You're Broke, But You Need Quality Video
Written: Apr 17 '05 (Updated Aug 17 '05)
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Pros: High optical zoom, manual controls, best low-light performance under $500
Cons: Feels a bit awkward to hold, built-in light near-useless, no microphone port or accessory shoe
The Bottom Line: This is your bang-for-the-buck in terms of video quality & color representation for indoor and outdoor shooting conditions.
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| wsmunch's Full Review: JVC GR-D33 Mini DV Camcorder |
If having babies weren't expensive enough, people have to go out and buy a brand new camcorder so they can preserve all the memories. After you start adding all the needed extras (and maybe some impulse buys) you can start to toll up a sizeable receipt. Now, of course, not everyone has been purchasing a brand new camcorder, but most people have been deciding to replace their 4 year old model for something newer. From October '04 until March '05, about half the people browsing the camcorders were doing so because they were expecting a newborn child soon. 7 of 10 camcorder purchases were by people expecting a newborn child. I made it a point to ask every customer that came around the camcorder displays at work if they were expecting (since it seemed there was something in the water), since it's a great sales ice-breaker and since I was correct seventy percent of the time. What was common among all of these people was that they needed a camcorder that was quality and inexpensive. Of course, I practice what I preach, and I too purchased a JVC GR-D33US when it came time for me to acquire my very own digital camcorder. I too belonged in the group that was shopping due to a new baby (or babies as it were in my case) but also on a small budget.
So why MiniDV? To put it simply, 8mm and VHS-C camcorders cannot compare to the video quality that you get with a MiniDV. There is also the Digital 8mm, made popular by Sony and is about equal to the quality that you get from a MiniDV, but MiniDV camcorders are smaller and more compact than any 8mm or VHS-C camcorder. There are also MiniDVD format camcorders that can be considered as well, though they can get quite expensive. Entry level models start at around $599. The video quality of the MiniDVD and MiniDV are pretty close to each other, though the greater price is paid for the convenience (and newer technology) of the MiniDVD format. You would generally spend about $200-$300 more for a MiniDVD camcorder that matched the hardware of a MiniDV model. Some people consider Flash Memory camcorders for the ease of use and tiny size, though change their mind when they find that it's more of a toy when you compare the hardware performance to actual digital camcorders, unless you're spending thousands. As of right now, the MiniDV format gives consumers the greatest amount of options for zoom, quality, control, and price.
:::QUALITY:::
So why the JVC GR-D33US? The most common place that people videotape their kids is indoors, so those who are buying for that reason need a camcorder that will give them great performance when they're shooting indoors or in low-light conditions. Most all camcorders take spectacular video when it's shot outdoors in bright daylight, but very few can say the same when they're brought back inside. The JVC GR-D33US has only a 1/6" CCD (680k pixel), but under low light conditions the video will have colors which are distinct and without that much grain. The color representation is not only accurate, but it's done without any extra enhancement (like a nightshot mode). JVC's 3-D Noise Reduction technology is what helps keep the video clean and colorful with less grain. Compared to most other digital camcorders under $600, the JVC GR-D33US outperforms the competition in low-light situations. This is not to say that this model doesn't do well under normal daylight shooting conditions, which it does. It's just that this piece of equipment gives you hardware that performs better than ones in similar price ranges, and is on par with camcorders almost twice the cost. Other choices within the same price range would be the Sony DCR-HC20 and the Canon ZR80, and neither of them can match the price and video quality of the JVC. Keep in mind that what is shown on the color LCD screen isn't indicative of the video quality; it has to be viewed from a TV or computer. The actual video itself (especially indoor) is going to be darker than what you'll see on the LCD screen, but good software can brighten your video if you transfer it to the computer. Now there is a nightshot mode on the camcorder that can be used if the conditions are very dark and you want a better image. The nightshot will only work when the camcorder is switched to manual shooting mode. It works pretty well brightening the video and keeping the colors, but the drawback is that movement with the nightshot mode on will look choppier than when it is off (since it's probably using slow-shutter).
