Canon ES8400V Hi8 w/LCD
Written: Nov 13 '02 (Updated Nov 14 '02)
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Pros: Great features, easy to use, excellent recorded picture, plenty of zoom power. Good beginner camera.
Cons: Night focus could be better, but still good. Initial battery pack could last longer.
The Bottom Line: Purchasing this camera will not be a bad decision. The Canon ES8400V Hi8 w/LCD will capture all the special moments one wants to remember in crisp detail.
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| derrickb's Full Review: Canon ES8400V Hi-8 Analog Camcorder |
The Canon ES8400V Hi8 w/LCD is a great camera. First and foremost it is a Canon, which means high quality craftsmanship by itself. It has 22X Optical and 800X Digital zoom power which is more than plenty. The picture quality does decrease some slightly when zooming very high into the digital zone (around 750-800X zoom), but to zoom into that range would mean that you would need to be at the Grand Canyon or the Hoover Dam and would want to read the label on someones clothing at the bottom of either Landmark. If that type of zooming is not needed, the zoom quality is going to be perfect for you. It is very light weight, coming in at a mere 1 lb 11 oz (770g). This would be a great beginner to an experienced camera operator's camera of choice for regular home movies, special events, children's mild stones in life, etc... The 2.5" color LCD screen is not too small and is very useful. The LCD can be used to play back recorded footage with complete sound added. The viewfinder on the other hand is Blk&Wht, but I do not plan on using the viewfinder as most others will not either as long as the LCD screen is operational unless outdoor videos are being made and glare on the LCD is a problem. The LCD screen also enables the user to be more aware of the surrounding. The LCD screen does consume more power than the viewfinder naturally. The LCD uses 5.3W of power compared to the viewfinders 4.1W of power, this in turn will let the standard battery pack last only 1.5 hours with the LCD on. The BP-911 battery pack that comes with the camera could stand to have a higher mAh rating (1100 mAh), however there are other battery packs available (BP-915, BP-930, BP-945) for this camera that last longer and have a higher mAh rating up to 4500 mAh which will last for 5.0 hours using the LCD and 6.5 hours using the viewfinder which can be purchased for an additional price. The custom keys allows the use of any two features that you like to use often at the touch of a button. I personally like to have the fade function as one of my custom keys to video a more professional looking recording. The different video styles is a nice added feature as well being able to film in Blk&Wht, Mirror, Ghost, Strobe, Cinema, 16.9, Mosaic, Negative, Sepia and Art. The 8400V also has Photo Mode which allows a still photo be to recorded with sound up to 7 secs. This is a nice feature to capture special moments such as a new born's first stretch or a family reunion snap shot. The camera also has image stabilizer technology which allows a steady recording even while zooming. The camera has many more nice features that make it a nice camera such as a built in mic, speakers, light, battery charger, S-link connection and other small features. Night focus could be better but choosing another recording program style corrects that. Over all, I am very satisfied with the camera and look forward to using the camera as often as possible. I highly recommend this camera to anyone just getting started into field and anyone more experienced already. A great camera all around.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 247.00
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Epinions.com ID:
derrickb
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Reviews written: 2
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