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(More customer reviews)After researching the least expensive MiniDV camcorder models on the market, I finally decided the JVC GR-DVL120 packed the most punch for the price. My review does focus on some of the negatives, but in general, I am satisfied with my camcorder.
The Amazon.com editor's review mentions that the camera has a 16x optical zoom. Unless their are sub-models of the DVL120, this claim is false. The optical zoom is 10x. Regardless, the 10x optical zoom seems suitable.
JVC lets you know that the camera can perform a 700x digital, but this is essentially zoom overkill. There is a setting to stop the digital zoom at 40x, which is plenty zoomed-in. Of course, the farther you zoom in the more shaky the picture. The camera has a digital stabilizer, but the effects are not noticeable. I have no other experience with digital image stabilizers, so I do not know what to expect. Overall, the camera picture is relatively stable for a handheld camcorder. So far, the Night Alive feature has proved very ineffective. It appears that this feature mimics the strobe feature of the camera. I was hoping for more of a "green" view when the low-light feature was turned on, but that may exist only in more expensive camcorders. If you're looking for low-light or fantastically stable images, then this camera may not be for you.
The camera does include numerous other features such as b/w mode, old time movie mode, sepia, strobe, slow and a few others.
The camera does have an automatic mode and a manual mode. The automatic mode is a quick-start way of recording video -- the only options that you really need to deal with in automatic mode are the zoom and record on/off buttons. In the manual mode, you have the ability to adjust the white balance (I have not tried this yet), shutter speed and manual focus. The manual focus is a nice option to have, but I found that it somewhat challenging to use and not as versatile in its manual range as I'd hoped. Not a big disappointment though because again, this is a value camcorder and the fact that it does have a manual focus at all is a plus. The camera has a still shot button, which I find more of a nuisance than an added bonus because it is near the zoom feature, so it is sometimes accidentally punched. There is no memory card for data, so the still photo is saved to the MiniDV tape. Do not buy this camcorder if you want both a camcorder and a digital camera combination!
Other features included are editing functions such as wipes and faders. I do not use these because I typically add effects on the back end with my computer. This brings me to one of the coolest features of MiniDV -- the ability to connect your camcorder to your computer. The camera does not include the FireWire cable needed to connect to your computer, but they are relatively inexpensive and well worth it if your computer has a FireWire port. I use a program that came with my Dell to control my camcorder from my computer and record video through the FireWire to my computer. All video-to-computer transfers are made in real-time. The digital transfer keeps video quality as good as when you recorded it. The camcorder does include the necessary RCA cables needed to hook up to a television or VCR (with RCA inputs).
The AC adaptor plugs directly into the camera, so you do not need a separate bulky adaptor. The battery only lasts approximately one hour when using the color view-screen (1.25 hours with the small b/w viewfinder), which isn't that long, but is probably suitable for most consumers. Of course, extra batteries are available.
For someone looking to buy a low-priced MiniDV camcorder for general uses, the GR-DVL120 is a great value.
Click Here to see more reviews about: JVC GRDVL120U MiniDV Digital CyberCam Video Camera with 2.5" LCD & B/W Viewfinder
The GR-DVL120 boasts a 680,000-pixel CCD super high-band processor for 520 lines of horizontal resolution. The maximum user friendliness is achieved with Night Alive (for low-light recording), high-resolution 2.5" Amorphous Silicon LCD color monitor, 700X super digital zoom with spline interpolation, picture stabilizer and long-time recording capability.
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