JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station)

by JVC

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 5.8 inches ; 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000MANEDI
• Item model number: GZ-MG555
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,336 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 9, 2006

Product Description

CL) JVC GZ-MG555 30GB HARDRIVE CAM

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Camera, May 29, 2007

By 

Mario "MVG" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station) (Electronics)

I have just recieved my GZMG555,

My first impressions:

Pros.
- Very light.
- Very Small.
- Easy to use. (You don't even need to read de manual, very intuitive)
- Excellent still photos.
- Good video.
- Flash and light in camera.

Cons.
- In dark places, blury video.
- You need extra batteries. I recomend the 815 (lasts around 2.5 hrs., not to big), 808 (comes with camera, small but only lasts 1 hour), 823 (last more than 3.5 hrs., but it's to big). I have the three of them I think I will get another 815.

I haven't use the JVC Sharing station, but it seems very easy to operate and burn DVD's...

Overall, If you are a practical person, that will appreciate portability and ease of use more than perfect image (although it's not bad at all), I really recomend this camera.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable video/stills from JVC, May 30, 2007

By 

S. Halbert "PGDUDE" (Bowie, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station) (Electronics)

This is the best camcorder I have ever owned bar none!! The 5 megapixel still photos are perfect and the quality is just as good as my Fuji S5200. The settings are intuitive and if you are a video enthusiast you will likely be impressed with the feature options on this camera. The video in low light conditions was quite clear I experienced no blurring whatsoever. Battery life in my opinion is no better or worse than any other camcorder in its class...but I would recommend upgrading the battery if you use the camcorder frequently. The software for DVD publishing/editing is okay...my preference is Nero 7 (simple and intuitive). This is also a great value compared to other camcorders in it's class. I've only had it a couple days but I can assure you that this product will not disappoint in quality, features, or price.

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Decent camcorder with microphone input +nightalive!, August 13, 2007

By 

Edison "hightech lover" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Docking Station) (Electronics)

I brought this camcorder after returning my Sony HDR-SR7. I liked the Sony HDR-SR7, but it does not allow me to record online classes on computer screen -- too much ghostlines and useless for that. GZ-MG555 also has some ghostlines when I record the computer screen and TV screen, but by adjusting the settings, I can get rid of those ghostlines completely. For the Sony, I can not get rid of those ghostlines no matter what to change, even Sony Style store technician told me that is normal for Sony.

So I am reviewing this camcorder with Sony HDR-SR7 in mind. Sony HDR-SR7 can record both HD and SD. JVC GZ-MG555 only allows recording in SD format. If you do not plan to get HD recorder and upgrade your DVD player to HD, buying the camcorder with HD recording will not benefit you so much, since HD format will take a lot of space to save the files. To make DVD to play for your friends, you will have to let software downward convert it for longer time.
But having HD capability is a plus, so that when you need that format, you don't have to go out buy another camcorder. For me, I want to record the online classes in SD format, with HDR-SR7 with so many ghostline, I do not have much choice.

The video quality in SD format are pretty much the same, comparing between the Sony HDR-SR7 to this JVC GZ-MG555. Sony's low light quality is slightly better, when not engage JVC's Nightalive feature (I will talk more about the low light recording more later). Playback directly from camcorder to HDTV set, Sony produced better video quality than JVC, since Sony's output is 1080i and JVC is 480i. However have the MPEG2 files from both burned into DVD, both has similar quality.

During recording, Sony has an eye piece in addtion to the LCD screen. JVC GZ-MG555 can only be viewed from the LCD screen. At low light from that LCD screen, JVC may look not as good as Sony. But recorded video is better than the LCD displaying during recording. If you just look the LCD screen to think the quality of the video is not good, that may not be true reflection of recorded video.

JVC has a built-in LED light. Under the low light condition, it can be on automatically. For a few yard distance, it helps the video a lot. Sony has a night mode, which the camcorder record in black and white. Without external light help, Sony can not match JVC with the LED light.

Out of box without going to manual mode and without knowing there is a Day/Night button, JVC may not record as well as Sony in low light. But once you start using the settings in low light, it is better than Sony. On the top dial, the center is a push button. Not very obvious, but that is the Day/Night button. If you recording indoor or at low light, you should push it down to use the night setting. However, at inside house in the night with dim light, even with that still not able to record good video. JVC has a feature called NightAlive! Yes, NightAlive, it is alive once that mode is on. That is part of manual mode (dial set to M), then select the Nightalive mode by pushing the function button than lever to the left. That is an amazing effect! Beat Sony nightvision mode by a ton! It has shape color video even with not much light at all.

Sony has many manual controls. However, almost all the manual control is by touch screen. That is difficult to use, since you can not actually see the result video at the same time easily. JVC GZMZ555 has one dial on the top, as well as controls next to the LCD display. Its manual control for the shutter speed and apature can be very useful and effective.

However, Sony HDR-SR7 has manul focus ring that is better than JVC GZMZ555. It turns out JVC GZ-MG555 also having manual focus in the M dial, then push down on the selector. I would really hope JVC GZ-MG555 also having a manual focus ring, which would make it so much easier for advanced use. In the low light, adjusting the manual focus sometimes caused the LED light turn on, which is also on the same selector and easy to trigger by mistake.

Both Sony HDR-SR7 and JVC GZ-MG555 has microphone inputs. That is a great feature for recording from computer/TV screen, or recording meeting and getting its audio feed from PA system, instead of using the built-in microphone. Sony HDR-SR7 has external headphone jack. That is great, since you could actually hear what you are recording, when the audio feed is not pickup over the air. JVC has screen display the microphone sound level, which may help adjust the sound level, but you still may want to hear what is being recorded --Since you can not tell by looking the sound level bar to identify the inpunt level is too high. JVC could make it showing red color or yellow color to indicate the microphone input is exceeding the level. But it did not do that. I ended up redo the recording because the voice was oversaturated.

Sony HDR-SR7 has a remote port that is the LANC control port. JVC GZ-MG555 does not have it.

JVC GZ-MG555 has a manual lens cover. Sony's lens cover is automatic. JVC when it design the lens cover also put little bit of lens hood in front of the lens. That makes JVC's filter diameter to be 46mm, while Sony at 37mm. That may fool a lot of people think JVC's lens is 46mm. That is not true. JVC's lens actually is slightly smaller than Sony's in diameter. But the lens hood makes it looked bigger.

Both Sony HDR-SR7 and JVC GZ-MG555 using D.I.S that software to compensate hand shaking. Both are not as good as the O.I.S camcorder I have. Both camcorder has 10x optical zoom, but with D.I.S, you can not record good quality video by holding it by hand at 10x zoom distance.

I decide to stay with this JVC for now for almost half the cost of the Sony. It allows me to record computer and TV screen. JVC has better manual controls. The MPEG2 files from JVC is good for manking DVD. I really like the JVC's NightAlive feature much better than Sony's Nightvision. Maybe in couple years, Sony can have good quality HD camcorder that can record comptuer screens. I may buy a Sony then. Or JVC's HD allowing SD as well, I will stay with JVC HD.