The ZR850 is the top entry in Canon's affordable and updated-for-2007 ZR series. This unit replaces last year's ZR700 and offers some important optical upgrades, and it comes at a very reasonable price for a capable MiniDV camcorder.

The ZR850's sensor has been increased to a 1-megapixel CCD, compared to the 680,000-pixel CCD found in the rest of the ZR line. Canon has increased the optical zoom from 25X to an impressive 35X, while the digital zoom remains at a prodigious (and at high levels, almost unusable) 1,000X. The ZR850 offers true widescreen recording, and it has an enlarged 2-7/10-inch wide-format color LCD viewscreen for accurate framing and playback. The menu system has also been upgraded with the addition of a joystick control, making it much more user-friendly.

Video performance is impressive when shooting in favorable lighting conditions. Colors appear bright and saturated with clean, sharp edges. In good lighting it is difficult to imagine a similarly priced camcorder surpassing the video quality of the ZR850. Unfortunately, the low-light performance is considerably less impressive. Video noise increases dramatically as the light fades, and the automatic focus becomes far less responsive. Engaging the Night mode helps a little, and while the ZR850 does feature a built-in video light, it is designed more for adding a fill light to backlit subjects rather than illuminating dark scenes.

The larger CCD on the ZR850 improves the quality of still images, which can be captured to MiniDV tape or SD/MMC memory card at a maximum resolution of 1,152X864. This is passable for an inexpensive DV camcorder, although the ZR850 should certainly not be considered an alternative to a dedicated digital stills camera.

Unfortunately, we can't rave about all the redesign elements. The ZR850 omits the analog-to-digital conversion of last year's ZR700, and it lacks both an accessory shoe and an external microphone input. The bottom-loading cassette design is irritating when you're trying to change tapes with the camcorder attached to a tripod. On the other hand, the built-in lens cover is a welcome addition. The overall design of the ZR850 is compact and lightweight, and the controls are all conveniently located at your fingertips.

Point-and-shoot enthusiasts will appreciate the simplicity of operation in Easy mode, and Canon includes a choice of preset auto-exposure modes and a selection of image and digital effects. While manual controls are more limited, the ZR850 does offer six shutter speeds and the ability to manually vary zoom speed, and you can quickly switch between standard and widescreen recording.

If you are in the market for an affordable and easy-to-use MiniDV camcorder that delivers solid performance under normal conditions, the Canon ZR850 is a good purchase.


Pros:  Impressive video performance in good lighting conditions, easy-to-use menu system with joystick control, enlarged widescreen LCD, built-in lens cover, affordable price
Cons:  Poor low-light performance, inconvenient bottom-loading tape mechanism, no accessory shoe or external microphone input

Warranty
1 year parts and labor