JVC Camcorders: A Review of the Best Models in 2022

Despite the fact that in the modern world almost everything is equipped with video cameras, and the quality of built-in smartphone cameras is slowly approaching the professional level, the video camera market does not even think of dying. After all, no smartphone, even with flagship characteristics, even specially adapted for shooting, will not allow you to get the same video quality as shot with equipment specially designed for this. And it is not necessary to have an expensive camera for this. Camcorders from the middle or even budget price segment easily overtake the sensors built into smartphones or tablets in terms of their characteristics.

One of the leaders in the video camera market is the Japanese company JVC, whose models we will discuss in more detail today.

About company

The company was founded in 1927, when a small company called Victor Company of Japan appeared on the territory of the Land of the Rising Sun, this name was due to the fact that it was a subsidiary of the large American company Victor Talking Machine Company and only some time later the name was shortened to JVC.

The company had enough cash to provide its employees with high wages, which allowed them to hire highly qualified personnel.

JVC began its activities with the production of cathode ray tubes and various electronic parts, which were not only successfully sold in Japan, but also exported to America.

In 1930, JVC successfully launched the production of phonograph records, which made the company's growth even more rapid due to a sharp increase in profits. And so much so that in 1932 the company launched the production of radios, and in 1937 invented its own model.

In parallel with the creation of radios, JVC worked hard on the creation of a television, which was successfully presented in 1939.

After the war, the company's business began to decline, like many of its competitors, but it was at this time that Dr. Kenjiro Takayanagi joined them, who was the first to come up with a method for obtaining images using a cathode ray tube. Kenjiro Takayanagi went on to become one of JVC's most valuable employees.

Since 1953, JVC has been releasing LP format records and streamlining the release of its TV.In 1957 he released his stereo system, and in 1959 - a video recorder and gained worldwide fame.

One of the most famous achievements of the company was the video cassette recording format - VHS, created in 1976, which was a strong competitor to Sony, which has been releasing its Betamax video cassettes for a year now.

A fierce struggle for the market began between the two large firms, and by 1984 the winner was determined. The VHS format was used by 40 companies around the world, while Betamax preferred only 12. Sony had to curtail its format and start developing VCRs for the VHS format.

The company is still developing the latest methods for recording and playing sound and video, except that in 2009 it was bought by the Japanese company Kenwood and since 2011 the full name of the company has become JVC KENWOOD, under which it exists to this day.

How to choose a camcorder

When choosing a camera, you should first of all pay attention to such characteristics as:

• Matrix resolution. It is traditionally measured in megapixels (MP), but you should not pay attention only to them, because the number of pixels is far from the main indicator of camera quality, because in fact they only affect the final size of a photo or video. Size, mind you, not quality.

Much more important characteristics will be the type of matrix used, the quality of the optics and the light sensitivity.

• Video resolution. One of the most important parameters of the camera. Now on the market it is difficult to find a camera whose resolution would be lower than HD (720p). However, we advise you to start looking at models that can shoot at least in FullHD (1080p).Cameras with 4K resolution quality usually cost fabulous money and it makes sense to buy them only for professional shooting.
• Focal length. The smaller the focal length value, the larger the viewing angle (picture coverage).
• Matrix type. Among the currently prevailing MOS and CMOS matrices, MOS is preferred, which allows you to get a better picture than CMOS, with the same low power consumption. There are also CCD matrices that allow you to get good picture quality, but have high power consumption. Now they are almost never used.
• Aperture or aperture. This parameter indicates the minimum size of the opening in the camcorder through which light enters the photosensitive sensor. The smaller it is, the clearer the final image will be and the better the image can be obtained in low light.
• Zoom distance. With optical zoom, zooming is carried out by a lens rotation mechanism, as a result of which the image quality does not deteriorate. Digital zoom zooms in on the image using the software capabilities of the camera and uses the unused pixels of the sensor, which always affects image quality when zooming in.
• The number of available shooting settings. It is very useful to be able to control each of the available camera options and select the desired mode for shooting.
• Battery life. This parameter is especially important if you are going to shoot in places where there is no way to charge the camera, so pay attention to it. If the camera battery runs out after a couple of hours, it can cause a lot of problems in the future.
• The number of frames per second.The higher this indicator, the less the image will shake and twitch when shooting.
• The ability to connect wireless devices will give you more freedom of action.
• Weight and dimensions. Lighter cameras give you more mobility when shooting than cameras that need to be mounted on a tripod.
• The amount of built-in memory.

