3/15/08 UPDATE (read initial review below) - I have now bought 3 different JVCs - the initial GZMG330 (rated below), the upgraded GZMG730, and last year's GZMG255. I bought the latter two after I was not 100% satisfied with the 330's video.

After buying all three from Amazon and testing side-by-side/same video events, there is a CLEAR hands-down winner of these 3. The 330 (about $450) is the bottom end of JVCs new lineup, but only has a 680k pixel CCD (effective is actually 340k, and it shows), and a f1.8 lens. The 730 (about $730) is the top of the new JVC line, with a 7+ MP CCD, BUT a very small f3.5 lens (no idea why). The smaller the f-stop, the less light will be available for filming. Between these 2, the 730 definitely took overall better video, but the 7+ MP CCD really does not improve it that much. Plus the smaller f3.5 lens on the 730 makes it near impossible to film in very low light conditions. JVC would have hit a home run if they simply would have used the f1.2 lenses on the new lineup, no idea why they failed to do this.

Then I did more research and read about the JVC GZMG255, last year's jewel. It essentially has ALL the same functionality of the new 330/730 line, except a toggle button on the side of the screen vs. the cool laser-touch menu system on the 330/730. HOWEVER, the 255 has a HUGE f1.2 lens, which officially lets in 2x the light of a f1.8 lens (330 has that), and 4x more than a f3.5 lens (730 has that, still don't know why). The end result is a FAR SUPERIOR low-light brilliance on the video, and resolution on the 255 is as good as or better than the top of the line 730, and DEFINITELY better than the new 330. The 255 can be had for about the same price as the new 330. So trade in the cool laser touch screen for the nearly-as-cool toggle button menu system, and get 2x better video. SERIOUSLY!! Plus it can do everything the new ones can, including the 1-button DVD burning feature, whcih works beautifully and simply. I still give the 330 a 5-star rating for the price, but for the same price, GET THE GZMG255 and you will thank me all the way to the TV screen when you view your video.

ORIGINAL REVIEW FOLLOWS BELOW --
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I did 2+ months of research before finally buying a hard-drive camcorder, and I was dismayed by many of the reviews -some perfect scores, some zero's, on the same camcorder. Quickly figured out the professional-level and amateur are both reviewing these things, with very differnt viewpoints and needs. Hopefully this review will help all of you!

I have owned 4 higher-end camcorders for the past 10 years - those that the "normal" consumer (family) would buy for use, without having to pay $1000 or more (all of mine were $600 or less). I am NOT a professional photographer, but rather a very avid/busy photographer interested in capturing family experiences - concerts, sporting events, graduations, vacations, pets, grandparents, family times, etc - what 95% of us use camcorders for. All the previous camcorders I have owned have been 1MP or better CCDs to provide the best video possible for the "normal" user, without paying more than $600 for any one of them. I have historically only owned Canon and JVC camcorders, and recommend both lines.

All previous camcorders were mini-DV tape format - I just recently had 100+ tapes converted to all DVDs - very nice if you have not done so yet. It will cost you about $11-13 per DVD (2 hours of video) to get yours professionally transferred, with menus, etc. Well worth the $$. I just resold my previous Canon Elura70 1.3MP camcorder, which served me well for 3+ years. I wanted to move to the "future" and go with either a DVD, HD, or flash-drive, or combo. Something that would allow me to better archive and copy my footage myself (DVDs, etc).

After 2+ months of reviewing, I was all but sold on the Canon HG-10 - high-def, multi-MP camcorder, with a hard drive. Reviews were very strong. But I liked the size/features of the JVC. The HG-10 looked unbeatable. Then I went to a store and compared them side-by-side, and was pleasantly surprised by the JVC performance and feel (in the store) and by the notable size difference (HG-10 about twice the size). I decided to take a chance on the JVC, even though it was not high-def, 1+MP CCD resolution, etc.

For the above explained purposes, this camcorder is, hands down, THE BEST VALUE and size and features and results that the "normal" user can ask for, at this price. The size is phenominally small, the features, ergonomics, and usage are near perfect, and the video quality is excellent to very good under most instances. I have now used this to film outdoors, indoors, and what I consider a VERY difficult scenario - a high school concert, dimly lit in a big auditoruim, with bright backlighting behind the performers, and from a distance of several hundred feet, zooming in 20x or more to see a full face image (my 16-year old) in the screen. Under this very difficult scenario, and viewing the video on my 52-inch 1080P Samsung (a VERY unforgiving LCD TV for less-than high-def images - remember the larger the playback monitor, the harder it is on video as it will show every imperfection in the signal/images), the video was EXCELLENT up to a zoom length of about 22x. After 22x zoom (which is pretty darn far), the image got somewhat grainy on the 52" TV. Images at less than 22x zoomed, on my huge TV, looked phenominal under these poor image filming conditions. This is impressive, if you consider the zoom ratio (and hand-held!), and then played back on a hi-res 52" monitor!!! When viewed on a smaller 20" TV or my 17" computer monitor, the zoomed video looked flawless in these dim conditions up to the full 35x optical zoom - I was impressed, and sold on keeping the camcorder. The digital image stabilizer works well once zoomed to where you are going, but a bit jittery while zooming - I did the above hand-held resting my elbow on the seat armrest only, and had NO jitters in the image once zoomed in or out. I was blown away by the quality of this less-than 1MP, less-than-Hi-def CCD sensor even given the tough situation/playback described above - BUY THIS CAMCORDER!!!!
All other videos I took under normal lighting - in the house during the day, outside, etc. were flawless when viewed on my 52" TV.

