Customer Reviews

JVC Everio GZHD7 3CCD 60GB Hard Disk Drive High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you are more than a casual video user or if you have bought a video camera more than twice in the last 10 years I would say that you probably need a high end HD camera to satisfy you. For me, someone who has only owned 1 other video camera in the last 10 years I find this camera to be amazing. I do not shoot professionally and if i did there are many great HD solutions in the 3-6 grand range. Since this is not my business and I do not have money to burn this was the camera that satisfied all my needs. Those needs were: no tapes, large hard drive, HD quality or something far, far better than my old mini DV camera. I also needed to be able to archive the files on my mac which is a dual 800mhz G4 and possibly edit on the mac in imovie. This camera does all of that, and quite easily I might add.

I had no problems installing the codec that came with the camera for quicktime. Once I opened a clip in quicktime it did not play properly, however once I imported it into imovie it worked fine. I edited simple edits, added new audio and was satisfied for what I need. After all, all I will be doing with this is shooting the wife and kids.

JVC recommends A 1.25 Gigahertz G4 or higher, so do not complain about the camera not working smoothly on your mac unless you meet those requirements. They are stated on the GZHD7 box. I suggest the newest mac with 2 gigs of ram at least. In my experience, more RAM makes all the difference in the world. Eventually I plan to get a new mac to be able to handle the footage.

I have a 1080i sony plasma TV. The picture looked great. There was some banding of subtle gradients I shot. It was acceptable to me. Also the banding was not apparent on my mac in imovie. I think because my TV is already 2 years old it is not up to the same standards as the GZHD7 camera and my mac. Bottom line is the camera was producing better images on my mac than on my TV. Now all this is nonsense because I will be using this to mostly shoot video of my family and friends for recreational use. Compared to what my dad shot of us when we were kids and then the sandy grainy video we used in the 90s this camera is AMAZING. The quality is good enough for me and I would also add that any film student on a zero budget could easily get by with this. Like I said earlier, if you have the means and require perfect HD video, spend the few extra grand and go for the gold.

I have had this camcorder for about three weeks and have some useful information for the user and prospective buyer. I would also like to offer my opinions. Firstly, I bought this camera because I often need manual controls for focus etc. This camcorder fits the bill. I also didn't want a touch screen. I don't know why users want to plan on having to scratch and grunge up their display by having to touch it. I hate a screen that has been damaged and/or is dirty. This is what you ask for when you have a touch screen. This model uses, instead, a small joy stick which will help keep your screen nice and clear.

I was puzzled by the placement of the mounting hole on the bottom which is not centered as it should be. The professional lens is very nice and yields a quality picture. I have ordered two additional lenses to expand the 10X zoom range which is not enough for wildlife photography, my main use for this camcorder. The optional GL-V1846U Tele Conversion Lens is heavy. Perhaps it weighs as much as the camcorder. This makes the whole assembly front-heavy but not excessive. Using this lens, you will get a tunnel effect at 1X on the zoom. This will disappear at 2X and beyond. I have not yet received the GL-V0746U Wide Conversion Lens but expect that it will also be heavy. Together, these lenses will expand the total potential range from 0.7X to 18X (a span of over 25X).

A number of users on forums have had questions about how to use the TOD files that this camcorder produces. My platform is Windows XP. The camcorder comes with a Cyberlink software package that includes three programs: PowerCinema, PowerDirector and PowerProducer. PowerCinema allows you to browse and save video clips to your PC using a USB interface. You can play these TOD files from your PC's hard disk or directly from the camcorder. Few software packages know what to do with TOD files (even Cyberlink's). PowerDirector is an NLE video editor and when you go to import the TOD files, it converts them to MPG files in the process. What I do is to import them just for the side effect of getting the MPG files. PowerProducer seems to be a DVD authoring package. Now for the bad part. Many people have complained about the OIS not working very well. I can live with that because, with the higher resolution, you need to get used to using a tripod (or some other mechanical stablizer) anyway.

