers 2.2-megapixel deliberateness for fine video and photo details, a 10x optical zoom lens, metaphor stabilization, built-in SD/MMC memory card slot, and PictBridge compatibility for honest printing of still photos to compatible printers. The Optura 500 also adds a higher perseverance LCD, mini video light, ring light adapter for thick as thieves-up shots, MPEG4 video for email and Web, and USB 2.0 connectivity for streaming.
Optics and Detailing
The Optura 500 has a 2.2-megapixel CCD, which produces 1230K effective pixels for video and 2 million remarkable pixels for still photos, for images up to 1623 x 1224 pixels (well-thought-of enough for print enlargements up to 8 x 10 inches). Canon's camcorder lens features the same rank found in 35mm and broadcast TV cameras, and the Optura 500 has a 10x optical zoom lens that delivers gracious definition and contrast as well as a 200x digital zoom. In addition, the lenses take a unique spectral coating to reduce flare and ghosting, resulting in optimal indoor and outside shots.
The RGB Primary Color Filter separates light glancing by the way through the lens into red, green and blue color components providing comparable color quality found in professional 3 CCD camcorders, yielding truer more routine looking colors. Canon's DIGIC DV signal processing circuit makes it on to achieve accurate color for both video and digital photos. Since video and digital photos have diverse color requirements, DIGIC DV utilizes two different color techniques to broaden video quality on a TV and still image quality for print or computer display.
Shooting Video
With the grand-resolution 16:9 widescreen mode, the Optura 500 utilizes the absolute width of the CCD (unlike some systems that electronically stretch the picture vertically) retaining idol quality and providing a wider horizontal angle of view that is idyllic for creating a theater-like experience. A variety of Program Sports car Exposure settings allow for easy, optimal shooting in a major range of lighting situations. The Optura 500 is also equipped with Manual Audio Rank Control, commonly found only on prosumer camcorder models, and a swivel rule and palm pad, providing maximum comfort when shooting for long periods of all at once.
Offering improved compression over Motion JPEG, the Optura 500's campaigner MPEG4 allows you to record the full length of your SD Card in high-importance 325 x 288 resolution.
Still Photos
The Optura 500 saves still figure files to Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards (an 8 MB union card is included with the camcorder). It offers a number of photographic controls that charge it easy to get the right shot, including:
- Selectable Focusing Points for bringing off-fore subjects into sharp focus
- Continuous Shooting Mode enables immediate fire shooting--up to 3 frames-per-second (1632 x 1224) or up to 5 frames-per-following (1280 x 960, 640 x 480)
- Simultaneous Photo Recording lets you capture e-letters ready digital photos (640 x 480) while you record video
- Vehicle Exposure Bracketing lets you shoot three photos-Ñnormal, underexposed and overexposed--with the pressure of one button
- The Built-in flash with Red-Eye Reduction is perfect for taking photos at evening, indoors, or filling in shadows
- Horizontal & Vertical Trimming Aim and Photo Review Function allow you to make edits as soon as in the camcorder
- Stitch Assist enables you to capture and create genius 360-degree panoramas
- The Skin Detail Mode helps you take laudatory close-ups of people by softening details and reducing skin imperfections
Other Features
A Mini Video Light allows you to propel up to 4.9 feet away in total darkness. It can be switched on in any Program SOP. For shooting close-up subjects (less than 12 inches away), the supplied Bracelet Light Adapter provides even illumination and prevents shadows.
The objector Image Stabilization system works behind the scenes even when youÕre panning and zooming, shooting videos or photos. The Optura 500's husky, high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD (211,000 pixels versus the Optura 400's 123,000 pixels) and feel ashamed viewfinder helps you compose shots from any angle.
With the press of the Vespers all the time Mode button, the camcorder automatically selects a slow shutter assist and increases the sensitivity of the CCD to brighten the image, while still preserving color. Two other low-light settings can be assigned to the Night Mode button--Wonderful Night Mode and Night++ Mode. When selected, Super Round-the-clock Mode automatically triggers the white LED Lamp when needed to strengthen the subject for shooting. Night++ Mode is used in the toughest lighting situations, keeping the virginal LED Lamp on all the time.
Connectivity
The Optura 500 connects to Macs and Windows-based PCs via a Firewire module (also known as iLink or IEEE1394), enabling high video and audio characteristic during duplication or editing. It's also equipped with a high-speed USB 2.0 end of the line, which Windows Movie Maker2 supports, for video footage turn over and DV streaming.
An Analog Line-in/Out with Analog/Digital Converter allows you to away transform your analog memories into digital, all in real-time. The camcorder also features a Network Approach, which enables you to remotely control your camcorder through the DVÊMessenger2 software bearing. Control the focus and zoom of your camcorder from a computer while streaming the video via its Firewire terminus.