There is an Auto mode (everything done for you), and a Manual mode, where you can adjust the most common settings (white balance, shutter speed, "scenes" or enhancements to the video, etc.) I tried both, and for most of what I will ever do (and have done for 12+ years), Auto is all you need.

The laser-touch slide bar for menu access is intuitively genious, and easy to use. Menu's are simple and understandable, the users guide is brief and informative, and within 15 minutes, I understood every feature of this machine. Battery usage has been reported less than great, but I get a full 90-100 minutes from the standard battery - just buy another one for a spare. And the on-screen battery life sensor (minutes remaining) is way cool with JVC batteries.

Burning DVD is SIMPLE, and connectivity is SIMPLE on this camcorder. I was able to burn and copy a DVD with the push of 1 button when connected to my desktop that has a DVD burner. Very simple to use. I am 100% sold on this camcorder for what I (and most people) will ever use it for.

I cannot underscore the simplicity of usage. That, on top of the image quality, sold me.

For stills, don't even bother using this - I did not even try (seriously), and never will. If you are a true photographer, even amateur, spend $150 and get a 6+MP digital Canon camera or similar, fits in your shirt pocket, and KEEP STILLS SEPARATE FROM VIDEOS!! I have had 2MP CCD video camcorders in the past that took terrible stills, so why bother???? THIS IS A VIDEO CAMERA!! I would love to see manfacturers stop trying to combine both into 1 package.

If you are a high-end videographer, you need to skip this (why are you even considering a camcorder for under $500????), buy at least the Canon HG-10 (which is wonderful except a clunk in size compared to the JVC), or go for an even better camcorder and spend an extra $500 doing so. For the price, this is more than 99% of what the normal users will ever need and expect for under $600. Period.

My only reccomendation to JVC - consider upgrading the CCD to a true 1MP or better, for enhanced low-light video imagery. This is a wish list only item, as the images are pretty darn good as-is, and the larger f1.2 lens and 1+MP CCD that would be required for that will defeat the size/form factor that you get with the 330.

Bottom line - best darn harddrive based mini-camcorder out there at close to this price - BUY IT!! (and you can choose any of the cool colors - a WOW factor to say the least). And, if you buy from a reuptable dealer, you'll have 15-30 days to test it like I did, and not worry about having to return it. If that happens, nothing lost, just get the HG-10 or better!!

I bought the JVC Everio 330 prior to this, but was interested in the Canon because it had a mic input. I bought the Canon FS100 at Walmart and of course started filming right there in the parking lot. On a sunny day, the camera struggled to get good focus on a zoom in the many many tests that I put it through. At full Optical zoom, it never focused completely. I took it home and put it throught many more tests, indoors and out, same problem. It had poor low light capabilities too, and of course equally bad autofocus indoors. If only they would have used the same Instant Autofocus system and optical image stabilization that they put in the High-Definition Canon HF10, they'd have a great Standard Definition camera here.
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br /Just to let you know, I am a professional filmmaker, and two of my films have made it to television, one on PBS. But I wanted a really simple no frills hard drive camera to record video notes and just for fun.
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br /Now for the JVC Everio 330. After two weeks owning it, I am amazed with it. It records great in low light with Electronic Gain Up, and it focuses SO WELL, that most of the time it appears that there is never anything out of focus. It does it so fast. AND, unlike the Canon FS100, when you take it out of manual settings to auto settings, then back to Manual, it REMEMBERS the last settings. The Canon FS100 clears them.
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br /The only thing I can say good about the Canon is their electronic image stabilization is better than JVCs. But with the focus problem, does it really matter? I love my JVC Everio 330!

