January 28 - February 4 2001

All-in-one digital camcorder by Alessandro Cancian Among the many things Im unable to surrender is the digital camcorder. If you add up factors such as the birth of a daughter, parents thousands of kilometres away, and an amateur passion for short-movies, youll understand why. The advent of digital image processing brought us some really interesting technological products. Its now clear that a veritable revolution is underway, considering the huge interest that these gadgets command. Capable of good performance and nice image quality, digital camcorders are the links that were missing for so-called amateurs with no budget and in homemade studios, to become mini Spielbergs. One of the most interesting products on the market is the new Canon Elura 2. This terrific pocket-sized MiniDV camcorder can combine good performance and truly incredible portability. Sporting an ultra-compact design, the Elura 2 is the perfect successor to the original Canon Elura. Thanks to its reduced size, 1 7/8 x 4 1/8 x 3 3/8 in (48 x 106 x 86 mm), slightly larger that the palm of my hand, you can take the 0.39 kg camcorder almost anywhere, and the best part is that most of the time your subjects dont even realize theyre being filmed. This is a positive trait that can easily be underestimated but is really important when one is trying to capture spontaneous images. The Canon MiniDV sports a 10x optical zoom (40x digital zoom), allowing precise shooting of details. The electronic image stabilizer coming with the camcorder also allows high-quality image capture with operators in motion. Other features deserving mention include the 2.5-inch LCD display for immediate replay. The display is also perfect when one doesnt want to use the viewfinder, which sometimes prevents an accurate control of the surrounding area. The high-resolution rotating view screen is almost useless, however, if used outside in sunny days, requiring screening with a hand for images to be visible. A progressive scan CCD image sensor, a built-in speaker, LP recording mode (extending the duration of a MiniDV tape from 80 to 120 minutes), remote control, auto and manual focus, are other features of this Canon camcorder. The Elura 2 can capture full-motion video for playback on television or your computer, but thanks to the progressive-scan mode it can also work to capture still pictures as a digital camera and even combine them with videos. In terms of I/O ports, the Elura 2 has both an IEEE-1394 (FireWire or iLink) digital port, suitable for connections to latest-generation computers and downloading of movies, and analogue composite audio/video in-out ports. The Canon product also comes with an adapter module, which attaches to the bottom of the camcorder, and gives you even more connectivity options, such as an analogue S-video in-out, a mini-jack microphone in, a mini-jack headphone out, a LANC editing control jack allowing connections between the Elura 2 and an old editing system. Small size is not always an advantage and, in fact, one of the least pleasant aspects I found in the Elura 2 was the mode change key, located on one side of the device. Quite difficult to operate, the key requires awkward movements of the fingers, so most of the time I found it easier to use both hands. The quality of image reproduction is acceptable, especially in strong light. When light is not as strong, e.g. shooting interiors, detail reproduction suffers somewhat and many scenes need some computer retouching. The Elura 2 includes a variety of digital fades and effects, accessible through the control menu, for a more appealing look of the images. Many effects can be obtained directly on computer during editing, and are therefore useful only for people without a PC. Battery life raises little enthusiasm, and despite manufacturer claims of 45 minutes of operation between recharges, in my case it never lasted more than 35 minutes. Anyway, an optional battery pack, BP-422, extends that time to more than three hours for the viewfinder and two hours and 45 minutes for the LCD screen. The camcorder is bundled with a software package (both PC- and Mac-compatible) for computer editing of movies. It is also possible to use other packages such as iMovie, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere, according to the needs. Overall, the Elura 2 is a product of undisputed quality, although its price ($2400 CND) is not exactly affordable. If you are planning to purchase a camcorder, the Canon MiniDV deserves much more than a passing glance. For further information please visit www.canon.com

 

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