Windows NT Windows XP Windows Me PowerMac Macintosh Windows 2000 Server Mac OS X Mac OS 9 and below Windows Windows 98 Windows 2000 Windows NT 3.5 Windows NT 4 Windows NT 5
Light enough to become part of your hand, the Optura Pi will become your personal imaging companion. Built tough with Canon Know-How and Canon technology inside it, the Optura Pi gives you surprising features and unsurpassed digital video (DV) quality. The Optura Pi is easy to use and that makes it easy to get results you've never seen before from any camcorder.A genuine Canon 12x zoom lens with 48x digital zoom allows you to get clear closeups. It features three modes: Normal Movie (full-motion video) Mode, Digital Photo Mode and Digital Motor Drive Mode (takes 30 still frames a second). Optical image stabilization filters out the jitters and bumps to capture crisp, stable images every time. Look into the world that awaits you when you get into CANON DV, with the Optura Pi digital camcorder.
Despite its compact size, Canon's Optura Pi is a full-featured MiniDV camcorder. A 12x optical (48x digital) zoom Canon lens gets you right in the action, while optical image stabilization helps prevent unwanted shakes and jitters from creeping into your important footage. The flip-out LCD screen is a large 3.5 inches.
A quick word about image stabilization. Most camcorders with image stabilization use digital image stabilization, which is a software-based method of correcting handheld wobbles and shakes. Though digital image stabilization works well, it does so at the expense of image quality, reducing the total number of pixels used to capture an image. In contrast, the Optura Pi uses optical image stabilization, which continuously detects motion and adjusts elements inside the lens to compensate, resulting in a shudder-free image without any loss in image resolution.
A number of different programmed auto exposure modes (including sand and snow, sports, portrait, and low light) automatically adjust settings to take the worry out of shooting in challenging conditions. Besides the different programmed auto-exposure modes, the Optura Pi also offers three different shooting modes. You'll probably leave the camera set to normal movie mode a majority of the time. Digital photo mode lets you use the Optura Pi as a digital camera, recording a still image for six seconds on the miniDV tape, and allowing audio commentary. There's a lot of flexibility here: you can switch between movie and digital photo modes and create a unique collage of stills and video. Finally, the digital motor drive mode uses the progressive-scan CCD to capture a full noninterlaced 30 frames per second. This means you can use the footage as a series of independent photographs.
As a DV camcorder, the Optura Pi has an IEEE 1394 port for digital editing, or for transferring footage between IEEE 1394 compliant devices, such as computers or other DV camcorders. The Optura also features S-Video input and output. The analog inputs allow you to transfer old footage to DV for archiving. Built-in effects include art and sepia. Various faders ease scene transitions.
On a scale of 1 to 5 the average customer rating of this item is 4.0, based on 15 reviews.
Customer reviews:
Poor Quality, Costly Repair
Just passed one year warrant period, the eye piece viewfinder didn't work anymore. It seems that the sensor for the foldable screen went bad. Sent back to California Canon service center, and was charged for [money]. The customer service agent was very arrogant about Canon quality, and showed no sign of concern for my problem.
Recently half of screen became distorted during replay. Don't want to waste another [money], so tried lots of cleaning and changed the tape from TDK to Sony. The problem seems to be under control.
If it goes bad again, I will trash this junk, and buy a Sony.
Features Don't Make for Reliability
This product worked fine for a few months of light use. Then, during playback, the Optura Pi started adding image and audio noise to the tapes. One treasured video partially ruined.
Picure excellence defined!!!
The Optura Pi is one fantastic video camera! I had never purchased a Canon product before, but I am very impressed with the Optura Pi. You buy a camcorder primarily to shoot moving video. This is one machine that doesn't disappoint. Best features: optical image stabilization(a high end feature usually found only on the most expensive models); superb canon lense(second to none in the industry); large 3.5' LCD with high end resolution(200k pixels); excellent detail and color reproduction( RGB filter); manual overrides for controls ( useful for more experienced videographers); solid construction (many Sony and Panasonic models in the same price range have a cheap, plastic feel); amazing low light performance(although the jarring motion inherent in the low light setting may turn some people off). Cons: no manual focus ring(just a non mechanical option ring); overly touchy zoom control(be careful!); poor ergonomics for the zoom control( you have to reach back with your pointer finger to activate the zoom); low pixel count(360k for the CCD-all the better models are going mega pixel, but then, you pay for it too); blank tape is expensive( but this applies to all digital format camcorders). If you want to take digital stills, buy a dedicated still camera.You'll get way better quality for way less money. Progressive scan is not a significant feature for most people-record in "movie" mode( the Pi's successor 100MC is without Prog Scan). In summary, the Pi delivers excellent detail and color reproduction in all kinds of lighting situations. It feels like a high end camera and performs like one too.Unless you are willing to pay for the performance of a 3CCD camera, this is the one to get. Act fast; the PI has been discontinued. If you're lucky enough to find it at a vendor who made a special factory purchase, you'll get a fantastic deal!
Excellent DV camera for the money.
My main draw to the Canon Optura Pi was the optical (rather than digital) image stabilization. Canon is the only camcorder manufacturer that offers this feature in this price range. The image quality is excellent, although the camera calibration can take some getting used to. Experiment with white balance settings, etc. until you find something that works well. The LCD screen is a little too bright, but otherwise looks good. This camera integrates flawlessly with my Macintosh G4 and iMac DV computers. My only complaint about this camera is that occasionally the picture can become blocky and behave erratically. However, I have discovered that this is a problem with ALL DV camercorders and is due to flaky DV cassettes. So, choose your tapes wisely! In every instance of picture glitches, the problem has corrected itself within a matter of minutes. As I said, this is probably the best camcorder you can get in without spending $2500 or more
AWESOME DIGICAM - PERIOD!! Could be the best?!?!?
This camera works so well, feels so good in my hand, has so many cool features that I can't belive that I finally have it! I did an exhaustive amount of research before getting this camera but ALL signs kept pointing to this cam. The optical stabilization is unreal - it's the best stabilizer out there! The PROSCAN mode looks like film - pretty cool. Considering I'm going to be shooting some 'shorts' with this cam, that film look is always a nice effect. It's real lightweight and the ergonomics are very nicely laid out. The zoom is REAL fast - great! Basically, this is a GREAT cam. The advanced shoe allows for hookups such as lights and mic's! Get a better battery though, 511 is worthless! I'm looking forward to shooting more with this cam. Considering that I've had it for relatively 'no time at all,' I LOVE IT!!
On a scale of 1 to 5 the average customer rating of this item is 4.0, based on 15 reviews.
Poor Quality, Costly Repair
AWESOME DIGICAM - PERIOD!! Could be the best?!?!?