Users have reported that Pinnacle can use TODs directly but I have stopped using that package because it has some really bad behavior (including corrupting your project file when it crashes often). As it stands the MPG files are unusable for anything but static or nearly static scenes.

The pixel-shifting technique used in this camcorder allows its half-resolution triplet of CCD's (960 X 540) to stretch the images to full 1920 X 1080i so the image quality is probably below theoretical 1080i (but still better than 540i). Imagine what JVC could do with true 1920 X 1080 CCD's. This technique could produce a camcorder that rivals the Big Red One professional cinematic camcorder at a small fraction of the cost. At 3840 X 2160, its images could approach the 4K resolution of some very expensive equipment. My hat goes off to JVC.

First of all let me deny all the idiotic reviews that keep copying one another that this camera produces inferior video. This is 3ccd baby produces unmatched quality footage with perfect color separation, great sharpness and smooth operations. Technically speaking this camcorder is way over the category it was placed in. HD7 has a Fujinon PRO lens with 3(!!!) AS EL elements and it has consistent 1,8-1.9 aperture all across the range while Canon and Sony are 3 on the tele end.
I also deny any credibility to "reports" that claim its weak low light performance. I own vx2100 that is THE BEST low light camera for any price below $5000 and this hd7 is very near.
The optical image stabilization works very well, it is not supposed to suppress all shaking but for what it is billed it produces! I have absolutely no problems with it. In fact the image stabilization in this JVC keeps up MUCH BETTER than Sony VX2100! I linked two cams and shot the same footage with both. JVC wins easily and unequivocally.
I edit with FinalCut and using the free utility I downloaded from Internet all the footage is ready for edit in two minutes. The 60Gb of the drive makes a superb storage. To mention this camera has all the belts and whistles of full scale pro or near pro camcorder and if you know what you are looking for it is a steal for the money. Not to mention that it is pleasure to hold camera, quality made and convenient to operate.
Well, this camera awarded "Best expert camcorder of the year 2007" by META(!!!), so if you you are looking for a camcorder under $2000 it is a best you can get. You can get slightly better one for $3000 but it will not be so nicely compact and ready for the action.
I was stunned to see how competition tries to discredit superior product by pouring fake review supported by morons.
Do not use software included with the camcorder. Download free MPEG StreamClip that is SUPERB program!
For a full Professional review and complete instruction how to use it with Final Cut go to digitalcontentproducer.com and look for first and second parts of the review on this camcorder, it includes complete illustrated instructions! I use in Final Cut and I do not use FireWire with this camcorder at all!
I download full resolution footage via usb2 just like described in aforementioned review and footage is very quickly and without conversion in full quality is available is for editing (it can simply unwrap it in the same format as it is on the hard drive of gz-hd7).
I can't comment on iMovie as I do not use one. But for Final Cut it is a snap. BTW, also allows shooting events (like plays for example) that last longer that cassette allowed).
If you buy a camcorder to enjoy convenience, great image quality and boundless creativity it is the best thing you can buy.

