JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Product Description
With a 1.8″ hard disk drive built-in, its lightweight compactness is not constrained by the size of videocassette or disc media, nor does it require a space-consuming loading mechanism. The redesigned image processor for Everio G series incorporates 6 digital noise reduction systems to improve the S/N ratio by about 30% (3dB) over previous models. The integrated MPEG-2 encoder features circuitry that reduces the block noise and mosquito noise that can occur with dig… More >>
- Record video straight to a built-in 30 GB hard drive
- 1/2.5-inch 5 MP CCD; Megabrid engine
- 2.7-inch Clear Widescreen LCD
- Digital still capture
- Docking station included
JVC Everio GZMG555 5MP 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Tagged with: 30GB • Camcorder • Disk • Drive • Everio • GZMG555 • Hard • Optical • Zoom
Filed under: Video Pocket Camera
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Okay, I did a lot of research before buying a camcorder. It seems like the main competitors were JVC and Sony. I chose the JVC because it had better resolution and better features for less of a price (with Amazon at least).
Now, when it came to the JVC camcorder I chose the Hard Drive version because I enjoy simply playing around and having fun without having to worry about wasting tapes or dvds. Plus, when you rewind and re-record over tape, you lose quality. Each time you hit record, a new scene begins, which is really cool for managing your files! Also, with the model I purchased, you’re able to edit the scene so that you can trim it to just what you want.
So then, High Def or Standard Def? Do you have a High Def TV? Are you making high quality movies? Then stop reading and get the HD camcorder. If not, then get the Standard Def. I got it because I don’t see any spectacular HD camcorders yet. I’m sure they’re being developed, but with only a few models available, you’re probably getting a low end HD which, in my opinion isn’t better than a high end SD. Plus, HD takes up more Hard Drive space, and looks terrible on a SD television. I have a buddy who got an HD who actually does have an HDTV, and he said he NEVER uses it because it’s just over the top. So he records in SD, but, like I said, the only models that are out are lower end HDs, so it’s kind of a bummer for him. They also chew up more battery life.
Additionally, I chose the GZMG555 (currently their top of the line SD) because of a few great features: it’s got a light (which is a little too fluorescent, but good enough), it’s got a cold shoe (so you can plug in a better mic, trust me, this was the main reason I chose it), rather than having all the options digital (because it’s really annoying to have to surf through billions of digital menus) there’s a round dial on top that you rotate (like on good digital cameras), the camcorder offers great quality (learn about the 1/2.5″ details), and a great zoom.
Now, here’s some advice for a couple questions you may or may not have thought of. Why isn’t the zoom as good as lower end models? I have no clue, but the zoom it has is plenty. In fact, zooming too much seems pointless–all you get is particle vision, and you really notice shaky hands. What about only having a 30GB instead of a 60GB? Honestly, on the Ultra quality version you get over 7 hours of footage, are you ever going to need more? Then use the Fine quality that will yield like 10 hours. If you need more than that before you offload the footage onto your computer you have 3 options: 1) buy the JVC portable DVD burner (a good option if you’re on a long vactation), that way you can burn to DVD at the end of each day or two; option 2, bring a laptop on your vacation that you can save to; or 3 buy a different camcorder.
Last important piece of advice! This records video as an MPEG2 with a .MOD at the end. This is annoying if you have film editing software because it’s not always compatible (Roxio=no, Pinnacle=yes, I think). But, remember this!: You can convert these to MPEG2 files VERY EASILY by erasing the .MOD and retyping it as .MPEG2…or if you’re clever, you’ll be able to find an mass converter which is much much quicker. I recommend this because if you record in 16:9 and retype the .MPEG2, the media player you use will not know that it was 16:9 (so it’ll look retarded). If you find the converter I found, you’ll be able to check mark a box that will make sure to include the 16:9 setting. By the way, the download I found was free.
