Reprinted from a Canon press release:
Whether it’s a family gathering, summer vacation or baby’s first steps, Canon’s new line up of entry- and mid-level Mini DV camcorders make precious memories easy to capture and easy to view. Available in March with estimated selling prices ranging from $549-$699, Canon’s new Mini DV megapixel camcorders – the Elura 80, Elura 85 and the Elura 90 – make it simple to capture both brilliant video and photos. Canon’s new entry-level ZR100, ZR200 and ZR300 models keep quality video recording affordable and will be available in February for estimated selling prices from $349-$499.
With Canon camcorders, consumers can easily access their home movies from a PC or TV. Canon now offers high resolution 16:9 Widescreen shooting mode in its new Mini DV camcorder line up, so consumers can capture native high-resolution 16:9 home videos and watch them on their widescreen televisions. Additionally, Canon features complementary operation with both Windows XP and Macintosh OS X operating systems, which, a using IEEE 1394 cable, allows people to easily connect and download their home movies onto a PC for viewing or editing.
According to The NPD Group, the Mini DV format accounts for nearly 55 percent of the total camcorder market. Today’s camcorder market is about 75 percent digital and 25 percent analog.
“Consumers are looking for a high quality, cost effective camcorder that allows them to easily transfer their video to a computer for editing or watch their footage on television,” said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the consumer-imaging group at Canon U.S.A. “As consumers move to new home theater systems, including 16:9 widescreen TVs, Canon wants them to know that there is a difference in camcorder brands. If they own, or are planning to buy a widescreen TV, they should consider a camcorder that captures their memories at the width of their TV.”
Elura: Video And Photos In An Easy To Use Package
Canon’s new ‘two-in-one’ Elura 90, Elura 85 and Elura 80 camcorders offer consumers the ability to capture Mini DV digital video and quality megapixel photos for estimated selling prices of $699, $599 and $549, respectively. These compact video cameras put the power of a movie studio in the palm of a hand with such features as Canon’s DV Photo Plus technology, Genuine Canon Optics and high-resolution 16:9 Widescreen Shooting mode.
Canon’s DV Photo Plus technology combines Canon’s core imaging essentials, creating video, still pictures and prints of superior clarity, color and brilliance. DV Photo Plus is the integration of Canon’s world-renowned optics and the company’s exclusive DIGIC DV image processor, a 1.33 megapixel CCD image sensor and the Print-And-Share feature that speeds still image transfer from Canon camcorders to computer or printer.
Canon’s latest generation of Elura camcorders now feature an LCD backlight and easy-to-find backlight button on the side of the camcorder, which improves visibility on sunny days. All three models now feature high-resolution 16:9 Widescreen formatted mode and an easy-to-find Widescreen mode button on the side panel. The camcorders now offer a new icon for Full Auto mode, which has changed from a green square on previous models, to now Easy.
The Elura models reflect Canon’s 70 year history as a camera company by incorporating features found on cameras, such as selectable focus points, auto exposure bracketing and a continuous shooting mode, which is great for shooting action. The Elura 85 and Elura 90 camcorders now include a built in flash to ensure excellent quality photos.
Canon has increased the zoom capacity on all three models, compared to their predecessors. The Elura 80 and Elura 85 models now feature 18x optical zoom lenses. Stepping up to the Elura 85 model, users gain a microphone terminal and Super Night Mode. The Elura 90 camcorder features a 20x zoom, and a built in mini video light. It also comes equipped with a wide attachment.
The Elura camcorders will come equipped with a wireless remote control; compact power adaptor; USB cable; stereo/video cable; a shoulder strap; NB-2LH Battery; eight-megabyte SD Memory Card and DV Solutions Disk.
ZR: Video Simplicity And Affordability
Canon’s ZR300, ZR200 and ZR100 camcorders are easy enough for any beginner to use anytime, anywhere and for any occasion and simple enough to turn memorable moments into family heirloom video.
Focused on creating a series of truly consumer-friendly Mini DV camcorders, Canon has added an array of new features to the ZR line that help to make the first-time user’s experience as fun and easy as possible, including a new streamlined design that is slimmer, more compact and lighter than previous ZR camcorders. The camcorders now offer a new icon for Full Auto mode, which has changed from a green square on previous models, to now Easy. Additionally, Canon has now added the high-resolution 16:9 Widescreen feature to the ZR camcorder line.
Canon’s new ZR100 (estimated selling price of $349) and ZR200 (estimated selling price of $399), camcorders now feature 20x optical zoom lenses. By stepping up from the ZR100 to the ZR200 model the consumer gains an SD card slot, XGA photo recording capability, PictBridge compatibility and selectable focusing points. By stepping up further to the new ZR300 camcorder (estimated selling price of $499), consumers will gain a 22x optical zoom, a wide converter and features the Super Night Mode.
The ZR camcorders will come equipped with a compact power adaptor; stereo/video cable; NB-2LH Battery. The ZR 200 and ZR300 models will also come with a remote control, USB cable, and DV Solutions Disk. The ZR 300 camcorder comes with an eight-megabyte SD Memory Card and a 0.7x wide-angle lens attachment.
Direct Printing with PictBridge Technology
Each of the new Elura and ZR camcorders are PictBridge compatible, facilitating direct printing with Canon’s CP330 and CP220 dye-sub card photo printers, Selphy SD700 photo printer, Canon PIXMA branded inkjet photo printers and photo all-in-one’s and any PictBridge compatible printer.
DV Messenger2 Software
Canon’s DV Messenger2 software (Windows XP only), which allows Canon camcorders to be used for Internet Video Chat through IEEE 1394 and using Windows XP’s Windows Messenger program, can be downloaded free of charge from Canon’s website, www.canondv.com. The DV Messenger2 software also facilitates sharing of video clips, transfer of digital photos and even control of the other person’s camcorder (only with their permission, of course).