I bought this camera and the JVC CU-VD40 Share Station DVD Burner for HD Everio Camcorders. Our goal was to get an HD camera that was the best, and tape our kids, etc in HD. When we wanted to send a copy of the big game off to Grandma's house so she could pop it into her DVD (in SD) we could just push a button and make it so. If you look at the JVC website - this combo should fit the bill! So, $2000 later... The camera is really nice, easy to use, full of useful features, and is well built. My wife and I both sat down, read the manual and figured it out in very little time. We videotaped the dog doing a trick and went and played it on our plasma. Nice picture! Shot a few more dog tricks and kids and then we decided to open the CU-VD40 "Share Station" and hook it up. Piece of cake, very intuitive - in fact I'll bet my 8 year old could burn a DVD off this thing. It's literally as easy as plug it in-click-click-click-burn. Here's the rub: the "DVD Burner" spits out a DVD of your selected recordings that CAN ONLY BE PLAYED BACK ON THE CU-VD40. I asked JVC why they call it a share station... Exactly who am I able "share" this with? This unit spits out a DVD "that cannot be played on normal DVD players" (manual, page 47 small print). So I called JVC who denied it - but when I pointed it out, they confirmed it. The CU-VD40 is essentially an "archiving" burner. At $400, I'd say its the most expensive DVD archiving method known to man. The manual also said the DVD could be played back on a PC... Not the 3 PC's in my house. So, if you're an HD movie maker and love to burn things to your PC and edit them - YOU CANNOT BEAT THIS CAMERA. If you don't like having to go through a PC, but would rather just burn a DVD on the fly - not gonna happen. JVC's Tech Support solution: Shoot your video in SD and it will work like a charm.... Ummmm why did I just buy a $1600 HD camera if I'm going to wind up shooting in SD. Anyway, after more research, I found nobody has a solution that will do this (shoot in HD and burn in SD). So I kept the camera and returned the CU-VD40. The camera is just too good to return.

I bought this camera as an upgrade from my trusty Canon GL1. The light weight, compact size, high def, three CCDs, and hard drive recording are real pluses. I was considering the Sony HDR-SR1 AVC HD 30GB but was concerned about the inability to edit their new format. I edit my video in Adobe Premiere Pro and burn DVDs. Video is stored on the hard drive in *.TOD format, which is uneditable. However, included software converts it to MPEG-2 for editing. I assume the *.TOD format will allow the video to be converted to future video formats. Each video sequence is recorded as a separate file with ascending numbers (001 - 999)._

The picture quality is superb, the camera fits one's hand well and the controls are well placed. To avoid shaky video, I would recommend using the viewfinder rather than the LCD screen. Holding the camera in outstretched arms drastically decreases stability. In addition, LCD screens are hard to visualize in outdoor light. The only missing feature is 5.1 Dolby surround sound (available only on the Sony unit (one CCD)); however, I wonder how practical that feature is on a compact camera with small mics. I often remove sound tracks from my videos and add appropriate background music during editing.

I am looking forward to an upcoming European trip, after which I will edit and prepare a DVD. Apparently, HD can be burned to single or dual-density discs (I believe 20 to 40 minutes per disc). My next purchase will be a Blu-Ray burner.

I bought this camera while deployed to Iraq as the heat and the dust killed a lesser camera. The compact-with-heft size is perfect, as is the 60GB huge sealed-against-dust hard disk drive. I've been able to generate images of non-repeatable events from day one in full auto mode and the images just get better and better as I master the range of manual controls.

This camera should never have been marketed as a high-end consumer point-and-shoot camera as a lot of consumers don't seem to have the patience to actually read the manual and learn how to use the machine; the HD7 seems to be the very definition of a prosumer camera despite it's compact size.

A lot of the user forums are waking up to the professional use of this camera as a B-Camera for harsh environment and dangerous work. I couldn't agree more. I work with professional shooters and they love, love, love the HD7 machine; three have sworn to acquire one for themselves to augment their work-supplied cameras.

Three CCDs, High Definition, White Balance, Aperture and Shutter controls -- all excellent, and the colors are . . . BEAUTIFUL. Image stabilization works as designed -- and the naysayers know better -- any professional knows to use a tripod for good video -- only more necessary for quality high definition video. It dismays me to read know-nothing reviews from brand-centric partisans.

External microphone jack works well and is now augmented in my system with a wireless mic and with the accessory shotgun mic from JVC. Anyone with a lick of sense understands that a simple cable adapter takes the left-right-video AV jack to a left-right headphone jack for audio monitoring.

I am hard pressed to find anything to dislike about this camera -- especially when I get raves for the beautiful video it produces.

I'm disappointed that the know-nothing reviews have given this machine a beating, but I am elated that the beating has moderated the price. I think I might buy a second. What's the old phrase for an unexpected bargain? Hidden Gem comes to mind . . .