What's in the Box
This package contains the Optura 500 digital video camcorder, rechargeable freestyle pack (NB-2LH), power adapter (CA-570), wireless controller (WL-D84), A/V telegram, 8 MB SD memory card, USB 2.0 cable, ring be exposed adapter, and Digital Video Solution CD-ROM, which includes:
- Pinnacle Studio gives you every tool you paucity to easily capture video to your computer, edit footage, add titles, music, portrayal and special effects and then output the finished movie back to videotape, DVD or the web.
- Crown Instant Album can help you quickly organize your digital photos and video clips into interactive, gamy-resolution slideshows that can then be burned onto CD and DVD or watched on your TV with Instant PhotoAlbum
Comparison: Optura 400 and 500 Major Features
| Feature | Optura 400 | Optura 500 |
| Verdict | 2.2 Megapixels | 2.2 Megapixels |
| Optical Zoom | 10x | 10x |
| LCD | 2.5 inches, 123,000 pixels | 2.5 inches, 211,000 pixels |
| USB Connectivity | USB 1.1 | USB 2.0 |
| Mini Video Make known be revealed | No | Yes |
| Web Movies | Motion JPEG Mode | MPEG4 |
| Built-in Burst out | Yes | Yes |
| SD/MMC Card Slot | Yes | Yes |
Customer Reviews
The superior of the best.I have been using this camcorder for about a week now and
all I can say is WOW.
If you are looking for significant video, pictures, and small size, then this is for you.
I could go into a long and boring re-examination, but who will read it.
Just buy it if you want beautiful movies.
Lots of features, fair video and good stills
I became a fan of Canon products after being so very on cloud nine with their S40 digital still camera and S9000 large-format inkjet, which have both proven to be choice. So, when it was time to acquire a new camcorder for my honeymoon, I made sure to see what Canon had to offer. Fortunately, the Optura 500 came out fair in time for me to acquire one and get familiar with it before my trip. Having used it undoubtedly a bit in a wide range of conditions during two weeks in Spain, I am very pleased with it and can strongly second it to anyone who wants a camcorder that offers really good optics and more than moral basic features.
I'll start with the weak points I have observed, since they may be of most interest to approaching buyers. This unit is positioned by Canon as a camcorder that is quite capable as a still camera. This is truly true, but you should be aware that the flash on this camera is mediocre. The light produced by the shimmer does not provide pleasing color, and it is weak, with insufficient and uneven spread to take measures proper illumination for a large subject, or anything more than a dozen feet in a different place.
Another weak point is the Night Mode, which is not quite as fabulous as Canon might have you maintain. On the one hand, it is amazing how the camera can increase its light sensitivity to register images in quite dark situations, such as a dimly-lit restaurant or profoundly woods. On the other hand, if your subject is moving at all then the image may have stutters and streaks to the speck of being unusable.
Overall, however, I have been quite pleased with this camcorder, and it has far more strengths than weaknesses. I'll honest list some briefly:
* I am particularly glad to have the very fine 16:9 (widescreen) shooting fad.
* The built-in video light, while a bit weak, is a welcome feature and can survive the difference between capturing a usable image or not.
* While stills from my S40 4.2-megapixel still camera are demonstrably superior to the 2.2-megapixel stills from the Optura 500 (no surprise there), the Optura's have keen color and detail.
* I love being able to get good focus within inches of a enthral -- great for close-ups of flowers and critters.
* The many controls are unexacting to use, especially the main buttons for turning on the camera and shooting. Most of the adjustments you might necessary to make quickly can be done via buttons, rather than thru menus and submenus.
* The automatic settings state look after excellent results, but it is also possible to manually adjust many parameters, such as convergence and exposure.
* Another feature I especially like for shooting stills is Car Exposure Bracketing. Rather than lose the shot while fiddling around trying to get the truthful exposure set, you can just quickly run off three successive shots at different exposures and then on the one that you like best later on.
* The camera is quite compact and come, with a well-made metal case.
* There are several lenses and filters available from Canon and other companies for this standard. Unless your subject is always a person or fairly small item, I very strongly stand up for a wide-angle lens, which will let you capture a lot more of a room or scene without waving the camera around.
* The included 8meg MMC condolence card is too small to be of much use, but you can get them in capacities up to at least 512 megs at this point, and you can record video to the calling-card as well as to tape.
* The manual was clearly not authored by Americans, but it is quite particular, with decent illustrations.
In closing, I will mention that video and stills sniper with this camera of both indoor and outdoor scenes, from museums and dark cathedrals to marketplaces and beaches, all look significant. If I were to start my search for a camcorder in this class, I think I would choose the Optura 500 again.
Order-list items for the Optura 500's successor:
* Increase the size of stills to 3 megapixels.
* Remodel the quality and strength of the flash, and position it so that it is not cut off by add-on lenses.
* Add another bulb to the built-in video put on lighten to double the light output and make this feature much more usable.
* Add a few more software features from your still cameras, such as the aptitude to manually set the starting exposure and exposure range on the AEB, and a "vivid" redden shooting mode for subjects like swimming pools and gardens.
