Digital-Camcorder Reviews

I just got this camcorder and I got very disappointed. It was impossible for me to use it on an outdoor party at night.

With the price, I thought this camcorder would be better than Sony DCRIP5 which my friend just bought. And the Sony camcorder works just perfect despite the fact that it's even smaller than this JVC camcorder.

Best camera i've seen for the size and for the price. A must buy if your the type that like to capture moments but would not like to carry around a big bulky machine.

I agree with other people talking about DVP3U's bad still image quality. However, camcorders are not supposed to take still images. If you buy any camcorders, you won't be satisfied with its still image. (Sony Mega pixel ones are just ok). The movie quality of this camcorder is great (audio is not as good but you can easily attach zoom mike on top).

To the main point. You can buy great super-quality camcorders like Sony VX-2000 or canon XL-1 (with 3CDD) and take hollyhood quality movies. However, if you don't carry it with you most of the time, you won't be able to make any movie at all. If you don't use it, there is no need for super-quality, mega pixel, etc. For this reason, DVP3U is one of best mini camcorders I've used. It fits in my jean pocket and I carry it with me anywhere I go. The battery life is short but you can buy two extra (2hour battery) .... That will be enough for continous use of this awesome camcorder.

Pros: Small Format - That's it
Cons: Battery life, Low light video Quality, Ergonomics, Software
Recommended: No
It took me about 1 hour (!!!) to figure out how to hold this thing. The ergonomics are unacceptable. Either one finger is on the microphone or on the autofocus. 2.The battery life is about 1/2hour, I bought an additional battery (1 1/2hours) for [$$$] which boosts the price. But this new battery sticks out of the camera... 3. The Still camera (1 Megapixel) doesn't meet current Quality standards => you will need a additional digital Camera. 4. MPEG4 format, is so low in quality, that you can barely recognize anything. 5. You can't plug in a microphone, which limits the use of this camera. 6. Software that came with it is worthless=>get XP Moviemaker (free download at Microsoft) or Video Explosion (CNET Editors Choice). 7. If you shoot at night, the picture is grainy and low quality. Indoors you need a bright room to get good quality. 9. Camera has a lot of features that you don't really need (i.e. Transition features like fading). It's better to use Video Editing software 10. Viewfinder is black and white and too small to see anything. However you will probably never use it since the Color LCD does a great job. 11. Camcorder only comes with a 8MB Smartmedia card, upgrade to at least 32MB necessary => boots price 12.Summary: Buy this camera if you are a beginner or don't use the camcorder too often. Don't buy it if you have high quality standards. And don't think about using this camera for still printouts.

I bought mine from a different website, but since I have been a long time customer and user of of Amazon.com website, I thought of giving this review to aid other customers old and new. I have this mini cam for about a month now and I used it when I vacationed in California just last month. I never regret buying it. My family and friends have a great time watching our pictures on TV everytime we return from one of our siteseeing trips. I just give it a four star for now because I still have not use all it's features yet. There's just too many to read and install in order for me to fully utilize it. Overall, I think I got my money's worth. It's convenient and easy to use (the still and video cam only). It can get great pictures, and you can use the auto flash if the lighting is not good. The LCD monitor is not so clear on a bright day, but who's complaining, just delete your not so good shots and just keep the best. I haven't used the viewfinder that much since even in 35mm camera I find the viewfinder too small, I used the LCD most of the time. You just need to buy additional battery, which I did. I bought the BNV840 before but it weighs just the same as the camera itself, so I end up exchanging it with BNV312. Plus the former one needs a different charger which I have to buy separately. I will definitely recomend this with anyone. Also I bought a 128mb SD memory card in addition to the 8md that is included in the video package, though I haven't used up my 8mb yet.

Do not buy a JVC camcorder!!! - Just a couple of months after buying a JVC GRDVM80U an "E04" error start popping in th screen. Apparently the machinery is very sensitive to tapes lubricants and other compounds. Cleaning the head is not enough - the camara just becomes useless (Well, you can probably fix it for $350, but then it will break down again soon) Search the web for "E04 JVC" and you'll know how frequent and fustrating this error is - and I was surprised to learn it is not restricted to this model. JVC just ignores the problem and blames the tape manufacturers. It might function as an average camera if you are willing to give up using a tape ... and recording.

