JVC improves picture quality and convenience of Everio hard drive camcorder line

reprinted from a JVC press release:

GROUND-BREAKING JVC EVERIO HARD DRIVE CAMCORDER LINE BOOSTS PICTURE QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE FOR 2007

Hybrid Hard Drive/SD Line Includes 5.37-Megapixel Model for Razor-Sharp Still Images.

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2007 Reaffirming its leadership in the hard drive camcorder category, JVC today announced a new line of Everio G Series camcorders, featuring four new models that offer improved picture quality, enhanced convenience features and record to either a built-in 30GB hard drive or removable SD card.

For 2007, the Everio line, the worlds first hard drive camcorders, offers advanced imaging technology and a new level of versatility that allows users to master the art of video storytelling. Innovations include a new imaging engine, one-touch DVD burning, one-touch back-up to a PC, in-camera editing features, an Everio dock and support for SDHC, the new high-capacity SD card. In addition, the new flagship GZ-MG555 will produce razor-sharp still images thanks to a 5.37-megapixel CCD, the largest offered in a hard drive/SD camcorder.

JVCs newly developed Gigabrid engine improves picture quality throughout the line-up by integrating various noise reduction technologies to increase the signal-to-noise ratio by about 30 percent (3dB) over previous models. All 2007 Everio models feature shooting sensitivity equal or better than previous models. CCD image sensors in the line-up range from 680k pixels to 5.37megapixels, tailored for various shooting needs.

For enhanced convenience, JVCs Everio camcorders offer a range of new features, including:

• Everio Dock Most 2007 Everio models includes a docking station that the camcorder snaps into. Leave the dock connected to a display, PC or Everio SHARE STATION, and theres no need to connect cables when transferring files or burning DVDs. The Everio dock also charges the camcorders battery;
• One-touch direct DVD burning a touch of the Direct DVD button is all thats need to burn footage from the camcorder to a DVD. Newly recorded data will be transferred to the burner;
• Direct Back-Up One touch back-up of video files to a PC;
• i.LINK (IEEE 1394) output on the Everio dock permits easy dubbing to DVD or hard drive recorders, and allows the footage to be imported by many third party NLE (non-linear editing) applications.

New Everios also offer a new in-camera editing function, which, when combined with other Everio functions, makes it simple to edit and organize files in the camera. New for 2007 is a Partial Delete function that allows a portion of a video file to be saved as a new file, leaving out the unwanted material. To organize files, Everios continue to offer a Playlist function for arranging the sequencing of clips for playback or burning to DVD. Combined with Event Selection, a carryover feature that allows the user to tag clips with an icon representing an event category, Everio now makes it easier than ever to view, edit and burn recordings to DVD.

For users interested in bypassing the fully automatic mode, 2007 Everios offer five shooting modes that are easily selected through the use of an LCD panel graphic that depicts the shooting mode dial found on many still cameras. A push of the camcorders stick controller to the left of the display brings up the graphic and modes are easily selected by pushing the control stick up or down. The stick controller also provides easy access to other menu settings and playback controls.

Also new for 2007 is the Quick Restart mode, which when engaged allows recording to start about one second after re-opening the LCD.

All Everio G Series camcorders continue to offer an SD card slot as an alternative to the hard drive for storing video and still recordings. New for 2007 is SDHC compatibility so they can handle the new generation of higher capacity cards. In addition, all Everio G Series camcorders have USB mass storage compatibility.

For editing and archiving footage, Everio camcorders come with a complete software suite. For Windows PCs, JVC includes CyberLinks PowerCinema NE for Everio for browsing camera content and enabling Direct DVD/Direct Back-Up functions, PowerProducer 3 NE easy DVD burning, and PowerDirector 5 NE Express for editing.

The 2007 Everio line is comprised of four camcorders, each with a built-in 30GB hard drive. Each is compact and exceptionally lightweight, and all offer 16:9 recording and are equipped with a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD for real-time viewing of 16:9 aspect ratio video while shooting, and an SD card slot.

Feature Comparison

*Also offers Low Light Plus: F1.2 lens and 3D NR.

Shooting Time GZ-MG130, GZ-MG155, GZ-MG255, GZ-MG555, (approximate)

Pricing and availability: