JVC Everio GZ-MC500 reviewed: great video, bad photos
posted July 8th 2005 5:01AM
The AP's Ron Harris spent some quality time with the "world's smallest" Everio GZ-MC500 digital videocam, that 3CCD unit that records onto CompactFlash microdrives. JVC was touting their special "pixel-shifted" technology for the 5 megapixel still camera on this, but Harris totally slams on the quality of the still shots, claiming he gets better quality images from his 4 megapixel Canon S400. He gives full marks for crisp video, optical zoom, image stabilization, and audio quality ("This is simply the best audio I've heard from units in the sub-$2,000 range"), but is annoyed by the camera's design which tends to promote smudging up the LCD screen with one's thumb. He's also a bit down on the battery life and, of course, the still image quality — but overall recommends the device for its superior video and audio, storage format and compact size.
Of course he gets better stills from a canon S400. Its a REAL camera.
Anything that's pixel shifted is junk. Its like a 1.3 sensor, isnt it? And, its interpolated to 5mp? Why not just throw in a 3mp REAL sensor, and a decent lens?
Digicams built into video cameras are good on paper, but only a few actually take photos worthy of keeping. Some companies could do what Samsung does with the digicam concept, cram it into something else with its own lens assembly (but their stand-alone digital cameras haven't had many good reviews). Better off getting seperates, but the good thing is the quality of the video, what it's meant to do.
This pixel shifting reminds me of those nice x-in-1 throwaways that are a "jack of all trades, but a master of none."
I just got one of these as my aged Mini DV cam was starting to die. It's just fantastic! The video is great quality and the ease of archiving (just hook up via USB2 and copy off) is much easier than faffing with firewire copying etc.
Take the price as a START point though. I have also bought another 4Gb microdrive, 1Gb SD card and 2 spare batteries to go with it. But it's coming on holiday with me, unlike my 300D and Ixus.
The photos aren't great, but then on holiday I just want snaps. And it feels just great - it's tiny. Not much bigger than an 3 or 4 iPods strapped together. Certainly easier to travel with than a full on dslr/dvcam setup.
I've had one of these for about three weeks now and I love it! Smudging the LCD screen with the thumb is annoying, but what is that compared to the size, the quality and the ease of transferring 45 minutes of video to the PC in less than 7 minutes?
This is my first video camera, as I decided I would never buy a video camera until it recorded random-access digital files. (I also, proudly, never bought any movies on VHS tape, waiting almost ten years to buy movies on "discs like CDs".)
The still picture performance may leave something to be desired, but it is good enough for taking quick snaps in a pinch.
This technology will be duplicated and improved on by others, without a doubt. But Victor/JVC made a very nice product to get the trend rolling and I am more than satisfied with it.
I was ready to get one of these badboys, until I saw the still image quality. How foolish was I to think that finally there was a good combo camera! I really need a new still camera, video was a bonus.
A new thought, after reading around, for about the same price I can get a Sony HD HDR-HC1 1080i. Yes it's a larger, but does take some really great stills - simply because they are at HD res. Shooting in HD video is truely awesome!
This is the review youve been looking for. It answers the questions the marketing blurb doesnt tell you.
Size
It really is about as big as your fist. Build quality feels solid and chunky, nothing flimsy about it.
Video Quality
The camera has 4 video settings (the back of the manual has tables which compare every mode combination, very useful):
Recording time (on 4gb disk) mins
Economy 352 x 288 at 1.5 mbps: 300
Normal 720 x 576 at 4.2 mbps: 120
Fine 720 x 576 at 5.5 mbps: 90
Ultrafine 720 x 576 at 8.5 mbps: 60
I cant see much difference between Normal and Ultrafine. Normal is certainly fine for my holiday movies.
Video Format.
Video is recorded in mod format, which is basically mpeg2 with dolby sound. If you rename the file extension to mpg it will play in most packages (I tried Studio 9 and Premier). Premier lost the sound though. Also when you put a clip on the timeline you can see a blank bit at the end which is presumably where the dolby data is.
Widescreen is a hassle. The included Cyberlink PowerDirector does not support widescreen. Premier can be configured to recognise the widescreen format, but loses the sound. PowerDirector can export in mpeg and avi if you need to retain the sound, but squeezes any widescreen footage. The only workable solution is to forget widescreen and just work in 4:3.
