| While the Canon ZR10 is at the entry level of the Canon DV line, it still does a fine job. |
Digital video camera manufacturers are having a good run with their consumer level DV cameras. These cameras are extremely popular and the various manufacturers have many models to choose from. One that we take a look at is the Canon ZR10, the company's entry level DV camera for the consumer space. While many professionals see a consumer camera as worthless, cameras like the ZR10 do have a place in production work.
By today's standards,
the term professional, when talking about video cameras, is really
starting to blur with the advent of DV. Price is no longer a major
consideration as a nice DV package can be purchased for around $5000k.
With the exception of the number of chips and physical size, digital
video is digital video. While the Canon ZR10 is at the entry level
of the Canon DV line, it still does a fine job as a quick and easy
solution to capturing video for such applications as webcasting.Size Issues
Weighing in at 1lb 3 3/8 ounces and 2" x 4" x 5" in size, the Canon ZR10 is small and portable enough to take anywhere you need to capture video. This is a true palm cam that doesn't require any shoulder rest and can be held in just about any angle. This is also a drawback, as too often a light camera will pick up any vibration or motion from the human body and magnify it to create distorted video. If you are familiar with video compression, you know that one of the things that can ruin a good compression is shaky video. If you plan on using the Canon ZR10 for Web production (or any production for that matter), I highly recommend that a tripod be used whenever possible. Since weight isn't an issue, a good quality light-weight tripod can be purchased for around $40. Because of it's compact size, the camera and accessories, fit into a bag the size of most lunch boxes, and is definitely smaller than the allowed carry on size for airlines.