Do an internet search on "Canon remove cassette" before you buy. This is a well known problem with all the Canon digital camcorders. AND don't rely on the Canon warranty to fix it! They will try to blame it on something the consumer did.

I got the cassette eject problem after less than two months. Canon tried to charge me $170 because they "thought" it had sand damage. After much wrangling they finally admitted it was the capstan motor. After more wrangling, they agreed to fix the capstan motor, but would not "remove any sand." I think they were trying to classify my camera problem as something other than the capstan motor. Maybe the factory service center is accumulating statistics on types of repairs and it makes Canon look better if the problem can be attributed to something the consumer did, rather than their own faulty workmanship. I've had the camera back for a week and so far it's ok. I counted nine grains of sand in the compartment where the battery goes and two grains on the lens cap. What do you expect with normal beach use? If these things are so extremely delicate Canon should not be marketing them to consumers. I've been videoing at the beach since 1991 with a Sony and I've never had any sand problems. I take good care of my electronic equipment, but Canon made me feel like some half-assed teenager, instead of the fifty-something grandmother I am. I think it was very underhanded the way they tried to make out I was at fault. I spent hours on the phone with them on my nickel. This experience has soured me on Canon. I will NEVER buy another Canon product. THEY DON'T PLAY FAIR!

After some reasearch on the different camcorders available on the market, I had no doubt that the Canon Optura 60 was the superior choice. After receiving the unit I had no problem getting set up and was snapping pictures and making videos in no time.

One feature that sets this camcorder apart from others is it's ability to take high quality 2 mega-pixel still shots, recording them to a Secure-Digital card. From my previous experience with Canon cameras it seems that they really know what they are doing in terms of digital photography and the Optura 60 continues to amaze. The camera has produced still shots that are equal or better in quality to my Olympus C-740UZ.

The video quality is excellent and it is very easy to copy your still shots and videos using USB 2.0 OR Firewire to your Windows XP PC.

Despite a complicated array of features, the camera can be very simple to use for those who just want to set everything to "AUTO", then point and shoot.

Goods:
* High res 2 mega-pixel stills stored on SD card
* Built-in flash and 14x optical zoom
* Optical image stabilization to ensure minimized "shaky hand" effect
* Easy to dump videos and stills to XP PC
* Amazingly wide array of features packed into a small sized unit
* Excellent still picture quality
* Good performance for shooting 'on the fly'
* Continuous mode for quick sequential still shots
* Can snap 640x480 still shots to SD card while recording video to tape
* More...

Bads:
* Package does not include a DV tape
* Included 16MB MMC card is far too small
* Included battery is a little short-lived
* Firewire DV cable not included

Additional items I bought:
* Pack of DV tapes
* 512MB SD Card
* High-capacity BP2L14 battery
* CB2LT battery charger, enabling charging of both batteries at once (one in camera, one in charger)

You'll also need a carrying case that snugly fits the Optura 60 and the above items.

So, my main criteria for choosing a camera was compatibility with my iMac. I am a photographer, so I also like decent picture quality. Ease of operation is another plus. This camera meets all my specs.

Set up was relatively simple. Attach the strap and lens cap, pop in the memory card, attach the battery, plug it in to charge for a bit and you are ready to go.

The kit is missing a couple of things: a bigger memory card would be nice(as always is the case), and a tape would be nice. As it is, you need to go out and buy a tape before you can record. Minor detail, but slightly annoying if you were already anxiously awaiting the UPS guy so you could get started recording, a firewire would be a nice inclusion, as well.

You'll need the manual to program the time and date. The menu operation is funky and poorly designed(teeny tiny button that you push up or down to scroll and have to hit center-on to select). This is my fifth video camera in ten years, tho, and I've never spent too much time using the menu, so... I can live with it.

Software was easily installed and no problems getting video to my computer. Plug and play.

The video and sound are great. I paid a couple hundred more for my Sony DVD300 and the quality is TERRIBLE. I like that it has a night light- it isn't the most powerful, but it's something. There is a mode for low-light recording that doesn't ruin the color(you don't get that green night-vision look that all my other cameras have).

I'm not big on taking digital still photos with a video camera- I use my Nikon D70 for that, so I can't say much about that. All in all, I think this camera is a great deal for what you get. Relatively easy to use and Mac friendly.

Video Quality: 5 (16:9 on 42" plasma = approx DVD quality)
Audio Quality: 3.5 (no complaints yet)
Image Stabilizer: 3
Stills: 2 (would not use this for stills)
Expandability: 5
Included Battery: 3 (will not out last a cassette)
Features: 4

I chose this because I needed a camcorder with good video resolution in 16:9 mode. Most camcorders suffer in the 16:9 mode when compared to their 4:3 performance. Also the Optura 60 has an Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) which is superior to Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) in that it does not degrade image quality as much as EIS. However OIS does not make the picture as steady as some EIS based ones.
The audio seems fine - some have complained that motor noise surfaces in quiet conditions. The set and func button are badly placed as you can't see them when the LCD is open. Top Loading cassette system is always a winner compared to bottom loading for when you use a tripod.
Connectivity is excellent - IEEE, USB, Mic-in, A/V out, s-video out. The camcorder also does Analog-to-Digital pass through. So you can use this to convert your VHS stuff to MiniDV or directly to a computer. Works well with Mac; iMovie controls the camcorder just fine and importing video was easy. The accessory hot shoe is also an added bonus for expanding - external mics, video lamps - and the camcorder can communicate with these add-ons.
Overall, excellent value in a market where each new model year of camcorders seems to be reducing feature and functionality. Best value when you consider the $100 MIR that Canon is offering