Top Best JVC Cameras

JVC Everio GZ-R435

Price: from 12,000 rubles.

Specifications

A good budget model with average technical characteristics. It has a 2.5MP CMOS sensor with backlight function. The camera can shoot FullHD video in AVCHD format, and you can even record video blindly with the display closed, if suddenly someone needs it.

The camera has a good 40x optical zoom and 200x digital. Of course, at the maximum approximation, the picture is very blurry, but most likely you will not shoot at such a zoom. Image stabilization is present, though digital, not optical, but nevertheless, for its price it is still not bad.

Nevertheless, the main advantage of the camera is not high performance, but its strength and reliability.It has 4 levels of protection against various types of damage. In addition to immersion to a depth of 5 meters, it withstands a fall from a height of one and a half meters, has a high degree of protection against dust and can stay in the cold for a long time if the temperature is not lower than 10 ^aboutFROM.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A long-lasting battery that can shoot video for 5 hours in a row;
• A solid amount of internal memory and support for SD-cards up to 120 GB;
• The presence of image stabilization;
• Good autofocus and the ability to adjust the white balance;
• High build quality, durability and reliability.

• Despite the low aperture values, the camera has problems with shooting in low light conditions, probably due to the not very successful type of sensor.

For the price, JVC made a solid camera, but we must understand that it is intended more for amateur shooting in adverse weather conditions or on the beach, rather than for creating professional videos in the studio. It is also suitable if you want to shoot underwater, but it should be noted that it is not recommended to dive deeper than 5 meters.

JVC GZ-RX645BE

Price: from 20,000 rubles.

Specifications

Another model of the Enverio R series, which is distinguished by its survivability and unsinkability. Just like the rest of the representatives of this line, the main advantage is the quad proof protection level, which allows it to survive immersion in water up to 5 meters, a fall from a height of one and a half meters and cold down to -10 ^aboutC. It is also reliably protected from dust.

And it is really well protected from water, despite the lack of silicone inserts. The video recording button is located on the back cover, but you can also start shooting by opening the screen located on the side.

Through it, you can open the settings menu, which, however, is very modest and not very intuitive. The screen is touch-sensitive, but the sensor is not very responsive and sometimes may not respond to pressing.

The quality of shooting is not too different from the rest of the models in the Enverio R series, but this model has Wi-Fi connectivity and an increase in internal memory to 8 GB.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Waterproof and survivability, thanks to Quad proof protection, this device can be used in extreme conditions;
• Good battery life;
• USB connection;
• Thanks to the presence of WI-FI, the camera can be controlled remotely.

• Many complain about the poor quality of shooting, the color scheme of the picture is predominantly pale gray, the picture is strongly blurred when approaching;
• The built-in accumulator which cannot be replaced if it sits down, it is possible to charge only. However, to do this, you have to open the back cover, which will lead to loss of tightness.
• The lens of the objective is not covered by anything and in the rain it is flooded with water, so it is necessary to additionally put a visor;
• There is no microphone jack.

This camera is suitable for amateur photography.Like its other brothers from the same line, you should not expect a super high-quality picture from it, however, when shooting on water or in cold weather, it will come in handy, because despite the absence of metal and silicone inserts, the camera can survive quite extreme conditions .

JVC GC-PX100

Price: from 45,000 rubles.

Specifications

For those who are willing to shell out for something better, consider the JVC GC-PX100. Although it looks like a modified DSLR, it is still a full-fledged camera that produces a good picture at the level of professional / semi-professional cameras, although on some resources it is called amateur.

With a very modest 10x zoom, the camera allows you to use all its features without losing quality. The lens inside the lens moves smoothly and silently, while at the same time providing high image quality when zooming in and a comfortable transition from one shot to another.

The caper is quite compact. It can be held with one hand, for which it has a special mount like a camcorder, in addition, for the convenience of shooting, the zoom switch is right at hand.

There are many settings on the camera itself that come into play when you select the “U” user mode on the photographic wheel. You can manually adjust almost everything, including aperture and white balance. In addition to this mode, there are others in which you can also change the settings, which, by the way, are not reset and by turning the same mode back on you will not have to set everything up again.

On this device, you can also install many additional modules. Such as: viewfinder, microphone with wind protection and much more.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A large number of customizable parameters for different shooting conditions;
• Optical stabilization at a high level;
• Accurate and clear autofocus, which works almost instantly;
• Convenient design;
• Good battery life;
• A good built-in microphone and there is a connector for connecting an external one;
• Ability to connect devices using Wi-Fi. Moreover, control from a smartphone is not limited to turning on the camera, it can also be used to see what is happening on the camera screen and record on a flash card.