I got the camcorder about a month ago but only spend about 2 weeks with it because it was in the repair shop most of the time. It seems that this camcorder is incompatible with TDK tapes. There were no mention of it anywhere in the manual or in the packaging. They should at least include a recent updated notice on the problem. After using the TDK tape for 15 minutes, the picture became distorted and the message "Head cleaning required" appeared. I took it to the shop and the technician said the video heads were damage and need to be replaced. After calling JVC on the phone, they told me alot of people had call in about the same problem. I'm surprised no one mention it in their reviews or I would have stay away from the TDK tapes.

lots of features and a simple remote which can operate most of the features.
Not a bad little camera, the size is the biggest plus. I got this camera to take videos and snapshots of my new baby for the relatives. The camera is very good for well lit videos, but as with most of the DVM series, the low light filming is not very good. Transfer to PC is pretty quick using the firewire port. I use Ulead Video software that came with my firewire card, and not the JVC software.

I don't want to talk about good points for this camcorder here. I just want to point out some weakness.
1. still picture qulity is poor, much poor than you expected.
2. night alive mode is absolutely useless. this camcorder doesn't use infrared tech like most other camcorder using for night mode, instead it slow shooting speed so that it makes video pirture very blurring.
3. this cam is not cheap.
So if you want to spend [money] to buy digital camcorder, I don't recommend this one.

I bought this camcorder (Not From Amazon. I bought it cheaper) and it's my first camcorder. What a camcorder it is!

1. It's incredibly small. You can palm this camcorder easily.

2. It's light. You can carry it around in your pocket, without it weighing you down.

3. The ease of use is brilliant. You don't even have to look through the user manuals, because it's so simple to use. The buttons are places perfectly, so it's not difficult to press.

4. The "Extra Features/Special Effects" on this camcorder is very nice. You can shoot in widescreen (Which I love), have different type of faders (For instance, fade in black), you can shoot in different lighting that it will adjust automatically for you, you can also edit your footage as well.

5. You can use this camcorder as a digital camera as well. It comes with an 8mb memory card, but the quality of the still photos isn't top notch. They are a good "Email" quality, but nothing worthy of printing out. This is very typical on MiniDV camcorders with the "Still Photo" feature.

6. The video quality is quite good on this camcorder. The 10x optical zoom looks very good, and the sound is good as well. The mic is on top of the camcorder, so it does pick up a lot of noise sometimes, but when you do mean to talk while it's recording...it picks it up very nicely.

7. The "Night Alive" feature isn't that great. It's actually very useless. You're suppose to use it for when you're shooting in very dark enviroments, but when you use it, the shutter speed is so slow, it's very difficult to shoot, and the quality isn't that grand, if you ask me. So, don't bother using this feature and shooting in pitch black.

Overall...I had this MiniDV camcorder for about a week now, and it's great. I love the size and shape of it. It's very simple to use, my dog can even use it. Also, if you have a Mac (Like me), it works very well with iMovie. (You're going to have to buy a firewire cable though).

I've had the 50U for 3+ years and it has never disappointed me. It is compact, rugged and handsome. The 55U is an even more physically attractive update. The quality of the movies is excellent, and the quality of the still pictures is quite good (though not as good as any of the 3+ megapixel cameras available). The drawbacks, as I see them, are the relative expense of the mini DV film and more importantly, the loss of the MultiMediaCards for stills. Now all stills are recorded on the tape, making downloading images to your PC much more complex than with the older model. I think at that price, I'd opt for a camera with removeable media and perhaps image stabilization, such as the 80U.