Problems I encountered with this item:

Mastering all the functions offered by the camera.

Waiting for the user community to catch up with the features and workflow for the camera.

Supplied Cyberlink software is deficient . . . freeware MPEG StreamClip for format conversion and AVID Pinnacle Studio 11 or AVID Liquid much better choice.


Previous equivalent item owned:

I have never owned a camera even roughly equivalent to this machine. Approaches the utility of a company-supplied Sony PD-170 at a much lower price, and yet outdoes the -170 with high definition and with the sealed hard disk drive.

Items I recommend:

JVC BN-VF823 Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, Velbon Videomate 607 Tripod with PH-368 2 Way Fluid Head, Quick Release & Case

I bought this at Circuit City Online for $1349, which was 200 bucks off plus an extra 10% off for Easter Sunday since all retail stores were closed. I shot some sample footage and its so easy to operate, no tapes to mess with, just turn it on and push record..When i got home i hooked it up via HDMI to my 37" MItsubishi LCD flat panel 1080p TV, and the picture was amazing. The clarity and color for outdoor video was like watching Discovery HD. I actually bought the jvc808 battery but i am thinking of getting the extended battery that will last over 3 hours. I purchased the Sony Handycam Case which fits the JVC HD7 like a glove.
Archiving is done via an optional Share Station without the need for a computer, or you can save the extra bucks on the share station and just archive using your PC or MAC. Apple Computers import the JVC tod. files directly into IMOVIE but I think it takes a little longer as it trascodes to HDV, but the ability to Edit in the easy Apple Software is a definite plus. I would love to burn to Blu Ray to wach on my Sony PS3, but the disc prices are expensive at 25 dollars for one 25gb blank disc, so i plan to archive to my computer and then to DVD data files. When the Blu Ray discs decrease in price in a few years, i will then be burning Blu Ray movies of all my files.
This camcorder has all the features i was looking for, and is the best prosumer model on the marked i believe. The high bit rate, the fujinon lens, the hdd 60gb drive, the hdmi and Full HD 1080i and nice compact size; not too big not too small. Highly Recommended..

After spending hours at the local Fry's Electronics, trying different camcorders, I picked out this model. I did not like the Canon camcorder cheap feel and its inability to focus as I zoomed in, even with plenty of light inside the store. The Sony camcorder felt good in hand, but the picture as monitored in the viewfinder was noisy and grainy - again, with pleny of indoor light. But as I picked up JVC GZ-HD3 (the younger brother of the HD7, they didn't have the HD7 model at the store) I was amazed - the picture was clean, alive, with vibrant dynamic colors. And the build quality is superb - the JVCs are made in Japan, unlike Canon and Sony, which are made in China. In any case, after a week of contemplation, I got the JVC GZ-HD7 camcorder from Amazon for just over a grand, and after about a month of ownership, I can share the good and the bad.

I used the unit both indoors and outdoors. In my opinion, the strength of the camcorder is its color reproduction - me and my friend tested it on a color-calibrated high-def TV unit through HDMI, and the colors were very true. Using the said setup we confirmed that the level of detail is also superb. In low-light situations the unit performs well up to a point, after which manual shutter speed adjustment will be necessary to increase exposure time. It's not a problem though, as I have used the camcorder indoors with moderate lighting (parties, etc), and didn't need any tweaking away from the automatic mode. The manual adjustment of shutter speed come in handy when recording trully low-light conditions, like sitting at night by the fire - I set it to 1/15 and the camcorder picks up the image from the darkness. In general, I think it's great that the unit has a lot of manual controls - you can adjust the aperture for depth-of-field, shutter speed for low-light or high-speed shooting, exposure bias, manual focus with focus assistance, and so on. The camcorder has an optical image stabilizer, which mechanically filters out shaking and jolting. I am suprised that it seems lots of people have problems with the OIS, as to me the performance is acceptable - I can definitely see big improvement when the stabilization is enabled - the sharp, high-frequency hand shaking is gone from the picture.

