Canon Elura 100 MiniDV Camcorder

We purchased this miniDV camcorder 2 years ago online from Amazon.com. I had done a fair amount of research on the selection. I also work for a major market research firm that covers consumer electronics. At my disposal are very smart people who track the size, technologies and trends within the consumer electronics markets.
Before purchasing the Elura 100 I asked our analyst who follows the consumer photography market, if the product is a good why to buy. He said it is and so I bought it. I have since learned that he has not been satisfied with his either. He had the same experience with Canon customer support which is basically, send to the repair facility in NJ and wait. As it is a consumer electronics device and this is an exceptionally aggressive marketplace, they simply cannot afford to put enough resources to make repair a decent experience. We had used the camera less than 10 times in two years before it broke, the repair should not be needed in the first place.

The circumstance for the malfunction is bizarre. I was filming my daughter at a poetry recital. One moment it would accept a tape, the next it would not. I tried everything including reseting the camera as the Canon rep suggested. This involves removing both batteries, presumably to completely disconnect all power to the unit, and then re-installing them. I did this on several occassions to no avail.

Try to avoid this one if can!

This camera is everything I hoped it would be. I wanted a mini-dv tape format, and there is a dwindling number of those available. I wanted it to include a port for converting my analog videos to digital, and I wanted an external-mic port. Few current camcorders in the under-$400 price range contain these options. The Elura met all these criteria, but I had concerns about its low-light capabilities, since I film a lot of family events indoors. I also had concerns from reviews that slammed it for having a high amount of motor noise.
I'm pleased with the quality of the Elura's low-light images. As for motor noise, my experience for comparison was only with a large VHS format camcorder; it had no problem with motor noise. The motor sound of the Elura 100, while alarmingly noticeable next to my ear when recording in quiet settings, is not a significant problem on the recordings. It might be a factor if it were recording a silent scene in a still room, but it has not hurt the sound in any of the situations I have yet used it.
The manual is organized pretty well, and is usually quite clear in giving instructions.

CONS:
Reviewers sometimes mentioned the flimsy port covers, and I have to agree. Everyone who handles my camcorder is instructed to deal very gently with the port covers, and they have held up so far.
The toggle switch for selecting menu options is quite short; it takes a more precise touch than others I tried, but after extra time practicing with it, the user can navigate quickly among the options.
The hand strap is positioned so that the camera flops sideways in the hand if I release my grip on it. It should rest more stably in the hand.

I purchased this camera for work and have been satisfied with the results. I interview members of the community for our oral history project and video tape them to record it. The camera is not professional quality, but on our small museum's budget it does the trick. The images are clear, the camera is easy to use and small enough to haul around when doing interviews at people's homes. I purchased a firewire connection so I can upload the images onto the computer and make DVDs of the oral histories. They might not be movie quality, but they are good enough for displaying in exhibits and for researchers to access.
If you want this camera for home use or other small events I recommend it.

We have had this camera for a year, and have been very pleased with how it has worked. It is easy to operate, and gives great results. Have noticed only a bit of background motor noise when we have recorded in a very quiet setting (interior locations without any conversation.) While we were somewhat concerned about noise because of other reviews, it has not been a problem. Great battery life.

I was deciding what type of camcorder to get and didn't want to spend more than $600 on the good stuff nor $200 on some cheap miniDV. I read about the Canon elura 100 many times but the camcorder was out for 1yr already. I wanted to get the latest and greatest thus I purchasing a basic Panasonic DVD camcorder(D230)...boy was that a mistake...I thought I can record onto dvd, pop it in my dvd player and start watching it, or copy the dvd video(vob) onto my desktop for editing, but NOoo, it doesn't work like that. After you finish recording the DVD you have to finalize within your camcorder while it is plugged in (won't finalize if not plugged in), the process takes about 10-15min for a 30min footage, and the finalized DVD is not recognizable by the PC, so you'll end up with tons of DVD-Rs. (no sure if this is true for all dvd camcorder or just the panasonic one I got)

Anyhow, I decided to go back to miniDV (can transfer to the PC, easier to edit, superior video quality compared to DVD and HD camcorders and more compact) I wanted to get the Elura but it was discounted, and all the new Canon MiniDV's had worst video performance than the Elura (based on numerous reviews). Also, none of them had 2 LED(don't do much but better than nothing) and built in lenses cover. I was torn. After researching some more I found out about the new Sony DCR-HC48. It is about the same price point as the Elura, about the same size, similar CCD, got a sliding lense cover and it can record in infrared (which I thought was pretty cool)!

I end up buying a refurbished Elura online and a brand new HC48 at local store. First thing I did was to test for motor noise since so many people complain about it. I took both camcorder to the bathroom where the echo is loudest and recorded 1 min footage on each. I then played it back on both camcorder with volume turned to the highest, to my surprise the Sony camcorder actually had much louder motor noise than the Canon. The Sony had a loud motor noise while the Canon had a light whirling noise.
The canon's video performance was also better, with more accurate color and auto focus. The infrared on the Sony was fun for 5min, but I don't see any particle use for it (unless you either want to create some Pariz Hiltxn video with glowing green eyes, or if you want to record someone in the dark without the person knowing, but keep in mind the range of the infrared LED is about the same as a regular white LED, the camcorder needs to be 3feet away from the subject in order to illuminate it in infrared) Anyhow, I kept the refurbished Canon and am happy with the decision. Oh did I also mention that the Elura is the most compact miniDV camcorder in the market? the major downside of the Elura is that is has been discontinued and only refurbished units are available online now.