Our previous camcorder died about a year ago, and I finally was able to start looking into purchasing a new one recently. I dove right into researching and comparing the options out there for a decent-but-cheap camcorder. I wanted something with a good zoom level, a large LCD screen, and was hoping to find something digital (either DVD or hard drive) so we wouldn't have to hassle with tapes anymore and could copy video directly to our computer.
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br /I started off by looking at the Sony camcorders since that's what our previous one was and I do trust the brand in general. But I was quickly swayed toward the JVC camcorders when I read the reviews for both brands on Amazon and on [...]. I ended up deciding on the JVC Everio GZ-MG330 camcorder with a 30GB hard drive and 35x optical zoom. And I'll tell you exactly why this camcorder works for us.
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br / * First of all - it's tiny! I couldn't believe when I received it and opened the box. It's honestly not that much larger than our point-and-shoot digital camera and it weighs about the same as well. Which is incredibly convenient when you're trying to hold a camcorder up with one hand (usually with a 2-year-old in the other arm) for extended periods of time. The 'official' size is listed as 5 x 3 x 4.4 inches and a total of 2 pounds.
br / * The quality of the video and audio is excellent. Even when new, our old camcorder never recorded nearly this clearly, especially in low light. See below for a couple of samples of video that I've recorded with this camcorder.
br / * The zoom quality is amazing. The lens is a Konica Minolta with a maximum aperture range of F/1.8-4 (which may mean something to you photography buffs out there - it doesn't really to me). But all I know is that I can stand on the play structure at our oldest daughter's soccer field and clearly see and film what's happening in her practice or game. And since I spend most of said practices and games over on the playground with our 2-year-old, this has allowed me to actually see what's going on over at the field.
br / * I thought it would be strange to not have a viewfinder to look through, but the 2.7-inch display screen is plenty big enough. And I haven't noticed any problems with being able to clearly see it, even in bright sunlight (another issue we had with our previous camcorder).
br / * The 30GB hard drive holds up to 37.5 hours of video. No more shuffling tapes on Christmas morning or at birthday parties that go for more than 60 minutes at a time. Or realizing that you're about out of tape 5 minutes before the performance starts.
br / * Even when zoomed in close on something like my daughter's soccer game, there is a minimal amount of shaking in the picture. The worst problem that I've had is from standing on the play structure and having kids run by, shaking the entire structure. There's not much anyone can do to solve that. :)
br / * It is possible to take still photos with the camcorder - at a 2 megapixel resolution. Which, although not nearly as good as our regular digital camera, certainly is nothing to sneeze at and is a good backup in case we forget our digital camera or the batteries go dead in it. I didn't buy the camcorder to take still shots with after all - but having the option to is something I do like.
br / * The cost was very reasonable.
br / * Downloading video to the computer is very easy and the software that comes bundled with the camcorder allows for some pretty basic video editing.
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br /The bottom line for me is that so far I'm loving this camcorder and would recommend it to anyone who's looking for a new one.

If you are looking for a camcorder for an easy home video recording. This review might be helpful to you.

I purchased JVC Everio GZMG330 one week ago. I thought about buying a SONY DCR SR42 at first, but the model is discontinued. I thought SONY SR42 was the smallest among the HDD camcorder, but this is even smaller than SONY SR42. This is much slimmer than SR42. This is really small to fit in my small hand very well. I got a sapphire blue one. It's really cool. I wonder why most camcorders are in the silver color only. It looks really pretty in the bright sunlight outdoors.

The HDD camcorder is the right decision I made. I used to have dozens of tapes for the old SONY camcorder (well organized though). After I used this for couple of days, I realized that HDD is the perfect solution for camcorders. You can record video all day long without worrying about the tape recording time. In fact, battery life is your only limit for recording. ^^ I recorded my son's soccer game for about an hour. It spent about 3 GB of the storage. Not bad.

35x zoom is great. I didn't pay too much attention to the optical zoom, but it turned out to be very important for various shootings. You can zoom in and see objects which you cannot distinguish well with your bare eyes. It's a good idea to use a tripod if you spend much time in the zoom recording.

The connection to the computer is easy and intuitive. However, the bundled software to organize the video files runs very slowly and its GUI looks pretty simple and ugly. The video editing S/W has better GUI though.

The image quality is okay. I didn't have a chance to compare the image quality of all the camcorders. It looks better than the old tape camcorder or VHS tape recorded video on TV. It's not as good as the DVD titles. It could be nice if the camcorder had an s-video output. On computer, the image looks much better. Especially after you finish the video rendering into DVD HQ format with the bundled software, you'll find out that the video shows smoother motion than the original 'MOD' one. You cannot play the MOD video from the media player directly. You need to convert it to MPEG2 format using the bundled software. The max video resolution is SD 720x480. Anyway, I didn't expect the highest quality video at this low budget camcorder. For a casual home video recording, the quality looks fine with me. However, I'm curious how good the video quality of this camcorder is compared with others though.

However, you should handle the LCD panel carefully. It looks weaker than other camcorders. The average image and fragile LCD is why I give 4 instead of 5 stars.

JVC-GZMG-330 is one of the easiest working camcorders on the market. It's great for all kind of recording. I am able to record my newborn in a matter of second without missing a beat. The best price for quality and features against its competitors.

I took a big risk and purchased this camera 2 days before leaving on a Disney vacation with my 2 year old.
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br /The risk was well worth it, the camera worked great and was extremely easy to use. Battery life was great and not having to carry blank tapes was a big plus!
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br /I used this to replace my aging JVC Mini DV camera.
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br /The quality of the final product was very close to my DV tapes, it was perfectly fine for home movies.
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br /I was able to seamlessly upload the video when I got home using iMovie on my Mac.
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br /I don't understand the other reviews stating poor picture quality or problems with a Mac. They may not have set the camera for maximum resolution, it's comes set from the factory at medium quality.
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br /No, it's not HD yes it records in a compressed format, but definitely a great camera for the money! I would buy it again tomorrow.

