Quick Camcorder Reviews : JVC GR-D350

The JVC GR-D350 packs the standard low-end imaging system, a 1/6” CCD with 680K gross pixels. We loved what the camcorder was able to do in strong light. In fact, the image quality exceeded comparable models from Canon, Sony, and Panasonic. Colors were well-balanced, the picture was sharp, and noise levels were very low.

Big problems arose in low light, however, which is why we don’t regard this as a “best in class” contender. Like all JVCs, the D350 has as automatic gain control (AGC) that can be turned on and off. Most every camcorder has an auto gain of some kind, but the AGC is very strong, with a tendency to push luminance (brightness) over accurate color reporting. The result is a picture with very poor colors. Noise levels went through the roof. If the AGC is turned off, the picture has almost no information.

Ease of use is a strong point in favor of this camcorder. On the upper left side of the body is a large Auto button, which (as you might guess) puts the D350 in auto mode. Auto controls show a bit of lag time, but once it finds the correct exposure and white balance, the picture looks accurate. There are program AE modes for specific shooting environments, which include Sports, Snow, Spotlight, and Twilight.

The biggest strike against the D350’s ease of use and handling is the four-way touch pad, which you use to navigate through the menu. Located in the LCD cavity, it is completely out of sight during operation – not very user friendly. It also requires you to keep the LCD open during operation, cutting down on battery time. Other JVCs have adopted a joystick control, and we hope to see it implemented on their low-end MiniDV camcorders next year.

Manual controls on the D350 are available for focus, exposure (+/-6 EV steps), shutter speed (4 steps), and white balance. This is better than what you would get on a Sony at the same price, but not nearly as much as the Panasonic PV-GS29 or GS39, which has a larger range of shutter control, and exposure in a huge range of f-stops.

Still features on the D350 are severely curtailed (this is an entry-level camcorder, after all). There is a still shutter button located behind the zoom, but stills are only saved to MiniDV tape at a 640 x 480 size.

The $350 and under market is tight; Panasonic has a model in the fray; JVC has two camcorders, and so does Canon. At a very affordable $300, the JVC D350 is a tempting offer. If you never plan on shooting in low light, this could be a reasonable prospect. But low light shooting occurs more often that you might imagine. Camcorders are not nearly as sensitive as the human eye, and simply shooting indoors might be considered “low light.” As this is the case, the D350 doesn’t look quite as good. Canon and Panasonic both offer more well-rounded camcorders that you should definitely consider before buying.

JVC GR-D350 THE BOTTOM LINE Rating: 189.51

Likes

-Budget price with 32x optical zoom -Some manual controls for the user looking to control -Auto Gain Control will help with terrible low light -Extendable electronic color viewfinder

Dislikes

-2.5 inch LCD screen -Struggles in low light situations -Still images are recorded to MiniDV tape -No microphone input -Bottom loading tape compartment

Panasonic PV-GS29 Rating:	Canon ZR500 Rating: 188.57	Sony DCR-HC26 Rating: 169.72	JVC GR-D250 Rating: 178.61	Samsung SC-D363 Rating:
Better	Better	Better	Better	Better
-Fleshed out f-stop control  -Gain control  -Shutter speed options are more plentiful  -Top loading tape compartment  -SD card slot for still image recording	-Low light situations  -2.7 inch LCD screen  -Microphone input  -True widescreen format  -External control layout and usability	-Easy shooting mode  -Strong performance in low light situations  -Top loading tape compartment for anyone with a tripod  -Click to DVD (only for properly equipped Sony Vaio owners)	-Potentially lower price range	-2.7 inch LCD screen  -Side loading tape compartment  -Memory card options for Memory Stick Pro or SD card -Stereo mini microphone input option
Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal
-1/6th inch, 680K CCD  -MiniDV tape format for video  -Comparable price range  -Electronic color viewfinder  -No microphone input  -2.5 inch LCD screen  -Electronic image stabilization	-Exposure can be manually altered  -Price range  -Manual control over focus levels  -1/6th inch, 680K CCD  -MiniDV tape for video recording  -Manual shutter speed  -Bottom loading tape compartment is problematic	-Manual control over focal settings  -MiniDV recording format for video  -1/6th inch, 680K CCD  -Manual control over white balance  -Users can adjust manual exposure levels  -Extending electronic color viewfinder  -Still images are captured to MiniDV tape  -2.5 inch LCD screen  -No audio input option, mic or otherwise	-1/6th inch, 680K CCD -Manually controlled focus levels  -Shutter speed control  -Manual exposure control  -White Balance in manual and presets  -AGC (auto gain control)  -Comparable color balance and saturation  -Record still images to MiniDV tape only  -Bottom loading cassette compartment  -No mic input -2.5 inch LCD screen -electronic color viewfinder	-Manually adjustable focal depth  -MiniDV tape for recording video  -Manual control  over shutter speed  -Price range is comparable  -1/6th inch, 680K CCD measurements  -Manual Exposure  -Electronic image stabilization
Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse
-30x optical zoom	-Color reproduction and accuracy  -No gain control  -Terribly designed  electronic color viewfinder  -Video quality suffered in standard lighting in comparison  -Poor physical construction could lead to damage easily  -No still image options	-Narrower wide angle field of view  -Color accuracy and video results  -Touchscreen interface is laborious and the menus are overly layered  -Sharpness problems  -Bottom loading tape compartment  -Slightly higher price range  -20x optical zoom  -No access to gain levels or shutter speed with this camcorder	-25x optical zoom  rating -Lower sharpness levels than the suffering 350  -Worse in low light situations	-Black and white viewfinder, a rarity in 2006  -30x optical zoom