Camcorder Reviews

When I decided to start shopping for a camcorder, not even fully intent on buying one yet, I ran across this particular one early on and, somewhat to my surprise, never found another one that offered as much as this one did. When I think of videorecorders and video cameras, I first think of Sony, but Sony didn't really offer a product with all of the features I found in this JVC camcorder. When I began my search, it didn't take long for me to decide that I wanted a VHS-C camcorder: I wanted to play my videos in a VCR, and I could not really afford a digital camcorder, anyway. Next, I decided I wanted a color LCD screen that was at least three inches. While zoom capability wasn't really that important to me, it also did play a factor in my decision-making process. Finally, if possible, I wanted something that could also serve as a digital camera.

This camcorder has all I wanted and more. In terms of recording modes, it offers S-VHS, S-VHS ET, and VHS. I'm not a photographic expert, but the S-VHS video playback of my tapes was much sharper and clearer than I expected; as far as I am concerned, digital video could not look much better than this and certainly offers no advantages for me to justify the extra expense. I should say that the camcorder is very light and comfortable in my hand no matter how much time I spend recording. As for the LCD screen, it is very nice. The colors, especially depending on the angle from which you are viewing it, often seem too bright, but the picture on the tape itself is perfect. One thing this model does not offer is a color viewfinder, but I don't plan on using the viewfinder much at all anyway. The black and white image on the viewfinder is very good, but using the viewfinder only serves to make you stumble around with your eyes pointed down. With the LCD screen, you can remain a part of the action as you record rather than come off as "some guy with a stupid camcorder" terrorizing your family and friends. The display rotates 270 degrees, as well, so you can record from almost any angle. One important feature of this camcorder is digital stabilization; it's hard to walk around and maintain a steady shot, and this features helps keep the jerky movements to a minimum. When it comes to zooming in, this camera really outdoes most of the competition, offering 400x . While anything at the maximum zoom is naturally going to be pretty grainy, the video quality is excellent until you get close to that maximum. Recording in darkness is also not a problem for this camcorder; besides having its own light source, it also comes with a "Night Alive" feature that increases light sensitivity and allows you to get color video in dark environments.

This is a dual camcorder, serving as a digital camera as well as a video recorder. Certainly, the quality of digital photos is not quite as good as true digital cameras offer, but they look really good to me. With 2 MB of flash memory, it can hold up to 30 digital images at one time. Other cameras offer a higher capacity for digital photos, but this is enough for me. The video capabilites come first in my mind, and the digital picture feature is just icing on the cake. The software that comes with this product is really good (at least for an amateur like myself), and I had no trouble hooking the cable up to my COM 2 port and downloading images.

There are a myriad of other features, many of which I am still just exploring. There are many combinations of screen fades/wipes and special effects. You can film your video as an old, black and white movie, really annoy your friends by stretching the width of the picture and making them look fat, add a strobe effect to jazz up the action, add a fog element for that touch of fantasy, or--my favorite--use video echo to make everything look ghostly and weird. There are more features than I can discuss here in this review.

Returning to simpler matters, I must say that the documentation that comes with this product is excellent. While it does take some time to figure out all of the many things the camcorder can do, there is no problem getting the thing up and recording almost right out of the box. On a final note, I must add that the sound quality is also very good. Since there is no way to use an external microphone with this product, I worried that I would have a hard time hearing people's conversations on tape. This is not a problem. Not only does it pick up the sounds you want to hear, it also picks up a lot of ambient sound as well. All in all, this JVC product offered me everything I really wanted in a camcorder, and I am more than happy with it. Now all I need is something interesting to record.

this camcorder is okay. its not very good for making pro movies, but it gets the job done. its pretty cool. i lost the remote control to it, but with it, you can re-record sound, play it back, all that cool junk.

I really like this machine. The owner's manual is good and the features are useful. For VHS-C format, one has the option of standard-play for 30 minutes of recording or extended-play for 90 minutes of recording. The night vision feature is good - I recorded shots in almost total darkness and the camera made it look like the lights were normal in the room. The LCD screen is really good so that the user can use it for shooting or for playback viewing. The zoom freaked me out at how sharp the picture could be at about 50 or so yards. The price seems okay and this camera is a pretty good deal - for my purposes anyway.

it is very difficult to tell but i think it good

i have recieved my camera it does not work at all they stated that it was still wrapped in its plastic and even though it was it had been used enough to have the paint on the buttons wore off the battery is so used up it will not take a charge or the recharger does not work and the adapter does not work`this camera is junk and now i cannot get ahold of anybody to return it to!!!!!

Took nice pictures and I was very happy with it until the cassette door started to not work properly and other things started acting up. It is now 14 months old and off warranty and needs to have the cassette housing assembly replaced at a price not worth considering. We were told this was not caused by neglect or improper usage.

