Customer Reviews

JVC GRDV800 MiniDV 1.33MP Camcorder with 3.5" LCD, 10x Optical Zoom, and 8MB MMC Card

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this camcorder late last year and travelled a lot over Christmas break - this camera satisfied my needs perfectly! Its charger is multi-voltage capable, the battery charges quickly and lasts forever (I still purchased a large additional battery for those situations when I didn't have access to a power plug for days!)

I agree with the reviewers saying the low-light mode is kind of strobe-like. However, it is in <b>True Color,/b>! If you move your hand gently (use a tripod for low light!), or focus on a scene and don't move the camera much, you will like the results. I, for one, hate the fake, green tint (infraRed-based) that Sony and some other manufacturers incorporate into their night mode. Yes, it increases overall light sensitivity by absorbing more rays from outside the usual visible spectrum, but the video looks (green!) unreal and ugly. NOT an option!

The remote has a few nice features as well, and the photograph mode is quite impressive for a digital camcorder. I took over 300 pictures at the native resolution of 1.33 MegaPixels 1280x1024 (2 Megapixel photos at 1600x1200 are produced through interpolation, don't bother with it!). I got some beautiful low-light, dawn and dusk shots, including sunsets and sea shots.

The lack of a flash forcues you to use good photography principles like keeping the subject's face well lit, but the BackLight mode is a nice semi-fix for video or pictures taken with a bright backlight (eg sun behind subject).

<b>BE AWARE</b> that most versions of this camera do not like LARGE SecureDigital (SD) cards. You will be able to use cards over 128 MB, but can't preview the photos or the amount of space left because the camera doesn't fully support that card size (256 and above). <b>Stick with a 128MB card</b>, which can hold well over 250-300 photos at the highest native resolution, and you should be satisfied!

It would have been nice to have a lens with <b>more optical zoom</b>, because digital zoom is an absolute joke, just like any other camcorder - the graininess introduced into the video makes it quite worthless. 10X isn't bad, though, and the clarity of video and images shot with this camera rival anything I've had a chance to compare it to (mostly similar priced and similar featured cameras from other manufacturers, owned by friends). I've made a few DVDs and amny VCDs of video captured with this camcorder, and the quality is great.

The software included isn't too bad for quick and dirty image and video capture using the USB port and included cable (half resolution video) or Firewire (you need to buy a cable, but can capture full resolution video only with Firewire). However, I strongly recommend using something nicer like at least ULead Video Studio or Sonic MyDVD or Pinnacle's Studio products, or perhaps even Adobe Premiere to make truly 'prosumer' video! Its a pity a Firewire cable isn't included, but make sure you get one.

The video (composite) output cables are excellent, and dubbing video from the DV tapes to VHS or DVD/VCD recorders couldn't get easier. I haven't played with the scene transitions on the camera, because I edit in software, but I'm sure they'll be satisfactory if you want to make VHS tapes or DVD/VCDs directly using the (cable included) RCA composite AV output.

<b> A note on DV tapes</b> - stick to one manufacturer, because others (like Sony) use a different technique to make their tapes and camcorder heads apparently don't like frequent switching. I have had great luck with JVC tapes (duh!) which are re-labelled Fuji tapes. I bought well over a dozen.

The camera's <b>pass through</b> function for analog video lets you convert it to DV which you can capture on the fly (using pass-through) on a computer to convert your old VHS tapes into flawless (as good as the original VHS at least) VCDs or DVDs. I've used this a lot as well.

The <b>large flippable LCD screen</b> is good for those videos when you want to be in the shot but still occasionally monitor what the camera is capturing, from a distance. It doesn't get grimy or dirty and is easy to clean anyway.

I bought one last week and I love it, but one word to the wise. The camera is not compatible with a 128mb card. The camera can't read pictures you take using a 128mb media card. This means you have to drop down to a 64mb card. You still get 120+ pictures on the 64, but its something you might want to know.

Before getting this camera I've done an extensive research and tryed differnt digital camcorders. I found that the main advantage of this unit is 1.3 meg. resolution still pictures, 3.5 inches LCD, good filming at low light conditions and stereo microphone. I also liked the way this camera looks -- "professional look".
Do not expect that you will get quality snapshots printouts -- none of the camcorderds (with exeption above [money amount]in price)produce enough resolution for printed pictures, but if you want snapshots to be watched on your TV or Computor Monitor, this cammera gives you more then enough resolution for the snapshots.
Controls are easy and self-explanatory. Has its own speaker,I did not like that it is pretty weak, not much louder then my cell phone. Good thing you can plug in your headphones and get a good STEREO sound. Also there is a socket for an external microphone. Highly recommended unit.

