Customers Reviews
2009-11-01
Camera Good; Upload to PC not so Good.
Hello All, I recently purchased this camera and was so excited. First off, I feel that camera is great. Easy to handle, very small, good video quality, and the like. My problem is not with the camera, it is with the software that it comes with. If you are not uploading to iTunes or YouTube, you cannot upload it directly to your PC. The third and final option is to upload it directly to a DVD. It also saves in a .MOD format, which is a pain in the butt to convert to AVI or MPEG. My disappointment is that I want to upload directly to my PC and be able to edit the movies to make DVD's of my kids. So I don't use itunes or You Tube, which leaves me with going directly to a DVD. But if you want to edit your videos you have to record directly to a DVD, then from the DVD to my editing software (I still haven't figured out how to convert it yet), then the editing software to my PC, edit the movies, then back to a DVD. C'mon...there has got to be an easier way. But much research on the web and reading JVC user discussion boards say the same thing. They talk about downloading various Codecs and what not. I don't have the time or desire to figure out codecs and other software.
Look, I just want to take video of my kid and up load it to my PC. I want to edit out the boring parts and make a good home video. I feel that I am working too hard to accomplish this.
I'm not sure what I am going to do return the camera or deal with it.
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2009-10-31
Great camera....HORRIBLE software
I was extremely excited when I ordered this camera. I had been wanting to get a HDD camcorder for a long time as I am tired of buying tapes for my old miniDV. I went with JVC because of the fact that they have been making HDD camcorders for a long time and I have owned several JVC items in the past, plus the price was right on.
Positives: records to either HDD or microSD, lightweight, internal lens cover, video light, 60GB hard disk
Negagives: only ONE...PLAN ON USING A DIFFERENT SOFTWARE. worked twice on my spouses VISTA x64 laptop. Upon third attempt, showed files were corrupt and automatically deleted them. Called JVC and they said its a software problem not a camera problem so I called Pixela. After chatting with them, found out the software is incompatible with x64 operating systems. Learning that I went to XP Professional desktop and tried again. This time the program wouldn't even run, it would open but freeze immediately. Called back and tried to get more help and was told that since i was running an AMD processor and not an Intel they couldn't guarantee it would work since they only recommend Intel based systems. Needless to say I was greatly disappointed.
Please don't get me wrong, the camera itself is awesome, I don't fault JVC at all and would recommend this product to anyone looking for a budget HDD based camera. Just be prepared to look into different software options. I purchased AVS media converter to change from MOD to AVI/MPEG4, works flawlessly.
NOTE: Pixela mentioned it is compatible with IMovie '09 for Mac users. I own a Macbook pro with IMovieHD and I couldn't figure it out.
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2009-10-28
Good Camera but DON'T BUY FROM AMAZON!
Nice camera. It was just as described. Easy to hold. Once you read the manual, it all becomes clear and is easy to operate. Installing the software was also easy. I'm used to doing that so I suppose it's possible that it could be intimidating if you're not used to it. I like the way this camera turns on and off easily. The buttons are small so I do need my glasses, but everything works as described. The camera size is perfect for easy travel. You can spend alot more and get many more features that are desirable. But I have specific uses for this camera. There was no need to spend $800. For my money, this was a good deal. Now a word about Amazon: Do not buy this camera from them if careful packing and shipping are important to you. The camera box is about 6x6x3. It was packed in a shipping box three times that size with one small piece of packing material (the pillow-like clear stuff). When I picked up the box from my front door, I could feel the box sliding around. Imagine how many times this box had been handled from the time it was packed to the time it was delivered. If it was not transported in a way that prevented it from moving around, then the camera box inside the packing box bounced around all over the place. I was nervous that the camera would even work. I emailed Amazon. Their response was that my concern would be forwarded to the shipping/packing area. It seemed an afterthought. I've bought things from Amazon before that were not packed adequately and left subject to damage during shipping. It's pretty clear they have no intention of properly packing a $340 movie camera. My advice is to get it elsewhere, either in person at a retailer or from an online company you trust.
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2009-10-16
Great for Vacation & Everyday Use
This is a great camera. This is my first video camera so I'm not familiar with other brands. Its very easy to learn to use. I don't use the software that came with the camera. I just plug it up to my pc which I'm running Windows XP, and it works great. I just drag and drop my videos to my pc to back them up. The quality of the videos are very good for the price. It doesn't work that well under low light. I've seen better cameras under low light. Overall its a great camera. Don't forget to get the longer lasting battery, because the 1 hour battery just doesn't cut it when your out and about using zoom and such.
I recommend it.
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2009-10-05
Nice camera
The best thing abot this camera has been the image stabilization. I compared it to similar makes by Sony and Panasonic in Best Buy. They both had better zoom but their image stabilization were not up to par. For someone who plans to have the camera in their hands and not on a tripod this is going to work better for you. But if you plan on having it on a tripod and would rather have the Huge zoom, go with the Sony or Panasonic.
I read a lot of reviews about the JVC, Panasonic and Sony cameras and read positive and negative reviews about each. The biggest problem I read about the JVC was how it performed in low-light situations. I'm not sure if people expect night-vision but I used it in my living room one evening with incandescent bulbs and the picture was clear and maybe a little brighter than it actually had been in the room.
I've had NO problems with this camera thus far and I hope it continues. It is very easy to use and produces good video and images.
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