CANON DIGITAL VIDEO CAMCORDER NTSC ZR80

IS THIS A GOOD DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA FOR WAKE BOARDING IT HAS A STICKER ON THE SIDE THAT SAYS 360 TIMES DIGITAL ZOOM

Never use the digital zoom it sucks ! Look for the optical zoom #

This is one of Canons cheaper cameras. I own the ZR80 to and there are also the ZR85 & ZR90. they just have a chip for easy pic downloading to PC.

It does ok for home video but not for much else. I made a video with Adobe Premier 6.0 but for so reason Wakepics won't let me upload the vid.

Walt is right too. The zoom sucks! there are three stages of zoom-regular off, 72x, and 360x. off and 72x aren't to bad but still not movie great.

(Message edited by autotunner69 on December 30, 2004)

Here are a two pics....one @ max optical zoom and one @ max digital zoom. The pic with digital zoom is blown out.

the smaller cameras are good for using in housings and stuff... tube shots,slider shots, etc..

i shot 99% of this on a panasonic pv-gs50 mini dv... check it out http://www.wakepics.com/img/12968

(Message edited by natxbrotha on December 30, 2004)

so whats a good camera for shooting from another boat along side the rider whats a good camera but cheap cuz im getin new board and bindings and all that •••••••• im not gona spend 1000's of dolars on a camera

Digital Video Cameras(Mini DV's), right now on the market are the cheapest cameras you can buy, at one of the big box stores(Wal-mart, Fred Meyer ect.)(from like $200.00-$600ish), they don't sell the more "expensive" cameras. for the price that is under a grand, this is going to be what you have(ZR80). This camera DOES have image stablization(not that great), but the end result without paying big money is "You Get What You Pay For". It's just about as simple as that.

Good Luck

(Message edited by autotunner69 on December 31, 2004)

robert knows whats up! you definitely get what you pay for when it comes to audio/video equipment. if i wasnt going to try and take the whole video thing more seriously as a career then i wouldnt spend much on a camera... cuz you probably wont care about lighting, manual functions, and all that jazz... unless you are wanting to get into shooting and making and distributing video... or you just got loads of money laying around.

To make it a little more SIMPLE. YES. The ZR80 is a great, cheap camera to use for making amateur videos. I use the ZR60 and i love it. This video was shot using the ZR60, but obviously compressed for the web. http://www.wakepics.com/view_single.php?medid=12718

I'm not saying these are bad cameras. I have the ZR80 and I like it but it does have it's limits as to what someone can do, vs. like the CanonXL1s & XL2.

Yes, but do you think someone that says "IS THIS A GOOD DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA FOR WAKE BOARDING IT HAS A STICKER ON THE SIDE THAT SAYS 360 TIMES DIGITAL ZOOM" would even THINK about needing a camera like an XL1 or 2? I think the "limits" of the ZR80 are well within what he would want.

I have a friend that does Videography for a living. I have personaly used the XL1 for some taping for him, and I've seen some of his exported videos on his demo dvd that where all filmed using the XL1. In fact, he made an actual western feature film that aired on KSPS Public Television with it and has a 5 min. clip on his demo that looks like a Hollywood feature.

The point that I am making is he can make a very outstanding video with this camera, but, being that I have the ZR80 and know what kind of video it takes, it has no comparison to the XL1. look at this- http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelFeaturesAct&fcategoryid=114&mo delid=9740#f0
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelFeaturesAct&fcategoryid=114&mo delid=7471#f0

They both have a lot of the same features, but then the XL1 goes beyond that with added assesories(inter-changable lenses). Greater shutter speeds,in fact you can actually completly eliminate black band or flicker from a tv screen with the XL1-you can't on the ZR80, you can shutter down but there's still some left.

That's wonderful that you have personaly used the XL1. But what does that have to do with what i said or what Justin needs?

Yes, I't would be a good camera for what he needs. Affordability that takes good video.

Jeremy - that vid you posted is SICK! I can't believe you did that with a ZR60. That rocks. What video editing software did you use? Also, you said it was compressed for the web. Is the picture on the original footage much better? I ask because I'm looking to get a cheap starter miniDV. Also, how's the image stabilization?
Thanks - Kraig

Thanks ALOT Kraig. I use Liquid Edition 5.5. I DID color correct almost all of those clips. But that was because the sun was NEVER out and it always looked gloomy. The picture is definitely better before it's compressed. As far as Image stabilization goes. I don't know, I never turn it off!

were is the video i didint see one?

I've got a quick question....how do you hook the ZR80 to a laptop? I don't see a USB port on the camera itself. There's a spot for a "DV" cable...what is that?

Thanks,
Tony

Tony, I believe the DV port is what you want to plug into. I'm not sure but I think fire wire and DV cable may be the same ?

You have to use the DV output below the lens. this is the only one it has. You have to either get a IEEE 1394 cable with, DV to firewire(6-pin) OR DV to USB, or DV(4-pin) to DV(4-pin on your PC itself).

i have the zr 80 and im having trouble with it when i turn it on the screen is black how do i make it go away? and yes the cap is off of the and i would like to upload the viedos the my laptop what size firewire or what do i need and could i find the cable at walmart would i need and how much is it could you plz post a pic?