I've had my JVC GR-DV800 for close to 2 months now, and I'm extraordinarily pleased. It's my first camcorder, and I don't regret in the slightest the choice I made, having tested much of the major functionality, especially interfacing with a computer. Although it appears this model is getting harder to find new, I would recommend it unequivocally to anyone considering buying it. I'd like to address some of the specific aspects I've seen downgraded by other reviews here and elsewhere on the web, as well as passing along my experiences with the more advanced capabilities, in particular, operation in conjunction with a computer.

I haven't tried using the camcorder in especially low light situations, and I guess my expectations are lower than many other users. I don't really expect to be able to take video in the dark. Without going into details, I would say the camcorder has met my expectations for shooting without a video light, although I don't doubt that some camcorders may do better in low light.

I've seen mixed reports on the supplied battery, which is a 400 mA-hr lithium, with some claiming the battery is useless after a few charging cycles. I haven't pushed it, but I seem to be able to get at least an hour of recording out of the battery (but I also bought a 2500 mA-hr model for flexibility).

Many reviewers have severely criticized the 3.5" LCD for low resolution/sharpness. It's true that it isn't "stunning", but it's extremely useable, with sort of a matte appearance, rather than the glossy appearance of, say, a Sony. Unless you're trying to do a precise manual focus, however, I don't see the LCD as a liability, and I don't assume most users sit around watching their videos on the LCD.

Most others have also criticized the still image capability of this, and all camcorders, stating that they are far inferior to digital cameras. The DV800 has a 1.3 MP CCD, and the Sony digital camera I've been using for several years is also 1.3 MP, and I've yet to be tempted to upgrade to a higher resolution camera for our family usage, since I typically don't crop and blow up my pictures. I use both the Sony and now the JVC DV at 1280 resolution, and aside from the camcorder not having a flash (standard), I've yet to notice any difference in the pictures from the two, in good light, other than a slightly different aspect ratio. Since my Sony camera only has an LCD, and no viewfinder, I'll probably tend to use the JVC DV through its viewfinder outside in bright light, where the Sony LCD is nearly impossible to see.

As far as operation of the camcorder with a personal computer, I've found the JVC to work extraordinarily well in all modes with Windows XP, after an initial intensive debugging of the FireWire (IEEE 1394/i.Link) capability. (I have a very long thread on the Dell Community Forum documenting this process.) JVC supplies Pixela USB drivers and an application (ImageMixer) that makes good use of those drivers, within the limitations of the program. JVC, like most DV manufacturers, relies on supplied Microsoft drivers for operation over the 1394 bus.

In still camera mode (Memory mode), with a memory card installed, and when connected to a computer via USB, the JVC requires no custom drivers. It looks like a removable USB disk drive, and all images are accessible as JPEG files for copying from or to the camcorder. For retrieving video or using as a webcam over USB, the Pixela drivers must be installed, and they present a separate Video Capture and Audio Capture device. With Image Mixer, I could capture 320x240 video (Video CD) from the camcorder, either by playing back a DV tape (in Video-Play mode) or as a webcam (in Video-Auto or -Manual mode). I couldn't get the camcorder to work reliably for video over USB with the other applications I had available, so I don't know if resolution above VCD is possible over USB. DVD resolution is 720x480 @ 30 frames/second, for a data rate of almost 30 megabits per second (Mbps). USB 1.1 is limited to 12 Mbps, so unless the JVC USB implementation is 2.0, DVD-quality video transfer isn't possible over USB.

Moving on to operation over the IEEE 1394 bus (FireWire), here is where the full video capabilities of the camcorder are possible. It is possible to download still images from the memory card over 1394, but it's much more convenient to use the USB disk mode for still image operations. Contrary to another review on this site, I don't believe there is any inherent limitation in the JVC 1394 implementation that limits it to working with particular 1394 interfaces. That limitation appears to be in the Windows XP drivers, and isn't particularly specific to given camcorders, as documented in many places on the web, including my thread elsewhere. After switching to using the Microsoft 1394 bus drivers, instead of those supplied by the interface manufacturer, my JVC has worked flawlessly with my 1394 interface, which has a Texas Instrument chipset, and it also worked flawlessly with a Dell laptop with a built- in 1394 interface with TI chipset, as well as with the built-in DV interface of a Macintosh iMac.

