Never shoot another DV quality video again!
Written: Jun 30 '04 (Updated May 22 '05)
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Pros: Multi-format recording and playback. 3.5" color LCD monitor. Manual zoom and focus rings.
Cons: Poor performance in very low-light or no-light situations.
The Bottom Line: If you're tired of working with DV quality video, this is the camera for you. Outstanding video quality for a prosumer/consumer camera. Now supported by iMovie and Final Cut Pro.
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| joshvelasquez's Full Review: JVC GR-HD1 Mini DV Digital Camcorder |
Another reviewer did an outstanding job of explaining the technical features of the camera, so I wont go there.
I also agree with that reviewer's recommendation regarding who should buy this camera. I wouldn't recommended the GR-HD1 as someone's first video camera (mine was a Canon ZR25MC), but this camera doesn't have a very steep learning curve either.
UPDATE on May 22, 2005: I've changed my mind about this being someone's first camera. If you think you're going to keep it for a while, and you're willing to take the time to figure things out, I would certainly recommend this as a starter camera. The price has come down a bit since I first wrote this review, and Apple's editing programs (iMovie, Final Cut Pro) now support the camera's HDV technology natively. Also, the fact that the camera is so versatile (you can shoot in something simple like DV with automatic settings, or more advanced modes like HDV with manual settings) makes it great for a starter who plans to keep the camera for a while and grow with it.
A few reads of the manual (pretty well written and concise, by the way) give a pretty good overview of the camera and it's features. But, of course, tinkering and practice is the best way to get to know this kind of camera. Especially if you're used to smaller handheld cameras... the camera is bigger than I was used to (I knew this when I bought it though), so it took a little practice to get my hand nice and steady.
Once you're adjusted, which doesn't take long, the creative control and video quality makes everything all better. Zoom, focus, exposure, white balance, video format controls... all at your fingertips. Zoom and focus rings near the camera lens work beautifully. Switch between memory card, HD, SD, and DV recording easily. Take stills on tape or on the MultiMediaCard or Secure Digital memory card. Record HD, SD, and DV all on MiniDV tapes. Incredible.
Like most video cameras these days, the built-in microphone is on the body of the camera. This would usually create a noticeable (and irritating) hum/buzz in the audio recording, but JVC did a decent job of minimizing this problem. You might still hear a bit of a hum though. Quick fix: use an external microphone with the built-in and well-placed mic jack. Speaking of which, the audio jacks on this camera (namely the mic and headphone jacks) are really well placed... the mic jack is near the lens and accessory shoe, and the headphone jack is toward the back of the camera. The other jacks aren't well placed nor are they poorly placed. In fact, the placement of the rest of the jacks (FireWire, USB, A/V, power) seems somewhat arbitrary, but it works well enough for me.
Apple's Final Cut Pro doesn't yet formally support JVC's HDV format (the high definition video format implemented in the JVC GR-HD1).
UPDATE on May 22, 2005: Apple's most recent versions of iMovie and Final Cut Pro both support the HDV format natively. You'll see Apple advertising Sony's prosumer HDV camera a lot (even at Steve Jobs' keynote address) but this JVC camera does a great job too.
HDV support for older versions of FCP can be added with separate applications by Heuris (starting at $99, http://www.heuris.com ) or Lumiere ($179.99, http://www.lumierehd.com ). (I researched both and bought the Lumiere app "Lumiere HD"... it's got twice the features, all useful, as the Heuris software so it's worth the extra money). The Lumiere site also has awesome training videos to optimize your workflow in Final Cut Pro.
I believe Sony Vegas Video, Adobe Premiere, Ulead MediaStudio, and Pinnacle all offer HDV video editing in their applications.
I bought the camera from Buydig.com. Excellent price, smooth transaction, fast delivery.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2129
Recommended for: Professional Videographers - Broadcast Quality Videos
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Epinions.com ID:
joshvelasquez
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Location: Cambridge, MA, USA
Reviews written: 5
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