Customer Reviews

JVC GRDVL805U MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I first bought the JVC 805U because I was enticed by the cheaper price tag, which I convinced myself was the only difference. It isn't. Don't be fooled by price -- pay the extra money and get what you pay for.

I returned this model and bought the Sony TRV11. The video quality on the JVC is noticeably worse. This could be because of the lack of the Carl Zeiss lens or the lack of low lux recording (both found on the Sony).

The battery that came with the JVC only lasted about 30 minutes (compared to about 1 hour with Sony) and the image stabilization was shoddy at best. Also, the LCD screen quality on the JVC is just so-so.

While the JVC does have a built in light, it is really useless for night shooting.

Overall, the JVC has average quality and features. If you are willing to settle for average and want to buy a camera in the "average" price range, consider this one or close competitor Panasonic. If you want a much better camera for a few hundred bucks more, buy the Sony TRV11.

Wy wife and I had been considering a Hi8 replacement since our daughter was born. Several factors guided our decision: digital format, ease of use, portability, and ease of image capture. I wanted to comment on some of the stronger features of this model.

First of all, the video works pretty well. I'm not super-impressed with the image stabilization, but the auto focus and lighting are pretty "smart". The color LCD is good inside, but I enjoyed the color viewfinder when filming outside.

The unit also serves as a digital still camera. The built-in 2MB memory allows for ~30 images to be stored at a time. I'm not sure how to capture at a size other than 320x240 just yet, but they look sharp at that resolution.

Unlike other models, the JVC also includes video capture software straight out of the box. I was discouraged, however, that the capture process relied on composite video and not IEEE 1394. Why offer the port & software if you can't use them together? I ended up purchasing MGI VideoWave to use IEEE 1394.

I'm somewhat of a Sony devotee, but I didn't find many models that had Memory Stick storage AND MiniDV format. If you're looking for a good alternative to that brand, consider this JVC.

Preface: I am a quality engineer in a printing company

I own a JVC GR-DVL805u. I think it is a very nice digital video camera.

I like the built in 640x480 digital still camera. You can save and load the stills off of your miniDV tape - so you don't need a memory stick. The advanced features on the camera are very nice. Combined with the highest density CCD in the price range you can expect to get some nice results.

Out of the box, I was not completely thrilled with the default white balace of the camera. The image was a little too red. You can re-calibrate the white balance in a few simple steps detailed in the manual. Perhaps the auto light mode doesn't work well under mixed lighting conditions (halogen & sun.)

The camera does not support Hi8. It is a miniDV format. The camera resolution is 640x480 for still photos (in the fine mode.)

I'm kind of glad JVC didn't include a package for firewire [aka i.Link or IEEE 1394]. The camera would cost at least $100 more and I'm not sure I would want the interface board they would give me. I'm not if the software with the system support Macintosh.

The interface that you get with the camera is just what you need if you have a vcr and you want to edit your tape into a movie. Or if you don't have a bleeding edge computer with firewire. Firewire is next on my list, with that I can make movies of the baby to mail to my family.

Nit-picky points: The logo plates pick up finger prints, and look hard to clean. The glowing logo on the side of my 805u doesn't read the same as the demo units I've looked at. The unit is packaged with the lense cap hidden deep in the box--not on the lense. (The lense was clean -- but it took a while to find the cap.) The ac power cable goes into the same area as the battery & the cable does not have an ideal fit. That is, JVC documents to have the coiled end of the cable near the camera, and the only direction the power cord fits without kinking is up - so over the long term the wire is more likely to break. ... please remember I'm a quality engineer.

I think this camera is an excellent buy. If the price is a bit high - look at the 505u, which as far as I can tell differs only by .5" on the LCD and has a b&w viewfinder.

If you are not looking for a top of the line digital camera, this is a good value. It doesn't have as many features as a sony, no end search, no titles, no night shot, but the truth, I never really used those features. The quality of the image when plug to the TV is very good, and is very nice to be able to plug your camera to the pc and email a video to your family. The still camera doesn't have a good quality, but it's nice to have this feature. The battety last just 30 min. You'll need to buy an extra one....Nice step up from a Hi 8.

very good miniDv Digital Video Camcorder in that price range (...). The unit is very light 1.3lb. Outdoor video is pretty good, but indoor isn't. Included battery is only for 30 minutes recoeding with LCD on. Remote control in very ugly, AC adaptor/charger and other accessaries are very rough, not Japan-made, the unit is just fine. Not 0 Lux, so video is terrible in weak light, the build-in light is useless at all in this case. I did not try still image mode, 640x480 VGA is not good enough for printing. Include software is for Win95/98 only, not for NT/2000. The indoor recording video is "red", you need to calabriate to write-balance to reduce this ugly effect. Summary: it is good enough for home use, but video and audio quality is just fair.