I bought mine at another store several years ago. I have only recently had any problems with it and that is the batteries. They do not charge anymore because of age and use, but other than that, this camera has not had any problems. I have never had trouble with the door. I love the effects. As soon as I can find a replacement battery, I will be back to videoing. I have taped a moving train, cats runing around and even a funeral on this baby. It is a great camera for as old as it is.

This is a really good camera. It works great at places with little light because of its twlight effect. I shot a skating video with this camera and it turned out great. Get this camera.

I find that this camcorder was great when I was taping sporting events such as my daughters soccer game or outside family reunions. This camera has a great LCD moniter, which is good for future editing purposes, and offers fairly good zoom options. For it's price I think it is a good deal.

I got this camcorder for my fiance and I for Christmas and so far we have like it a lot. We are still learning how to use all the features but it is pretty easy to figure out the basics (even without reading the manual). I really like the side vision feature because it makes it really easy to see what you're tapeing. Get it!

JVC continues to turn out products that are defective and they do not stand behind them. I bought my daughter a camcorder for her graduation and she is unable to use it because the camera displays an E03 lockdown mode message which disables the camera. Apparently the only way to fix this problem is to bring it to a dealer and pay for the repair. I also understand that it can be a reoccuring problem. There is a class action suit pending. Spend your hard earned money on a better product.

I bought this camera (my third camcorder), because of the name. As I found out the name isn't every thing. I had it 2 weeks, and in that time I had to call JVC (their online service never returned my e-mail) twice. The first time I could fix it myself waiting 45 min. The seconc time (after having this camera only 2 weeks)I was told to take it in for repairs, so I sent it back. Save your time buy something else.

I have three camcorders that alternate depending on the event I want to cover. This one is really the one I like the most. First it has excellent resolution that should be expected out of camera of this cost range. My freinds were dazzled once we showed the playback on TV, people asked if it was digital. The battery life is also excellent and so is the quality and rate of charging..takes 1 hour for full charge..and 30 minutes charge gives 2-3 hours of recording. This is quite good for me. The inbuilt light source is good for night shots as well. Really liked it overall.

its gos in safeguard mode and the door is open
e02

this is a very easy camera to use but we have had lots of problems with it. i think it is a very cheaply made camcorder and i would advise buying another. about 1 year after we bought it just stopped working. we took it to be repaired and it cost [$$$$] to fix it and it took 4 weeks. it was the one time i wished i had bought the 'extended warranty' from the store.
soon after that the light stopped working--it actually still records ok in low light but it's kind of annoying to not have it for some things. then, 3 days before this christmas it started acting up again and all of a tape we shot came out with half the screen distorted and unviewable. when i took the tape out to investigate there was a wire sticking up which obviously was not supposed to be there. rather than pay and wait for repair we just tossed it. i'm very suspicious of JVC now.

WOW,WOW THis thing is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!<(§º¿§º)>Its DA BOMB BUT IT

How do you get pictures and movies on your email? I have windows XP and can't get things loaded onto the computer without it playing on just the camera.

If you are looking for an ultracompact, feature-filled camcorder, the JVC GR-DVM70U digital cybercam will take you to new levels of vacation and home video making. The GR-DVM70U features a digital still picture output that allows this camcorder to act as a digital still camera. The still images are stored on a removable 4 MB multimedia card and can be downloaded onto your PC via the provided serial cable. A short editing process makes your images Web-ready or e- mail compliant with the software included.

This JVC digital cybercam offers a high level of picture and sound quality. A 680,000-pixel CCD delivers outstanding resolution, and with the 180,000-pixel color LCD monitor, the camcorder can be operated from any angle. For important close-up shots, the 200x digital zoom provides fast zooming at variable speeds by finger pressure.

This cybercam is full of digital effects and scene transitions for the budding filmmaker. Let your creativity run free with effects such as classic film, strobe, slow shutter, black and white, and many more. A time-lapse capability allows you to record at preset intervals to catch slow motion action such as plant growth or cloud movement. You can also record in a special animation mode that creates the illusion of movement for an otherwise stationary scene when you shoot a series of slightly different poses. Random assemble editing provides an eight-scene memory for favorite scenes as well as the ability to add special effects.

The JVC GR-DVM70U is fully compatible with your PC computer. It includes a serial cable, 4 MB multimedia card and digital output link. Other accessories include a handgrip strap, audio-video output cable, editing cable, DC adapter, cleaning cloth, AC adapter/battery charger, and docking station.

