I have been searching on line and elsewhere for a good camcorder as 1) a replacement for my JVC GR-D70U, which died, and 2) to go online with a video blog. I was attracted to the Cannon ZR800 due to the very small size and very low cost. However, you get what you pay for, although you get much more in other brands for just a little increase in cost. The smallest problem with the Canon is the continued motor noise, which you should be aware of it if you have read any review for any of the ZR800 predecessors. The problem is that the motor is very loud, and you will hear a very annoying whirr if you are indoors. This could be forgivable given the low cost, but the problem with the zoom noise is not. When you zoom in and out, a very noticable clicking noise occurs when you let go of the zoom switch. It is a loud click and when you play back your video this click is amplified on your video. I chose the Canon ZR800 based the presence of an external microphone jack (which was one of my “must-have” options). Hoping against hope, I played the tape back, and, just as I feared, the tape had a pronounced hiss. This is not just tape hiss, but a much more pronounced noise, which transfers to the TV when watching. It is impossible to watch a video and not notice this click. It is annoying, unusual and a big flaw with these new ZR Cannon camcorders. It rendered the camcorder totally unacceptable.

Product Features

* Includes - ZR800 Camcorder, Battery Pack BP-2L5, Compact Power Adapter CA-590, Stereo Video Cable STV-250N
* 35x Optical and 1000x Digital Zoom
* Lens - Focal length 2.6-91mm, f/2.0 - 5.0
* Image Stabilization - Shoot Steady Video even without a tripod for professional looking videos
* Smooth Zoom Control - 3 pre-set zoom speeds

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