After the initial debugging cycle, I have downloaded lots of video from my camcorder's DV tape over the 1394 interface, produced video that I burned to DVD, which played back and looked great on my 27-inch TV, and copied the edited video back to a DV tape in the camcorder (all using Ulead Video Studio 8.0, which I will be reviewing in the software section of this site shortly).

In short, the JVC GR-DV800 has done everything I've asked of it thus far, and with its flexible input and output connections, and availability of useful accessories, including lenses and filters, I consider it to be a great product.

Overall this is a fairly good camcorder. It has a lot of nice features. For example, if you are far sighted, you can adjust the color viewfinder for clarity without reading glasses. I also like the fact that you can use the remote, when dubbing onto video or DVD, to briefly display the date and time the video was recorded. The side LCD is nice and large, which compared to the DV500 I think is worth the extra cost.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that the Nightvision feature is absolutely worthless. This camcorder is horrible and useless in low light situations. In bright light, the images are great. I have a cheaper, Sharp VLNZ105U, that beats this JVC hands down for low light shooting. So, if I am in a night shooting situation, I take the Sharp camcorder, not the JVC. I have ordered a light to mount on the JVC camcorder, which is a significant additional amount of money over what I paid for the camcorder in the first place. Maybe that will help. When you use the Nightvision it looks like special effects, everything moves in a strobe light effect, very jerky and jumpy. I don't see why they even bothered to put this "feature" on the camera.

Except for that one issue (low light shooting), so far it has been a great little camcorder.

This is an excellent camera, but not worth the price. I say this because the gr-dv500 has all the same features except the 800 has a bigger LCD screen by one inch. In my opinion its not worth $100 for 1 inch of LCD. So just go with the 500, unless you want that extra inch.

I bought this camera for a Winston Cup race I was going to. And let me tell you...this camcorder amazed me with the video and still images I was able to get. I was disappointed with the outcome of the race but I loved the video I got. If you buy this camera look into buying a longer-life battery because the battery that it comes with drains pretty quickly. Overall I would have to say that this camcorder was the best [$$] I have ever spent. Good Luck next week Jeff Gordon !!

I am fairly happy with this camera. It does not perform well in less than perfect lighting conditions, as others have mentioned. I always get yellow "splotches" wherever there is white, in both video and still mode (except in daylight), rendering most pictures somewhat worthless. I've not heard of others mentioning this yellow problem so it could be specific to my camera.

In daylight I've found the video is decent. Colorful, but not too well defined. The stills are also usually nice but there is a tendency for some edges to be too stark/oversharp.

It seems to be a good camera for your typical home movie or vacation footage, but I wouldn't recommend it if you want to do most kinds of post-production work. The results always seem disappointing. I was able to do some claymation with it thanks to the very useful remote, but there was always the yellow problem.

I had no problems getting the USB and Firewire (both being onboard Intel Pentium 4) to work. The S/AV input is pretty nifty too. You can record TV onto the camera, transfer old VHS tapes to your computer, and playback your recordings on the TV straight from the camera, of course.

The "Night Alive" feature seems somewhat useless, but I was able to find some interesting uses for it. Using this feature plus the digital zoom, I was able to pick up the binary star system in the Big Dipper. It also proved to be useful when recording a lunar eclipse. It really enhanced the redness of the moon, though of course there was some noise.

The digital zoom is otherwise a pretty useless feature if you ask me. The manual says it "may" reduce quality. There is no "may" about it, it will and definitely does reduce quality. What good is 300x zoom if all you get are indistinct blocks of pixels?

The camera has a lot of nice features that you maybe wouldn't expect for the price (I paid $499 new), but the quality of the video is just not all that good in my opinion. My next DV will almost definitely not be a JVC based on this camera and reviews of other JVC cameras.

I purchased this camera for $800 about a year ago and it should of been worth $400-500.
This camera is horrible at focusing and is pathetic in low light.
There area plenty more cameras that are better.
Dont get this camera.

Nice camcorder/camera. Easy to use. Very nice features. Be carefull of the SD cards though. ...