Camcorder Reviews (page 3)
Impressions
Other than requiring you to repeatedly push the + and - buttons when operating manual iris or piloting the menu, the GR-SZ7's controls are easy to operate. I found the viewfinder and hand position to be comfortable and strain-free. The LCD color viewfinder offers adequate resolution--around 260 lines--for consistent manual focus.
Video quality of the GR-SZ7 is excellent on all fronts: resolution, noise performance and color reproduction. JVC has some pretty sophisticated signal processing going down in the GR-SZ7, and it shows. Color from the JVC was the best I've seen from a single-chip unit. I was consistently impressed with the video quality of this camcorder.
I wasn't at all impressed with the JVC's shifty autofocus and unpredictable EIS. The unit's autofocus hunted almost constantly, even when both subject and camcorder were stationary. I shut autofocus off and left it off. I hoped for rock-solid performance from JVC's electronic image stabilization, since the unit's sensor was designed with EIS in mind. Wasn't to be. In some cases, I could see little improvement with EIS on. In others, it almost seemed to accentuate small movements, adding a noticeable shimmer to image. To my eye, the JVC system does much better with large movements than small ones--I sometimes found the unit to be steadier when I was purposely shaking the camcorder than when trying to hold it still.
The GR-SZ7's audio performance was very good, with a natural sound quality and nice stereo spread. I noticed a slight buzz, not really a motor noise, in the audio all the time. The JVC has an external mike jack, but no headphone jack. Why not? JVC ditched the proprietary A/V output jack of its previous camcorders, instead equipping the GR-SZ7 with true audio and video jacks. Another nice touch: the JVC's audible trigger alarm. This beeps when engaging or releasing pause, and when using transport controls in Play mode. Note that the GR-SZ7 has no VCR mode--the unit will not record from line inputs.
Thanks to the best digital effects and transitions I've seen in any camcorder, the GR-SZ7 is a real kick to shoot with. With some planning, you can add a professional look to your videos in-camera. If you can work around the GR-SZ7's quirks, this unit will deliver some stunning video.
Technical Specifications
JVC GR-SZ7 S-VHS-C Camcorder
Format: S-VHS-C (VHS-C compatible)
Lens: 2-speed 10:1 optical zoom, f/1.2, 5-50mm focal length
Pickup device: 1/3-inch CCD, 570,000 pixels
Viewfinder: 0.7-inch color LCD
Exposure: Auto, manual offset
Program AE modes: Sports, twilight
Program AE effects: Snapshot, motor drive, cinema, classic film, strobe, slow shutter, video echo, monotone, sepia
Number of transitions: 16 (4 fades, 11 wipes and 1 dissolve)
Random assemble editor: 8 scenes
Focus: TTL auto, manual override
Audio: AFM hi-fi stereo, linear mono
White balance: Continuous auto, manual hold, 3 presets
Other features: Optical image stabilization, infrared remote, record search, in-viewfinder zoom meter, backlit LCD display, audible alarm
Inputs: Microphone
Outputs: S-video, composite video, stereo audio
Dimensions: 4.5 (height) by 4 (width) by 7.25 (depth) inches
Weight: 1.8 pounds (sans tape and battery)
Video Performance (approx.): Horizontal resolution (camera) 440 lines
Horizontal resolution (playback): 400 lines
Performance Times: Pause to record 0.5 second, Power-up to record 6 seconds
Fast forward/rewind (30 min. tape): 7 minutes, 50 seconds
Open Wide
Fujix H128SW Hi8 Camcorder
Fuji
555 Taxter Road
Elmsford, NY 10523
www.fujifilm.co.jp/usa/aps/smartcity/fuji-usa.html
($1999)
Known primarily as a film and tape manufacturer, Fuji is one of the latest entrants to the camcorder manufacturing game. The company brings some unique features and design ideas to a class filled with a lot of "me, too" products. Previous Fujix designs featured an additional wide angle lens that snapped in front of the normal lens assembly. Instead of this dual-lens approach, the H128SW uses a single 12x zoom lens that goes really wide.
With a short focal length of just 4.5mm, the H128SW gives you the field of view you'd expect only from an accessory wide angle lens. You even get some fisheye distortion, with straight lines taking on a bowed appearance near the edge of the image. No more shooting family gatherings from the next room to get everyone in the scene.
Because it has an inner focus design, the H128SW has a power manual focus control. For some strange reason, Fujix opted to put the focus control clear at the back of the camcorder, above the battery. This position takes some getting used to. The knob itself sits recessed in a slot, and I found it hard to locate and operate in the heat of shooting. Thank goodness the Fujix's autofocus scheme is fast and stable. A traditional rocker controls the Fujix's single-speed zoom. The speed provided is a good compromise for most situations. There are no other manual controls on the H128SW--iris and white balance are continuous auto only. There is no manual backlight control on the Fujix.
The H128SW has a color viewfinder, though it's not one of the newer high-resolution designs. The resulting image looks pretty coarse, making manual focusing a bit of a chore. The viewfinder itself rotates easily--a little too easily, in fact. I found it moving away from my eye if I put too much pressure on it. Mid-shot, this proves distracting to say the least.
