Elura 40MC
 

Does anyone here own this camera?
If so, what do you think of it?

I am thinking about getting it since Canon is now offering a $100 rebate. I have read reviews that say it has great picture quality and above average low light abilities. I will be using it mainly for goofing around, and recording home videos. The review at CNET said that it recorded well for them in a low light bar scene. Though I have read contradicting reports that it does poorly in low light. I would like to think that those bad reviews came from people that didnt take the time to manuallly set the camera up for optimal low light performance.

A am also thinking about waiting on the Panasonic PV-DV70, but nothing is really know about this camera yet. Especially its low light abilities.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Alex

Chris Hurd knows this camera and he'll probably post later tonight on it. He's just getting back from NAB. Anyone else?

What is so appealing about the 40MC is the size and new rebate. I am able to get it from a local retailer for $599 after the mail in rebate. Though, with the Panasonic PV-GS70 just around the corner, its a real hard decision. The only thing that would make me wait for the PV-GS70 would be a better low-light rating. And I have no idea what to expect from it.

I would really like to see is some videos showing the 40MC in different lighting conditions. These review sites do such a lowsy job in their reviews. They never have any real media to compare. www.dvspot.com does a great job by showing actual video footage, but they only have a handful of reviews.

I have read in most reviews that the video is great, and the low light is decent. Then I hear people on some forums saying its a piece of crap toy. I really dont know who to believe.

Any video footage and/or real owner reviews would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Alex

Alex, for that price, the Elura 40MC is a beautiful cam. Even at twice that price.

I saw the ad for that too in a local paper in SF, it looks a lot like the DCR-TRV950.

Great, now Canon has announce the Elura 50, the 40MC replacement. And I though I had finally decided on a cam. Though, I really dont see a difference between the two. Anyone have any extra 50 infor beside whats shown in the below link?
Looking at the pictures, they look exactly the same.

http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/canon_elura_50_camcorder_leak_04_12_03.htm

The Elura cams now have a 1/6" CCD and no progressive scan. Other features like an optical stabilizer have also been long since stripped. If you're not sure about which model, do try and have a look at them, or at least compare their specs from here:

http://www.canondv.com

Does anyone here own this camera?
If so, how is it indoors?

Here are some notes about the Elura 40MC and forthcoming Elura 50.

The 40MC indoors: the camcorder has two modes for shooting indoors, one is a lowlight mode and the other is a color nightshot mode.

I know that camcorderinfo takes great pride in "scooping" new products, but actually the new Elura 50 should come as no surprise at all. As I've often stated, anytime there's a manufacturer's rebate for $100 or more, that almost always signifies EOL (end of life) for that product and that a new one is 30 to 45 to 60 days away. The advantage to purchasing an EOL product is that it will continue to have service and support by the manufacturer for seven years (by U.S. law), and that you get it for a lower price. The disadvantage is that you'll miss out on the new feature set of its replacement, in this case, the Elura 50 which succeeds the 40MC. The rebate is your clear signal from the manufacturer that the product line change is about to happen.

The new Elura 50 will incorporate several changes: first, a new image processor, the DIGIC chip which is now inside all Canon digital still SLR's, Powershot digicams, and DV camcorders as of Feb. 2002. This is Canon's proprietary DSP which is more efficient and provides a cleaner, better image than before (the difference is instantly noticeable).

Second, the Elura 50 will have the newer Mark III tape transport as found in the ZR60/65MC/70MC camcorders and the Optura 10/20 camcorders. These transports run quieter than before and have a much faster eject/loading cycle than before (previous Canon camcorders including the Elura 40MC and my old Optura Pi sound like they're mangling tin when they go through the eject cycle, very annoying).

Third, a new generation of EIS (electronic image stabilization) technology which in my opinion is still no replacement for optical image stabilization but is definitely much less noisy than previous iterations.

This is by no means a complete list of Elura 50 changes... I'm sure other new features will include direct-print options with some of Canon's bubble jet printers, among other things... but at least this will give you some idea of what's new. Hope this helps,

Thanks a lot Chris.

A lot of good info there. It seems like I change my mind every day. At first I was looking at the PAN953. Then they announced the smaller 70. Then the Canon rebate came. Now I am back to thinking about the PAN953. From the feature it has, it seem to be my best bet. I really like the mic volume adjustments and the 'hot' shoe for mics and lights. But I really like the compactness of the smaller cams. If the PAN70 was to have optical stabilization, there would be no second guessing; I would definitly wait on it. Though, it is elctronic stabilized which is going to eat into its already lowered resolution. That brings me to another question...

What kind of relolution can one expect with the PAN70 with elec. stab. turned on? How many lines? Im sure when these companies brag about their specs, it is with the stbilization turned off....right?

Thanks for the info guys!

Alex

>What kind of relolution can one expect with the PAN70 with elec. stab. turned on? How many lines?<

My guess based on the 290K video effective pixels would be somewhere under 500 horizontal playback lines. Perhaps 470. This is just a guess, though. But keep in mind that there are other factors involved with resolving good quality footage. A 400 line playback can look very good.

and what resolution/lines can be expected from the 953?

The MX5000 was tested to play back 540 lines, the MX1000 (MX8/PV-DV852 was tested to play back 530 lines). That's one of the reasons I'm so crazy about these cams: their playback horizontal resolution. One of the reasons.

plus, the optical stabilization doen't cut into the resolution like the electronic.