I've owned this camcorder for a month...Although please avoid them if possible, they open the box from JVC and change the standard battery for a NiCa battery which lasts only 20mins! Then they charge you extra for the normal battery. Unless you're really on the ball you'll be caught out like me. I cannot believe the nerve of these people! Check out Camcorder & Computer Video mag for other retailers with prices just as good, some better.

The GRDVM50 is identical to the grdvm70 except it doesen't have the memory card & built in flash. Firstly, the video quality is superb. For my personal use of creating PC picture albums I find the digital stills perfectly adaquate, one real advantage with the software is even if the still you take is not in great focus you can frame by frame advance and you'll always find in 1 or 2 frames a clear image, just press the capture button on the software and this is the still thats transferred. If you're looking for high quality stills then buy a dedicated digital camera of high cost camcorder like the sony pc100 approx.$1500 street!

In a nutshell, this unit is so easy to use and carry around, it's also pretty rugged compared to the plasticcy models from other manufacturers.

On the downside, yes you can hear motor whine on the tape when using zoom but to be honest I really don't find it a problem. Wind noise-there is an electronic feature to reduce windnoise. I used this on Millenium Force rollercoaster at Cedar Pt.(Ohio) and it worked fine. The battery doesen't last long, you can buy 1.5hrs (actual) from camera shops. JVC Service & literature don't give me a warm feeling in terms of PC connectivity & what I've heard. Oh yeah, I had a problem with connecting to PC, check under on your PC under'Start,settings,control panel,ports, that the baud rate is 9600' JVC connectivity literature is pathetic considering how easy it actually is to connect. Don't waste time reading the software manuals, just install & use.

So..as far as rating goes, I'm not biased, and I'm basically blown away by this little machine considering the price I paid and the overall performance.

I purchased my new (and expensive) camcorder in October 1998 because I wanted superior quality video and a small size for portability. I was right. The video quality is excellant and it goes anywhere.

HOWEVER, in the 12 months I have owned this unit, it broke 3 times with 2 seperate problems. Problems 1 and 2 were that the automatic focus broke. Problem 3 was the flip out LCD screen stopped working.

I returned the unit all 3 times to JVC at my expense ($25 per shipment). Happily, it was repaired under warranty and returned to me quickly.

I asked for a replacement unit (new or refurbished) and JVC refused. Originally, they even tried to charge me for the 3rd repair. After I complained loud enough, they decided to waive the fee.

I have heard of other problems with this unit from other people and would not recommend it to a friend. Look at the Sony models.

A company as large and successful as JVC should stand behind their faulty units! This was a bad experience that turned a fairly loyal JVC user away to Sony!

I have owned 3 JVC camcorders or similar type DVM3, DVM5 and DVM50U. I have loved the size, capability and quality of video image, but all 3 have had significant and expensive repairs. So much so that I gave up the DVM5 because the repair cost was more than I could buy a new and more recent model. At the moment the DVM50U is in the shop after about 5 months ownership and the DVM3 has troubles holding selected zoom mode. I have also owned 3 JVC VCR's and 2 JVC televisions. One VCR bombed out with expensive repairs that dis not correct the problems, but the others have been great. I am not sure I would buy another JVC camcorder.

I loooove the small size! Because of that, it gets more use. HOWEVER, had to send it for repairs 3 months after I bought it. Warranty covered the expense, (but not the shipping), and I'm afraid of the next time it will break, since the warranty has now run out. I would recommend some other brand with a better repair history. I don't recommend purchasing extended warranties, since it's damn near impossible to make them pay.

While not new to computers and electronics I was new to digital video and was looking for a top of the line product for hobby use. While not cheap, I believe this product lives up to the promises and is a great value. Some aspects are tricky (connecting to a vcr) but after you get the hang of it very easy to use. The microphone is very sensitive but in quiet areas picks up a lot of motor noise making a microphone necessary. Overall, a great product.

First off: this is a mini DV camcorder. This means it uses mini DV tapes. They are the size of an old answering machine tape. They come in three sizes: 30 min, 1 hour and 80 minute. The tapes cost slightly more than the normal 8mm tapes, but only by a few dollars. The problem is that you can't run into the local drug store and get these. You have to go to a local consumer electronics store or get them off the web. After buying those, you have to buy a new battery (1hr is simply not enough time for a major family outing). The prices are around $80 for an 1 hour battery, $100 for an 1 1/2 hour battery and $160.00 for the 2 1/2 hour battery. This unit comes with a ton of software, so most people won't have to buy any extra for editing your videos on the computer (or pictures).

The main thing about this digicam is the fact its basically for semi-pro video makers. It has super-high resolution (number of horizontal and vertical lines in the images). You can make work presentations. You can dub sound onto videos, splice and dice scenes, etc. What sold me was the fact that you can shoot in widescreen rather than just full screen to have the bars on a regular tv or to use on a widescreen tv (think of the future here). The weight is heavier than most of the digicams in its class. This one weighs in at a hefty 1.5 pounds, where others are 1 lb.

