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Two new palm-size JVC digital video
cameras that shoot 60 minutes of DVD-quality video or thousands of
high resolution stills using a high capacity 4GB Microdrive
card, a removable hard disk drive that is barely 1.5” square.
JVC’s new DV camcorder Everio line offers an unprecedented
combination of convenience and quality, recording both video
and still images on a single digital medium that offers high
capacity and high quality on a card that can slip into a
wallet. It’s
the same storage device used in some of today’s most
popular portable digital music players. Both ultra-compact
JVC Everio cameras shoot up to 60 minutes of DVD-quality
MPEG-2 video or over 5.5 thousand 1600x1200 UXGA-size digital
stills on the included 4GB Microdrive card. Both also allow
quick transfer of material to a PC and easy saving to DVD.
“Video products have recently begun to adopt new types
of digital media, a trend that began in audio,” observed
Dave Owen, General Manager, Video Division, JVC Company of
America. “But with Everio, JVC establishes a new benchmark
with a format that combines convenience with the high storage
capacity required to meet real world needs. The result is
a pair of ultra-compact camcorders that offer video and still
image capabilities, mobility, high image quality, extended
shooting time, and ease of use.”
Everio comes in two styles, the GZ-MC200 digital camcorder
with a rotating grip and the vertical GZ-MC100 digital video
camera that’s
about the size of an electric razor. Both cameras offer the
same high performance and features, while offering two design
alternatives to suit users’ personal preferences.
Both Everio models feature a 1/3.6” 2.12 megapixel
CCD having a total of 2.12 million pixels (effective: 1.23
million for moving pictures, 2 million for still pictures)
to offer the high resolution capabilities needed for high
quality digital videography and photography.
To fully utilize the 2.12 megapixel CCD’s picture
performance, the cameras use JVC’s Megabrid Imaging
Engine that separately processes video and still signals,
providing optimal processing for each. Megabrid technology
assures high sensitivity and a high signal-to-noise ratio
for moving pictures and clear, high resolution progressive
still images.
The GZ-MC200 and JVC GZ-MC100 video cameras also feature
a Super Hi-Resolution Lens specifically matched for 2.12
megapixel CCD performance. This newly developed 9-group 11-element
structured lens, which offers a high-precision 10x optical
zoom, includes a glass-molded aspherical lens for the best
possible picture quality. There is also a 200x digital zoom.
In the video camera mode both JVC Everio digital video camcorder
models shoot up to 60 minutes of high quality MPEG-2 video
clips1 on the supplied 4GB Microdrive card. A choice of four
recording modes lets users choose between more shooting time
or higher quality, depending on their needs. The highest
quality Ultra Fine mode records at a fixed data rate of 8.88
Mbps including AC 3 audio2—comparable to the DVD (average
4 Mbps video/9.8 Mbps maximum) data rate—for essentially
DVD-level quality in the same video and audio format as a
movie DVD. As a result, Everio images can be enjoyed on a
large screen display, including plasma, LCD and rear projection
TVs, without the quality loss suffered by other formats when
presented on a large display. A convenient multi-connector
AV/S-Video cable is included for direct connection.
|
ULTRA FINE |
FINE |
NORM |
ECO |
| Video bit rate2 |
8.5 Mbps |
5.5 Mbps |
4.2 Mbps |
1.5 Mbps |
| Image size (NTSC models) |
720x480/60i |
352x240/30p |
| Recording time |
60 min. |
90 min. |
120 min. |
300 min. |
(1)8.5 Mbps video plus 384kbps AC3.
(2)Bit rate is fixed for ULTRA FINE and FINE modes, variable
for NORM and ECO modes.
The digital still camera mode shoots JPEG digital stills
at up to UXGA (1600 x 1200 pixels) size, for excellent quality
even for large A4 or 8x10 inch size prints. Users select
picture quality and image size to match their needs, whether
for printing, documents or e-mail. With the Microdrive’s
large storage capacity, thousands of pictures can be shot.
|
UXGA |
SXGA |
XGA |
VGA |
| 1600x1200 |
1280x960 |
1024x768 |
640x480 |
| FINE |
5,595 |
8,752 |
9,999 |
9,999 |
| STD |
9,999 |
9,999 |
9,999 |
9,999 |
Assuming approx. average picture size for UXGA 700 Kbytes,
SXGA 450 Kbytes; picture quantity will vary as file size
differs according to subject.