• Modest possibilities of optical approximation.

Although the price seems high, for the money you get a decent professional-level camera that can be successfully used for shooting various events and studio work.

JVC Everio GZ-RY980

Price: from 61,000 rubles.

Specifications

If you still decide that you need to shoot video in 4K, then this model may interest you. Made in the form of a small rugged camcorder, it fits comfortably in the hand. Equipped with the same water, dust, drop and cold resistance as the lower models of the same series, the video quality has been greatly improved in this camera.

The model is assembled just fine, all parts fit perfectly to each other, ensuring complete tightness. The lens is recessed deep inside, metal inserts have appeared in the body, providing even greater security. Now the camera can survive much more damage.

The cover that covers the connectors and 2 slots for memory cards has a special gasket that additionally protects against water.

All openings on the case are internally protected, so there is no need to worry about the safety of the holes for the microphones and the speaker.

The camera has a 10x optical zoom and an excellent f/1.8 lens, making it one of the best even in this price segment. Engineers at JVC figured out how to make a rather fragile moving lens protected, but you can also purchase a protective filter for it.

The flip-down swivel display has a good quality touchscreen. Sensor response is also usually not a problem. Through the settings menu, you can set to the desired value such parameters as:

• sharpness;
• Processing of skin tones;
• Gamma;
• color matrix.

In addition, the camera has adjustable focus and zebra, and autofocus works fine even without settings.

In addition to the standard shooting mode, interval and high-speed video recording are available, and there is also a software image stabilizer.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A huge number of shooting settings that even professionals will appreciate;
• High-speed and interval shooting;
• The presence of the Wide dynamic range mode, which allows you to take good pictures in low light or excess light conditions;
• Two slots for memory cards;
• Ability to shoot in 4K;
• Quad proof camera design;
• Battery that allows 5 hours to shoot video in 4K;

• Built-in battery that cannot be replaced with a new one if the old one runs out of charge. However, this is offset by the operating time;
• Confusing navigation menu, which can be difficult to understand.

This device managed to occupy a completely unique niche in the camcorder market. Besides the fact that it has all the qualities that a good 4K camera should have, it is also very reliable and has excellent water and frost resistance.

At the moment, there are simply no devices on the market that combine both of these characteristics.

JVC GY-HM70

Price: from 75,000 rubles.

Specifications

For those who have made video shooting their main job or have just been doing it professionally for a long time, JVC has released a professional camera designed to compete with the Sony MC2000, which has long been known in the professional camcorder market.

The camera produces a good picture even in almost complete darkness, and two removable batteries allow you to continuously use the camera for up to 15 hours. They can be changed one by one right during the shooting, but the second battery will have to be purchased additionally.

Since the camera is designed for professionals, it has a huge number of settings that are adjusted through the menu on the screen, however, physical buttons are conveniently located on the body, which should be easily accessible during operation, for example, the zoom slider, which, by the way, can give out 10 and multiple optical zoom.

Despite the abundance of manual settings, the camera has a good automatic mode that will fit for beginners and also allows you to take decent photos and videos.

Advantages and disadvantages

• Long battery life thanks to the hot-swappable battery system;
• Unsurpassed shooting quality, which can be obtained thanks to a huge number of settings and the presence of optical stabilization.
• A good indicator of aperture, allowing you to shoot in the dark with a light of only 1 lux;
• Use for video recording of two flash cards with a total capacity of up to 128 GB;
• Fast focusing in autofocus mode;
• Vitality and build quality;
• Quality microphone.

• Weight and comfort.The camera is quite massive and weighs about 3.5 kg with all the additional gadgets and is designed to be carried on the shoulder, but it is preferable to use it from a tripod, because due to some design features, it is rather inconvenient to hold it on the shoulder;
• Takes a long time to turn on at startup
• With all the variety of functions, it will not work to adjust the aperture, sensitivity and shutter, but this is partly compensated by good built-in automatic settings.

In its class, this is perhaps the best camera, judging by the reviews, far superior to similar models from Panasonic and Sony. It can be a good choice for someone who often shoots weddings and other similar events.

Conclusion

In the end, it is worth noting that despite the fact that low-budget cameras from JVC are often inferior in terms of shooting quality to the same Sony cameras, however, they are much superior in strength, reliability and water resistance, which can be a weighty argument for those who shoot in extreme conditions.