The Canon VIXIW HF R700 is an overall good camera and works amazingly in the day light, During the night or low dim areas, you could still see a bit of a decrease in quality but that is just natural when it comes to camcorders for consumer use.

The sub $1000 camcorder market is still primarily the domain of Mini DV tapes. While a few manufacturers have managed to bring out well priced DVD video cameras, these are still fairly rare.

Slim frame; good quality video; big zoom; increased battery capacity

Computer kit only transfers images; light not powerful enough; still pictures of poor quality

The Canon ZR700 is the upper-end model on the redesigned ZR-series by Canon. Major design improvements over last year's model include a new joystick control for simple menu navigation, a 30x optical zoom, a 2.7 inch LCD screen for true widescreen, and a MSRP of just $400, good for budget buyers .

-Improved handling; -True 16:9 widescreen format; -Marked upgrade in low light performance; -Better battery mount than the Elura 100

-Lacks a mic in jack; -Poor viewfinder design; -Connection of hand strap to tape compartment can lead to breakage

I bought this specifically on the recommendation of a computer magazine for the 2 likes above, ie to convert old analogue camcorder tapes to DV (worked brilliantly, no messing with codecs required) and to backup edited movie masterpices to DV tape.

No hassle analogue to DV (Firewire) conversion; DV input for PC backup; low cost

Grainy dull picture; incredibly loud noise from motor picked up on soundtrack

I recently bought the Canon MV960 camcorder to use with a Helmet-cam setup for mountain biking and skiing. It works just fine, but I have a few minor complaints.

The Canon Vixia HF-R700 is a mid-range HD camcorder with modest features and a focus on simplicity and ease of use. It doesn't offer any flashy features or a standout design, but rather solid dependability at a good price.

A responsive touchscreen makes for easy navigation

This camera's glossy exterior collects fingerprints and smudges