The Time and Date are usually encoded in the video and visible ONLY when the DATE button is pushed on the REMOTE. Having done leagle video work in the past for video depositions we found the only way to keep the Date/Time stamp up was to make a duplication of the video using the AV Lines out while the Date/TIme was on.
There is also a program available on line called DVdate. After a video is captured on computer this program allows you to make a duplicate with the Date/Time Stamp turned on.

Optical Zoom is like using a Magnifying Glass. As you move the glass closer or farther back the image either get larger or smaller. Using several glasses together gives you more zoom effect.
Digital Zoom is as if you took the image itself and enlarged it. After a certain amount of enlarging it becomes pixelated. The image get Jagged.
It is always better to have more optical zoom than digital zoom.

Camcorders with LANC or Control-L are very hard to find. LANC has been phased out some time ago, especially on consumer grade camcorders.
Mic Inputs were also hard to find on Camcorders but a slowly coming back as are Head Phone jacks.
You could look at the Sony HDR-HC9 that has a Active interface shoe which provides a location directly on the camcorder for adding optional accessories like external lights and microphones: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...
The Canon HF S10 found here :http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...
has both Mic input and Head Phone jack.

Depending on which type of PCMCIA slot you have you might be able to add a Firewire card to your Laptop. If your slot is a Express Card you might try this:http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...