Canon Optura 50 Camcorder Review


Canon Optura 50

The Canon Optura 50 combines extraordinary 2.2 megapixel performance with advanced controls for your digital photography.

Take control and capture your video and photographic memories the way you want to remember them - all with a single camera.

The Canon Optura 50 digital camcorder also lets you take as much or as little control over your video as you want with a wide range of automatic settings. With these advanced controls and automatic settings - along with an advanced, 9-point auto intelligent autofocus - there are no limits to your creativity. You always get the shot you want.

Not only that, the Optura 50 makes it easy for you to share your great shots. The camcorder connects with your computer effortlessly, letting you manage, stream and e-mail your memories for all to enjoy.

Canon Optura 50 Review:

Camcorder and Digital Camera in One

Canon's exclusive DIGIC DV signal processing circuit processes video and still images differently, so as not to compromise the quality of your video or digital photography. The two signals have different color requirements and DIGIC DV technology processes the two signals accordingly, giving you uncompromised results. That means video images that are maximized for viewing on TV, and digital photographs that look brilliant on computer displays or as prints. DIGIC DV is just one of Canon's DV Photo Plus technologies that help to unleash the performance potential of the Optura 50.

Canon Optura 50 Mini DV: Unsurpassed Optical Quality

A part of every Canon product are genuine Canon optics, and the Optura 50 is no exception. You get the same clarity, brilliance and vivid color that advanced amateurs and professionals have come to expect from the genuine Canon optics in 35mm film cameras and broadcast TV cameras. Genuine Canon optics is just one of the DV Photo Plus technologies that make the Optura 50 such a stand-out performer.

The Canon Optura 50 comes with a 10x optical zoom which is enhanced by the camcorder's 200X digital zoom, giving you an impressive zoom range found on more expensive cameras.

Canon Optura 50: 2.2 Megapixel Performance

One of the reasons the Optura 50 delivers stunningly vivid and sharp video and still (1632 x 1224) images is its 2.2 megapixel CCD. It's one of the DV Photo Plus technologies that ensure outstanding results.

In the Optura 50, this performance is combined with Canon's advanced RGB primary color filter. Other camcorders process color using a standard CMYG filter, resulting in duller colors. Canon's RGB filter separates light into its red, green and blue components, resulting in professional-quality images with natural-looking tones and vivid hues.

Together, the 2.2 megapixel CCD and RGB color filter deliver uncompromisingly brilliant results.

One Touch Photo Downloading and Printing

Print amd Share, one of the powerful Canon DV Photo Plus technologies, makes possible downloading and printing in a snap.

Print and Share does just that - with the touch of a single button, you can print digital photographs from your Optura camcorder directly to a Canon CP-series photo printer or Canon Bubble Jet direct printer (or any Pictbridge-compatible printer). Simply connect your Optura camcorder to your printer using the supplied USB cable (USB 2.0 full speed). Wait for the button to light up, press it, and you've got a print to share with family and friends.

With Print and Share, your Optura has all the controls you need for reviewing and rotating images, cropping, or selecting borderless prints. And, because your Optura tags each photo with exif 2.2 information, poor lighting and other mistakes are corrected in the printer automatically.

You can also share your photos by quickly and easily downloading them to your computer - with the same touch of a button - for archiving and e-mailing. Your Optura also supports Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP). That means your computer can access your camcorder as if it were an external card reader - without installing additional software. (minimum system requirements: Windows XP, or Mac OS X, version 10.1) With the Optura 50, it's easy to share the memories.

Canon Optura 50: More Control for Perfect Photos

Not only does the Opturas' DIGIC DV technology help you take great photos from your camcorder, a wide array of advanced photo controls ensure beautiful results. Controls include:

* Auto Exposure Bracketing: gives you 3 shots automatically; one normal, one over-exposed, and one under-exposed.

* 3 Metering Modes: for the advanced photographer shooting under a variety of lighting conditions. Evaluative, center-weighted average, and spot.

* 4 Image Settings: to match your subject; vivid, neutral, low sharpening, soft skin detail.

* Built-in Flash: for low light and interior photography.

* Continuous Shooting Mode: for sports, action, or kids just having fun; 3 frames per second (1632 x 1224), 5 frames per second (1280 x 960).

* Photo Review Button: so you know if you got the shot or not.

Canon Optura 50: A Shooting Mode for Every Situation

You can get the help you need for the perfect video or photo. The Optura 50 gives you different settings that automatically give you the best exposure settings for different conditions, OR gives you control so you get the exact image you're after. Shooting Modes include 6 new Scene Modes: Foliage, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Sunset and Spotlight. Each adjusts your camcorder's settings to compensate for different lighting conditions and different subjects.

And, when you want to be in control of depth of field, the Optura 50 gives you an AV (Aperture Priority) setting so you can select the aperture of the lens. And, the TV (Shutter Priority) setting lets you select a faster shutter speed so you get sharp, crisp images of fast-moving action.

Low light levels won't stop you either. With the Optura's Night Mode, the sensitivity of the camera's CCD is automatically boosted and the shutter speed is lowered to give you better performance in dim conditions.

Canon Optura 50: From Camera to Computer with Ease

Show and share your memories that much faster by storing your digital photographs on the MultiMediaCard connected to your camera's built-in memory card slot. Then, transfer the images to your computer for archiving, editing and printing. In the same card slot, you can also use an SD (Secure Digital) memory card.

You can also record Motion JPEG movie clips to your memory cards, transfer them to your computer, and e-mail or stream them over the web.When using an SD Memory Card, you can record for the full length of the card. That's a 60 minute movie with a 512MB card. (With MultiMediaCards, movie clips are limited to 10 seconds in 320 x 240 resolution, and 30 seconds in 160 x 120.)

Canon Optura 50 MiniDV: Say Goodbye to Unsteady, Out of Focus Images

Image stabilization lets you capture the shot, whether you're taping or photographing sports, fun and games at your child's birthday party, or shooting at a long focal length. Your shot will also be in focus - even if your subject isn't in the center of the frame - because there are 9 Autofocus points to lock on to your subject.

Canon Optura 50: Give Your Shots the Widescreen Look

With the Optura's high resolution, 16:9 Widescreen Mode - a feature typically found on more expensive camera systems, you can have it whenever you need it. And in widescreen mode, the LCD viewscreen gives you a letterbox-style display for accurate composition.

What's in the Box:

* Canon Optura 50 body

* Battery pack NB-2LH

* Compact power adapter CA-570

* Stereo video cable STV-250N

* Wireless controller WL-D85

* MultiMediaCard MMC-16

* USB cable IFC-300PCU

* Shoulder strap SS-900

* Digital video solution disk for Windows and Macintosh

If you want to buy this camcorder, I recommend you to do it at Amazon. Buying is easy, shipping is fast, plus it has really low prices and a very good customer service. The link to Amazon is: Canon Optura 50 Camcorder Review