The video cameras store images and video on the standard
4GB Microdrive® card.
The same CF slot can accommodate user supplied CompactFlash
cards. There is a separate SD Memory Card slot3. Microdrive
is a hard disk drive that’s the same size as a CompactFlash
card, but with much greater capacity. It can be removed,
just like a CompactFlash or SD Memory Card, and data loaded
into a PC using an optional card adapter.
For quick downloading to a PC, simply connect the camera
via its USB2.0/1.1 interface.4 All transfer is digital-to-digital,
so there is no quality lost in the process. And since the
cameras support PictBridge, the camera can be connected via
the USB terminal to a compatible printer to easily print
stills directly from the camera. Also, DPOF (Digital Print
Order Format) support allows the menus on the camera screen
to be used to conveniently select images and quantity before
giving removable media to a printing service.
(3)See chart on last page for compatibility details.
(4)USB connection requires Windows XP/2000/ME
The CyberLink DVD Solution bundled with both cameras comprises
three applications that make it easy to make and watch full-length
DVD movies.5 A standard 4.7GB single-layer DVD-R/RW disc
holds over one hour of an Ultra Fine mode movie, and over
one hour 30 minutes of a Fine mode movie.
PowerProducer™ offers easy saving and authoring video
clips in any order to DVD, even right from a USB-connected
camera, so users can share original DVDs with anybody who
owns a DVD player. Saving to DVD requires only a PC with
128 MB RAM, 700MHz or above Pentium III, USB 2.0/1.1 terminal4
and a DVD burner5.
PowerDirector™ Express offers feature-rich non-linear
editing so users can flex their creative muscle with titles
and even mix stills with videos. PowerDirector™ Express
also converts movies to a variety of file formats to send
via the Web or e-mail. Supported formats include DV-AVI,
Windows-AVI, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, as well as Windows Media
Video and RealVideo that can be streamed over the Internet.5
Both the GZ-MC100 and the GZ-MC200 will be available in
October at nationally advertised values of $1,199.95 and
$1,299.95, respectively.
- 1.8” LCD Monitor
- Auto and Manual Focus
- Digital Image Stabilizer
- Exposure (Video: -6 ~ +6, Stills: -2EV ~ +2EV)
- Shutter Speeds (Video: 1/2 ~ 1/4000 sec., Still: 1/2
~ 1/500)
- Gain up Video sensitivity setting
- ISO 80, 160 Still sensitivity settings
- Program AE (Sports, Snow, Spotlight)
- Backlight/Spotlight Compensation
- Built-in Auto Flash
- White Balance (Auto, MWB, Fine, Cloud, Halogen)
- Self-timer (2sec/10sec)
- Motor-Drive Shooting
- D.Wide angle CCD mode extends beyond maximum normal optical
wide-angle zoom range similar to x0.8 wide angle lens (35mm
equivalent: 38.9~389mm)
- Macro shooting as close as 5 cm with zoom set to wide.
- Tele-macro shoots subjects large as close as 60cm.
- Voice Recording mode (FINE, STANDARD, ECO) records .wav
files with 16 bit 48kHz PCM sampling at up to 1.5 Mbps;
5 hrs and 47 min. in Fine mode with 4GB Microdrive, 34
hrs. 43 min. in Eco mode (8kHz sampling, 256kbps)
- Wind Cut to remove wind noise
- Record Special Effects (Sepia, Black & White)
- Date/Time Display
- Appealing design for “Thumbstick” operated
Animated Camera Control Menu and Thumbnail Index System
for easy clip and image location and management
- Playlist Video clip Playback and Slide-show Still Playback
- Playback Special Effects (Sepia, Black & White, Strobe)
- Playback Scene Transitions (White Fader, Black Fader,
Black & White Fader, Corner Wipe, Window Wipe, Slide
Wipe, Door Wipe, Scroll Wipe, Shutter Wipe)
- 4GB Microdrive®
- AC Power Adapter
- Rechargeable Battery
- AV/S-Video Out Multi-connector Cable
- USB Cable
- Strap
- Lens Cap
- Software CD-ROM (Digital Photo Navigator6, CyberLink
DVD Solution5)
- CB-VM20 Carrying case. Compact case holds camera and
extra memory card
- BN-VM200 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack. (800mAh)
- VU-VM10KIT Battery/Case Kit. Aluminum carrying case and
rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack
- CU-MD04U 4GB Microdrive®.
