1.2 Megapixel Image - 0.7 Megapixel Video - 16x Optical Zoom - 8 MB Secure Digital SD Card Included - MPN: 9479A001
Strengths: The brand, quality, still pictures image resolution and very good video recording quality.
Weakness: Maybe a little complicated for a first time camcorder owner like me, but then again the more I use it more the operations become easy.
This is my very first camcorder and I have done a lot of research before buying this. To begin with I compared it with nearly all the other leading brands of camcorders in the market. Following were a few of the biggest drawbacks of the closest competing brands: Sony – Too pricy for no apparent reason; Panasonic – Not enough features and in the same price range no equal still resolution; Samsung – Cheaper products but did not stand up to the quality standards; Sharp – Did not like the customer (& expert) reviews; JVC – Really the closest competitor and even had better prices in most aspects but got beat on the still image resolution and zoom (if I wasn’t such a loyal customer of Canon, it would definitely have been the cheaper and most competitive JVC). So I bought the Canon.
Elura 65 is truly and amazing product. It’s biggest selling point to me was the 1.33MP still image resolution. Since I would like to click my digi photos without having to carry 3 different products in my hand (digicam & camcorder), I was more inclined to buy a camcorder that allows me to do both. Agreed that I wont have very high res pictures with this camcorder but believe me 1.33 MP pictures are sufficient if you are just going to use them for record. Besides if you are looking for very high res still pictures then you should be looking at either 2 products in your hand or willing to shell out much more money that Elura 65.
Operations and setup was very simple, although very new to camcorders I found myself handling most basic aspects of the camcorder without even referring to the manual. An evening with the manual gave me all the information needed (actually more than I will actually use). Made a small video inside my house with slightly lower than normal house lighting, but surprisingly the quality of the video is crystal clear. There is a little initial graining when you move into darker rooms but it still managed to adjust very quickly to provide good quality video. The automatic mode functions very well and above satisfaction in most conditions The next morning I tried it outside, even though the conditions were total white-out (it was snowing out) the auto-exposure adjustment performed very well. Customizing the mode to snow conditions made the video quality even better. I am sure as I get comfy with the camcorder and start using the features optimally I will like it even better. Although too early to say… I am extremely pleased with the purchase. One important thing to consider in any camcorder purchase is the Optical Zoom. This is the actual zoom in any camera. The higher the optical zoom the better quality your tele-shots are. Don’t be fooled by the digital zoom features.
Still camera is simple to operate and easier to switch to (for dedicated still mode). You can also use the still photo features in the video mode. Agreed the resolution of the images won’t be high end, but it is good enough for 4x6 prints or emailing. I basically use my camcorder in conjunction with my PC and the enclosed software allows me to do that easily. However, please make sure there is a Firewire (IEEE 1394) connection socket on your PC. Many older PCs and laptops don’t have these.
So finally, the camera gives great functionality and quality at a very decent price (mine was below $425). Good brand backing to make you relaxed and above all really great looks and size (fits in my hand perfectly). Go for it.
If possible I will write another small review after 3-4 months of use.
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TopStrengths: very good picture both camera and camcorder, good lowlight picture, good stability, good zoom, compact. near perfect
Weakness: none.
i am extemely happy with the purchase of the canon elura 65 and would reccomend it to anyone. it has a very good picture capture, it is easy to operate, the menus are easy and the function buttons are easy to figure out.It has some really good features manual white balance and focus, an accessory shoe, wide angle lense attachment provision, analog in digital out and fire wire connection. the zoom is very good and picture stability is excellent. low light pictures are incredible. it looks so beautifull and fits into the palm so comfortably, congratulations to cannon on a perfect product.
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TopStrengths: small and light weight. excellent picture and video quality. easy to handle. 16X zoom
Weakness: a little motor noise when recording. short battery life
I am very satisfied with this camcorder. It's convenient and light weight, so it's perfect for travel and all kinds of activities.
It includes a short life battery, so I purchased a extended battery.
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TopStrengths: Light weight; Vivid color
I bought this camcorder for my cousin and he just loves it. I would say this compact digital camcorder is a good deal for a price around $400. The video stored in a miniDV tape is vivid and well balanced. But you may have some regrets if you record the video with the SD card, for it only has a maximum speed of 12 jpeg photos per second. Another shortcoming is that the hand strap is a little low and you wrist may feel not so comfortable. But anyway, you cannot expect too much from a camcorder at this price. Maybe I will buy a 2005 model of the same line for myself if Canon manages to overcome those drawbacks.
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TopStrengths: The picture quality is amazing. It also has very good stabilization compared to some of the others I tested.
Weakness: It would be nice if the battery lasted a little longer especially when using the LCD. I plan on purchasing an extended battery pack so that it won't be a problem in the future.
Overall I am extemely pleased with the product. It certainly is a step above most of the compariable price models. Canon does a very good job encorporating features into a camcorder that are easy to use especially for a beginer. I would recommed purchasing an extended battery pack if you are using it for events that are more than 1 1/2 hour long. I am happy about my purchase and I put a lot of time researching models and manufacturers.