The still images for this camcorder aren't much to talk about. The snapshot button will save a single, VGA picture to the tape and is about the quality that you would get from a basic web cam. There is no separate memory card on this camcorder, so all the pictures are saves to the tape with the video. When you press the snapshot button, it makes a snapshot sound and shows the image for a couple of seconds before resuming the video recording, so it's kinda handy that you don't have to interrupt the video to switch to a picture-taking mode like the camcorders that do have separate memory slots for digital pictures. What isn't handy is the fact that you'll have to use a computer to search through the video on the computer to find that individual frame if you wish to print it. You can do the same thing without the snapshot button with the software, and that way you won't interrupt the video. If you're looking for better, individual still pictures, I would strongly recommend in purchasing a great digital camera to go with it. The stills feature on this model isn't worth it at all.
The JVC GR-D33US has some of the highest zoom made available on a digital camcorder. It sports a 16x optical lens and a 700x digitally enhanced zoom. The camcorder zooms in and out without much delay and is fast to focus when you've stopped zooming. The digital zoom is a computer enhancement, so the further in you're zoomed digitally the more you'll reduce the quality of the video. It's not really recommended to use the digital zoom if you want to keep good looking video, but the JVC GR-D33US gives you the option to set the digital zoom to 40x or 700x if you want to squeeze a better closeup if you're further away. The camcorder doesn't have the capability to add any lenses so the zooming and video recording is going to be as-is. The image stabilization is good and comparable to most other camcorders in the same price range. Some say that the Sony has better image stabilization, but short-range 10x optical of the Sony zoom is easier to keep steady than the 16x optical zoom of the JVC. Keep in mind that shooting while digitally zooming is done best with a tripod since it's harder to keep the video still when you're focused at such great distances.
The audio quality is slightly disappointing. The JVC GR-D33US has a built in microphone that can record 12 or 16 bit audio. The problem with built in microphones on digital camcorders is that they don't work very well. The problem with this JVC model is that it lacks a microphone port and an accessory shoe, so there is no way to get any better audio at all whatsoever. If audio quality is of high importance, this will become a huge drawback to any user. Now from the around-the-house video recording that I've been doing with this model, the audio quality is fine for me. It picks up sounds accurately and from a good distance and does exactly what I need it to do. I believe that the problems that could occur would be when taking video that is done outdoors in noisy or windy areas. There is a manual option to set the audio to wind cut, where it reduces the noise made by wind and breeze, but it also reduces all audible sounds so the subjects would have to speak louder or project if they want it on the tape. One would have to get closer to the subject if they wanted to maintain optimal audio reproduction since there is no other way around it.
:::CONTROLS:::
The GR-D33US has a clean layout and is pretty easy to pick up and start using right away. The right side of the camcorder has the power switch and record button in good proximity to the thumb. The zoom switch, menu/volume dial, snapshot button, and blank search button are managed by the index or forefingers. The power switch has a blue lock-button on it that must be pressed as it's being flipped, as to prevent accidental activation of the camcorder, which could run out the battery or even record over precious moments. The options for the switch are: play mode, off (charge), automatic operation, and manual operation. The left side of the camcorder has a light button that activates the small lamp on the front of the unit. Opening up the LCD screen uncovers the audio speaker, play controls (stop, play, pause, fast forward, rewind) for viewing recorded footage, additional video connections, nightshot mode button, and the LCD backlight button.
The manual controls are only available when you're in the manual shooting setting of the GR-D33US. The controls are pretty plentiful and lean toward the professional side of recording, though it's not really easy to access and scroll through if you're trying to change something in a pinch. Pressing the menu dial like a button opens up the manual options menu on the LCD screen (or viewfinder) and rotating the dial right or left will move the cursor up or down. Pressing the dial will make selections. Users have options to change the video wipes/fades (white fade, black fade, b/w fade, corner wipe, window wipe, slide wipe, door wipe, scroll wipe, shutter wipe), automatic exposure ( 1/60 shutter, 1/100 shutter, sports, snow, spotlight, twilight, sepia, monotone, classic film, strobe), auto/manual exposure, white balance (auto, manual, fine, cloud, halogen), camera options, manual options, system options, and date/time. Each of the icons for the options are different colors and the display is bright, so everything is pretty easy to navigate. This camcorder has a digitally enhanced 16:9 aspect ratio for shooting video. This means that it's not recording true wide-screen, but it's stretching the video and cropping the tops and bottoms to give the illusion of wide-screen. When recording, I usually leave everything automatic, unless I know I'm going to be somewhere that I would want to optimize the video for such an occasion. When you're scrambling to pick up the camcorder in time to shoot some video, you don't really have time to scroll through options to set things the way you really want it. For a camcorder in this price range, the amount of manual controls is rivaled only by a Canon. Lots of the special effects that you can do on the camcorder can be done with computer software as well. The benefit of using a computer to do the same effects is being able to keep the original video unchanged so you can have repeat creativity, instead of having to deal with video that already has it's own effects on it.