- CU-ASD032/ CU-ASD064 32 and 64 MB SD Memory Cards (for
still images)
| Recording |
Media |
| Mode |
Bit Rate |
CompactFlash |
High-Speed CompactFlash |
SD Card (256MB or less) |
SD Card (over 256MB) |
Microdrive® |
| ULTRA |
8.5Mbps |
NO |
YES |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| FINE |
5.5Mbps |
NO |
YES |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| NORM |
4.2Mbps |
NO |
YES |
NO |
YES |
YES |
| ECO |
1.5Mbps |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
YES |
| Model |
GZ-MC200 |
GZ-MC100 |
| Format |
| SD-VIDEO Entertainment Video
Profile: |
| Video: |
MPEG-2-PS / Audio: AC3 |
| Still: |
JPEG (PictBridge, DPOF compatible) |
| Voice: |
WAV (Linear PCM) |
|
| Storage Media |
Microdrive®, CompactFlash card, SD
Memory Card |
| Image Sensor |
| 1/3.6-inch, 2 Megapixel: |
2,120,000-pixels (1726x1231) |
| Effective pixels: Moving Images: |
1,230,000 (normal 1280x960) |
|
| Still images: |
2,000,000 (1636x1220) |
|
| Lens |
| F1.8-2.2: |
f=4.5-45mm |
| Normal Video 35mm lens equiv.: |
48.7-487mm |
| Super Wide Video 35mm lens
equiv.: |
38.9-389mm |
| Still 35mm lens equiv.: |
38.9-389mm |
|
| Filter Diameter |
30.5 mm |
| Zoom Ratios |
Optical: 10x, Digital: 40x, 200x |
| Monitor |
130,000-pixel 1.8-inch
Polycrystalline silicon color LCD |
| Speaker |
Monaural |
| Interfaces |
Microdrive® (CF) slot, SD Memory card
slot,
USB2.0/1.14, AV/S-Video Multi-connector cable Out,
Headphone Out, DC In |
| Power Consumption |
Approx. 4.9W |
| Power Source |
(Battery) DC 7.2V
(AC adapter) DC 11V(1A, 110-240V 50/60Hz required) |
| Operating Temperature |
0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) |
| Operating Humidity |
35% to 80% |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) |
74 x 56 x 94 mm
(2-15/16 x 2-1/4 x 3-3/4 inch) |
41 x 103 x 71 mm
(1-11/16 x 4-1/16 x 2-13/16 inch) |
Weight (without battery
Microdrive®, lens cap and
hand strap) |
285 g (0.63 lbs) |
245 g (0.54 lbs) |
Weight (including battery
Microdrive®, lens cap and
hand strap) |
355 g (0.79 lbs) |
315 g (0.70lbs) |
(4) USB connection requires Windows XP / 2000 / ME
(5) CyberLink DVD Solution software requires Windows XP /
2000 / ME, a PC with 128MB RAM, 700MHz or above Intel® Pentium® III,
USB 2.0/1.1 terminal and a DVD burner. Recommended: 256MB
RAM, Pentium® 4 2GHz or faster, 7200rpm HDD, 10-15
GB free hard disk space
(6) At least 64MB RAM and Intel® MMX™ Pentium® 200MHz.required
for Digital Photo Navigator Software
- Microsoft® and Windows® are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries. Microdrive® is
a registered trademark of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
in the United States and/or other countries. CompactFlash™ is
a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. The SD logo is a trademark
of the SD Card Association. PictBridge is a trademark. All
brand names are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade
names of their respective holders.
- Specifications subject to change without notice
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Daniel Del Aqua is a contributing
author to www.digital-camcorders-reviews.net. A guide
that offers reviews, ratings & info on where to find
the best mini dvd camcorders, Handycam video cameras,
batteries & accessories.
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