Video zooming in playback mode is supported.
Still Pictures
More options here, you have to balance image size and image resolution. Looks like there is a ceiling of 9999 images for some reason.
Playback mode allows rotation of the image.
Number of shots on 4gb disk
640 x 480 Fine: 9999
640 x 480 Standard: 9999
1280 x 960 Fine: 6575
1280 x 960 Standard: 9999
1600 x 1200 Fine: 4460
1600 x 1200 Standard: 7345
2048 x 1536 Fine: 2775
2048 x 1536 Standard: 4305
2560 x 1920 Fine: 1805
2560 x 1920 Standard: 2835
Voice Recording
Very useful for recording meetings, except that people want to fiddle with the camera. Quality is excellent, and files are in wav format. The large capacity would be good for long unpredictable projects like capturing bird sounds. Sensitivity can be set at low or high. In high mode it recorded someone talking quietly on the other side of the partition in my office with negligible background noise.
The Mode button cycles between Video, Still, and Audio, Oddly it goes instantly between Video and Still, but you have to hold it down for three seconds to get it to go into Audio mode, and this is not mentioned in the manual.
Playback speed can be Fast, Normal or Slow. Useful for locating sounds in periods of silence.
Recording time (mins) on 4gb disk
Fine (48 khz at 1536 kbps): 350 (5hrs 50mins)
Standard (16 khz at 512 kbps): 1060 (17hrs 40mins)
Economy (8 khz at 256 kpbs): 2130 (35hrs 30mins)
Battery.
Battery arrives uncharged.
Battery is removable, but the JVC web site quotes 75 for a spare one. There is only one size, no high capacity battery available as it wouldnt fit in the slot.
It take 1.5 hours to charge. It is lithium-ion so no memory problems.
Normal mode continuous shooting, battery lasted 1 hr 3 mins
Ultrafine mode continuous shooting, battery lasted 57 mins.
I suspect if you use the zoom a lot this would come down.
Low Light.
Need to keep the Gain on full (in the menu). I have read reviews that say low light recording is poor, but I thought it was fine. Bit subjective I guess. I pointed it at the gloomy space under my desk and it showed more than I could see with my eyes.
Zoom
Zoom can be set to 10x (optical), 40x digital, 200x digital. Quality is fine, but obviously it pixelates if you zoom x 200.
Macro mode lets get as close as 70cm.
Disk
The included 4gb microdrive slot will take a CompactFlash card, but I read somewhere you have to get the high speed ones. Havent tried recording on a CF card.
There is also an SD card slot in the bottom of the camera. You have to go through a couple of menu levels to tell it which media to record on, no quick switch if you run out of space while shooting.
There are 6gb disk available but they are about 200.
Manual says you need to format the supplied disk, but you dont. Just stick it in.
Interfaces and bits
Using the supplied adaptors you can get video out in SVideo, Composite, or Scart.
USB. Copies a 1gb file to my laptop in 3 mins
No firewire
No DV in (so you cannot record from an external source).
No audio in (so you cannot use an external microphone).
No hotshoe for lights or mics.
The Headphone jack is 2.5mm not the standard 3.5mm, so you have to use the supplied adaptor. Tedious if you lose it.
Lens cover included.
No cover for the screen.
No case included (40 on JVC site).
Screen only rotates 45 degrees up or down so you cannot film yourself.
Body gets hot because of the disk drive, doesnt seem to impair performance.
Each file (video, still or audio) can display properties on the cameras screen. Useful for seeing what the format was, date/time when you shot it, and how long it is.
Can do manual Aperture and Shutter priority.
Can do bracket shooting (3 stills at 3 different exposures for one click)
There is a normal threaded hole in the bottom for mounting on a tripod.
Software
Digital Photo Image Navigator 1.0. For getting stills off the camera.
Power DVD. Plays mod files, recognises wide screen ok.
PowerPoducer. For creating DVDs. Not sure if it supports widescreen footage.
PowerDirector. For editing video, adding titles etc. Only has one video channel, does not support widescreen. Can export avi and mpeg.
Overall Im glad I bought it.