Customer Reviews

JVC GR-DVM70U Digital Cybercam Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

After the birth of my son, I wanted a camcorder to shoot video of him and family events.

I tried the Canon ZR, Canon Vistura, and JVC DVM-70 The main reason I liked the JVC DVM-70 is the small size and relative low cost.

This camcorder is so small it fits in a pants pocket or even a shirt pocket! Size is very important for me because of my experience with 35 millimeter cameras. I have 2 cameras: one full size Canon SRL camera that cost about $1000.00, and one small Yashika T4 Super pocket size camera that cost $150.00. Guess where most of my good family photos come from - the $150.00 pocket size camera! That's because this is the camera I carry most of the time. I just don't like to be "Joe Photographer Guy" or "Joe Camcorder Guy" lugging around a big piece of equipment. I can carry the DVM-70 in my pocket and quickly pull it out and start shooting when something interesting happens - just the way I use my Yashika T4.

The DVM-70 is also very quick and easy to use. Once you turn a switch to the "Camera" position, the camcorder automatically turns itself on and off when you open or close the LCD panel, or eye piece. This is important because often the action you want to record happens quickly; you'll miss shots if you have to fumble with controls.

One problem with this camera is that the microphone is on the top. It picks up some motor noise from the camera, and you have to be careful not to let it pick up the sound of your own breathing. However, this is a problem with most of these very small camcorders, and I don't find it to be too big of a problem. I have also had problems with lots of wind noise when shooting outside in the wind.

I've had the DVM-70 for about a year now and I still don't see another camcorder I'd rather have for recording family events.

Overall, I've been very happy with this cam, but only after having spent quite a bit of additional money to add features that negate its flaws. It's solid & small enough to fit in a back pocket, but also very comfortable to use. I get comments and the cam gets admiring glances wherever I go. My problems with it are few, but important if you don't know how to get around them. The features & praise you can read elsewhere, and I'd echo most of that praise. But here are the flaws:
-- The included apparati for transferring data to your computer are slow (serial cables) & lame (software). For transferring & editing video, Pinnacle Studios' Studio DV and its included FireWire cable is a must buy (...). Also, if you're serious about editing video on your computer, make sure you've got a great machine (fast processor, beefy video card, huge & fast hard drive, lots of RAM). Likewise, the included still camera software is a waste of bytes. Transferring still shots is much easier with the MultiMedia Card Reader from Sandisk ... . Just plug in the card like a floppy and there are your JPGs. It wouldn't hurt to invest in a bigger (16MB ...) MultiMedia Card, while you're at it.
-- The on-board software is buggy. I suppose I need to take my cam in for servicing to see if it can be fixed, but trying to use the slideshow feature for the stills turns my entire screen green & I have no choice but to power off. You might expect JVC to have updated BIOS downloads on their web site so you could update it yourself, but one look at the JVC homepage and your expectations will be lowered.
END

I tried two units before giving up on the JVC. The video was OK (not great color) but the audio was fatally flawed. The camera itself generates a 'whine' which is then picked up by the microphone and recorded. Any quiet recordings, when played back, have this buzzing whining sound added; I found it completely unsatifactory. No provision for an external microphone (which would have been a satisfactory solution) is made! Were it not for this flaw I would have been happy with the camera.

I got the JVC DVM-70 from a large dept store. If you are buying the camera for the small size, then this is the one you want. However, after owning for 1.5 years the camera has been in for service multiple times due to a problem of dropping audio & video. Luckily for me I purchased a 3 year warranty at Circuit City, and the camera will get replaced after the 3rd time in service for the same problem. My next camera model will probably be a Sony.

Some other drawbacks: -whine sound while recording from zoom motor (as mentioned above) -audio/video dropping problem -MultiMediaCard reading software that comes with the camera isn't very friendly. I recommend getting SanDisk's MultiMediaCard reader from Circuit City or other computer store -Might not work 100% perfect with IEEE 1394 Firewire capture software (such as Ulead/Adobe Premier) (I still have to experiment more with this). However, I have made a few computer videos with the camera while it wasn't in the service shop.

- Hard to find underwater casings except for the bag from ewa-marine. Sony has much more support for underwater filming.

Like I said, this is the camera you want if the small size is important to you. It takes great pics - both stills and video. But if you want a workhorse that is very versatile, then this model is not the one.

Ok, probably like you I thought this was a very cool camcorder. It's a great design, small with lots of features. The problem is that it has one fatal flaw. The left and right mic are on top and pick-up a high pich whine of the camcorder motor when you are recording. I tried to get used to it but after a few days returned the product with much regret. As an Engineer I couldn't help but be amazed how could such a simple and fatal flaw could have made it to market on such a great product.

The size of the camera is very compact and handy but it has its drawbacks. The still picture quality is not very good with white lines running vertically, looking like a pin striped suit. The LCD Display is useless in very much light and is very small. The battery life is only about 1/2 hour shooting video and if you would want to take stills that use the flash, battery life is much shorter.

I bought the GR-DVM70 in the spring of 1999 and I've had only two minor problems with it. The first is that the standard 1-hour rechargeable battery is now beginning to lose its ability to hold a charge (I also bought a 2-hour battery). The second is that the plastic button that covers the switch that opens the camera somehow popped off. As you can see both of these are minor issues.

Other the other hand, I've shot countless hours of excellent video with this camera including the birth of my two children and vacation footage. I've never experienced the zoom/noise problem discussed in the other postings. I've used the digital still feature and the Picture Navigator software to upload photos to my computer and sent them to family and freinds via email. It is true that the resolution of the digital stills is not photo quality but I think it is just fine for computer/internet use. I will admit that the Picture Navigator s/w is somewhat user un-freindly and that the serial link is a slow way to upload digital stills. In addition, Picture Navigator does not run on Windows2000 -- which I now run on my computer.

So...I upgraded to another piece of software from Digital Origin called "IntroDV". This software (which runs on Win2000)comes with a firewire card (IEEE1395) which is MUCH faster. It allows me to upload digital stills AND digital video. It comes with a digital video editor so I can edit and transition my sceens, put in titles, and lay down music tracks. Once I've finished editing I can output my resulting movie to a CD in Quicktime format (the Quicktime movie player is free from Apple). I've been doing this with home movies of the kids and sending them back in CD form to family and freinds. This is a lot cheaper than sending VCR tapes! The catch is that your movie recipients will need at least a PentiumII/450MHz computer to watch the video without dropped frames. The video is about 4"x3" on your screen (you can make it larger if you computer has the horsepower to handle it). To make the movies, you will need the same kind of computing power, at leeast a 10Gb hard disk and a CD R/W drive.

Overall the camera has performed admirably for me. The only reason I would want to replace it would be to increase the video/still picture resolution; which is probably something I will do in the next few years as the technology gets better and the prices become more competitive.

After spending 6 of its first 12 weeks of ownership in the Atlanta JVC Service Center, they could not fix the problem of noise and dropouts in the audio and video. Tried several different brands of new tapes, many of which it ate and ruined. After third trip to Atlanta, JVC just cut me a refund check but I had to call US Headquarters and speak to corporate level service management. Steer clear of lousy product and service.

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 love this camcorder, it is small enough to carry anywhere I go. I purchased extra batteries which has increased my ease of use. I have not been able to connect it to my computer as of yet. The instructions from JVC are not the best and their site is no help at all. I emailed them and asked for help and got a really ignorant response. If anyone can give me some help with connecting this to my computer I would really appreciate it!