...First of all, and this is probably true of all camcorders, is that you can take the fold-out LCD screen and shove it. You can't use it in daylight, it is totally washed out and impossible to see anything whatsoever and, indoors, when you can see it, it is confusing to use and disorienting and makes for wobbly playbacks, the eyepiece viewfinder is the thing to use and the expense and battery consumption of these LCD screens is shameful and baffles me why manufacturers tout them so much. Second, there is no way that I can figure out how to monitor playback tape position (for porting to make tape copies) using the tape counter and NOT have the tape counter/time counter/frame counter digits appear on the finished copy. If you turn off the counter so it doesn't appear on the copied tape, how the heck can you monitor frame/tape location?? I wrote email to JVC service asking a work around to the problem, but they ignored any acknowledgement or reply. The battery life is very short, the upgraded 1-1/2 battery is almost as large as the camera itself and almost costs as much. The much touted "infinite life", "no memory" attributes of these new fangled battery chemistries is pure BS. The old NiCad camcorder battery from my 8-mm Minolta lasted longer and, the best, still is, lead acid batteries of all things! I've never replaced the lead acid backup battery in my home security alarm in fifteen-years! I paid a ton of money (to be first kid on my block with DVM) for this item, I wish I waited so as to get the latest "progressive scan" technology that improves image quality at the higher zoom levels. The digital zoom (>10x) is practically a joke in optical quality. And forget about low light recording, even at wedding receptions, low light graduation ceremonies, Bar Mitzvahs, Communion parties, this camera will just not record under those conditions (if for no other reason than the autofocus mechanism breaks-down in low light) and there is no provision for external light attachment. The camera's physical size is a JOY though, something this small you can take everywhere, every time, it does get used! In fact it is a bit too small in the button department, my fingers have trouble pressing the teensy-weensy buttons, very frustrating actually. I would not trade this sized camera for any amount of improved optical quality in a larger unit and in fact the larger units don't have better image quality, only more convenient finger dexterity/functionality. As far as the snapshot mode is concerned, uploading them to your PC really degrades the image quality if you use the JVC docking station. I tried using these images in ebay listings, but the image quality was just too poor. You will love the credit card sized remote control and the convenience of being able to operate the camcorder using the remote, certainly worth its weight in Pistachio nuts.

I have the JVC GR-DVX48 , which is exactly the same as the 55U, but the model number is different here in Australia.
I've had the camera for a few months now and have been quite impressed by the quality of picture and ease of use in the camera.
I've had no problems with reliability, and JVC in Australia are always at hand to answer any stupid questions I have.

There is one thing which I utterly HATE about this camera though. I believe it's rated at 0.5 lux, and am not sure how much different a 0 lux rating would effect night shooting - but the camera performs poorly in low light conditions. Low light conditions being night time shooting under street lights. The camera doesn't seem to hold focus very well when it is dark and seems to get confused, and keep switching between being in focus to out of focus.

I was hoping i'd be able to attach an external light for night use, but there aren't any available for this model. Many JVC cameras have a socket on them called Info shoe, which allows easy attachment of external lights and microphone - for some reason this model does not have that socket. There are some info shoe adapters which can be put on this kind of camera but the JVC website said they can only be used for the external microphones, and not to be used for external lights. Although I would much prefer if this camera had a bit better capabilities at night, as an external light would be a hassle and not give me the natural effect I want.

Adding to that, the Nightscope function is complete and utter... I guess it is ok if you stick it in a tripod and are shooting something which isn't moving. Nightscope drops the frame rate to 3fps, and even then it doesn't improve lighting that much at all.

Besides the lack of night shooting capabilities, it really is a great camera.
If I had a choice again, I would go for the Sony TRV-15, which is a 0-lux rated camera, and also the night vision works properly (although making the image appear green).

But consider the fact that I haven't seen how well the Sony performs at night - so maybe I am just asking for too much when it comes to shooting at night.

I purchased the camera as a gift for my husband in July of 2002. As new parents, we expected that we would want a camcorder to record important moments in our children's infancy and toddlerhood. We have not been able to do so, as the camera has been out of commission or in the repair shop for most of the time we've owned it.

In September of 2003, after approximately 15 total hours of normal use, significant digital noise / pixel distortion and a "head cleaning required" message began to appear. We followed the prescribed procedure and cleaned the video heads with a MiniDV cleaning tape. The problem was not corrected, so we sought repair of the camcorder (to the tune of $240). A rebuild of the drum assembly, supply and takeup reels was performed by a JVC-authorized repair center.