I bought this camera to upgrade from an AIPTEK MPVR. I wanted the optical zoom, the ability to record with the camera plugged in. Which the JVC Everio GZ-MG330 Does all those things and the ability to record in low light situations. However, the AIPTEK MPVR creates clearer video. The JVC Everio GZ-MG330 also seems to have a problem filming LEDs plugged into a wall outlet such as Christmas lights. The lights slowly turn on and off in the recording even if what you see is the lights being on constantly.
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br /The JVC Everio GZ-MG330 has a slightly odd interface took me a while to get use to how everything works. Copying files from the hard disk to the microSD card is a bit convoluted but it does do it. Also the USB cable that comes with it is not standard. The 5 pin connector on the camera side has a special configuration and you can't use other 5 pin USB cables with the camera.
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br /The camera works with linux. Ubuntu will auto mount the camera and the videos play correctly.
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br /The battery is the 730mAh battery so 95 minutes is about what you get. The microSD slot takes microSD HC and standard microSD cards. The largest microSD card I tested in the camera was 4GB and the smallest was 1GB both worked perfectly.
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br /Also the camera does not turn off when you close the screen it goes into stand by mode. To fully turn off the camera you have to press the power button then close the screen.

This camera is not compatible with iMovie or iDVD even if you rename the files.

We bought this camcorder several weeks ago and we are loving it. It's easy to use, small enough to fit in my purse, and is much easier than tapes or discs to retrieve videos from. It also picks up sound much better than camcorders we've had before. This past weekend we recorded our daughter's dance recital and when playing it back were able to hear the music much better than we have with camcorders we used in the past. We also purchased the share station that goes along with this product and have burned several discs of the recital for other families, it's so nice not having to use the computer to burn the DVD, and it's simple. We plug the camcorder into the station, select the scenes we want to burn to the DVD and then execute. It also features a duplicate feature which allows us to make multiple copies without having to select by scenes or date every time we want to make a copy for a friend. The only draw-back to this camera is that it takes a wee bit longer to focus when there is a quick change in movement. However to me that is a small problem when compared with all the other benefits of owning this camcorder, and I would recommend it to anyone as well as the share station. (JVC Everio share station, CU VD3U.)

I got this item last week in a bundle with the 815 battery and Lowe Pro bag for $500. That breaks down to $435 for the camera itself. It didn't take but a few minutes after opening the box to begin shooting. The first thing I noticed was when shooting video in my kitchen under 7 65W halogen flood lights that there was an orange tint. I remembered reading in another review online that someone else had experienced this but they were able to correct it by putting it in a manual white balance mode. After finally figuring out how to do this (it's not covered in the manual!) the result looked accurate. This is my only gripe about this camera. I took it on a ski trip this past weekend and it worked perfectly both indoors and out. I did not have to use the manual wb anywhere else except inside my own kitchen. When I was unloading the car at a hotel I accidently dropped it and sent it skidding along the bricks in the driveway. I held my breath & turned it on and it still worked. I examined it closely and had a hard time finding any damage to the outside of the camcorder. To my astonishment there was only a small scrape on one of it's edges about an 1/8 of an inch long. I turned out to be surprisingly durable as well. The software is ok but I tried to drag and drop a video onto my pc as described in the quick start instructions but the audio would not play. Using the software it worked fine. I consider it a great investment for the $500 package I purchased.

I love this little camera. Fits in the hand, easy to use, and captures nice looking video. What I like best of all, though, is how easily it connects to my MacBook Pro for uploading video and editing on iMovie '08. I simply plug it in to the USB port with the cable provided and swith from REC mode to PLAY mode. The camera asks if I want to "Playback on PC". I click OK and open iMovie '08. iMovie recognizes the camera and asks if I would like to upload my clips. Done!
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br /In the past, I never got much into video editing with my tape based camera and a PC. Uploading / editing clips was too time consuming. Now with my new setup, it's a pleasure and I've made tons of little movies of our family outings and school plays. This camera and iMovie turned computer-based video editing from frustrating to fun. Thank you!

Having just bought this little number on Friday,I haven't had too much experience with it, but I've been recording on ultrafine, and transferring videos over like a pro already. I haven't even opened the manual, and have found that its quite easy and intuitive. What really sold me was the size. Its not the tiniest thing on earth, but its much more convenient to carry around.

