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Lens
Breaking the mold that most other digital camcorders fall in, the GR-DVL520U has a very bright f1.8 lens, which should help with a dilemma common to many digital camcorders: poor low-light performance. While not useful at the highest levels, the optical zoom is augmented by a 700x digital zoom, which can supply that little bit extra you might need in some circumstances. Paired with the zoom is a digital image stabilizer, which will help eliminate much of the shakiness associated with high zoom levels.
Shooting Functions
The GR-DVL520U provides some camera functions, which can be quite useful if you spend the time to learn to use them. The camera gives you manual control over focus, exposure, and white balance, all of which affect the way your image is recorded. The manual focus and white balance modes are perhaps the most exciting, as you can use them to create depth-of-field effects, and the white balance will allow you to light a room without investing in expensive lighting gear. In addition, JVC added in a number of digital wipes and fades, as well as a black fader.
Output Options
If you want to play your footage on television, the 520U provides two connection methods: S-video and standard RCA-style AV connectors. S-video provides the better video resolution, but you'll still need to use the AV cable for audio, as S-video doesn't carry an audio signal. If your object is to edit your movies on a computer, the camera also comes equipped with an IEEE 1394 compliant port for shuttling video back and forth. It's a four-pin connector, and most computers with IEEE 1394 ports have six-pin connectors, so make sure you pick up the correct cable (JVC doesn't provide one).
Digital Still Mode
Like many digital camcorders, the GR-DVL520U provides a digital still mode, and stores the resulting images onto an included 8 MB MultiMediaCard. You can also use SD cards. The images aren't very high resolution and are generally fit only for posting on the Web, or e-mailing to friends. To get the photos to your computer, the 520U utilizes a built-in USB port, and comes with the cable and software to accomplish the transfer.
At least 3 MiniDV tapes, an extra battery, and a carrying bag are essentials.
This camcorder is excellent value. The only con is low light recording is not good, but that's the case with most camcorders.
The 520U specifications are as follows:
- 680,000 pixel CCD (1/4")
- 110,000 pixel, 2.5" LCD monitor (270 degree rotation)
- F1.8 lens
- B/W viewfinder
- Night Alive full color low light recording
- 10x optical zoom
- 700x digital zoom
- PCM stereo audio
- 16x9 squeeze mode
- 1024 x 768 digital stills
- Picture stabilization
- SD/multimedia card
- USB interface
- DV input/output
- S-video and A/V output terminals
- Audio dubbing
- Numerous fades, wipes, and effects
The 520U provides very good features and functionality for a miniDV camera in its price range. Not all features work as well as other manufacturers. Picture stabilization, for instance, is much better on the Sony models than this camera. Night Vision is also not that useful for moving images in very low light conditions. I tried shooting a fireworks display using the Night Vision feature. An image was accumulated and stored by the CCD about every 1/2 second, making the outcome choppy and unusable.
The software bundle provided with the camera is excellent and a USB driver is provided. It's very easy to transfer pictures from the camera to the computer. With the proper editing cable (not supplied), video can be edited on a computer with excellent results. An audio/video cable is provided, which enables viewing and transferring video. A USB cable is provided to transfer images from the video card to a computer.
The 520U is capable of storing pictures to either a memory card or video. A snapshot button enables the shutter to operate. If you're new to this capability, be aware that at this time pictures obtained using current video technology do not match the quality you will get from a digital camera. Likewise, digital cameras cannot match the quality of video recorded on a miniDV camera. You buy a video camera for quality video, not snapshots. You buy a digital camera for quality snapshots, not video.
Regardless, the 520U delivers adequately usable snapshots. I like being able to add a picture collage in the middle of my videos. For example, I took a walk on the beach and recorded it. In the middle of the video suddenly you hear the sound of a shutter click and there's a picture of a seagull wading in the water; another shutter click and a picture of a dog bounding out of the water; another shutter click and a picture of a child building a sand castle, etc. Each shot stays on for about 5 seconds or so and whatever sound occurs in those five seconds is also recorded. Later, you can dub audio of your favorite song over the collage before going back to the video action of your family enjoying a boat tour the following day. The creative possibilities are endless!
Pictures directed to the video will be stored in the middle of whatever you're taping. You can also select to have pictures saved on the memory card, which provides the best quality. From the memory card, they can be transferred to your computer. This is a very nice feature. If you don't mind the limited image quality, it's quite handy to have video and picture capability in one small camera.