Oh yeah, the software it comes with is cool, but only a trial version (no big surprise) where there’s no time limit, but all the options are limited. It seems like cool enough software, so if you don’t have a program already, just upgrade to the full version.
So that’s it. You’ll be happy!
Rating: 5 / 5
I purchased this camera a week ago and have been using it daily since. I am making a project using video editing software with what I’ve captured from this device, and I have to say that it’s superb overall. Before I get started, I should mention the biggest problem this camera can be said to have: a sluggish focus. It’s true that sometimes it can take up to a three seconds to focus at first, and then if you move too quickly zooming in and out, it might take a second to focus again. Hasn’t been a show-stopper at all for me, and it generally doesn’t ruin any shots of mine.
Things I love about this camera are not unique to this particular model, but let me mention them. First and foremost is the HDD (hard disk drive). I cannot emphasize enough how awesome and valuable this has been. The camera I bought right before this one (which I am sending in for a return today) used miniDV tapes, and the sound of the tape motor recorded into the video as a horrible whirring or even ringing sound. That and the frustrations of awkward rewinding/fast-forwarding to try to position the tape properly for recording; it got even more frustrating when I wanted to preview a video I had taken earlier. Tapes have serious limitations, and I really hated the fact that for best quality I had to use a brand new tape (and, to top it off, downloading video from the tape required as much time as the video took to shoot).
With the HDD, I can shoot over 7 hours of video at the highest quality and download them to my computer as fast as USB 2.0 can fly. If I want to see a shot, I can browse to it like I’m scanning for a video on a computer, with a thumbnail for each one. If I don’t like one, I can delete it right then and there and use that space for something else (the new video will appear at the end of the current videos, keeping in timing). Using just the camera, I can organize my videos into Events (basically, folders). I can also apply a couple different filters and then undo those if I don’t like it (though don’t expect much out of the built-in effects). Basic editing is also possible using only the camera, though anyone and everyone with any tech savvy will prefer a computer-based editing software.
Gone is the horrible whirring, ringing, and roaring of the miniDV tape motor; replacing that sound is… well, the audio you actually want to catch! Run this bad boy in a quiet room and all you’ll hear is the standard calm static that any silence will produce for a camera (no camera will ever pick up pure silence, since it really doesn’t exist). This is the kind of static you won’t even notice, but if you’re really pick you can easily and quickly edit it out using even the most basic of video editing software (just use noise reduction). The whirring of the previous camera’s miniDV tape motor could not be edited out at the highest noise reduction or playing with the different levels of sound. Very satisfied in general with the audio of the Everio MG555. However, remember that this is an onboard microphone, so don’t expect stellar audio. No fear, though, you’ve got the option of using a separate mic with a connection (shoe) on the top for it. I used a simple handheld, corded microphone, and it worked well.
The video quality on this camera is often said to be lacking in terms of its specifications (that is, people think it should give higher quality than it does for what it is). I am no expert, so all I can say is that I’m basically 100% satisfied so far with the video I’m getting. Aside from the sluggish focus that doesn’t occur all the time (you can often times zoom all the way out and back in with no serious loss of focus), I have no issues with the quality of the video. Some people make pin-point comparisons with color variation at varying light-levels; me? I just know what looks good to me when I edit it on my video software. My main goal was to purchase a camera that would allow me to create videos where everyone is focused on the content and not on the quality (or lack thereof); this camera fits the bill more than adequately. In fact, setting on the second to highest quality setting is good enough for everything I need, though I always use the highest setting (with over 7 hours of video storage on the HDD, who wouldn’t record at max quality?) You do, of course, get even more mileage if you use a lower quality video (but if you’re editing, highest is best).