Other Models I considered:
Panasonic SDR-H40 40GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom - Was't able to get to play with this model whilst it was operational, but after handling it, I decided it probably wasn't going to fit. Plus it didn't have a light in the front.
Canon HG10 AVCHD 40GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom- While this camera produced incredible images, it was quite large, which would prevent me from being able to take it out at a pinch and record some video. I was also a little concerned about the AVCHD format, I would like to be able to edit video easily...
... and many other models, even some Mini DV

I purchased this camcorder to replace my first Sony camcorder. I loved my Sony, but it was 5 years old and started having problems. I have used this camcorder several times to video my children playing. I have hooked it up to the television and played back the video. I love it. I am not an expert on camcorders. I only purchased this one so my children would be able to see themselves grow up. I have not had any problems with it. I purchased a second camera for my mother in law for her video needs also. I love the fact that you don't use a tape. There is no fast forwarding or rewinding. If I want to delete a clip, I just highlight it and tell the camera to delete it. If I want to go to a specific clip, I just highlight it and the camera replays that clip. To turn it on you just open the LCD Screen and to turn it off, just close the LCD screen. Highly Recommended.

So far I'm quite satisfied with the camcorder. I wasn't expecting fantastic video quality since it is less the a MP resolution, but it is fine for what I need it for. With that in mind I thought the video quality was pretty good viewing on my 42" TV. The one thing that surprised me after reading some of the reviews on here about the .mod file extension was how easy it was to burn a DVD. I copied the files to my PC and windows recognized them easily. I use NERO 7 Ultra to do all of my editing and burning and it had no trouble with the .mod file extension either. We're going to Disneyworld later this year so we'll see how it does.

I recently purchased the JVC MG330 - it's my first camcorder and I'm very pleased with the quality of it. I bought it especially for low light situations and I was amazed at how good the video came out. I'm also very pleased with the still shots. It's light and really easy to use, especially for someone who has never used a camcorder before. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

This camcorder is great. I love the size and the quality of the videos are great. it's easy to download to your computer hardrive or watch the video on your television. I don't care for the video editing software that came with the camcorder, but I have other excellent software that I use. I really appreciate that it is a hard drive - no tapes to mess around with! I would recommend this item to others.

I purchased this camera because I have a JVC camcorder and for my current needs size and weight are issues. Picture quality is certainly better than tape seems easy to navigate the menu's once you use it for a little while. My two complaints are: the minor one is that unlike my other JVC I can't embed the date in the movie which I find useful to date images. The second and most annoying is that when you back up to PC to save or move files to a movie editing program it doesn't save them in the order they were taken. The event files are out of sequence and according to JVC customer service they are listed by files size. So to get around this I have to look at each file individually at date and time, rename it so I can get it back into the sequential order I made the movies in. I don't pretend to understand the logic of the people who created the software, but when I take movie today and it creates a file, I don't want to see it in with files that are created a week from today. JVC says there is nothing they can do, if anyone else knows a better work around I would love to hear it. As it stands now my next camera won't be a JVC if I have to do this much work to create a movie and advised JVC of that. (for all the good it is going to do)

We purchased this camcorder to take video's of our two little babies to send to family and save for ourselves. It is a great buy! It is so easy to use and small and compact. The picture quality is excellent! The blue color is nice. I would definately recommend to anyone who wants a camcorder for family stuff! So easy with not having to use the discs. Just plug it into your computer and off load like a digital camera.

I recently purchased this product and absolutely love it. It provides great video pictures, and has fantastic zoom capability. I have carried the video in my purchase and it is feather light. Basically, the camera provides excellent video with easy use. Would recommend it highly.

I just got the JVC Everio GZ-MG330. I have to say that I'm pleased with it. I have a small grip, so I needed a camcorder that was easy to hold. I have a small APITEK HD camcorder, but the zoom was only up to 4x. I plan to use this one for special events and vacations (if I ever get one!) that will require distance shots.

The camera was easy to use right out of the box, and was pretty much user-friendly if you played around with it a bit. I didn't have to do that much reading of the manual. I haven't figured out how to download directly from the camcorder to my PC without using or installing the software, which is something the instructions said I could do. (That's the reason why I gave it a 4.) I could do it once I uploaded the software, and I had the option of upoloading only the files I needed for videos. I already have picture editing software I like, so to add more seemed redundant.

I went into my neighborhood electronics store and saw the silver one; it bored me. I'm glad I got the red one - it looks really sharp.

So far, I'd definitely reccomend this camcorder. I really like it!

JVC Everio GZ-MG330 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom (Red)
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br /I bought this camera over the weekend from Best Buy as an open box buy for $339 with out really shopping around. I took the camera home and instantly started to use it. I instantly was impressed. This camera is so user friendly, even my wife was able to use it. This camera, I could tell, was a great buy, so I thought. I used the camera all day. We went to a carnival and little league baseball game and I used it all day. When I got home I immediately hooked it up to my 1080p 65" Samsung TV. I was blown away. The quality was HD. I was soooo happy. I then went to my PC and downloaded all of the editing software that came with the Camera. You really need that software. The reason is, my vista Movie Maker does not play back the footage in the great quality that it is. That's the only con. Their video editing software is just as easy and maybe better than Movie Maker. So I am very Happy!! Very easy to transfer from the camera to my PC. VERY EASY! I started to shop around to see if I could find the camera cheaper and I did. Amazon had it $25 less than best buy, plus it was not an open box. Amazon sold it to me brand new. Best buy stinks. At least they gave me all of my money back with zero restocking fee since it was an open box. FYI LOVE THE CAMERA
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I bought this camera for my father in law who was taking a 65 day cruise and always had an interest in video but would never buy it for himself. I was able to help him get started over the phone since he lives
br / 6000 miles away. At 79 years old I wasn't sure if he would be able to work it. He did it and loves everything about it-as excited as a boy with a new toy. I will get to see the results over X-mas and will follow up at that time.