Since then, we have recorded less than two hours of tape, and the digital noise problem has again reappeared. Some research suggests that we are not the only ones who have had this difficulty with our JVC camcorder. Since my difficulties, I have found hundreds of consumer comments that suggest that this and several other models of JVC digital camcorders and DV recorders are riddled with digital noise problems.

I have never been so dissatisfied with such a major purchase and am currently seeking a full refund from JVC. Wish me luck.

This is an excellent camcorder.

The 920U (this camcorder) is much better than the 720U/820U. The earlier versions had a constant buzz on the recorded audio that appeared to come from the DV tape motor. The 920U is very quiet and the audio is crystal clear.

Video quality was much better, too, with sharper colors probably due to the improved lens. (The colors on the 720U/820U were washed out and dull.) On the 920U, I couldn't tell much difference between real life and recorded video in well-lighted conditions. Also, the viewfinder is color whereas the 720U/820U have B&W viewfinders.

Zoom is smooth and well-positioned. The menu is easy to use. Overall the ergonomics of the camcorder are excellent.

The 3.5" LCD is VERY nice. I'm definitely hooked on that feature.

...

I used it for the first time during my vacation with my family to Southern California last December and it satisfied me very much. The manual is really easy to follow. It felt good in my palm during action. I took some pictures because the 920 is also equipped with memory card. I really proud of this camcorder...

I got this camera as a loaner the other day when I took my Sony in for repair. Any thoughts of getting a JVC in the future have died.

First, the good stuff. The controls and the setup are MUCH better than Sony. The tape access, on the side, is preferable to Sony's bottom loading (on at least some, and my, unit) tape. Further, the on switch only requires a quick glance to turn on, rather than a serious look until you are familiar with it -- like the Sony. Finally, the built in light really comes in handy for quick shots.

That's it. There is a constant buzz on the camera that comes through on the tape. From looking at other JVC reviews, this seems to be a systematic problem not limited to my unit. And the picture is no where near as sharp. Now, my camera does have a slightly bigger CCD, but still the sharpness of Sony overwhelms JVC -- at least for one CCD camcorders. As far as taking still pictures, I didn't take any so I can't comment, but don't buy a camcorder to take pictures. That feature is there for a quick spontaneous snapshot when your camera isn't available or handy, not for continuous use.

I'm glad I get to give this back. I can live with akward controls, but I've got to have good picture quality and this camera doesn't deliver.

After using this camera very happily for about a year and a half, suddenly videos became very blocky when onscreen objects moved. Now, instantly, everyone reading this is going to say, "How obvious, the heads are dirty." But I don't think this is the case. I have cleaned the camera with a cleaning tape about once every two or three weeks, or when it looked like the heads needed cleaning. But about two months ago, that stopped helping. The picture has become progressively blockier. A couple of days ago, I gently cleaned the heads with q-tips and a non-harming cleaning solution, but this did nothing to improve the camera's condition.

I recently went to Best Buy and talked to a salseman there, who said more complaints are made about JVCs regarding this matter than Canon or Sony.

Believe me, I didn't want to switch brands - as I had been using and liking my JVC camera, as I said, for about 1 1/2 years. But soon I'll be getting a Canon and throwing the old JVC away. It's unlikely I'll buy from them again.

This is a good little camera with great features. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived as it's smaller than I expected. Quite a tidy, compact package with big features. I figured there was really no need for a color viewfinder in the DVL 920 model, so not worth the extra $'s.

Only one major reservation... it doesn't work with TDK or Panasonic brand tapes. After purchasing the camera and recording an hour of tape, I played the tape back on the unit and got a message on the screen that the camera needed cleaning and the image was broken up and basically garbage on the screen. After speaking to JVC tech support they informed me that with TDK tapes the camera will exhibit that behavior, but I was using Panasonic. I then bought a Sony tape and everything seems to be fine.

I first bought the JVC 805U because I was enticed by the cheaper price tag, which I convinced myself was the only difference. It isn't. Don't be fooled by price -- pay the extra money and get what you pay for.

I returned this model and bought the Sony TRV11. The video quality on the JVC is noticeably worse. This could be because of the lack of the Carl Zeiss lens or the lack of low lux recording (both found on the Sony).

