Canon ES500

The Canon ES500 is a Video8 camcorder made by Canon starting in July 1994.

Overview
The Canon ES500 has the "camera-in-palm" design, which was common in its era. It does not have a full-size LCD screen or speaker. It does have a color LCD viewfinder that tilts but does not telescope. Its form factor is very similar to that of VHS-C cameras of the time, and at first glance, might be mistaken for one of these units.

Features
*: Not tested
 * 12x Optical Zoom
 * Automatic or manual focus
 * A/V jacks that can be used as inputs or outputs
 * Review Button
 * Built-in Halogen Spotlight
 * Program AE selector wheel on side
 * A hidden compartment with five buttons - shutter, auto focus control, title, counter reset, and one labeled "Tally/Sensor On/Off." The function of this button is unknown.
 * The shutter and power switch are connected mechanically
 * Tape is inserted from top
 * LANC Jack
 * Color viewfinder, tilts
 * Built-in wide angle lens filter
 * 5V DC output with A/V peripherals, for RF modulator

This example unit has a broken viewfinder and did not come with a manual, and there is no known online manual, so information on this unit is hard to find.

If a video source is connected to the AV out jacks when in VCR mode and record is pressed, the camera will change the AV OUT to AV IN and record from the jacks. Allowing the camera to be used to copy VHS/DVD/8MM tapes to 8mm tapes.

Battery/Power
The battery would be a BP-711 according to ebay's replacement batteries. It does not have any built-in power jacks, so it does come with an external charger (Canon CA-R200A) and battery adapter. It runs on 6VDC (so likely a NiMH battery) and draws 7W. The charger connects to an external cable that has a box which clips into the battery compartment on the camera.