JVC camcorders: review of the best models in 2020

Despite the fact that in the modern world almost everything is equipped with video cameras, and the quality of built-in cameras of smartphones is slowly approaching professional, the video camera market does not even think to die.After all, not a single smartphone, even with flagship characteristics, even specially adapted for shooting, will allow you to get the same video quality as shot with a specially designed equipment.And it is not necessary to have an expensive camera for this. Camcorders from the middle or even budget price segment easily outperform the sensors built into smartphones or tablets in their characteristics.

One of the leaders in the video camera market is the Japanese company JVC, whose models we will dwell on 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 possessed sufficient funds to provide its employees with high wages, which made it possible to attract highly qualified personnel to work.

JVC began its activity with the production of cathode ray tubes and various parts for electronics, which were not only successfully marketed in Japan, but also exported to America.

In 1930, JVC successfully launched record production, which made the company grow even more rapidly due to skyrocketing 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 to create a television, which it successfully presented in 1939.

After the war, the business of the company began to decline, as did many of its competitors, but it was at this time that Dr. Kenjiro Takayanagi joined them, who first invented a method of obtaining images using a cathode ray tube. Kenjiro Takayanagi later became one of the most valuable employees of JVC.

Since 1953, JVC has been releasing LP records and streaming the release of its TV. In 1957 he released his own stereo system, and in 1959 - the VCR and gained worldwide fame.

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

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

The company is still developing the latest methods of recording and reproducing 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 must 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 camera parameters. It is difficult to find a camera on the market with a resolution 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 wider the angle of view (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 hole in the video camera through which light enters the light sensor. The smaller it is, the sharper the final image will be, and the better the image can be obtained in low light conditions.
• Zooming range. With optical zoom, the zoom is carried out by a mechanism of rotation of the lens, as a result of which the image quality does not deteriorate. Digital zoom brings the image closer using the software capabilities of the camera and uses unused pixels of the matrix, which always affects the image quality when zooming in.
• The number of settings available for shooting. It is very useful to be able to control each of the available camera parameters and select the desired mode for shooting.
• Battery life. This parameter is especially important if you are leaving to shoot in places where there is no way to charge the camera, so pay attention to it. If the camera's 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 figure, the less shaking and twitching the image will be when shooting.
• Wireless connectivity gives you more flexibility.
• Weight and dimensions. Lighter weight cameras give you more flexibility 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

Not a bad budget model with average specifications. It has a 2.5 MP CMOS sensor and 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 maximum zoom, the picture is very blurry, but most likely you will not shoot at such a zoom. There is image stabilization, although digital, not optical, but nevertheless, for its price, it's still not bad.

Nevertheless, the main advantage of the camera is not its high performance, but its strength and reliability. It has a 4-level protection against various types of damage. In addition to diving to a depth of 5 meters, it can withstand 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

• Long-lasting battery that can shoot video for 5 hours in a row;
• 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 suffers from problems with shooting in low light conditions, probably due to the not very good sensor type.

For their price, JVC made a good-quality camera, but you need to understand that it is intended more for amateur photography in adverse weather conditions or on the beach than for creating professional videos in the studio. It is also suitable if you want to shoot underwater, but keep in mind that it is not recommended to submerge it 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 this line, the main advantage is the quad proof level of protection, 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 up 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 shooting can also be started 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 it may not respond to pressing.

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

Advantages and disadvantages

• Waterproof and durable, thanks to the 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 people complain about the low quality of shooting, the color gamut of the picture is predominantly pale gray, the picture is very blurred when zooming in;
• The built-in battery, which cannot be replaced if it runs out, can only be charged. However, to do this, you will have to open the back cover, which will lead to a loss of tightness.
• The objective lens is not covered by anything and water is poured into it in the rain, therefore, it is necessary to additionally install a visor;
• There is no microphone jack.

This camera is suitable for amateur photography. As well as from its other brothers from the same line, one should not expect super high-quality pictures from it, however, when shooting on water or in frost, it will come in handy, because despite the absence of metal and silicone inserts, the camera can survive rather extreme conditions ...

JVC GC-PX100

Price: from 45,000 rubles.

Specifications

For those looking to fork out for something better, consider the JVC GC-PX100 camera option. 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 some resources call it an amateur one.

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

The privateer is quite compact. It can be held with one hand, for which it has a special mount like a camcorder, moreover, for the convenience of shooting, a zoom control is located right at hand.

On the camera itself, there are many settings that take effect if you select the "U" user mode on the photographic wheel. Almost everything can be manually adjusted, 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 configure everything again.

In addition, you can install many additional modules on this device. Such as: viewfinder, windproof microphone and much more.

Advantages and disadvantages

• A large number of adjustable parameters for different shooting conditions;
• Optical stabilization at a high level;
• Accurate and precise autofocusing that works almost instantly;
• Convenient design;
• Decent battery life;
• A good built-in microphone and a jack for connecting an external one;
• The ability to connect devices using Wi-Fi. Moreover, control from a smartphone is not limited to turning on the camera, with the help of it you can also see what is happening on the camera screen and record on a flash card.

• Modest optical zoom capabilities.

Although the price seems high, for the money you get a decent professional-grade 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. Having the same class of protection against water, dust, falling from height and cold, as in the younger models of the same series, the video quality in this camera has greatly increased.

The assembled model is just perfect, 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 protection. The camera can now 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 aperture of f / 1.8, which makes it one of the best, even in this price segment. JVC engineers figured out how to protect a rather fragile moving lens, but you can also purchase a protective filter for it.

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

• Sharpness;
• Skin tone processing;
• Gamma;
• Color matrix.

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

In addition to the standard shooting mode, interval and high-speed video 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, allowing you to take good pictures in low light or excess light conditions;
• Two slots for memory cards;
• The ability to shoot in 4K;
• Quad proof camera design;
• Battery for 5 hours of video recording 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;
• A confusing navigation menu that can be tricky to figure out.

This device has managed to occupy a completely unique niche in the video camera 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 done video filming as their main job or are just professionally engaged in it 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 gives a good picture even in almost complete darkness, and two removable batteries allow you to use the camera continuously for up to 15 hours. They can be changed one by one right during 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 can be adjusted through the menu on the screen, however, the physical buttons on the body are conveniently located at hand, which should be easily accessible during operation, for example, the zoom slider, which, by the way, can give 10 -and multiple optical approximation.

Despite the abundance of manual settings, the camera has a good automatic mode, which is good 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;
• Unrivaled image quality, which can be obtained thanks to a huge number of settings and the presence of optical stabilization.
• Good aperture ratio, allowing you to shoot in the dark with light as low as 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;
• High quality microphone.

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

In its class, this is almost the best camera, judging by the reviews, it is much superior to similar models from Panasonic and Sony. It can be a good choice for someone who often takes pictures of weddings and other similar events.

Conclusion

In the end, it should be noted that despite the fact that the quality of shooting low-budget cameras from JVC are often inferior to the same Sony cameras, however, they greatly surpass them in strength, reliability and water resistance, which can be a powerful argument for those who shoot in extreme conditions.