JVC Everio GZMC500 5MP 3CCD 4GB Microdrive Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

I work for a TV station, but didn't have a camera of my own. I picked this up because I was doing some undercover work and wanted a camera I could hide easier. It had a manual focus which I really wanted but it is not turn the focus ring and directly connected to the glass type. I initially hated the file type it records to... some stupid MOD extension. The only way I could get it into avid to edit video was put it through another program to make to quicktime or avi. But I now use adobe premiere elements which accepts all kinds of video types...so the that problem is gone....btw adobe premiere elements is awesome for the $90 price tag for someone looking for a decent editing software to try. With the camera and software I've put together pieces that have aired on tv...the quality is good enough and also 16:9. But lack of a mic input means it won't be something I would use to record interviews with...just shoot images with. And without a light kit stills and video indoors tward the night time won't look good either. But outdoors during the day is just awesome. nice 5mp stills will make nice 8x10s...anything larger and you will want more mega pixels. So it is now the perfect dual use camera for me with a decent 10x optical zoom. I can grab it and take some nice artsy stills [...] . And shoot some video for air when needed with the 3 ccds and nice shutter choices.

Video interlacing is dead. Hard to believe Japan is still churning out interlaced recording devices when all displays are now progressive.

I first purchased a their GZ-MC200 unit. A very similar unit but without the improvements found on the MC500. Once I was satisfied that I wasn't buying a misteak (these models are discontinued) I went ahead and purchased the 500, their top of the line version.
The GZ-Mc500:
Video quality is great when their is enough light, and the auto focus system can work. The actual video capability is around 2mp in video mode. At this level it is equal to and better than most camcorders on the market today, save HD camcorders.
In still mode the pictures are dissapointing, especially if you are use to a typical 4, 5 or 6 mp still camera. If you are not to discerning, the pics are acceptable. Be warned the flash will only cover 6 feet - not much.

The real plus's for this camcorder are 1) size, and 2) the 3 CCD pickups which render beautiful color in most lighting situations. In low light, such as you might have at a school play, you are better off switching to manual mode in order to control the focusing of the lens.
In terms of the cameras size and footprint - this is in my opinion is the real plus of the camera. It literally will fit in your pocket. It's realtively easy to operate, - editing is as simple as it could be, and very fast compared to using DV tapes.
The negatives are 1) a short battery life, about 45 minutes in actual use ( I use 3 as spares - they are very small); and 2)what may be the biggie for some, the hard drive is a compact flash microdrive. In it's best quality mode, it will record 1 hour of video. Longer times can be achieved with decrease in qualtiy, as recording time is increased. There have been many pros and cons written about the microdrives, even the best, the Hitachi, used by JVC. All in all keep in mind that these are the drives that Apple has used in their 4 gig ipods. Thus they they are proven, and Hatachi continues to improve their qualtiy. I purchased 3 at varying prices, from $65 to $135 dollars.
On any trip I ever taken I've never used more than 2.5 hours of video - thus 3 drives will cover most situations that I can think of. And you can always stretch by going from their ulta fine mode to fine, which will add 30 minutes to each drive. When you return home from your trip, you simply download the movie files to your computer and then delete the files from the microdrive, and you are ready to record again.
3) if you are used to viewfinder, you will miss it with this camcorder. It uses a small 1.8" screen on the back for all viewing and menus. It took some getting use to.
I mentioned that editing was a breeze. JVC packs their kit a with short version of Cbyerlinks video editing software. It works fine and you will be able to edit and render a DVD in about 30 minutes. The final quality is really great - I didn't notice any loss moving from the microdrive to the final DVD. All in all, if you are looking for a really small camcorder for travel etc, this is it. When JVC introduced it, 2004, it was priced at $1700. Today it can be purchased new, primarily on line for anywhere between $700 and $1200. At the lower end it's quite a good buy. Be aware that it is discontined by JVC.

I make a living producing videos with Mac's. I own this camera and I love it but there is one truth: the camera is not supported by JVC for Mac's... but that does not matter since you can still have a great experience. It is actually simpler to use with a Mac than with a PC! No need to install drivers and softwares.

To summarize it:
1- I did not install anything... there is no Mac software. You do not need it. Plug it in. It mounts the MicroDrive and you copy the files to your HD or burn a DVD from it. Without the need to copy files first (but recommended since microdrives are slow).
2- You can import your photos from the SD with iPhoto. You are set. That's it.

So what can you do with the video?
1-Burn a copy of the MicroDrive content in about 10 mins! It cannot be simpler. Just drag the video folder to Roxio's Toast. It imports. Click burn. That's it! You have a DVD in about 10-15 minutes of the entire content. No conversions. No delays. Toast 7 will let you customize the DVD a bit and it makes a great backup of your digital memories. It cannot be simpler.
2-Need to edit the video? Download the free application MPEG Streamclip. Convert your video to editable formats. Plenty of options. Free. Very high quality conversions. Solid. Another option would be to import the saved-to-DVD files using DVDxDV and create your editable movies.

In my work I use professional cameras such as the HD Panasonic's AG-HVX200 and even when your are used to HD video, the quality of the video from this unit is very respectable, especially when you consider its size.

I love its size, wieght, media portability, etc. I do not know if this the right video recorder for you but for me, it was exactly what I was looking for. It fits my video workflow, style and usage.

I recommend HDD video recorders even for the casual home video producer.... shoot your video, trim it and burn it. That easy. By the way, make two DVDs, one for usage and the second for storing your memories (backup).

Summarizing, if you have a Mac and Toast, it is so simple that it silences the ignorant PCr2 user who "reviewed" it here.... the only thing he did was to critize what he does not understand (or do not want to understand). He probably does not want to use other operating systems because he might be too old to learn new and better things in life such as a reliable operating system.

If you are a Mac user, I recommend you to visit forums such as camcorderinfo.com to get the usefull information. As with anything, beware of biased opinings that do not help you solve your needs.

Technical note: Roxio's Toast will import all MOD video files directly into it. Since the video is not converted in any way, it preserves the original video and audio quality.

There are various things that can be better in this camera but you need to know what these are before you buy it. There are size, format, capacity and design limitations. Know them before you buy it and if it still meets your criteria, you'll agree that it is an amazing camera.

I gave it 4 out of 5 for minor things that I actually can live with such as a slow startup, the monitor does not flip out, no mic input, cannot turn information off while recording (just while playing) and nithing else. I knew these limitations before I bought it so it met my expectations.

Hope this helps.

I agree with the many other users who have experienced the "Condensation, Operation Paused" defect on their JVC GR-xxxx. Despite numerous others reporting this problem, JVC says its not a recognized problem. I would disagree - it is a recognized problem, but its your problem, not theirs.