This model is my first camcorder ever. It's been 2 days since I've received it from amazon and so far I am loving it. I got one in blue because it's stylish and I like the shimmer blue color :) It's affordable, portable, practical and functional.. Not sophisticated nor complicated to operate it. But, one thing that's inconvenient is it didn't come with the hand carry case. And the quality could have been a little better. I don't know why, but when I transfer the video file from the camcorder to my PC, the screen I recorded shrinks in the width and I guess it's probably because my PC has a wide-screen monitor.. I haven't tried the ultra fine or fine quality yet, but those options might solve the problem.... In normal quality option, the objects recorded appear much thinner on my PC than the real. Overall, I am satisfied with it.

Bought this little fellow just prior to my trip to Alaska. Was very pleased with it. Only complaint is that I am left-handed and JVC does not make a little hand-hold for it for folks like me.

This is a good camcorder. Its size , price , quality of video are some of its key features. Its an excellent buy for students or recent grads and also for those who love to travel.I call it an all purpose camcorder because I can take it anywhere without any hassle and its a harddrive camcorder so no worries about tapes or cds.

I bought this about a month ago. I originally was looking at a sony or cannon. Sony is not campatable with my mac computer, and the cannons that I saw were pretty pricey. I think this is a good all around camcorder for the money. I have not had any problems with it and it is pretty easy to use once you get the hang of the menu's and the little contoller on the view panel.

so pros and cons:
pros: reasonably priced, hard drive, small, easy to use and upload to computer, good amount of recording time, good rotating lcd viewer.

cons: indoor video is a little orange, the led light is really not very useful, manual isn't great, no image stabilization(really helpful on the long zoom).

The video quality is definitely not HD but never claims to be. I think this is a good camcorder for recording family events etc and you don't want to pay an arm and a leg.

Pros:
br /-Small size
br /-hard drive recording
br /-bundled software
br /-ease of backup to hard drive
br /-included expansion port for SD or micro SD card, I'm not sure which, though I don't know why you'd need it.
br /-Manual lens cover (some may not like closing and opening manually, but I prefer it, as it is one less thing that can go wrong by getting jammed or something)
br /-Quality of picture (more than adequate for the average home video taker)
br /-Auto start-up/shut-down upon opening/closing of LCD screen is VERY nice (it stays in a sort of standby mode for about 5 minutes after closing so that it doesn't have to completely reboot if you open again right away)
br /-Ease of operation (we've had relatives and friends who are not the most adept at using technology take video for us at a couple of events and even they commented on how simple and easy it was to use.
br /
br /Cons:
br /-The battery is not overly impressive, but adequate. If it was a huge deal to me I'd buy a larger capacity battery.
br /-The image stabilization at long zoom is not overly impressive.
br /
br /Both cons are rather nitpicky things that I would wish improved if I had to find things to improve. Neither one really is that inadequate, in my opinion.
br /
br /Overall, I would recommend this camera to anyone who will be using it for home videos. We bought it shortly before the birth of our first child to capture all those "baby" moments, and haven't been disappointed at all. I can't pick out anything about the video or sound quality that I think is sub-par, and we are extremely satisfied with the purchase of the camcorder. Had it about 9 months now and have had no issues with it whatsoever.

Its a good camera for its price. 35X zoom with 30GB hard drive is really great. The battery life is not bad either. I used it on my Vegas trip and didn't have battery issues.Although I wish if the power off button was outside instead of being inside the LCD flap. Overall I do like the camera. Its my first JVC camera and I love it.

Product works well.. the touch sensor took some getting used to.. still photos are a little difficult as the camera does not compensate for hand shakes. otherwise it works perfectly.

Camcorder is very light and compact. 1st one that I have ever used. Very easy to use. Definitly get an additional battery. Was on vacation for over a week with it and the middle tier battery lasted the day perfectly for me. Shaky when zooming way in. Image is good, low light a little problematic. Over all works great. Data transfer to computer very fast and included software is decent. Great value.

After studying almost every available camcorder on the price range $350 - $450 I thought this one was the best and once I got it I can confirm it. Great, simple camcorder for family use. If you are looking to be the next Spielberg look for something else, but if you don't want to spend a whole lot and want a relible camcorder, this is the one.