Soundwise, the camcorder operation is very quiet, there is no messy tape mechanism inside, so you won't complain on the mic picking up any hum. The unit has an input for an external high-quality mic, plus an accessory shoe where you can mount it. The drawback is the abscence of a dedicated 1/8" headphone jack, even though you can use the A/V Out jack to connect to external audio equipment.

Storage-wise, the camcorder has strengths and weaknesses. The obvious plus is the HDD storage, which allows quick backup through a USB/Firewire. I, being a PC person, connect through USB. The Cyberlink software included with the camcorder package allows viewing the files, and authoring DVD/Blue-Ray disks (HD DVD burning is available from Cyberlink in newer software releases). The minus of the camcorder is that even though it records video as an MPEG2 stream, the stream is embedded into the proprietary .TOD file, so that before authoring a DVD, the files need to be converted to the MPEG files - which is an extra step I would rather not have altogether. Even though, the currently bundled software is not certified for Vista, it works no problem with the OS. I have Vista at home, and I already created a DVD without problems.

At the end, this is a great HD camcorder, with a couple of drawbacks.

Was looking for a nice camcorder for the birth of my baby (next week!) Bought this at Circuit City over Easter - they had a $200 online discount plus an additional 10% Easter Sale - came to $1349 plus tax! I was originally looking at the Sony SR1, was impressed by the lens, LCD and built, but felt it was somewhat hefty - lo and behold, the JVC HD Everio comes out and this Camera is very well built, fits the hand like a glove (unlike the larger SR1 which I feels like it needs 2 hands to avoid jitter)it has everything I was looking for and more, with Full HD (1920 x 1080) its basically futureproof, also has an extremely wide prosumer lens (fujinon) which has awesome light gathering capabilities (Great for indoor filming), a huge 60gb harddrive, HDMI port, 3CCD for true-to-life color reproduction, 200x digital zoom, plus a lot of other features for the enthusiast - supports external mic, flash via hotshoe, s-video etc. etc. Kudos to JVC for putting the time to develop this one, this is a well-thought out product that oozes quality (hard to find these days). Easy to understand, well illustrated manual, great editing package that supports PC/MAC (incl iMovie!) and an LCD menu system that is intuitive to use and easy to transfer files to/from PC/MAC or an external Harddrive. Supports both USB and firewire cables! This is the creme-dela-creme of prosumer camcorders - Thank You JVC!

PS: I found the Tamrac Adventure Messenger 3 bag to fit the camera nicely.
Also, there are several extra batteries available beyond the supplied 1hr 25 min model, including a 2hour battery up to a 5 1/2 hour beltclip model - ideal for daytrips etc.

If you are using Final Cut Pro or other professional non-linear editing programs on the Mac, you cannot use the camera's native .TOD format, which is basically an MPEG inside the .TOD container. Forget about following JVC's instructions: they are too time-consuming and don't allow batch processing. The easiest conversion method I've found requires two freeware programs: The VLC media player, and MPEG Streamclip, both available on the Apple Website (and elsewhere). You'll first need to use the VLC player to convert the .TOD into a .TS file, which takes seconds (you are only changing the container format to MPEG TS, not actually changing compression). Once you've changed the .TOD file to a .TS file, you can use MPEG Streamclip to change to a variety of file formats that Final Cut Pro can recognize. Of course since you are recompressing the file at this point, expect this to take far longer than the first step.

While you can use a variety of compressions, I use DVCPRO60. Files compressed using DVCPRO60 can be viewed in Final Cut immediately without a need to render. The quality of the final DVC PRO .MOV file seems identical to the original .TOD file.

As for the quality of the video, I think it's lower than some other cameras that cost less, and it's capture resolution is far lower than true HD (at approximately 510 lines verticle it's lower than other comparably priced camcorders, according to one review). If you are are looking for true HD in a consumer or pro-sumer model, this camcorder (or any other so far in 2007) won't cut it.