Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Regarding the Canon Elura 100, this is my third camcorder. Having had a Sony analog and JVC Digital in the past, I spent considerable time researching what my next camcorder would be. Ideally, I wanted a Panasonic PV-GS250, but that's just to high an investment for my personal use and abuse. The earlier purchaser reviews do a great job at detailing technical pros and cons of the Elura 100. Personally, I have not experienced a problem with motor noise in my recordings. I have a large hand but I enjoy the compact size of this camera -- I can easily slip it into a coat pocket. Recording in true widescreen is new to me and takes a bit of thinking to adjust old habits of framing the person I'm recording. But the results look great. Video transfer to my Mac (OS 10.4) and iMovie HD works fine with firewire. I haven't been able to get iMovie to recognize the Elura when hooked up via USB cable provided. The Elura's on screen menu is fairly intuitive. Navigation by the new joystick isn't hard to get used to. I love the built in lens cover. No more hassle with stupid lens caps dangling in front. The instruction manual provided has enough details to answer the few questions I had. I'd rate the battery as the worst feature of this camera. My complaints: 1. Battery life is horrible. I don't understand why it is nearly drained every time I pick up this camcorder. 2. The battery is mounted internally. You open the view screen and remove a plastic cover to access the battery. Not easy to do on the fly. Nor can you buy a bigger size with greater capacity like externally mounted batteries. Keep in mind a few things when considering a new camcorder: 1. How much are you willing to invest? That includes buying SD card, spare battery, or any accessories you don't already have like a new tripod or case. If you say your max budget is $500, then you can get decent video quality for a $400 camera and spend another $100 on the accessories. 2. Who will use it? In my household it is mainly me. But if you have to share with wife/kids, think about how the camera might get abused. 3. Where will you use it. Many early reviews on other sites said the Elura 100 doesn't perform well in low light conditions. They are right. But if you are smart about where and when you use the camera, low light probably wont be an issue. Take advantage of natural light. Turn all the lights on in a room indoors, even during daytime. Pick well lit part of the room and try to steer your subjects there. 4. Do you want to digitize your old analog 8mm or VHS tapes? Those old memories are deteriorating and Do It Yourself digitization has never been easier. The Elura 100 is one of the few cameras I could find that had A/V input along with decent performance features. 5. Even though this takes still pictures, you should invest in a separate good quality digital camera. I carry both when I'm out with the family. The camcorder still camera feature wont provide as high a quality as you can get from a dedicated digital camera. Hope this helps. Good luck!