This camera provides good, quality images. The greatest feature is its compact size. One caution is regarding the format of the video product. It creates an MOD file, which is not compatible with things like QuickTime or Windows Media Player. Before viewing on those mediums, you have to convert your video file, which can be a complex process. The JVC-provided software (which can be used to convert the files) was a bit confusing to use, and candidly I am still not comfortable with it.
br /
br /I recommend the product wholeheartedly with the exception of the MOD files it produces. Wish JVC would create a more compatible process.

I purchased this camcorder so I won't have to mess with tapes or dvd's. It works great. You shoot, you hook it up to the computer, you burn a whole event on a dvd with one click. That's it. It can't be any simpler. I am not a hard core camcorder person but I do like to use it occasionally and 30GB is more than enough capacity for my needs. I have used it for my son's entire Pre-K graduation ceremony. I've also used it 4 times at other occasions and I still got plenty of room left on the HDD. It's light and fits in a small bag or you can hang it around your neck and won't even feel the weight. It comes with a remote control which becomes handy when watching your videos in a living room.

So easy to use. Small and beautiful. Quiet as a mouse. Picture quality is amazing. Fast upload to PC and to the Internet. You have got to have it. Lovely item.

I bought this cam after reading the reviews saying it was a ok cam. Now for the price I didn't expect a lot and still was shocked at the poor vid quality. Put it this way my canon Power shot SD870IS point and shoot digital camera takes better video. so why even have a camcorder at all?
br /
br /Do yourself a favor either spend 3x the money and get the a new sony HD or just buy a decent digital camera. I'm returning this now.
br /
br /Oh by the way as others have said the JVC is easy to use. My issue is with the poor video quality. I tested it both in doors and out with full sunshine , normal room lighting and with/without the built in cam light turned on. trust me you won't be pleased with the quality you get. It's to bad too because it's like buying a super fast hot "looking" sports car only to find a dump truck is faster.. lol

Pleased with the ease of use of the camera. Picture quality is decent for the video's I will be making and price paid. Has limitations in low light but I knew that at time of purchase. Zoom is amazing. Still trying to figure out the burning software. I assumed it would be pretty intuitive and easy to select chapters for burning. Like any software I expect it to get easier the more I use it. All in all very happy with the camera, ease of use, and quality for the price.

i've had it for almost a month.it's really easy to upload the videos to the computer,i have recorded in the night just using the camera's flashlight and the lowlight quailty is pretty good,my other choice was the canon fs100 but the lowlight performance on that camcorder is way grainer than jvc's camera so i went ahead with the jvc instead not too fancy just right for when u are about to record something u just open the lid and it turns on automatic ready to record u just open the lens cover and press the record button

good all the way. best for use as a camcorder. sill pics are hard to get but i need video not pics so it is a good buy for me. easy to use. i will buy again if something happens to this one.

Anyone that is looking for their first digital camcorder or that would like to upgrade to a model that does not need discs, this is by far one of the best models that I've tested. The picture is superb and the software included will let you do just about anything to convert your videos onto DVD.
br /
br /The controls are very easy to get to and you can quickly navigate as fast as the action you are trying to capture on film. The screen is fully adjustable and can even be seen in bright sunlight. This is one electronic item that I would have trouble replacing if anything happened to it!
br /
br /I've only had one issue with this camcorder, which was resolved quite easily: I've got pretty large hands, and holding onto this camcorder, even with the image stability made taking snapshots nearly impossible due to blurriness. At the same time I had bought this camcorder, I also purchased the largest battery that will work with this model. The extended length of the batter on the camcorder allows for placement of a thumb without hitting any controls. It also allows for the camcorder to be held in a more stable manner. If you are not interested in a battery, I would strongly suggest a monopod or tripod for extra stability during filming.

I ordered this camera before starting a 2 month vacation. I got it about 5 days before leaving on the trip, so had very little time to get used to it. Fortunately it is an easy to use camera. I've been using it for nearly a month and still have plenty of memory left on the hard drive. The only time I notice any shaking in the video is when I need to zoom in to the maximum.
br /I would recommend this to anyone looking for an easy to use, reasonably priced digital camcorder.

I just purchased this product about a few weeks ago and I am satisfied with it, but there is a few things I would like to point out. I will list the Pros and Cons of this product:
br /
br /Pros:
br /
br /- Great video quality
br /- Records 7 hours on best quality
br /- Takes still images
br /- Zooms in very well
br /- Has good audio mics
br /- Lens cover
br /
br /Cons:
br /
br /- When I plug it in, my Internet connection fails
br /- It records in .mov format - not the best for editing.
br /- Battery lasts only an hour
br /
br /
br /So it is good, but not best. I would recommend this to people not looking for an expensive camcorder as this one is average or in other words, better than others.

I had already researched this camera in stores and bought it here because I wanted the ruby/red version, which was hard to come by. The price was just as good here and the product has not let me down. The only disappointing thing is that it did not come with the power dock, but it is not a necessity for use. I would highly recommend this camera.