Where this camera really shines is in video quality; it's exceptional! The miniDV format provides 520 lines of resolution. Color balance is very nice and the internal settings enable you to take manual control of the white balance or set it to automatic.
Another nice feature I haven't seen on all cameras is the ability to correct for backlighting. Let's say you're in a room with many windows on a sunny day. Many cameras will meter the windows and you end-up with the room appearing too dark. The JVC has a backlight button that corrects for these conditions and it works quite impressively.
The BN-V408U 800mAh Lithium-ion battery supplied is the smallest battery available for this camera. Using the LCD display, you will get only about 30 to 45 minutes of record/playback time. I'd strongly suggest purchasing the BN-V428U 2500mAh battery, which can be purchased on eBay for about $30 with shipping (search for "JVC BN-V428U battery"). I get about three to four hours of use with this battery.
In short, if you are on a limited budget and would like a decent beginning miniDV camera, the JVC is a very nice unit. If you have more of a budget, I'd suggest the Sony models, which offer all these features with equivalent or superior quality (depending on the feature compared).
If you decide to purchase this camera, always purchase from an authorized dealer, like Amazon.com. There are many dealers who sell this camera for a lower price, but what they don't tell you is if anything fails and the unit requires service, JVC will not honor the warranty. You must show proof of purchase from an authorized JVC dealer to receive service.
Also it recorded fine only in bright, high-contrast sunlight with a lot of shades. Even in bright, but hazy daylight the picture produced was low-contrast and a bit too dark, which was quite unpleasant.
In the past, I always associated the words "Made in Japan" with impeccably high quality, especially in electronics. I can see things have changed even in that country. Nowadays "Made in Japan" could mean as shoddy job, as made in Communist China or elsewhere.
Another minor complaint: the memory card's compartment door tends to open by its own, due to poorly made latch.
Compared to the sony at a similar price range, it lacked a few added extras which some may find useful :
1. Mpeg (not particularly that useful I suppose if you have firewire)
2. Night scope (the JVC does NOT COmpare to sony's night vision! - it just decreases shutter speed)
3. Battery life - I think that the sony stamina battery lasts a lot longer than the jvc pack.
4. Quality of video - this is debatable - I couldn't tell the diffirence though I was told that sony has a better colour.
5. USB streaming
6. B&W viewer - it's quite annoying if you're used to a colour viewer. The LCD screen however is very clear. The sony has a TFT active matrix which may be slightly better. I was told that the LCD screen has a shorter life-span.
Compared to the Canon ZX5series - some also have an SD Card, the JVC is cheaper, looks sleeker (I think) but similar otherwise.
The SD card is very useful - I wouldn't buy one without a card. The battery life could be better. I think it's closer to 1 hour recording time. Even the so called "stamina" battery (which was not original) only lasted <1hr recording time.
Apart from the above, I feel satisfied with my purchase. I bought it in singapore and it was the cheapest of the digital cameras with similar functionality.
Compared to the sony at a similar price range, it lacked a few added extras which some may find useful :
1. Mpeg (not particularly that useful I suppose if you have firewire)
2. Night scope (the JVC does NOT COmpare to sony's night vision! - it just decreases shutter speed)
3. Battery life - I think that the sony stamina battery lasts a lot longer than the jvc pack.
4. Quality of video - this is debatable - I couldn't tell the diffirence though I was told that sony has a better colour.
5. USB streaming
6. B&W viewer - it's quite annoying if you're used to a colour viewer. The LCD screen however is very clear. The sony has a TFT active matrix which may be slightly better. I was told that the LCD screen has a shorter life-span.
Compared to the Canon MV550 - which also has an SD Card, the JVC is cheaper, looks sleeker (I think) but similar otherwise.
The SD card is very useful - I wouldn't buy one without a card. The battery life could be better. I think it's closer to 1 hour recording time. Even the so called "stamina" battery (which was not original) only lasted <1hr recording time.
Apart from the above, I feel satisfied with my purchase. I bought it in singapore and it was the cheapest of the digital cameras with similar functionality.
You should not use your fireplace, because scientists now believe that,
contrary to popular opinion, fireplaces actually remove heat from houses.
Really, that's what scientists believe. In fact many scientists actually
use their fireplaces to cool their houses in the summer. If you visit a
scientist's house on a sultry August day, you'll find a cheerful fire
roaring on the hearth and the scientist sitting nearby, remarking on how
cool he is and drinking heavily.
-- Dave Barry, "Postpetroleum Guzzler"
The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is the most likely to be
correct.
-- William of Occam
