Nice old MiniDV format handheld video camera with accessories
Working great, this equipment is no longer required by us
I hear you, I hear you! Why on earth would someone want a rather dated MiniDV format camera these days?
People collect these, like a museum where they like to keep items showing the progression of technology
OR MORE PRACTICAL
To transfer family MiniDV tapes over to different media, usually DVD recordable. I meet lots of people who have this burning need to get all those old family tapes and shift them to "modern" formats, VHS, VHS-C, MiniDV and Hi-8 being common requests. This video camera provides a means of playing MiniDV tapes and with the aid of a PC (and suitable software) transferring digitally to something far more useful such as a DVD.
Canon Digital Video Camera
Model: MD225E
Released 2008
Canon's budget model, originally released with an RRP of $399
Stereo audio
Built in loudspeakers
MiniDV storage media
1/6in CCD sensor (800K pixels)
25 FPS
2.7 inch full colour LCD
41x optical zoom
2000x digital zoom (!!!)
Weight: 450g approximately (with the battery fitted)
INCLUDED ACCESSORIES:
TDK DV60 Digital recording tape - BRAND NEW SEALED
JVC M-DV2MCL DV Cleaning tape
CANON CA-590E Power adaptor (for charging the battery) GENUINE PRODUCT
AC Power lead for the power adaptor
CANON E160814 7.4V Lithium Battery GENUINE PRODUCT
AV (Analog) lead providing video and one channel audio (mono)
Audio lead which we used originally for the microphone input (3.5mm mono male to male)
ARKON Camera bag
NOT INCLUDED:
User Manual
We finished transferring all of our old sentimental material off tape but the digital AV lead (Firewire) cannot be found, it will NOT be supplied **unless** I find it while sorting through these pieces of video gear here - no promises but if found, of course it would then be supplied. If I can't find this lead, it's not the end of the world as the lead is a standard Firewire.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Very nice, looked after and only minor handling "rubbing" to the top of the camera body
LCD screen is not scratched or damaged
Accessories are all in very good condition, undamaged
Carry bag (with carry strap) is also in very good condition
HISTORY - TESTING:
We used this camera in our family since it was purchased new in the late 2000's, never missed a beat!
Last used extensively in 2018 to transfer all of our MiniDV tapes over to recordable media so we could watch videos from the "good old days"
Placed away safely since 2018 and today tested extensively .... ALL IS GOOD! WORKING GREAT (STILL)
First I charged the Li-Ion battery pack with the charger plugged into the camera - worked great and full charge in around 4 hours
I then played some of our old MiniDV tapes to check out the playback side of things - no issues, no "artifacts" on the screen, which indicates the heads are fine and do not need cleaning at this stage.
Referring to one photograph I have posted, there is a horizontal line around the middle of the gumtree trunk. This is NOT a video fault, poor photographer only! Our verandah has a wire fencing around it and unfortunately I didn't notice the wire came into shot.
PLAY-STOP-REWIND-FAST FORWARD on screen display and functions working perfectly
No strange noises with the tape mechanism and eject-loading is fully working, nice and smooth
I also checked the video/audio outputs at the AV socket, all fine (analog only tested not digital)
I then make some frivolous recordings and also played those recordings back. No issues at all, nice.
NOTE: I see the backup battery (used to store the date/time etc) is in need of changing (indicated on the LCD screen). This battery (CR1616) is easy to access and change, its all described in the manual. If you don't change the battery, all is fine EXCEPT the camera has no memory so if you setup the date time, turn it off and then back on again, it will not remember what you set up - like machine dementia! Pop in a new CR1616 Lithium battery and it's memory problems will disappear.
SPECIAL NOTES:
Although a budget cam from Canon, it is physically well built but does lack some features.
It has no function to create a STILL photograph
CCD sensor is adequate and does the job of capturing video well but it is "nothing fantastic", the video "vividness" is fine but not startling - here I mean the colour not sharpness.
On the upside:
Reliable
Great video in "normal sunny daylight' It likes lots of light.
Love the zoom!
We always loved the optical zoom, damn you can get right in close and not lose too much resolution - nice. It also has digital zoom but quite frankly the video becomes too hard to manage (shake baby shake) with so much magnification.
Yep, there is NO electronic image stabilization built in - you just need to learn how to hold a camera properly!
No headphone jack to monitor audio while recording
