These 3 inch DVD disks are difficult to handle under perfect conditions. I wanted to use this camera for outdoors events but it would be too easy to get fingerprints on the recording surface to take chances without clean hands and dry conditions. The disks are small and have to be forced onto the spindle without touching the recording surface.

Another limitation is that the least expensive DVD disks are DVD-R write once only which makes it impossible to edit what you shoot. They can’t be erased. Scenes deleted so be sure you don’t record anything with them you might regret later. It supports DVD-RW Write Many format also but considering how easy it is to mess up the recording surface don’t expect them to last forever.

The greatest problem with this device is that the DVD drive is limited to only three brands of disks. This makes the DVD recorder not very well supported for using with the video.

The DVD drive does not support all DVD formats available. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW: YOU MUST USE ONLY DVD-R, DVD-R DL, or DVD-RW FORMATS. Notice it is a MINUS – not a plus +. (Amazon.com bundles this with a 3 pack of DVD+RW disks which are not ever going to work with this camera so don’t include it like I did.)

To make matters worse you cannot just use any 3 inch DVD-R disks. The camera claims to only support 1-layer Hitachi-Maxwell HG series disks or 2 layer Canon DVD-R DL54 and Verbatim DVD-R DL disks. (Not Sony, which is the brand Amazon.com recommends.)

If you decide to risk it and use an unsupported disk, every time the camera is turned on you will get a dire warning that using this disk is not supported and you run the risk of damaging the camera or end up with poor/no video. I could only find Maxell DVD-R DS and TDK-RW at Rite-Aid. Both will work with the camera but the warnings are enough to make me believe I should try to buy disks it won’t complain about. It is very annoying that it doesn’t support both – and + formats like most dvd recorders to start with. I would suggest that if you want a DVD camcorder, look for one that can use both +/- if possible and supports all manufacturers disks.

The camera also lacks a firewire port so you can’t use it with a computer to capture the video stream. The model 410 has an AV port and microphone jack. It does not have a USB port. The model 420 USB doesn’t support the video just the photo feature and takes the place of the microphone jack.

The last disappointment with this camera is the image stabilization feature is awful. The video becomes so shaky that people will think you have been drinking or you are filming an earthquake. Even on a stable tripod the video was not stable even if focused on inanimate objects.

All the reasons I wanted to get this camera are total disappointments for me. I wish I would have chosen a different camera with better DVD support or one that records to flash memory, and probably not from Canon.

P.S NO software with the camera for editing the video or the photos!

The DC410 is very easy to use if you spend a little time reading the instructions. You might want to get an extra battery, I was lucky since it uses the same one as my digital camera (Rebel XTi).

After ordering the camera, I went to several stores in my area and was unable to find any of the “approved” discs.

At the last store I checked,I got some good advice about a better model(flash drive)in a different brand and purchased it to replace this one. I am already using it and can burn any type of DVD on my desktop.