Some of the other kool features that I had to make sure it had: (1) you can take precious older video tapes and record them to a digital tape from your old VCR, for safekeeping. (2) you can take the digital movies you do and put them directly onto a VCR tape for other family members, or you can edit it on the computer (putting in songs if you want), and then transfer it onto a VCR tape.

(3)the LCD screen is BIG (the largest in this price range is 4 inch, the JVC is 3.8). Most of these high end pro jobs use the 2.5 thinking you will use the viewfinder mostly. I like the big screen and you might too. The screen is anti-glare, high res, and pivots and moves, including flipping.

(4) a function I wanted that you don't find on a lot of players that this has is the color viewfinder. Do you really want to see things in black and white?

(5) well, if you like B & W, you can choose that from the ton of recording options. It also has fading, swipes, and a lot of video effects I can't wait to play around with.

(6) Progressive scan: a lot of the best players have it, but the Sony's don't. What it does is stops jitter in images. The jvc adds to this a 2x recording feature. This allows for slow-mo playback of 10X. Here is an example of what this means: your kid is at t-ball or want to analyze your golf swing. With this, you can record it in the superfast mode (think EP vs. SP recording speeds on a VCR). Then you have some options, you can play it back, with a finer image produced or you can slow mo it. Progressive scan also allows you to extract a single image from your swing or son's swing. So if your desire a pic of you swinging, you can take a single image from the camcorder movie and download it to the computer and then save it to disc and have it developed at a local drugstore, email it, or save it as your desktop wallpaper. You are also supposed to be able to edit your pictures to add effects using the software (have not seen this yet).

(7)the zoom: this has the 200X digital zoom. The sony's are not as good in this price range. Although you can get a better zoom off some of the really highend Digital 8 camcorders.

(8) The camcorder also adds something called a high-band processor. What it is supposed to do is add the high-band part of the luminance (light) signal back in. Camcorders take away this when recording because it takes away from the crominance signal (color).

(9) another imporatant feature dealing with the snap shot ability of this digicam is the resolution you can get in pictures. On most camcorders with the picture capability, you can only get 600 X 480 images (lower res - VGA). The JVC can take pics up to 1024 X 768 (called XGA). This is nice for framable pics. You can fit about half as many of these nicer pics on the removable disc depending on the snapshot mode you are in. There are 3 modes: fine (less pics), standard, and economy. you can get 75 VGA pics on the 4mb card in economy mode (or 36 XGA). That goes to 25 (12 XGA) in fine mode). You get get the bigger card (8 mb) and swap them for more pictures if you go on a long vacation. I have not priced the bigger cards yet. Note though, you can take 5400 stills, if you put them onto the tape.

(10) speaking of the cards (which i have not explained), I chose this one because there are not many of these digicams that have the extra memory cards for picutures. In most camcorders with the picture taking option, you can only take the pictures onto the tape, whether its a digital 8 or mini DV. This one and the sony I liked (the TRV20 - sony's rival for about $150 more) have cards you can take out after putting pictures on it. The cards allow for easier and faster transfer of the pics to your computer. Getting pictures from a tape is supposed to be a major pain. Sony's memory stick (their memory card), though, can be put into a 3.5 converted floppy disc and slipped into any floppy drive for down load. Also this player has been knocked because pic downloading is slow even with the fire wire being used. (hooks the digicam to a card you put in your computer).

JVC GR-DVL9800U is the top of the line camcorder from JVC. This is an upgrade from the GR-DVL9500U. Essentially the difference is in the function as a digital camera.

It incorporates the function of both a digital camera and a digital camcorder. One of the best features is the ability to take photos or videos separately or together. Photos are stored on a proprietary multimedia card. The camera comes with one 4 MB multimedia card (an 8 MB card is optional). Photos are stored as VGA (800x600) or XGA (1024x768). The resolution is second only the to Sony PC-100.

The GR-DVL9800U has a menu system that is easy to use. Its compact size easily allows one hand operation. The 3.5 inch LCD monitor is large and the picture is crisp. The color viewfinder with adjustable diopters makes for a truly compact package. The flip out flash makes it useful take pictures with flash when you choose to use flash (some places do not allow flash photography). The interface for viewing the digital photos is comparable to high end digital cameras.

The accessories include an AC power adapter, a credit card sized remote control, a battery pack, AV cable, S video cable, JLIP cable, lens protector, and a PC connection cable. However, it doesn't include a DV cable for IEEE1394 cards, nor does it include a Mini DV tape along with the camera.