:::HANDLING:::
The GR-D33US is pretty small and compact, but I've held more comfortable camcorders in my hands before. The look is of charcoal grey and silver, with blue highlights. The unit is about 4.5" long by 3.5" high and 2.75" wide, and weighs about one pound. The tape loads in from the bottom, with the ride side opening up like a clamshell to let the tape mechanism self-eject and give access to loading/unloading tapes. People who would be making use of tripods might find some disadvantage of having the tape load from the bottom, since it would require the removal of the camcorder from the tripod before being able to switch the tape, as opposed to top-loading camcorders that don't have that kind of problem. When the camcorder is turned on, it won't actually start working until either the 2.5" LCD screen is opened, or the viewfinder is extended (pulls out about 1/2"). You'll know it's ready to go, since you'll hear a beep and a whirr of tape once this has been done. Only one of the viewing methods will work at any given time. If you are using the 2.5" LCD screen then the viewfinder will not work until you close the screen. If you are using the viewfinder, it will only work if it's extended. It's a bit of a shame that it has no vertical movement as well. The LCD screen has 270 degrees of swivel around the x-axis, and the screen matrix is pretty good for viewing at different angles. The GR-D33US is easy to connect. It comes equipped with A/V cables but has S-Video and Firewire connections located underneath the LCD screen.
The biggest gripe with the JVC GR-D33US would be how it holds in the hand. Most people would want a camcorder that fits snug in the palm, as if it we're part of your body. This camcorder feels a bit more alien than that. The camera strap is a simple leather and velcro piece, but I feel that it's set a little too low on the camcorder itself. When you have the unit slipped on, the bottom of the camcorder is in the middle of your palm so it will end up moving around and feeling ungainly unless you have a tight grip on it. The placement of the buttons is fine. It just feels that there is supposed to be a bit more camcorder at the bottom to fill up your entire palm and give that secure handling. I really wish they made a more comfortable design, since this is my only serious complaint with this camcorder. I'm always one to say that if a tool doesn't feel right in your hand, it doesn't matter at all how great of a product it is if it's not comfortable. The GR-D33US was a hard pick for me when it came to the feel. Though, in the end, it wasn't the most uncomfortable and I could sacrifice a bit of comfort for the overall quality and price. It's all a matter of preference, so I would strongly recommend handling one before making the final decision to buy.
:::CONNECTIVITY:::
The GR-D33US comes with A/V cables to plug the camcorder into TVs, VCRs, receivers, etc. The A/V port is on the LCD side of the camcorder right above the DC power port. Opening up the LCD screen will uncover an S-video and a firewire port. The S-video cables are sold separately, but will give you a better quality picture when you're viewing the video on your TV. The firewire connection will allow you to hook the camcorder up to your computer so you can transfer the video for storage or future video editing. The firewire cable is also sold separately. The process of transferring video is pretty simple and doesn't take terribly long. Once you have the camcorder connected to the computer, you open up your video editing program and turn the camcorder on. The program should detect the device and give you options to import the video to the computer. Each minute of recording on the tape equates to a minute of time it takes to copy to the computer; a full, one hour tape will take an hour to copy. Those that change the tape setting from SP (standard play, 60 minutes) to LP (long play, 90 minutes) will have an additional 30 minutes of transfer time added, though the video being managed won't be that much larger since it's of lower quality. You'll notice that the camcorder will be running the tape at the same time the computer records. Some programs will give you the option to fast-forward copy, which reduces the time it takes to move the information on the computer, but can desync the video from the audio or cause imperfections in the copied video. Once the video is loaded into the computer, you can opt to edit or enhance any portions of it. Once satisfied with the final product, choose to save the file(s) in the format(s) that you want. This is the part that takes much longer, anywhere between a couple of hours to an overnight process. It all depends on the length (size) of video(s) that are being used, the number and complexity of any modifications, the program being used, and the computer performance. For best success, I would recommend a Pentium 4 or AMD XP computer system with at least 512MB memory and a spacious hard drive. Short video clips can easily take up megabytes worth of space, while the longer ones can be gigabytes worth of space. You'll experience less system slowdown if you're prepared with optimal video storage. The main benefit of importing video to the computer would be the ability to store, catalogue, and maybe even burn to share with friends and family. Those who opt for some creativity can make some fun, effects-laden, professional-looking video with a good software program available off the shelf. Be sure to mind the output formats, since certain formats can be easily read by DVD players while others can't. Those who want to be able to store video on a DVD and be able to watch it on their DVD player will want to save in formats that are friendly to DVD players that are available on the market. Tapes don't last forever, and they aren't as easy to sort through to find specific memories like if you have them listed on a DVD disc or a hard drive.