Great camcorder. Technology has really come along way, especially for those of us that started out with videotape... the price wasn't bad either. I have only taken about an hour of video. The camera is user friendly and performs very well. I look forward to capturing many great moments in the future. Hopefully the camera will perform well for several years. I hope that I can make numerous DVD's and actually watch them in many years from now before new technology replaces all of the equipment. I'm still converting old VHS tapes...

This camcorder works great for getting quick shots of my 5-month old when he does something funny.

Bought this for travel purposes and it worked well. Video was good as long as the lighting was adequate. Under low light, the focus and white balance suck so go into manual (need to push auto/manual button on side and go into the screen menus to adjust).
br /Nice and light with plenty of time for recording.

I got this camera less than a week ago and so far it is the best camcorder I've ever had. Its hard drive inside is what forced me to buy it and it has a Konica Minolta lens. So I had to try it out so, I bought it and its just awesome. I did reasearch on this camera a lot before I decided to buy it and from all the reviews and showcases this thing was on I had to try it and this camera has lived up to it's name! In my opinion, if youre looking for an easy to use hybrid camcorder that doesn't need tapes or discs and records off of SD cards and a built in hard dive, than this camcorder is for you. If you decide to buy this you won't regret it!

THIS CAMERA IS WONDERFUL! NOT ONLY DOES IS THE PICTURE QUALITY GREAT BUT IT IS VERY USER FRIENDLY AND SMALL. I CAN FIT THIS CAMERA, MY DIGITAL CAMERA AND BOTH CHARGERS INTO ONE SMALL BAG WHICH MAKES ME MORE LIKELY TO BRING IT ALONG AND SHOOT MORE VIDEO OF MY KIDS. IT IS VERY EASY TO CREATE DVD'S FROM THE FOOTAGE AND VERY EASY TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE MENUS. THE PRICE IS VERY AFFORDABLE AND WORTH EVERY PENNY! I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO FAMILIES WHO JUST WANT SOME GREAT HOME DVD'S.

I just received this item and I am still learning how to use it, but it is very easy to learn. Picture quality is great, controls are easy to use. No complaints.

I just bought a JVC MG330 and have to say that I am disappointed. Not in the video or picture quality, but in the downright feeble insistence on giving the video files a .mod extension, even though the clips are compatible with MPEG. The problem is that no video editor I have on file - and that are four - recognizes the extension. Nor do many of the Internet video delivery services. In other words I cannot edit the videos which I need for instructional purposes and have to buy a separate program that re-encodes the video, thereby losing quality. Despite its video quality, the camera is of no use to me. For anything in this world I cannot imagine why any manufacturer would limit its product artificially, a marketing decision that can only have been made by someone with an IQ of a ground worm.

It took a while for my package to arrive but when it did I was happy with the product. It was used for a birthday event and the video came out nicely.

Excelent Camera, I am not a proffesional and I bought this to record family moments and it works great. The size is excelent and its capacity works great for me. I reccomend this camera if you want it for family purposes and a little entretainment

I'm not a techie, so this very easy camcorder is perfect for me. Turn on- point and shoot, takes great pictures. I need something that makes it easy or I won't use it.

Very nice cam, great zoom, good video quality. Image stabilizer is great! Only one drawback: my silver cam gets scratched very easily :(

Bought this to replace my trusty but dying Sony thinking the picture quality HAD to be better after six years. But sadly, no. My Sony TRV350 had much better picture quality especially in weird light situations (shadow/light, low light, etc.). Focus was horrible and stabilization non-existent. Colors not real or vivid.
br /
br /On the plus side it holds a huge amount of video, is extremely easy to transfer the video to a computer, is very small and thus portable and looks cool.
br /
br /I was willing to overlook video quality to a certain point. But this camcorder failed to come close to "acceptable." When my Canon SD500 shoots better video (although not a very fast frame rate) than my camcorder, Houston, we have a problem. NOT recommended even for those simple family gatherings.

I thought it was such a great deal- great size, great quality on LCD, great quality playback on LCD, good price, easy to use function, and ofcourse, the greatest advantage of all- the hard disk! I was extremely satisfied until I plugged in the AV wires to my Television and found low quality playback. =/

Seems to be a decent camera, however it has problems with the auto focus in low light situations. Only problem I have seen thus far.

I already have a JVC HD model, but I chose this to gift my friend on his wedding, he was very happy with the way JVC works.

Los usuarios de macs pueden adquirir esta camara sin ningun inconveniente, adquiri una recientemente y la conecte a una macbook nueva y trabajo de maravilla, pasa los videos sin inconveniente de ningun tipo y puedes editarlos de una vez en iMovie.
br /La recomiendo, No le di la 5ta estrella debido a que la bateria es de muy corta duracion y es casi obligatorio la compra de una adicional de larga duracion.
br /En lineas generales una muy buena compra y se evita uno tener que cargar cintas o dvd virgenes

This product wasn't delivered as quickly as promised but we are very pleased with it.