Canon is one of the most reliable brands out there. Their cameras are all top notch. While it's true that they don't have the unbelievably quality lenses of some other brands, their components are high quality across the board and don't leave you in a pinch. I've noticed that my friends that use Canons replace them much less than my friends with other brands. Plus, you can feel legit with a Canon because so many professionals use them. Like I said earlier, the lens on this camcorder won't blow you away. But it's good quality and produces decent clarity. It has fairly good optical zoom and like most Canons, it has a great digital zoom, though that should be avoided if you are a stickler for quality like I am. Exceeding the optical zoom often results in poorer quality images and less definition. This camera has the capability to capture action, making it a good choice for parents who want to film their kids sporting events, recitals and so on.

grantorrin

Alpine, UT

I bought this camcorder on eBay for much less than the retail price. I was very happy with my purchase and intented to try it out immediately. I found that the camcorder shot video very well and was extremely pleased that it would also shoot fast moving video. I loved the fact that the camera is very user friendly. After only a few minutes reading the manual I was able to shoot video and after some of my own experimentation I had figured out most of the buttons and different features on the camera. The camera is also compatible with my video editing software (Windows video editing) and I found that I could add titles and captions to all of my recently shot video. It also records on a mini dvd so I can simply take my raw footage and watch it on my tv or my computer. All in all, I love this camera and it has been a great buy for me. It is very sturdy and I have a feeling that I will be shooting a lot more video with camera in the years to come.

raomeenas

Cordova, TN

I was real close to purchasing one of the Sony offerings until I read the CR review. I purchased this camera kit on Black Friday for 200.00 and it included a Canon bag and 5 DVD's. Some have complained about lack of USB support but its not hard to copy the DVD to your hard drive and convert the Codec to JPEG. I would suggest using the following conversion software: [...]. Not all work but this one does. Also, do not use Memorex, or Sony DVD-RW discs. Maxell works fine. I would agree that Flash Drive Camcorders are easier to load to a PC, but its also very convenient to shoot a disc and immediately load it into a DVD player as this does. The Hybrids are nice but I suspect they have sacrified other elements to allow both formats in the same package for a low price. Overall I am happy with my purchase. One more thing, when you budget for a camcorder and you are reasonably serious

BalaSubramanian

New Providence, NJ

i recieved this camcorder as a gift a couple of Christmas' ago and I have used this Canon camcorder at least once a month since.  I love this product.  The camcorder is lightweight and so easy to use.  I have not had to look at the instruction manual once because it is that simple.  The picture and sound quality are outstanding and make my home movies look great.  I have a newborn daughter and I want to make sure that I am capturing our memories on a good quality device and I have found it in this camcorder.  I love that you are able to watch what you recorded on the device and make sure that everything looks ok.  It is so small and compact that I can throw it in my purse and take it with me anywhere.  The battery has a very long life and this is helpful when you want to shoot something for a long time.  I would definitely recommend this camcorder to a friend because I think that it is worth the money. 

sbetteridge

Dublin, PA