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TopStrengths: Complete set of features for most home use - MIC, VCR (analig) to Digital conversion; light-weight;
Weakness: Basic operations are OK; Must read the manual to figure out how to use advanced functions;
Was able to use the camera for most part out of the box; Good video color quality for both inside and outside the house during the day and evenings. Easy to transfer recordings to computer and VCR; hard to images on LCD panel during bright light;
Quite happy with the purchase so far.
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TopStrengths: good features and nice zoom
Weakness: low light quality and difficult menu
i did'nt have much time to use all features but overall good quality camcorder i use it one time at night under normal room light but pictrues quality was not too good but at day time outdoors video is clear and sharp i suggest if canon make a seperate quick start page instead to read big manual book.
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TopStrengths: slick design,beautigful shape.great video quality in outdoor. and easy use
Weakness: only use firwire to funtion the webcam and download video from type.forcus take longer time.
first of all this is great DV for simple famly use.it is light and easy operate .it make perfect video in the out door. that video is good enough for most of the regulay home TV.but it was too small for computer view, but if u think about the price, you will accept it.this model take longer forcus time then same level panasonic mini-DV. i hope they will improve it late model.
best chorice for Mini-DV under $500
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TopStrengths: Bright, clear LCD display. Advanced features easy to learn and use. Good optical zoom. Small and light. Easy to use. Top loading tape
Weakness: Very poor low light performance. Very slow response time autofocusing. Short battery life
I purchased this DV Recorder based mostly on reviews on this site and on others. I paid $494.00 at Circuit City and was happy with the price. When I got it home I was initially pleased with the results. Christmas morning came and I set up the 65 on a tripod to recors my Daughter's first Christmas. To say I was unhappy with the results is an understatement. The video was shot in a living room with a good amount of natural light plus a christmas tree and 2 60W floor lamps turned on. This lighting is not what I would call "low" in my book. I shot about one half hour of continuous video and not only did the battery almost run out but the video came out terrible. The auto white balance kept flickering, the focus was off, the color was poorly reproduced, the video was quite grainy and most of the motion seemed to be slowed down and trailed.
I was so displeased with the Elura 65 that I went back to Circuit City and exchanged it for a Panasonic PV-GS120. They were nice enough not to charge me the 15% restocking fee they advertise. I reproduced the lighting in the same room and shot some comparison footage. The overall brightness was a bit better, the grain was less noticable, but the major difference was the perfect focus and complete lack of trails and that slow motion effect. This camera has a much better "low light" performance and would highly suggest spending the extra $100 or so for the Panasonic PV-GS120
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TopStrengths: Reasonable price, easy handle in palm, lots of features, top loading tape.
Weakness: Start up slow, complicated with so many features, battery life, low light performance, low picture quality.
I bought this Canon's camcorder because of its great price and functions. The first time I use it, problem occured. It failed to eject the Minitape, the tape jammed inside. So, I returned it and exchanged another model the next day. This camcorder is absolutely not reliable.
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TopHave owned the camera less than 3 months and am having to send it away for service. In my particular case, the tape eject mechanism fails to work properly. So too late to return to the place of purchase, the camera will need to be sent away for repair. Hoefully this is not a precursor to more problems, but it can't be a good sign.
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Canon Elura 65 Mini Dv Digital Camcorder receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 2.53 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #77 MiniDV camcorder of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market...
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The Canon Elura 65 is a miniDV camcorder that is a part of Canons line of Elura camcorders designed to be used for everday events, like a family vacation, graduation or the antics of your pet. This line of cameras is simple to use and has several features to ensure a high video and photo quality, such as Canons exclusive DIGIC DV image processor for accurate colors and DV Photo Plus fora superior...
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Looking for good video performance, decent manual controls and a camcorder that is easy to use? Perhaps you’ll find it in the Canon Elura 65, which sells for a suggested retail price of $799. The 65’s older sister, the Canon Elura 70, is nearly identical except for the 18x optical zoom lens and the $50 increase in price. The Elura 65 comes with a 16x optical zoom with 64x and 320x digital...
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With an MSRP of US$799 and a current street value of US$600, the Canon Elura 65 has some great options for consumers who like quality lenses, good video performance, and decent manual control. The Elura 65 is nearly identical to the Elura 70 except for the optical zoom: the Elura 65 has a 16x optical zoom, while the Elura 70 ships with an 18x optical zoom.
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Canon Elura 65 Digital Camcorder - 2.5" LCD - CCD
Strengths: Great optics, color reproduction, value. Lots of nice adds like 16x zoom, "hot" accessory shoe, plenty of inputs/outputs you'd expect on pricier models. Better lowlight performance than reviews said.
Weakness: Always like more zoom, but 16x is plenty. "Steadyshot" and "Nightshot" not quite as good as Sony's, but picture is crisper and less grainy than the Sony models. Much better than Panasonic and Samsung.
Really pleased and surprised by this model after comparing it in person to Panasonic's GS-15 and GS-120 and Sony's HandyCam 30 and 40. Reviews on camcorderinfo.com and epinions really slammed its lowlight performance, but it's really just fine in anything but pitchblack conditions. Fine for birthday parties and blowing out candles. Definitely worth the extra $$$ to move up from the Elura 60. Great product. Just love my two new Canon products (PowerShot A80 digi-cam and now the Elura 65).
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