The JVC GZ-MC100

I suppose it was inevitable: with the soaring success of the iPod™ and similar hard-drive based digital music players, it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a way to record video onto a portable hard drive.

As it turns out, that someone was JVC, and the innovation is their new Everio line of camcorders. Curious about these ingenious little devices, I borrowed the GZ-MC100 and took it for a test drive.

The big idea
JVC designed the GZ-MC100 around a sophisticated type of media: the IBM Microdrive®. This media card holds a tiny hard drive within its CompactFlash®-compatible case. The 'MC100's included 4GB card can hold up to an hour of MPEG2 video — the same format used on DVDs — at the camcorder's highest quality setting. Alternatively, the card can also store several thousand (that's right, several thousand) photos at the camcorder's highest resolution setting, 1600 x 1200.

In a nutshell, you get to record lots of high-resolution video using an amazingly small camcorder. Plus, you can add more memory if you like, by buying additional Microdrive media. (The 'MC100 also takes CompactFlash and Secure Digital® cards, so you can opt to use those, too.)

One compact camcorder
There's no doubt about it: when you hold this gadget in your hand, its small size is impressive. Weighing in at 11 ounces with battery and Microdrive (8.6 ounces without either), the 'MC100 is also exceptionally lightweight.

This cam's silver styling and glossy black trim give it a high-tech, elegantly simple look that I like. And since the black parts are plastic, while the metal parts are a matte silver, fingerprints aren't really a problem. Another plus: JVC has endowed the GZ-MC100 with controls that seem well-thought-out. For such a tiny camcorder, the buttons and switches are spaced far enough apart that I had no trouble using them — no aiming for one button and pressing two by mistake!

Video quality
Sure, it's supposed to film in DVD quality — but how does the GZ-MC100's video quality really stack up? To find out, I filmed two scenes using the camcorder's automatic settings.

When I watched an indoor scene that I had filmed at the camcorder's highest quality setting, I noticed some noise in the picture. This was to be expected, however, since the camcorder had to slow down the shutter speed to compensate for the low light, blurring the picture a bit in the process.

Video footage of my three-month-old son — shot in a challenging low-light setting — included a small amount of noise.

I decided it wasn't quite fair to judge the 'MC100 based on these tough shooting conditions alone; that's when I set out to shoot some video in bright sunlight.

The outdoor footage came out noticeably clearer — the colors were bright and fairly crisp. I did see some artifacts which could be attributed to the camcorder's lens. I also saw some "stair-step" artifacts on subjects with diagonal lines, such as tree branches. Since you can also find this type of artifact on DVD video (which uses the same type of compression as the 'MC100), this wasn't surprising.

Outdoor footage filmed in late afternoon sunlight came out less noisy than the indoor footage.

Overall, however, I was pleased with the picture quality in both settings. It was great — much better than video I've recorded using other ultra-compact digital media camcorders. I found the video comparable to footage I filmed earlier this year with a Sony DVD camcorder (see my review of the DCR-DVD101). This makes sense, since both camcorders record using the same video format (MPEG2) and purport to deliver DVD-quality video.

The GZ-MC100's stereo microphone recorded sound well, too. This cam, like the 'DVD101, records stereo audio in the Dolby® Digital AC3 standard. Mainly I captured voices, which came out clear and crisp.

Filming with the GZ-MC100
As you can imagine, this camcorder's light weight and portable size make shooting video very easy. I was able to angle the convenient 1-13/16" LCD viewscreen and sit comfortably as I filmed my son playing on the floor.

One drawback, however: this camcorder does not include a viewfinder. If you're a big fan of LCD viewscreens, you might not miss it, but there are at least three reasons a viewfinder is a plus. First, using it causes you to hold the cam against your head, effectively "anchoring" it and minimizing shakiness. Second, it allows you to avoid running down the battery, for instance in situations where you're almost out of power and can't easily recharge. And finally, it makes it easier to see your subject in bright light, which could "wash out" the picture on an LCD screen.

Because there's no viewfinder, if you'll be filming at picnics, sporting events, campouts — or anywhere else you can't just plug the MC100's AC adapter into a wall socket and recharge — I recommend keeping a charged spare battery on hand.

To address the issue of camera shake, the 'MC100 includes a very handy Digital Image Stabilizer. Digital picture stabilizers are generally considered inferior to the more expensive optical stabilizers, which physically move a camera's lens to compensate for movement. But when I jiggled the 'MC100 — and since I'm no video pro, I jiggled it quite a bit! — the Digital Image Stabilizer did a pretty good job minimizing the shakiness. It was definitely more effective for wide-angle shots than closeups (which is typical), but overall it worked well.

Speaking of closeups, this camcorder also boasts a 10X optical zoom lens, which you control by means of a zoom lever. This is definitely handy for catching far-off details. (But you may want to use a tripod if you're going to be doing a lot of telephoto shooting.)

Still image quality
I also shot several still photos at the GZ-MC100's top resolution of 1600 x 1200. I was quite happy with the results: thanks to the built-in flash, photos captured in the same low-light setting as my first video session (described above) turned out colorful and crisp. In fact, the photos looked much better than ones I've captured using other extra-small camcorders.

The built-in flash made for bright, crisp photos.

The upshot
The 'MC100 definitely delivers excellent video and still photo quality, especially for a camcorder of its small size. It's a pleasure to use. It doesn't produce the same caliber of video you'd get from a Mini DV cam with a high-end lens — but it's not meant to. It is meant to combine very good quality video with exceptional portability, and it succeeds at this.

And portability in itself is a worthy goal; a camcorder that's easier to carry is more likely to get used and enjoyed. The end result, ideally, is more great home videos, capturing more memorable moments. If you're looking for a fun way to capture loads of important memories, the GZ-MC100 is a superb choice.