Canon Optura 20 Mini DV Camcorder
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- Recording System: NTSC
- Camcorder Type: Digital
- Recording Media: Mini DV
- Optical Zoom: 16x
- Weight: 1.4 lb.
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good camera for you if you plan on buying external light and mike
Pros
small size, good quality in a good light, many extra features
Cons
motor noise, bad quality in dark places.
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
For those who anyway prefer to use external light and external microphone the Canon Optura20 will be a good quality camera.
Before this camera I had Sony DCR-TRV120 digital8 camera, but it broke after 2 years and I didn't have any additional warranty to repair it. So I compare Canon Optura with my previous Sony camcorder.
Before I bought the Canon camcorder I red reviews about Canon ZR-series cameras. People were complaining about motor noise and I decided to try Canon optura instead. I was so sure that I will like it that I ordered it through Internet. I had to pay 10% restocking fee when I returned it to the store. I decided to return it by 2 reasons.
First, motor noise on recorded tape was definitely bigger then on Sony's camcorder. But it was ok, I would keep the camera if this would be only minus.
The second thing is that I could not use the built in light at all. There are 3 night modes there. 2 of them don't use built in light and one - supernight mode - uses light. And no one mode was as good as Sony's nightshot mode. Although Sony has green color in a nightshot mode but at least you can see things. In Canon's supernight mode you can't tape anything moving because in this case you will not see the object at all, you will see just trails of that object. It will be all smudged ( I am not sure how to say better, it is probably very slow shutter speed. And in night mode you can't adjust the shutter speed.) With the other 2 night modes there is same situation, just a little bit better. Anyway I didn't want to pay for something what will not be used at all, like these night modes. I didn't want to spend $600 for the camera and then $200 for a mic and a light.
I decided to go with Sony DCR-TRV250. It is $200 cheaper but I like this camera. Nightshot is much much better.
And I don't need many additional features. I just need basic taping. I even never use computer, just always copy my digital8 tapes to VHS tapes.
Before I bought the Canon camcorder I red reviews about Canon ZR-series cameras. People were complaining about motor noise and I decided to try Canon optura instead. I was so sure that I will like it that I ordered it through Internet. I had to pay 10% restocking fee when I returned it to the store. I decided to return it by 2 reasons.
First, motor noise on recorded tape was definitely bigger then on Sony's camcorder. But it was ok, I would keep the camera if this would be only minus.
The second thing is that I could not use the built in light at all. There are 3 night modes there. 2 of them don't use built in light and one - supernight mode - uses light. And no one mode was as good as Sony's nightshot mode. Although Sony has green color in a nightshot mode but at least you can see things. In Canon's supernight mode you can't tape anything moving because in this case you will not see the object at all, you will see just trails of that object. It will be all smudged ( I am not sure how to say better, it is probably very slow shutter speed. And in night mode you can't adjust the shutter speed.) With the other 2 night modes there is same situation, just a little bit better. Anyway I didn't want to pay for something what will not be used at all, like these night modes. I didn't want to spend $600 for the camera and then $200 for a mic and a light.
I decided to go with Sony DCR-TRV250. It is $200 cheaper but I like this camera. Nightshot is much much better.
And I don't need many additional features. I just need basic taping. I even never use computer, just always copy my digital8 tapes to VHS tapes.
