Canon Elura 50 Mini DV Camcorder

Pros: great picture quality, variety of features, extremely easy to use, cheap, SIZE!
Cons: small LCD screen, reliability, doesn't preform good in low light

Well 'bout 2 years ago I purchased this camera from a local JcPenney outlet store. I knew that this camera was made in 2000 and had a S-T-E-E-P price of $1,500. So I though for $300.00 I thought I would give it a try. For that price in 2004 I could of ...

Pros: small size, fits well in hand, stylish, standard tape format.
Cons: easy to lose lens cover, un-intuitive menus, poor microphone placement.

This is my first MiniDV palmcorder. My previous video recording device was a Sony Hi-8 camcorder. We recently had our first child, and thousands of digital still pictures later, we realized we needed to up the ante and start recording video. In our...

Pros: Compact, Sturdy, Feature-rich, Great Video Quality, 10++ Cool Facter
Cons: Still Cam

I first saw this cam at an electronics store in San Francisco's Chinatown district. I was impressed with the look and feel of the camera. But, knowing nothing about it ... or much about mini DV cam's in general ... I came home and researched the ...

Pros: Really small, take it anywhere, the mini DV tapes can record 1 hour!, view screen
Cons: Very short battery life, view screen is very small.

The new technology is here! With the Cannon Elura 50 you can take video or still pictures where ever ...

Pros: Size, features, steady shot, separate battery charger, price.
Cons: Poor build quality - high probability of losing footage already shot, if it starts.

07/02/04 UPDATE! I eat my words. After only a few months of very light use, I started getting the infamous tape mosiac problems - I lost a good deal of Christmas footage this way, and some honeymoon footage, too. Now I also receive the (also infamous) ...

Pros: well engineered, well made
Cons: it's fussy if not maintained properly

I have read each and every review here, and after reading reviews of other models, I decided I still wanted a Canon Elura 50. I settled on one from ebay that was used and in good shape, and that came with a 2 year extended warranty from Best Buy. I ...

Pros: Compact, Stylish, Ease of Use, Price
Cons: Battery Life, Digital Still Resolution (320x240), SD Card size (8MB)

I got the Elura 50 to start recording various summer road trips. My first experience was using it on ...

Pros: Cute and cool. Quick firewire connection to my iMac.
Cons: Tape Eject error message is too much to bear. Do not buy.

This is the snazziest thing I own. I just love(d) my Elura 50. Compact. Easy to use. Easy transfer to my iMac for editing and then back to the mini DV tape via Elura. I loved it and am sorry my love affair is over. I used it for maybe 20 hours of ...

Pros: Fits into your pocket; relatively easy to use
Cons: Reliability, reliability and reliability. Eats tapes, and damages irreplacable memories. Poor service.

I purchased an Elura video camcorder after extensive research, and thinking that the Elura was the best and most reliable product on the market. Last Fall, I was having serious problems with the Camcorder. In Auto rewind mode, the camcorder ...

Pros: n/a
Cons: n/a

Please be advised that Canon U.S.A., Inc. has posted information on the web regarding the Elura 50 camcorder. This information relates to the "Remove the Cassette" message being displayed on the camcorder's LCD screen.

This information can be accessed by visiting Canon's on-line support at the following URL:
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=PgComSmModDisplayAct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=227&modelid=9037

Please note that Canon will not be responding to any inquiries on this site. Further inquiries should be directed to Canon Customer Support at carecenter@cits.canon.com.

Canon USA Consumer Support

Pros: Size and looks
Cons: Image problem happens ALOT

The looks of this camera and size is really good, but me and two other friends with the same camcorder are having same problems. Many times, even after cleaning the video head, the images will appear in mosaic. We really wanted to take some good video, but the mosaic problem has been happening many times, screwing up our valuable moments.
I really suspect this is a product defect cuz not only me but two other friends are having the same problem.

Pros: Small, lightweight, comfortable to use
Cons: Poor battery life, mediocre low-light capability, sound always has annoying hum from camera.

We bought this camera after good reviews on Consumer Reports. About three months before my daughter was born, I picked it up at the store and played with it, hoping to get all the controls down before she arrived. It worked well then, and up to about six months after she came home from the hospital, then I started getting weird playback problems. Certain footage would play fine, then other shots on the same tape would flicker between the footage and the blue menu screen that depicts a tape playing forward. The timer flickers in and out also. If anyone has this same problem, or had in the past, please let me know.

Pros: Small form factor.
Cons: REMOVE THE CASSETTE manufacturing defect.

My 14 month Elura 50 started having the REMOVE THE CASSETTE error recently. I contacted Canon and mailed them the camcorder for service. They assured me that if they confirm the problem with my camcorder is the same one that they've posted a service notice for on their website, they would repair it for free. To be fair to Canon, their email responses were quick and also the customer care individual I spoke too was helpful. I am bummed about the crappy video and no audio on the latest 2 hours of video, but their apology posted on their website is adequate for me, as long as they also fix the problem for free. I will keep the thread posted on the outcome. I'm going to recommend this camcorder with the assumptions that Canon repairs the problem for free.

Rgds,
P. Desai
Olivenhain, CA

Pros: Compact size
Cons: REMOVE THE CASSETTE

Worked for about a year, then started giving the dreaded "REMOVE THE CASSETTE" error that other reviews have mentioned, with every tape I inserted. Further research indicates that this is a common problem with Canon miniDV camcorders and I was lucky to get a year. There is a specific recall for the problem for this model. Haven't tried to return it for service yet.

Pros: Good quality images
Cons: loud noise, small view, CUSTOMER SERVICES SUCKS

I bought mine a year ago and used just couple of times,
now turned on it showed only black screen on both LCD and viewer. Many others have the same problem.