JVC GRDVM55U MiniDV Digital Camcorder
by JVC

List Price: $1,199.99
Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details

• MiniDV camcorder
• 10x optical, 200x digital zoom with digital image stabilization
• 2.5-inch color LCD monitor and color EVF
• Photo mode records still images onto tape
• Uses an included lithium-ion battery; also includes remote control, AC adapter/charger, shoulder strap

• AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to B-Male Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
• AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
• AmazonBasics IEEE 1394 4-Pin/6-Pin FireWire Cable (6 Feet/1.8 Meters)
• Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 [Old Version]
• Roxio Creator 2010 [OLD VERSION]

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of JVC GRDVM55U MiniDV Digital Camcorder

Customer Review: A Very Good Mid Range Digital Video Camera
Summary: 5 Stars

The "55" model has some features that the less expensive JVC models don't, (models such as the "70U" and the "80U") such as additional video options like monochrome, sepia and classic film mode, as well as a widescreen option and a night-alive option for shooting in low light. (Not to be confused with "night vision", this camera can't see in the dark....)

And it lacks options found in he better JVC models like: No memory stick - you can still shoot still photos like a regular digital camera, but they're stored on the tape, not in memory or on a removable memory stick. Less advanced digital audio features. There is no light on the front of the camera. Fewer video 'tricks' and scene transitions, though you're probably buying a digital camera to edit on your MAC or PC, so these options can be created digitally with video editing software such as iMovie.

The camera feels good in your hand. The controls are easy to use. The zoom toggle is right at your thumb. Switching between AUTO and MANUAL mode is easy. (Auto for simple everyday shooting, manual if you want to take advantage of features such as better quality when filming indoors, towards a spotlight / stage, with monochrome mode, sports events mode, etc.)

The battery lasts for about half a 60 minute tape. I know that's not an exact amount of time, but it should give you an idea of how often you'll need to recharge the battery. Which is easy to recharge - no need to take the battery out and put it in a re-charger - just turn the camera off and plug in the AC adapter.

As for image quality - it's very good. We have a Sony Vega flatscreen and the output from the camera is very clear. Much better than our previous Sharp ViewCam (which is not digital of course, but a fair comparison if you've seen typical home movies before). It may be fair to say the quality is good enough for low budget documentary style filming. Better than cable access. About as good as "The Blair Witch Project".

The image stabilization does a fair job. Looks good if you're walking around, but don't expect to jog with it.

Zoom is 10X optical & 200X digital. Which means the lens can adjust to 10X naturally, the rest of the 'zoom' is created digitally within the camera. Zoom in any more than say 40X and the image gets pixely (is that a word?!) and shaky.

Overall - I'm very pleased with the camera. We were filming within minutes of opening the box. Navigating the cameras internal OS when using it's added features is a breeze. And the remote seemed like a silly accessory - until we played back our videos on our TV and could forward & rewind without touching the camera.

A note to MAC users: You'll need a 4pin to 6pin Firewire cable (not included) to connect to an iMac or G4. And the included software is all Windows. Also note, one of the more expensive models features USB connections and Mac software. Read carefully: The USB feature and software is only for downloading still pictures from the memory stick, not for digital video editing.

[SIXTEEN MONTHS LATER]

Hey, Amazon lets you update product reviews - cool...

We've had the camera now for sixteen months and we've had no significant trouble with the camera. We have to clean the heads regularly, the camera will stop working and prompt the user with a "Please clean the heads..." alert on the screen. This seems to happen more when we don't use the camer for a while. Maybe once a month. Annoyng when you're trying to shoot a spontaneous moment - but I don't think this is a bad thing. At least we're keeping the heads clean!

We've filled approximately 20 one-hour digital video tapes and made a few movies with iMovie ([web address]). We've played back our video tapes probably hundreds of times since we bought the camera. It has always worked perfectly. The original batteries we bought with the camera still seem to give just as much juice as the day we bought them.

My only recommendation would be to always put the camera in its protective case. Ours looks a bit worn - some parts which look like metal are actually painted plastic and the paint has worn off.

I'm still giving this camera five stars. We're very happy with our purchase.

Description of JVC GRDVM55U MiniDV Digital Camcorder

The GR-DVM55U also comes with a variety of multimedia interfacing capabilities, making transferring DV recordings or digital photos to a computer fast and simple. In addition to the standard IEEE 1394 DV interface, the serial terminal allows you to use the provided JLIP software to easily control image capture and linear editing from your computer. Serial terminals are compatible with practically any computer for greater connectivity.

Also included are an AC power adapter/charger, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, remote control, CD-ROM software for photo editing, shoulder strap, jack box, PC connection cable, JLIP cable, AV cable, and editing cable.

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