Canon Optura 50 Digital Camcorder

Canon Updated: 2007-08-01
Canon Optura 50 Digital Camcorder

Take control and capture your video and photographic memories the way you want to remember them - all with a single camera. The Optura 50 combines extraordinary 2.2 Megapixel performance with advanced controls for your digital photography. The camcorder also lets you take as much or as little control over your video as you want with a wide range of automatic settings. With these advanced controls and automatic settings - along with an advanced, 9-point Auto Intelligent Autofocus - there are no limits to your creativity. You always get the shot you want.

Not only that, the Optura 50 makes it easy for you to share your great shots. The camcorder connects with your computer effortlessly, letting you manage, stream and e-mail your memories for all to enjoy.

Say Goodbye to Unsteady, Out of Focus Images
In the Optura 50, Canon utilizes the finest method of image stabilization available: optical. Canon's lens design includes a dedicated optical element which shifts up and down and side to side based on motion, so your video always looks smooth, steady, and natural. Whether you are shooting handheld at telephoto or from a moving vehicle, Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer effectively handles unwanted vibration. And since it's optical, there is no loss of image quality -- inevitable with electronic image stabilizers.

Optical Image Stabilization is even effective in photo mode, allowing your digital photos to be as crisp as possible.

2.2 Megapixel Performance
One of the reasons the Optura 50 delivers stunningly vivid and sharp video and still (1632 X 1224) images is the 2.2 Megapixel CCD -- one of the DV Photo Plus technologies that ensure outstanding results. In the Optura 50, this performance is combined with Canon's advanced RGB Primary Color Filter. Other camcorders process color using a standard CMYG filter, resulting in duller colors. Canon's RGB filter separates light into its red, green and blue components, resulting in professional-quality images with natural-looking tones and vivid hues.

Together, the 2.2 Megapixel CCD and RGB color filter deliver uncompromisingly brilliant results.

Canon's High-Resolution 16:9 is true widescreen that's picture perfect
Give your audiences a cinematic experience that will sweep them away. The Optura 50 features high resolution, 16:9 true Widescreen Mode, a feature typically found on more expensive camera systems. Some camcorders achieve widescreen by simply eliminating part of the image at the top and bottom of the standard 4:3 image, thereby wasting a portion of the CCD's resolution and image-gathering capability. In comparison, the Optura 50's true widescreen capability "squeezes" a 16:9 image into the full CCD. When this image is "unsqueezed" and displayed on your widescreen TV, you get a 16:9 image without losing any of the resolving power of the camcorder's Megapixel CCD.

And, widescreen video is easy with the Optura 50 because your camcorder's LCD screen shows you exactly what you're shooting by displaying a letterbox image.

Camcorder and Digital Camera in One
You have them both from the same camera -- without compromising the quality of your video or digital photography. That's because Canon's exclusive DIGIC DV signal processing circuit processes video and still images differently. The two signals have different color requirements and DIGIC DV technology processes the two signals accordingly, giving you uncompromised results. That means video images that are maximized for viewing on TV, and digital photographs that look brilliant on computer displays or as prints. DIGIC DV is just one of Canon's DV Photo Plus technologies that help to unleash the performance potential of the Optura 50.

A Shooting Mode for Every Situation
Get the help you need for the perfect video or photo. The Optura 50 gives you settings that automatically result in the best exposure settings for different conditions. Shooting Modes include 6 new Scene Modes: Foliage, Fireworks, Beach, Snow, Sunset and Spotlight. Each adjusts your camcorder's settings to compensate for different lighting conditions and different subjects.

And, when you want to be in control of depth of field, the Optura 50 gives you an AV (Aperture Priority) setting so you can select the aperture of the lens. And, TV (Shutter Priority) lets you select a faster shutter speed so you get sharp, crisp images of fast-moving action.

Low light levels won't stop you either. With the Optura's Night Mode, the sensitivity of the camera's CCD is automatically boosted and the shutter speed is lowered to give you better performance in dim conditions.

More Control for Perfect Photos
Not only does the Optura's DIGIC DV technology help you take great photos from your camcorder, a wide array of advanced photo controls ensure beautiful results.

Unsurpassed Optical Quality
Because of Genuine Canon Optics, the name Canon is synonymous with unsurpassed optical performance. Brilliant optical quality is part of every Canon broadcast TV camera, 35mm film camera, and camcorder -- and the Optura 50 is no exception. The Optura 50 comes with a 10X optical zoom which, along with the camcorder's 200X digital zoom, gives you an impressive zoom range found on more expensive cameras. That means you always have the perfect lens, whether you're on vacation and recording a breathtaking landscape, capturing a group shot at your daughter's wedding, or shooting close-ups at your child's birthday party. Genuine Canon Optics is one of the DV Photo Plus technologies that unleash the digital potential of your camcorder and ensures outstanding results.

One Touch Photo Downloading and Printing
Print & Share, one of the powerful Canon DV Photo Plus technologies, makes it simple to download and print your images. With the touch of a single button, you can print digital photographs from your Optura camcorder, directly to a Canon CP-series Photo Printer or Canon Bubble Jet Direct printer (or any Pictbridge-compatible printer). Simply connect your Optura camcorder to your printer using the supplied USB cable (USB 2.0 Full Speed). Wait for the button to light up, press it, and you've got a print to share with family and friends.

With Print & Share, your Optura has all the controls you need for reviewing and rotating images, cropping, or selecting borderless prints. And, because your Optura tags each photo with Exif 2.2 information, poor lighting and other mistakes are corrected in the printer automatically.

You can also share your photos by quickly and easily downloading them to your computer -- with the same touch of a button -- for archiving and e-mailing. Your Optura also supports Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP). That means your computer can access your camcorder as if it were an external card reader -- without installing additional software. (Minimum system requirements: Windows XP, or Mac OS X, version 10.1) With the Optura 50, it's easy to share the memories.

From Camera to Computer with Ease
Show and share your memories that much faster by storing your digital photographs on the MultiMediaCard connected to your camera's built-in memory card slot. Then, transfer the images to your computer for archiving, editing and printing. In the same card slot, you can also use an SD (Secure Digital) Memory Card.