The battery that came with the JVC only lasted about 30 minutes (compared to about 1 hour with Sony) and the image stabilization was shoddy at best. Also, the LCD screen quality on the JVC is just so-so.

While the JVC does have a built in light, it is really useless for night shooting.

Overall, the JVC has average quality and features. If you are willing to settle for average and want to buy a camera in the "average" price range, consider this one or close competitor Panasonic. If you want a much better camera for a few hundred bucks more, buy the Sony TRV11.

I was quite impressed when I first used this camera, but after a few months, it's turning out to be a problem. I'm having the worst luck trying to download the still images on to my PC. Apparently, the enclosed software Multimedia Navigator(1 disc: JLIP VideoCapture | JLIP VideoProducer | PictureNavigator) does not work on the Windows 98 as it said, neither in W2K and Windows XP.
I'm still haven't been able to download my pictures because my PC doesn't recognize the camera. Apparently, many people are experiencing similar problems with downloading their images. There is no drivers for this camera and JVC support doesn't know about this issue.

Preface: I am a quality engineer in a printing company

I own a JVC GR-DVL805u. I think it is a very nice digital video camera.

I like the built in 640x480 digital still camera. You can save and load the stills off of your miniDV tape - so you don't need a memory stick. The advanced features on the camera are very nice. Combined with the highest density CCD in the price range you can expect to get some nice results.

Out of the box, I was not completely thrilled with the default white balace of the camera. The image was a little too red. You can re-calibrate the white balance in a few simple steps detailed in the manual. Perhaps the auto light mode doesn't work well under mixed lighting conditions (halogen & sun.)

The camera does not support Hi8. It is a miniDV format. The camera resolution is 640x480 for still photos (in the fine mode.)

I'm kind of glad JVC didn't include a package for firewire [aka i.Link or IEEE 1394]. The camera would cost at least $100 more and I'm not sure I would want the interface board they would give me. I'm not if the software with the system support Macintosh.

The interface that you get with the camera is just what you need if you have a vcr and you want to edit your tape into a movie. Or if you don't have a bleeding edge computer with firewire. Firewire is next on my list, with that I can make movies of the baby to mail to my family.

Nit-picky points: The logo plates pick up finger prints, and look hard to clean. The glowing logo on the side of my 805u doesn't read the same as the demo units I've looked at. The unit is packaged with the lense cap hidden deep in the box--not on the lense. (The lense was clean -- but it took a while to find the cap.) The ac power cable goes into the same area as the battery & the cable does not have an ideal fit. That is, JVC documents to have the coiled end of the cable near the camera, and the only direction the power cord fits without kinking is up - so over the long term the wire is more likely to break. ... please remember I'm a quality engineer.

I think this camera is an excellent buy. If the price is a bit high - look at the 505u, which as far as I can tell differs only by .5" on the LCD and has a b&w viewfinder.

I bought this camera in 2002, about 2 months after my son was born. Within the 2 years we have had the camera it has been in the shop 3 times, the 3rd time just last week. The problem is when we fold out the LCD to take some video there is no picture, if you flip the LCD monitor over to the front the picture will work fine, but flip it back to normal and there is no picture. It takes great video when it's working and now that I have XP it works great uploading video to the computer. Unfortunately it has been in the shop about half the time we have owned it. I'm waiting for it to come back and stop working again so I can trade it in under Best Buy's warranty.

I've had this camcorder for a two years now. Gotta say that it works very well. It has good focus even when you're at max zoom, but when you're zoomed in that much, you need to put the camcorder on a tripod, otherwise the recording will be very shaky.

The one feature that I don't like about the camcorder is the Night Alive technology for shooting during nightime. You get a golden/yellow picture and things get really blurry as the target moves. It's really annoying and I NEVER use it. So if you're looking for a camcorder that will give you great night time recording, don't get this one. Get something with an infrared emitter, it will let you shoot good video even with NO light present.

JVC products have always been a favorite of mine and have always proven to have outstanding products. the JVC GRDVL720U is no exception. This Camera is inexpensive, and has all the bells and whistles you could ask for from a lower-end camcorder. You can transfer Digital Video to your PC by Firewire, and easily transfer Digital Stills through USB. Great quality and design. The unit fits in your hand with all buttons readily available.