Canon Optura 500 MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom
Details
- Availability:
- No longer available through SilverGelatin.net
- List Price:
- $1,499.99
- Average Customer Rating:
- 4.5 out of 5
- Manufacturer:
- Canon
Features
- MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 2.2-megapixel CCD
- 10x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 200x) and image stabilizer
- Measures just 2.1 x 4.2 x 4.0 inches and weighs 1.2 pounds
- 2.5-inch LCD with 180-degree rotation
- Mini video light, ring light adapter for close-up shot, USB 2.0 connectivity
Description
From summer escapes to winter wonderlands, life is meant to be savored. That's why Canon created the Optura 500 digital camcorder. Enjoy the convenience of holding a digital video camcorder and digital camera all in one hand. Low and compact, the Optura 500 camcorder features a swivel grip and palm pad... perfect comfort when shooting long days at sporting events or marathon birthday parties. For those desiring stunning 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 complete with features normally reserved for higher-end professional camcorders and cameras. Shoot, watch, print and share your favorite memories in vivid clarity and stunning color. Best of all, the Optura camcorders are easy to use, allowing you to enjoy every second of every moment.
Canon raises the stakes for all-in-one digital imaging devices with the release 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 high-resolution digital stills. Shorter and more lightweight than its predecessors, the brushed silver Optura 500 weighs just 1.2 pounds with tape and battery and measures 2.1 x 4.2 x 4.0 inches. Like its sibling, the Optura 500 offers 2.2-megapixel resolution for fine video and photo details, a 10x optical zoom lens, image stabilization, built-in SD/MMC memory card slot, and PictBridge compatibility for direct printing of still photos to compatible printers. The Optura 500 also adds a higher resolution LCD, mini video light, ring light adapter for close-up shots, MPEG4 video for email and Web, and USB 2.0 connectivity for streaming.
Optics and Resolution
The Optura 500 has a 2.2-megapixel CCD, which produces 1230K effective pixels for video and 2 million effective pixels for still photos, for images up to 1623 x 1224 pixels (good enough for print enlargements up to 8 x 10 inches). Canon's camcorder lens features the same quality found in 35mm and broadcast TV cameras, and the Optura 500 has a 10x optical zoom lens that delivers good definition and contrast as well as a 200x digital zoom. In addition, the lenses feature a unique spectral coating to reduce flare and ghosting, resulting in optimal indoor and outdoor shots.
The RGB Primary Color Filter separates light passing through the lens into red, green and blue color components providing similar color quality found in professional 3 CCD camcorders, yielding truer more natural looking colors. Canon's DIGIC DV signal processing circuit makes it possible to achieve accurate color for both video and digital photos. Since video and digital photos have different color requirements, DIGIC DV utilizes two different color techniques to maximize video quality on a TV and still image quality for print or computer display.
Shooting Video
With the high-resolution 16:9 widescreen mode, the Optura 500 utilizes the entire width of the CCD (unlike some systems that electronically stretch the picture vertically) retaining image quality and providing a wider horizontal angle of view that is ideal for creating a theater-like experience. A variety of Program Auto Exposure settings allow for easy, optimal shooting in a wide range of lighting situations. The Optura 500 is also equipped with Manual Audio Level Control, commonly found only on prosumer camcorder models, and a swivel grip and palm pad, providing maximum comfort when shooting for long periods of time.
Offering improved compression over Motion JPEG, the Optura 500's advanced MPEG4 allows you to record the full length of your SD Card in high-quality 325 x 288 resolution.
Still Photos
The Optura 500 saves still image files to Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards (an 8 MB card is included with the camcorder). It offers a number of photographic controls that make it easy to get the right shot, including:
- Selectable Focusing Points for bringing off-center subjects into sharp focus
- Continuous Shooting Mode enables rapid fire shooting--up to 3 frames-per-second (1632 x 1224) or up to 5 frames-per-second (1280 x 960, 640 x 480)
- Simultaneous Photo Recording lets you capture e-mail ready digital photos (640 x 480) while you record video
- Auto Exposure Bracketing lets you shoot three photos-Ñnormal, underexposed and overexposed--with the press of one button
- The Built-in flash with Red-Eye Reduction is perfect for taking photos at night, indoors, or filling in shadows
- Horizontal & Vertical Trimming Function and Photo Review Function allow you to make edits directly in the camcorder
- Stitch Assist enables you to capture and create breathtaking 360-degree panoramas
- The Skin Detail Mode helps you take complimentary close-ups of people by softening details and reducing skin imperfections
Other Features
A Mini Video Light allows you to shoot up to 4.9 feet away in total darkness. It can be switched on in any Program mode. For shooting close-up subjects (less than 12 inches away), the supplied Ring Light Adapter provides even illumination and prevents shadows.
The advanced Image Stabilization system works behind the scenes even when youÕre panning and zooming, shooting videos or photos. The Optura 500's large, high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD (211,000 pixels versus the Optura 400's 123,000 pixels) and color viewfinder helps you compose shots from any angle.