A unique and awesome feature of the camera is the dial on the top of it. Today, 95% of all consumer camcorders are forcing you to go into the on-screen menus to get to pre-sets like Auto, Manual, Snow (scenery), Portrait, Night, etc. The MG555 brings us the awesome return of the physical dial, where you can actually snap it left and right to change the settings (and push the button in the center of the dial for the Nightalive feature, which simply draws in more light to make the most of dark situations). Unless you’re trying to get effects like shallow focus, you will generally never need to go into any manual setting modes, but it’s always nice to be able to set the white balance, aperture, and all those things if you need to. Be careful, though; as with any camera, using the wrong setting or not properly setting the white balance under certain lighting can sometimes leave your video with a blueish or orange-like tint.
Still photos have never been spectacular on a camcorder, but in this case they are actually quite nice. Compared to a dedicated stills camera, the MG555 isn’t going to amaze, but when you look at it for what it produces, it’s really quite good. It’s so good, in fact, that even though I brought my stills camera along with me on a trip to the city, I didn’t think it worth the bother to switch cameras, and just took my stills with the MG555. Any professional or semi-professional wouldn’t even dream of doing such a thing, of course, and besides, they probably wouldn’t be using my stills camera either. The stills can go up to an insanely huge resolution, topping nicely over 2000 pixels by something or other. Just trust me, it’s bigger than what you’ll ever need, so you’ll probably just pick a lower size like me so that you can see them on a single computer screen. Basically, you can shoot up to 9999 photos at any resolution or quality, so unless your drive is full of video, there’s no limitations whatsoever. Oh, and it also has an included flash.
Additional features include the remote, which although it seems it’s quite standard now-a-days, it’s nice to know it’s there (many reviews don’t even mention whether there is one or not). The lens cap is replaced by a sliding shutter that you open and close manually, which is always nice (just gotta remember to shut the darn thing when you don’t need it). And, if your camera seems to be filming nothing but blackness, chances are you can fix it instantly by opening up the shutter (not shutter speed, but the lens cover). It also has an awesome dock, which allows you a few more options. Using the dock, you can also connect via firewire, though it appears impossible to use the firewire for pure data transfer (only useful for direct importing into video editing software). With the dock, you can have everything connected (USB, power, AV cable, firewire) and yet be able to instantly remove the camera without pulling out all of the cables; this is nice for when you simply want to set the camera down and pick it up at will (and it charges, too).
Another great asset to having this camera is something I never even thought of: the ability to record using the AV cables. Normally we use the AV cables for viewing our videos on our TVs, but these also double in their purpose for recording AV input. This means that you can record old VHS cassettes to the HDD. Let’s not stop there, you can also record DVDs, satellite, cable, whatever shows up on your TV (as long you have a AV-out). I’m a language student, so it’s great to be able to record TV shows and then watch them over and over, practicing the language and picking up on new material. I recorded about 10 minutes of a satellite news broadcast as a test run, and when I played it back on my TV, it was virtually impossible to tell that it wasn’t the regular satellite signal. Playing it on my high-resolution laptop screen was great as well, and it didn’t show any graininess or quality issues. Compared to ripping a DVD and then encoding it to MPEG or some other format, it may just be faster to record the DVD at its playing rate using this camcorder. This, of course, is for DVD backups and convenience of watching it on my computer (where I can fast-forward and rewind more efficiently for studying the language); it’s not for pirating DVDs or any such thing, which is not cool.