The software that comes included with the JVC GR-D33US is junk. The Windows operating system has the Windows Movie Maker built in, which performs much better than what JVC has included with their product. One of the software discs included is a demo disc for www.jvc.com/community. I watched this a bit and was completely uninterested. I tried to visit that portion of the site, just to see what it was really about. It wasn't working at the time, but from what I can tell it gives you a place to edit, store, and show your pictures online. I wasn't able to check what amount of space they allow for storage, but I know that most ISPs provide a copious amount of online storage and web-site template builders to show them off too. I prefer to keep things a bit private on my own terms, so this bit of their service is undesirable to me. But who knows, maybe there are those who adore it? The second software disc is ImageMixer v1.7. I loaded this piece of software to test it out. This too, is junk. While the layout is nice and clean, there is no in-program help whatsoever. Hovering over buttons won't give any tooltips and there's no sub-menus. I know my way around software, so I started to test it out with some existing videos on my computer. A good portion of the buttons weren't functioning like I they were supposed to. The program wouldn't close from clicking the end-program X. The options for editing and enhancement are very limited (once again the Windows Movie Maker is much more robust in comparison). The software looks like it wants to be feature-full, but really feels incomplete. I really wanted to know what file formats it saves in but I couldn't really get to that point. After about five minutes of messing around with it I removed it from my computer. I recommend skipping this software and investing in something better that won't lead to discouragement when trying to have some fun playing with video clips. I would recommend going with Adobe Premiere.
:::SUMMARY:::
Overall, if you're looking for an inexpensive camcorder to take great video and don't mind mediocrity in other aspects, this is a model for you. The battery is good for up to about 2 hours of recording time (about 1 hour 20 minutes using the LCD screen) and takes only a few hours to fully charge. The LCD screen performs quite well and as expected, both indoors and out. It won't be as crisp and bright like a Sony when used outdoors, but it's comparable to any good non-Sony LCD screen. The JVC GR-D33US runs pretty quiet so I doubt there would be much problems with internal noise unless one is recording in extreme silence. The camcorder can take individual still pictures, but they end up very low quality and more trouble than it's worth to acquire the stills for printing. The built-in light, while seemingly handy, is pretty pathetic and can't even match the output of a keychain flashlight. The audio recording capabilities are sufficient, but as a whole the camcorder fails in being able to enhance either the audio or the light due to the lack of a microphone port or an accessory shoe. The handling isn't as natural-feeling as some other models that can be purchased. But if we ignore all the little nuances, what we're left with is an inexpensive camcorder which performs like those twice it's price. It has solid video recording (especially low-light performance), spectacular zoom, and a great selection of manual controls for those who want more out of their video. If all these are features that you're looking for, I'd recommend taking at look at what JVC has to offer with the GR-D33US.
What's Included
- AC Adapter
- Battery
- A/V Cable
- Shoulder strap
- Software
- Lens cap
My Minimum Recommended Accessories
- 3pk JVC MiniDV tapes
- Compact camcorder case
- 1394 Firewire port (internal PCI or external USB 2.0)
- Firewire cable
- Adobe Premiere
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 199.99
Recommended for: Budget Buyers - Best Values to Fit the Budget
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