JVC's GD-D850 "Baby Movie' camcorder with man-sized 35x zoom

If you're still shooting MiniDV then you'll be stoked by this, the budget GD-D850 DV camcorder from JVC. This "Baby Movie" cam features a 2.7-inch LCD with auto-adjusting brightness, 16:9 or 4:3 NTSC recordings, and the ability to capture your little Poopie Puddles in as little as 1-lux of light without the eerie, green glow of a spoiled debutante. It also features a 35x optical zoom for peeping things you probably shouldn't. Expected to hit Japanese retail priced at ¥45,000 (about $397) in January -- then the US quickly thereafter we presume.

[Via Impress]

[Reader @ Dec 20th 2007 3:53AM]

Peeping Toms everywhere, rejoice.

[Tis---strange @ Dec 20th 2007 4:16AM]

Now, just to make a baby and then...

[fraz @ Dec 20th 2007 6:04AM]

so does this thing film nothing but babies? Just it on a blue background... And once it gets to the age of 5, low and behold, it disappears from view, leaving behind the eerie scene of random under 5's floating in a sea of blue...

[Tony C @ Dec 20th 2007 8:22AM]

Hah! If you're going to be making videos of any babies at 35x optical zoom, I think you're automatically disqualified as being the natural birth parents.

[Dustin @ Dec 20th 2007 8:50AM]

Just because you don't have custody and are under a restraining order doesn't mean you don't want to capture every special moment!

[Joe @ Dec 20th 2007 9:31AM]

"still" shooting miniDV?

Umm... last time I checked, MiniDV is still the standard for video, especially when it comes to actually editing video. DVD cam's are for those who don't wish to edit (or don't have the time to) and Hard Drive cam's are getting popular and better... but MiniDV is far from dead.

[kevjohn @ Dec 20th 2007 11:35AM]

I'm old school. I still shoot on film.

[Taylor @ Dec 20th 2007 1:06PM]

I used to have a mini DV cam till my crazy roommate literally destroyed it 4 years ago, but if i buy another video cam, it will be a HDD cam, i hated those tapes...
Pro's might rock it differently, but i'm no pro, and never will be (for video, that is).
-Taylor

[TIMMAH! @ Dec 20th 2007 5:46PM]

Why even go with HDD? Seems like flash media would be more rugged and reliable.

[Graeme @ Dec 24th 2007 3:27AM]

I wouldn't touch a JVC MiniDV camera ever again after their history with similar products in the past. Unreliable heaps of junk (the company, not just the cameras). Have a search for E04 / REATTACH BATTERY / UNIT IN SAFEGUARD MODE to get an idea of how flakey they can be.