Great quality with bounce

Author's Rating:

Pros: Excellent HD Quality, Viewfinder, Multiple Outputs, large LCD screen, Software has some nice features

Cons: OIS is a joke, transferring files takes forever, using a MAC to edit is worthless

The Bottom Line: 
Ignore the OIS issue, the lack of quality editing and this camera would suit families, or even professionals.

Author's Review
This is my first camcorder so before purchasing I did my research and found that I wanted an HD camera that used a harddrive instead of tape or DVD. This camera has all of the features that I wanted in a camcorder: HD, multiple formats, dual storage (HDD & Flash card), built-in lens cover so it can't get lost and image stabilization to name only a few. This camcorder has so many features that I like I can't name them all, mainly because I have yet to use them all.

I love the quality of the images, both video and still. I've taken video during walks along rivers, up mountains and even in my own neighborhood and watched them on my 50" DLP TV. I'm astounded at how good the quality is. I love the HDMI connection with the optional RCA connection & other outputs. The HDMI for my TV is in the back but I do have a front panel connection which allows me to easily connect the camera if needed. The sliding lens cover is great but sometimes I forget to slide it back closed when I'm done. I wish it would remind me. I can turn the camera on and use either the LCD screen or the viewfinder. If both are in the closed position the camera stays in standby mode which is nice but it takes the same amount of time from standby as it does from completely off for the camera to allow me to hit the REC button (it has to show me the Everio logo screen first). I like the remote control that was included. This allows me to connect the camera to my TV and browse the items on the harddrive (I haven't used a flash card yet). I haven't used the remote in the field yet but I'd assume I could use it to record if I mounted the camera to a tripod.

The photos are a much better quality than I expected. It's too bad a still can't be taken while in video mode even if you aren't recording. The software does allow, as does the preview within the camera, to take a still from a video.

I love the fact that I can set the camera to manual and adjust the focus, aperture & shutter speed to suit my needs. I wish it would allow me to set aperture priority when in automatic mode. One reason I purchased this camera was the hotshoe. I have yet to get a microphone for it but that should help eliminate the terrible wind noise that I get by using the integrated stereo microphone that's on the top of the camera. I hope I can find an external light that will connect to the hotshoe for those times when more light is needed since the camera has no built-in light.

The camera doesn't work well in low light and the OIS is completely worthless. I have better luck steadying the camera with the OIS off than I do with it on. JVC stated to me that this feature is a hardware issue and will be re-engineered in the next model but there is no fix for it in my camera. This is one the selling points of this camera and even though I read reviews stating that the OIS didn't work, I bought the camera anyway not thinking it would be a huge deal. It's not too much but sometimes it would be nice.

Transferring video to a PC is simple with the included software. I have a MAC that I use for video and photo editing and even though JVC states that the software and camera are compatible, it's not as easy as on a PC and the editing on a MAC is time-consuming. The camera stores video in a proprietary format. In order to edit it, you first have to use the included software (PC), then save it as an mpeg then open it using a better editing program. With the MAC, it's suggested to use iMOVIEHD. I had about 30 vidoe files I wanted to edit into one movie. In order to do that I had to import the files in their native format which took me 3 days. 3GB files took 4 hours to import because iMovieHD has to convert them from the proprietary format to something it can use. Once I had them all imported I realized that the program didn't give me enough features to edit the way I wanted to so I ended up burning the somewhat edited movie onto a DL-DVD and losing the imported files that iMovieHD had done. Editing with the included software on a PC is also not very easy. Opening the files into the program is simple since it wants the same format the file was saved as but there are no good editing features in the program. The only good thing about the program is the 'magic fix' feature that fixes the bouncing of the video but it doesn't fix then save as a proprietary format, it saves it as an mpeg. What I don't get is that even though I told it to fix the bounce, the new file still shows it.

When transferring from the camera the camera must be plugged in to an AC outlet or the battery will die. The problem with this is that the camera tends to get quite warm after transferring about 10GB.

I've only had this camera for a few months and haven't had time to sink deep into all of its features but as of right now I'm completely satisfied and wouldn't have bought anything else.