JVC GR-DVL310 Mini DV Camcorder

Pros: Compact and lightweight, good picture and sound, low price, features, remote
Cons: Only 10x optical zoom, no USB connection

The JVC GR-DVL310U MiniDV digital camcorder is one of the cheapest digital camcorders on the market. Currently, you can get it for less than $500. Is it a better deal than entry-level models from Panasonic and Sony?

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Pros: Compact size, Cost, Features, ease of use, great picture
Cons: Limited optical zoom, no external microphone jack

Camera Specs – ¼”CCD; Lens F1.8, f=3.6 to 36 mm w/ 37mm thread for filters and attachments, 10:1 power zoom, 2.5” color LCD; 580 lines of horizontal resolution; .24” B/W LCD viewfinder; DV recording format w/ mini-DV cassettes; max record time of...

Pros: Great picture, good price, nice light included and comfortable form factor.
Cons: Battery life, small screen, B&W viewfinder, goofy still shot, and, oh yeah, IT DOESN'T WORK!

I agree with the other reviews that this is a nice entry-level miniDV camera. The light is handy, though it drains the battery REALLY quickly. The battery life isn't bad, but the batteries don't last long. That is, once you've recharged them a couple ...

Pros: Easy to use, lightweight, inexpensive, good picture, good color
Cons: 4-, 6-, and 8-hour batteries are very difficult to find

I have always wanted a camcorder, and this one is my first. I spent quite a bit of time in the store comparing prices and options, and chose the JVC GR-DVL310U because it was the biggest bang for the buck.

I do wish it had a USB port, but can...

Pros: Small, fair price, decent picture quality,built-in keylight.
Cons: Terrible audio, battery life, accessories difficult to find, no external mic input

I bought the DVL310U to shoot a behind-the-scenes documentary to go along with the independent film I produced. I knew I wanted a miniDV, and it had to be small, and cherried out, but most importantly it had to be cheap. Unfortunately the DVL310U is so...

Pros: True colors, lightweight, good manual, DV movie quality
Cons: Nothing essential for the non-professional

Being in the position of a non-professional user, I can say this is a very nice model. The camcorder is light, small and comes at an attractive price. It has a 10x optical zoom, which I felt is more than sufficient for shooting family videos. Actually, ...

Pros: Very Small, easy to use.
Cons: The zoom isn't that good.

My wife and I needed a good camcorder, and we really like this one. It is easy to use, it is small, and very clear. It comes with software so you can make pictures out of the video, plus you can take snapshots while you are filming. It has a lot of...

Pros: Good camera for price.
Cons: still camera doesnt record on a memory chip.

This camera give you dvd quality and cd sound without hurting your pocket. I've owned this camera for just over a year now and I never had any mechanical problems with it. Ive found the factory battery to last for about an hour which isnt bad in...

Pros: Best camera for the price
Cons: I wish it had USB instead of a serial port. (nit picking)

I basically researched all dv cameras in this price range (street price of $600). Panasonic 51 and 101, the canon zr20 and samsung..In other words all the entry level dv cameras for all major brands. Style wise the canon was the "coolest", panasonic was...

The JVC GR-DVL310 is a nice compact, and easy to use camera. Is first digital we have owned so can't really compare. For a beginner, I feel this will serve our purpose, since we also want to be able to use as a recorder. Can then take stills from the recordings which will be nice. Wish this camera had a memory card, but guess the tapes will work fine. May decide to upgrade at a later date, if this does not fulfill our needs. For now I feel will work just fine.