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 JVC Everio GZ-MG77 |
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CES 2006: JVC today added four compact new models to its Everio G series of hard-drive-based camcorders. The US$600 GZ-MG21 and US$700 GZ-MG27 store MPEG-2 video on internal 20GB hard drives to capture 4.5 hours of highest-quality footage, while the US$800 GZ-MG37 and as-yet-unpriced GZ-MG77 bump the capacity up to 30GB for 7 hours.
One of the biggest problems with hard-drive camcorders is the hassle of having to download your video to another device once the drive fills up. JVC has taken a crack at solving this by incorporating into the three pricier new Everios the ability to burn video directly to a disc in a standalone DVD burner via USB. Naturally, JVC has also unveiled a compatible DVD burner, the CU-VD10.
The three lower-end models use a relatively small 1/6-inch, 680,000-pixel CCD, which doesn't promise great things in terms of video quality but does allow JVC to put 32X zoom lenses on the cameras. The top-of-the-line GZ-MG77 makes a leap, using a 1/3.9-inch, 2.2-megapixel CCD and a fast f/1.2 lens with a 10X zoom range. That means it should produce much better looking video than its lesser siblings, especially in low light.
All but the cheapest new Everio -- which has a standard 2.5-inch LCD -- sport a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD, and all four models jump on the widescreen bandwagon by providing a 16:9 capture mode. The new Everios also include an SD slot for saving photos (only really worthwhile on the GZ-MG77, since the other Everios shoot VGA stills), as well as a battery meter that tells you how many minutes you have left to shoot instead of a vague battery icon. Another nice touch: you can set the camcorders on standby so that they power up when you flip out the LCD.
For the complete round up of stories from CES 2006, click here.
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