With the press of the Night Mode button, the camcorder automatically selects a slow shutter speed and increases the sensitivity of the CCD to brighten the image, while still preserving color. Two additional low-light settings can be assigned to the Night Mode button--Super Night Mode and Night++ Mode. When selected, Super Night Mode automatically triggers the white LED Lamp when needed to enhance the subject for shooting. Night++ Mode is used in the toughest lighting situations, keeping the white LED Lamp on all the time.
Connectivity
The Optura 500 connects to Macs and Windows-based PCs via a Firewire terminal (also known as iLink or IEEE1394), enabling high video and audio quality during duplication or editing. It's also equipped with a high-speed USB 2.0 terminal, which Windows Movie Maker2 supports, for video footage transfer and DV streaming.
An Analog Line-in/Out with Analog/Digital Converter allows you to easily transform your analog memories into digital, all in real-time. The camcorder also features a Network Mode, which enables you to remotely control your camcorder through the DVÊMessenger2 software application. Control the focus and zoom of your camcorder from a computer while streaming the video via its Firewire terminal.
What's in the Box
This package contains the Optura 500 digital video camcorder, rechargeable battery pack (NB-2LH), power adapter (CA-570), wireless controller (WL-D84), A/V cable, 8 MB SD memory card, USB 2.0 cable, ring light adapter, and Digital Video Solution CD-ROM, which includes:
- Pinnacle Studio gives you every tool you need to easily capture video to your computer, edit footage, add titles, music, narration and special effects and then output the finished movie back to videotape, DVD or the web.
- Pinnacle Instant Album can help you quickly organize your digital photos and video clips into interactive, high-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 |
| Resolution | 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 Light | No | Yes |
| Web Movies | Motion JPEG Mode | MPEG4 |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
| SD/MMC Card Slot | Yes | Yes |
Spotlight customer reviews
The best of the best.
[ Posted: 2005-07-21 ]
I have been using this camcorder for about a week now and
all I can say is WOW.
If you are looking for great video, pictures, and small size, then this is for you.
I could go into a long and boring review, but who will read it.
Just buy it if you want beautiful movies.
Lots of features, fine video and good stills
[ Posted: 2004-10-20 ]
I became a fan of Canon products after being so very pleased with their S40 digital still camera and S9000 large-format inkjet, which have both proven to be excellent. 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 just in time for me to acquire one and get familiar with it before my trip. Having used it quite a bit in a wide range of conditions during two weeks in Spain, I am very pleased with it and can strongly recommend it to anyone who wants a camcorder that offers really good optics and more than just basic features.
I'll start with the weak points I have observed, since they may be of most interest to prospective buyers. This unit is positioned by Canon as a camcorder that is quite capable as a still camera. This is essentially true, but you should be aware that the flash on this camera is mediocre. The light produced by the flash does not provide pleasing color, and it is weak, with insufficient and uneven spread to provide proper illumination for a large subject, or anything more than a dozen feet away.
Another weak point is the Night Mode, which is not quite as fabulous as Canon might have you believe. On the one hand, it is amazing how the camera can increase its light sensitivity to record images in quite dark situations, such as a dimly-lit restaurant or deep woods. On the other hand, if your subject is moving at all then the image may have stutters and streaks to the point of being unusable.
Overall, however, I have been quite pleased with this camcorder, and it has far more strengths than weaknesses. I'll just list some briefly:
* I am particularly glad to have the very fine 16:9 (widescreen) shooting mode.
* The built-in video light, while a bit weak, is a welcome feature and can make the difference between capturing a usable image or not.
* While stills from my S40 4.2-megapixel still camera are clearly superior to the 2.2-megapixel stills from the Optura 500 (no surprise there), the Optura's have nice color and detail.
* I love being able to get good focus within inches of a subject -- great for close-ups of flowers and critters.
* The many controls are easy to use, especially the main buttons for turning on the camera and shooting. Most of the adjustments you might need to make quickly can be done via buttons, rather than thru menus and submenus.
* The automatic settings provide excellent results, but it is also possible to manually adjust many parameters, such as focus and exposure.
* Another feature I especially like for shooting stills is Auto Exposure Bracketing. Rather than lose the shot while fiddling around trying to get the right exposure set, you can just quickly run off three successive shots at different exposures and then choose the one that you like best later on.
* The camera is quite compact and light, with a well-made metal case.
* There are several lenses and filters available from Canon and other companies for this model. Unless your subject is always a person or fairly small item, I very strongly recommend 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 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 card as well as to tape.
* The manual was clearly not authored by Americans, but it is quite thorough, with decent illustrations.
In closing, I will mention that video and stills shot with this camera of both indoor and outdoor scenes, from museums and dark cathedrals to marketplaces and beaches, all look great. If I were to start my search for a camcorder in this class, I think I would choose the Optura 500 again.
Wish-list items for the Optura 500's successor:
* Increase the size of stills to 3 megapixels.
* Improve 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 light 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 ability to manually set the starting exposure and exposure range on the AEB, and a "vivid" color shooting mode for subjects like swimming pools and gardens.