Canon's catalyst for creativity

Author's Rating:

Pros: Ease of use, large LCD, optical image stabilization & clarity.

Cons: DV output requires LCD monitor to be open.

The Bottom Line: 
This camera rocks. To take full advantage of the Optura Pi, I recommend using it in tandem with a computer and video editing software.

Author's Review
It took a while for me to settle on the Optura Pi. I decided I wanted to make a no-budget documentary as a personal endeavor... a sort of exploratory project aimed at learning more about people, thought processes and motivations.

I had been going over the logistics in my head and finally said "enough thinking, get on with it". I settled on an Apple Cube (with FireWire capabilities) and needed to get a camcorder. I can't tell you how many hours I spent on here perusing the opinions of others. After much deliberation I felt I couldn't go wrong with the Optura Pi.

I was right. The unit is the ultimate culmination of ergonomics, design and functionality.

Upon opening the box, I noted how daunting the manual looked. Easily 400 pages I thought, turns out it contains instructions in several languages. While this served as some relief the amount of material covered is pretty extensive. I strongly urge any end user to fight the temptation to start playing with the Optura Pi upon taking it home until you have read the manual in it's entirety.

After gaining understanding of the unit's functions, the rest is up to you. There is a large than average 3.5 inch LCD display that can be rotated 180 degrees. At first this struck me as odd, but when the display is pointed towards the user, the picture flips so it's right side up allowing your subject to see his or her own image. Very Cool. The display can be snapped in against the case with the picture on the outside of the camera. This is particularly handy when playing back recorded material for others around you.

The Optura Pi has an on screen menu allowing you to select from a number of settings including 16:9 picture ratio, shooting conditions (auto, sand & snow, sports, etc), shutter speed and others. The navigation of the onscreen menu is effortless via the toggle switch. Once you make a selection, you simply press the toggle switch in.

There are provisions for an external microphone, video/audio sources (input and output), headphones, LANC terminal, lamp and my favorite, the DV in/out port allowing for seamless interaction with a similarly configured computer. Users could not ask for anything more!

Color and sound reproduction are both excellent. I am particularly impressed with the camera's ability to function well in lighting conditions that are less than ideal. Images are consistently crisp and accurate. I sometimes struggle with technical terminology but I have been assured the use of Optical stabilization is superior to the digital stabilization used in other models. Image stabilization is the means by which the camera reduces jarring motion on video when holding the camera by hand or shooting in a car.

The camcorder has a number of features I suspect I will not take advantage of. It can be used as a still camera. It can also take successive shots and show up to 16 of them on a screen. One can make use of in-camera editing and special effects tools. I would recommend using a good computer and video editing application to add visual effects to recorded items instead of those included in any camcorder. (If you have a cell phone, think about the steps you go through for entering alpha characters. Keyboards are always better than having to use one or two keys to input letters)

When all is said and done I really am pleased with the purchase. There is only one thing I would have changed. The DV in/out port is on the same side of the camcorder as the LCD screen. When the LCD screen is closed, the port cannot be accessed. This is a minor gripe but I like to avoid having the LCD display open when it is not being used.

If you're considering a camcorder purchase, take a serious look at this one. I looked at some other Canon models (the Elura in particular), Sony models and JVC. For the price, I think the the Canon is a step ahead.