Canon To Ship Mini-DV Optura Video/Still Camera
June 10, 2004
Mississauga, ON - Canon's new Optura 500 Mini DV 2.2-megapixel camcorder will be available in July, the manufacturer has announced.
The vertically-designed camcorder is equipped with simultaneous video and photo-recording capability, allowing high-quality video to be recorded to the camcorder's SD Memory Card uninterrupted, while capturing digital still images. Users are able to capture sharp, high-quality two megapixel photo images that are e-mail ready, the manufacturer describes.
At the core of the Optura 500 camcorders' imaging excellence is Canon's DV Photo Plus. Encompassing the company's core imaging essentials, DV Photo Plus integrates Genuine Canon Optics; a 2.2-megapixel CCD image sensor, the exclusive DIGIC DV Image Processor, and Print and Share that makes it easy to print photos directly from a printer, or transfer them to a computer at the touch of a button.
Other photo features of the Optura 500 Mini DV camcorder include:
* Continuous shooting mode (works like the motor drive of a camera)
* Selectable focus points
* Auto Exposure Bracketing
* Built-in Flash
* Horizontal & Vertical Trimming
* Photo Review
Th brushed silver camcorder features a 10x Optical Zoom for both video and still photography. Among the camcorder's other video functions are Image Stabilization to ensure steady shooting. The RGB Primary Color Filter (also beneficial in capturing digital photos) separates light passing through the lens into red, green and blue colour components providing similar colour quality found in professional 3 CCD camcorders, yielding truer more natural looking colours.
The camcorder's High Resolution 16 x 9 Widescreen mode utilizes the entire width of the CCD (unlike some systems that electronically stretch the picture vertically) retaining image quality and providing a wider horizontal angle of view ideal for creating a theater-like experience at home. A variety of Program Auto Exposure settings allow for shooting in a wide range of lighting situations. The Optura 500 is also equipped with Manual Audio Level Control, commonly found only on prosumer camcorder models and a swivel grip and palm pad, providing maximum comfort when shooting for long periods of time.
The Optura 500 model sports a high resolution 6.35 cm LCD screen (211,000 pixels) and features a mini video light enabling users to shoot in total darkness up to 1.5 metres away. A supplied ring light adapter is provided for macro video shooting, allowing users to explore the amazing detail of objects such as flowers, insects, coins, and stamps. The adapter eliminates shadows and hot spots and evenly distributes light on your subject.
Other exclusive features found in the Optura 500 camcorder, is MPEG4 and USB 2.0 High Speed. MPEG4-better compression than MJPEG-provides higher quality video images that take up less room on the camcorder's SD card at 15 frames per second. The USB 2.0 High Speed terminal allows full quality digital video to be sent to the computer for editing. Various computers on the market will be outfitted with USB 2.0 High Speed terminals.
The camera carries a manufacturer's suggested list price of $1,750 (CDN).
For more information, visit
www.canon.ca
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