I bought this camera in December '01. Took a lot of time to research digital camcorders and this was the best deal going ...Camera is easy to operate and has many great features.
Video is excellent. Even in low light the video is good and there is an integrated light for darker shots.
I agonized over whether to purchase this camera with 2MB of integrated memory or one with an 8MB memory stick. The 2 MB memory holds 30+ stills which is more than I'll ever take at one time, the extra MB would have been unnecessary.
Included battery lasts about an hour, less if you use the light or the LCD monitor...but the battery charges relatively quickly.
Camera came with everything you'd need except a camera case and digital video cassette.
The only drawback is that the digital still photos are not great. However, they are sufficient for e-mail or web site posting instead of printing. Transfer of photos from camera to computer is simple. Included editing software was easy to install and use.
I think this is a great camera for family videos and digital photo emails to friends and family.

Well, I was quite impressed when I first received it as a gift, but after a few months of use, it's turning out to be a problem. I'm having the worst luck trying to download the still images on to my PC. Apparently, the enclosed software (1 disc: JLIP VideoCapture | JLIP VideoProducer | PictureNavigator) does not work on the NT platform - something the manual didn't day (or I still haven't seen it!).

It does say for 95/98, but I assumed that would cover NT. Even after trying it on a 95/98 machine, the software is conflicting with a scanner. Apparently, many people are experiencing similar problems with downloading their images.

Unfortunately, it holds only 30 still images (I think) and because it has a built-in memory card, once it is full (which it now is), the card must be emptied by downloading before taking more pictures. As it happens, the stills quality isnt't that great, but it's a pain being unable to take anymore.

Having said all that, for the price bracket it's in, it's fun to use and easy viewing the footage back on the TV. The features are nice (wipe | dissolve | classic film look, etc.) Could use a better battery life and better software.

I previously owned a Sony 8mm and wish now that I had either stayed with that or gone to a Hi8. Some complaints. The smaller, lighter camera is more difficult to hold steady. The stabilization feature makes no difference that I can detect. The digital format simply does not handle contrast well: if the background is at all bright it will be completely washed out so the sky, for example, usually appears to be flat white. The digital zoom requires a tripod. The camera has an excellent range of fade and wipe effects but it is necessary to move the main switch from "manual" to "automatic" while filming and that is not easy to do. The camera light is not bright enough to make any practical difference. The lens cup is hard and flat and does not effectively block the light from the viewfinder, especially if you shoot while wearing glasses. They do not sell a more effective cup as an accessory. Compared to my six-year old 8mm Sony, the image in the viewfinder is very poor -- small and grainy. Bright images are likely to appear white. The manufacturer advises that the remote control is not likely to function in bright light so you cannot, for example, film on the beach with the camera on a tripod, operated by remote. Is there anything good to be said? The Digital Still Camera feature is very good and so is the sound. The easy playback (with sound) on the LCD screen is a neat feature. I have not fully explored the camera's editing capabilities but the manual makes them sound difficult and complex. I am no computer guru and I have found the instruction booklets for computer editing almost incomprehensible.

I bought JVC instead of Sony because of the size. The Sony cams are too large and heavy. The video quality is very good both indoor and outdoors. The audio is not so great but it is acceptable. The auto focus is good and zoom is nice but it could be better. Controls are well placed and the camcorder is very easy to use. Digital photo is very bad. The photos are not acceptable. It would have been better to not have it at all and the price to be a little smaller. Overall impression: very good. I am satisfied with it and it does exactly what I need.

Chad had mentioned having problems with JLIP/NT compatibility issues.

From experience I can tell you that the JLIP drivers (or most software drivers for that matter) written for 95/98 won't work with NT. Windows 2000 however is a different beast and the driver may work in win2k. Ditto for Windows ME

That aside, the camera in question has nothing but Kudos going for it. I've got relatives in Asia and here in the US using versions of this camera (or slight variations in the model) and for the money this one simply can't be beat.