Submit News Tips | I4U Gadget Flyer | RSS Feed
I4U Shopping Deals
 

 JVC GZ-MG505

JVC GZ-MG505 Main Image

Written by: David Elrich, July 20th, 2006

Hold cursor over thumbnail to change image

Where to buy:

Check Price

Score: 7.5/10

“You may be a tape purist but nothing beats the playlists that instantly appear when you put a HDD camcorder in playback mode..”

Highs:
Three 1.33MP CCDs; 30GB storage

Lows:
Expensive; colors have no “pop”

Introduction

We’ve made no secret of the fact we’ve been disappointed by the quality of the hard-disk drive camcorders reviewed so far for DigitalTrends.com including the new Toshiba gigashot and JVC Everio models. Camcorders record memories and if the video quality isn’t better than a $400 tape-based edition, what’s the point of saving hours and hours of noise-filled footage--and spending more money for the privilege? We felt the same way about most DVD camcorders too—until we tried the Panasonic VDR-D300. What made this camcorder a winner was the fact it uses three CCDs to capture video. Now JVC has moved to address the shortcomings of HDD camcorders by introducing the GZ-MG505, the first one with three CCDs. In theory, dedicating an individual chip to record the three primary colors of red, green and blue results in more accurate, life-like images without the jagged lines and swirling noise that plagued other HDD camcorders. That’s the theory. Also adding to the allure of this new model is its ability to take 5-megapixel stills (2560 x 1920 pixels) and with the 30-gig drive you can save over seven hours of memories at best quality without worrying about spare tapes or discs. You’ll need a handful of batteries to accomplish this task but that’s another story. 

Could this HDD camcorder be the one to solve the substandard video problem? This is what we hoped to discover as we anxiously opened the carton and prepped the JVC Everio GZ-MG505 for a hands-on test. Read on to discover if you should start saving over a grand for this stealthy new camcorder…

Full Review >>

DiscussDiscuss EmailEmail PrintPrint

Related Reviews

Related Downloads


User Reviews

"The jvc cam did not impress me"

beyond at Dec 6th, 2007 at 11:00 AM
Score: 8

Last week I played with an HV10 at an Electronics retailer here in Tokyo, along side the MG505 and Sony HC3. The JVC cam did not impress me, except for its form factor. Considering you can get an HDV cam for not much more money, the MG505 seems a hard sell.

"I like it"

tanch at Jul 27th, 2007 at 9:32 AM
Score: 9

A spare battery or longer life battery is strongly recommended with this camcorder,This is a great product by JVC. Im very happy with it.

Read More Reviews | Write A Review


Sponsored Links


Advertisement

Advertisement



Search for Wi-Fi hot spots near you:


Newsletter

Be in the know! Sign up for the Digital Trends Newsletter today.

E-mail:

Sponsored Links










Your Ad Here

Add To MyYahoo

Add To MyFeedster

Add To News Gator