Now, as for the battery, the included one will leave you a bit wanting. Some expert reviewers have reported a on to shutdown time of 1 hour and 26 minutes, but since most of us won’t be doing our recording in one hugely long stretch, we face a different reality. The battery often feels like it only records about 50 minutes or so of filming before it starts to die off (this is on and off filming, the kind of stuff you do when you get out there and take shots). You can always buy a nicer one. It seems that lately camera manufacturers are shaving dollars off their products by cutting down on battery quality…
A few more points before I call it quits on this review. The feel of the camera is very important, and I have to say that there are no real complaints about how it feels. I really appreciate putting the microphone right in the front of the camera, so it can catch the clearest audio and avoid being hit by my fingers. The camera is extremely small and relatively light, so large-handed buyers beware (though small is a trend lately, and you might just have to stick it out). The complaints about the port covers coming off easily have found no warrant in my experience as of yet. The included straps are nothing to wow over, but they get the job done. The light on the front can help illuminate the immediate foreground in a pinch, but don’t expect it to make up for bad lighting. There’s also, as mentioned earlier, a flash for the stills photo capturing. The LCD screen seems quite nice, and although it cannot show you the highest quality of your video, it gives you pretty much what you need to decide if the shot is right or not. A bottom-loading slot allows for one (SD) memory card, which can give you another option for portability of your photos and videos (but beware, as the videos will automatically record to a lower quality when using the memory card slot). I suppose they can also give a slight memory boost in a pinch, but who needs it when you have 30 gigs?
Get yourself a decent video editing program and a DVD burner, and you can make some awesome videos with this little HDD camera. It comes highly recommended with 5 stars, with the only reservation I can offer you being the sluggish focus. Search around for the best price and grab one; you’ll be glad you did!
Rating: 5 / 5
I brought this camcorder after returning my Sony HDR-SR7. I liked the Sony HDR-SR7, but it does not allow me to record online classes on computer screen — too much ghostlines and useless for that. GZ-MG555 also has some ghostlines when I record the computer screen and TV screen, but by adjusting the settings, I can get rid of those ghostlines completely. For the Sony, I can not get rid of those ghostlines no matter what to change, even Sony Style store technician told me that is normal for Sony.
So I am reviewing this camcorder with Sony HDR-SR7 in mind. Sony HDR-SR7 can record both HD and SD. JVC GZ-MG555 only allows recording in SD format. If you do not plan to get HD recorder and upgrade your DVD player to HD, buying the camcorder with HD recording will not benefit you so much, since HD format will take a lot of space to save the files. To make DVD to play for your friends, you will have to let software downward convert it for longer time.
But having HD capability is a plus, so that when you need that format, you don’t have to go out buy another camcorder. For me, I want to record the online classes in SD format, with HDR-SR7 with so many ghostline, I do not have much choice.
The video quality in SD format are pretty much the same, comparing between the Sony HDR-SR7 to this JVC GZ-MG555. Sony’s low light quality is slightly better, when not engage JVC’s Nightalive feature (I will talk more about the low light recording more later). Playback directly from camcorder to HDTV set, Sony produced better video quality than JVC, since Sony’s output is 1080i and JVC is 480i. However have the MPEG2 files from both burned into DVD, both has similar quality.
During recording, Sony has an eye piece in addtion to the LCD screen. JVC GZ-MG555 can only be viewed from the LCD screen. At low light from that LCD screen, JVC may look not as good as Sony. But recorded video is better than the LCD displaying during recording. If you just look the LCD screen to think the quality of the video is not good, that may not be true reflection of recorded video.
JVC has a built-in LED light. Under the low light condition, it can be on automatically. For a few yard distance, it helps the video a lot. Sony has a night mode, which the camcorder record in black and white. Without external light help, Sony can not match JVC with the LED light.
Out of box without going to manual mode and without knowing there is a Day/Night button, JVC may not record as well as Sony in low light. But once you start using the settings in low light, it is better than Sony. On the top dial, the center is a push button. Not very obvious, but that is the Day/Night button. If you recording indoor or at low light, you should push it down to use the night setting. However, at inside house in the night with dim light, even with that still not able to record good video. JVC has a feature called NightAlive! Yes, NightAlive, it is alive once that mode is on. That is part of manual mode (dial set to M), then select the Nightalive mode by pushing the function button than lever to the left. That is an amazing effect! Beat Sony nightvision mode by a ton! It has shape color video even with not much light at all.
Sony has many manual controls. However, almost all the manual control is by touch screen. That is difficult to use, since you can not actually see the result video at the same time easily. JVC GZMZ555 has one dial on the top, as well as controls next to the LCD display. Its manual control for the shutter speed and apature can be very useful and effective.
