Canon MV550i

Canon MV550i ... specifications and affordable price, this MV model offers outstanding cost performance. Measuring just 58 x 99 x 144, this addition to the MV line-up is extremely compact and well designed. The CCD size in the MV550i has been reduced from 1/4" to 1/6", thus allowing Canon to dramatically increase the lens magnification while maintaining the compact size of the preceding MV400 Series models. With the incorporation of a high-performance Canon lens, MV550i provides a significant improvement in magnification capabilities. The MV550i utilizes an optical 22x/digital 440x zoom lens, which is replacing the 10x optical zoom lens of the preceding MV400 Series. This high-performance Canon zoom lens transforms distant subjects into dramatic close-ups. The focal distance covers a range from 2.8 to 61.6 mm.

The "i" version model, MV550i, provides users with digital line-in functionality. With this feature, users can upload edited footage or graphics from their computer, or other digital devices, to the camcorder. This feature also provides the possibility to incorporate analog video data into new digital recordings. The MV550I model features Analog and DV-in/out. By selecting the shooting mode that best suits the scene, MV550i adjusts internal controls to create the perfect video each time. Mode choices are Auto, Sports, Portrait, Spotlight, Sand and Snow, and Low Light as well as the new Night Mode with which color shots are possible even in dim conditions. Canon's Progressive Photo system in MV550i provides excellent digital picture quality. With this system, a mechanical shutter is used concurrently with an interlace scan CCD to eliminate time lag blurring and capture clear and sharp still images. The enhanced picture quality produced by progressive photo mode will be especially evident when observing the printed digital images. The MV550i includes a unique extended recording function that substantially increases the length of recording time per cassette. To achieve extended recording, 2x greater image data compression is applied in the ESP mode and 3x in the ELP mode. In ELP mode, an 80-minute DV tape will record 4 hours of video footage, 3 times longer than in Standard mode.