Canon ZR40 MiniDV Camcorder...
 

Would this ever be considered a possibility when shooting a film?

Thanks!

Probably not for a professional production. It's primary limitation is that it's a single-chip (and small chip) camera whose imaging just can't produce high enough quality for such work. It's really designed to be a 'family cam'. But certainly don't let that stop you from using it to shoot your work if that's all your budget will allow at this time. I have a ZR25 that I use for vacations and other casual work and admit that I really enjoy using it. It's small and takes a very good image for it's specifications.

would the zr50 + the addon directional mic and some good lighting gear make a big difference? or does it all come down to resolution?

thanks

No, the ZR50 is basically the same class of camera with marketing, rather than technical, distinctions. Using good lighting and sound certainly improves the results from any camera. But, regarding sound, these cameras have no facility for taking professional-grade mic feeds (i.e. XLR/balanced sound).

so i can do the same exact video quality with the 40 as the 50?

Me: "...the ZR50 is basically the same class of camera with marketing, rather than technical, distinctions. "

I'd suggest you visit the canondv.com site and compare the specs of these two cameras for yourself. Same imaging system.

Absolutely no difference whatsoever in video or audio quality between the ZR40, ZR45MC and ZR50MC. There is a 22x lens on the 50MC as opposed to an 18x lens on the 40 & 45MC. All three camcorders have a 1/8" mic input jack, so you could add a third-party XLR mic adapter if you wanted to. However, if you're shooting down at the level of a consumer family/vacation camcorder such as the Canon ZR-series, then why bother with XLR mics at all.

Audio performance is slightly enhanced by using the optional DM-50 mic with the ZR50MC (not compatible with the 40 & 45MC). Hope this helps,