However, Sony HDR-SR7 has manul focus ring that is better than JVC GZMZ555. It turns out JVC GZ-MG555 also having manual focus in the M dial, then push down on the selector. I would really hope JVC GZ-MG555 also having a manual focus ring, which would make it so much easier for advanced use. In the low light, adjusting the manual focus sometimes caused the LED light turn on, which is also on the same selector and easy to trigger by mistake.
Both Sony HDR-SR7 and JVC GZ-MG555 has microphone inputs. That is a great feature for recording from computer/TV screen, or recording meeting and getting its audio feed from PA system, instead of using the built-in microphone. Sony HDR-SR7 has external headphone jack. That is great, since you could actually hear what you are recording, when the audio feed is not pickup over the air. JVC has screen display the microphone sound level, which may help adjust the sound level, but you still may want to hear what is being recorded –Since you can not tell by looking the sound level bar to identify the inpunt level is too high. JVC could make it showing red color or yellow color to indicate the microphone input is exceeding the level. But it did not do that. I ended up redo the recording because the voice was oversaturated.
Sony HDR-SR7 has a remote port that is the LANC control port. JVC GZ-MG555 does not have it.
JVC GZ-MG555 has a manual lens cover. Sony’s lens cover is automatic. JVC when it design the lens cover also put little bit of lens hood in front of the lens. That makes JVC’s filter diameter to be 46mm, while Sony at 37mm. That may fool a lot of people think JVC’s lens is 46mm. That is not true. JVC’s lens actually is slightly smaller than Sony’s in diameter. But the lens hood makes it looked bigger.
Both Sony HDR-SR7 and JVC GZ-MG555 using D.I.S that software to compensate hand shaking. Both are not as good as the O.I.S camcorder I have. Both camcorder has 10x optical zoom, but with D.I.S, you can not record good quality video by holding it by hand at 10x zoom distance.
I decide to stay with this JVC for now for almost half the cost of the Sony. It allows me to record computer and TV screen. JVC has better manual controls. The MPEG2 files from JVC is good for manking DVD. I really like the JVC’s NightAlive feature much better than Sony’s Nightvision. Maybe in couple years, Sony can have good quality HD camcorder that can record comptuer screens. I may buy a Sony then. Or JVC’s HD allowing SD as well, I will stay with JVC HD.
Rating: 5 / 5
This is the best camcorder I have ever owned bar none!! The 5 megapixel still photos are perfect and the quality is just as good as my Fuji S5200. The settings are intuitive and if you are a video enthusiast you will likely be impressed with the feature options on this camera. The video in low light conditions was quite clear I experienced no blurring whatsoever. Battery life in my opinion is no better or worse than any other camcorder in its class…but I would recommend upgrading the battery if you use the camcorder frequently. The software for DVD publishing/editing is okay…my preference is Nero 7 (simple and intuitive). This is also a great value compared to other camcorders in it’s class. I’ve only had it a couple days but I can assure you that this product will not disappoint in quality, features, or price.
Rating: 5 / 5
I have just recieved my GZMG555,
My first impressions:
Pros.
- Very light.
- Very Small.
- Easy to use. (You don’t even need to read de manual, very intuitive)
- Excellent still photos.
- Good video.
- Flash and light in camera.
Cons.
- In dark places, blury video.
- You need extra batteries. I recomend the 815 (lasts around 2.5 hrs., not to big), 808 (comes with camera, small but only lasts 1 hour), 823 (last more than 3.5 hrs., but it’s to big). I have the three of them I think I will get another 815.
I haven’t use the JVC Sharing station, but it seems very easy to operate and burn DVD’s…
Overall, If you are a practical person, that will appreciate portability and ease of use more than perfect image (although it’s not bad at all), I really recomend this camera.
Rating: 4 / 5