If Picasso had design a camcorder during his cubist point , the JVC GR - X5US might have been the result . While most camcorders go for an organic , curved feeling , the GR - X5US has a boxy look that breaks the rule of camcorder invention . And the experimentation is not totally successful : some aspects of the design do n’t work that well , and there are miss features .
Indeed , the substitute conception of the GR - X5US is a double - edged sword . While putting the LCD screen on the back of the camcorder pass it a wide-eyed viewing angle than most camcorders ( and also makes waist - level and over - the - head shot well-to-do ) , this positioning leave no room for a viewfinder . And while the LCD screen is adequate for most use , it get a little hard to see in unmediated sun .
suffer no view finder means that you ca n’t use one when you want to conserve the bombardment , which is a big job . In our tests , the assault and battery ran out after a paltry 49 minute — not even enough to fill a MiniDV tape . While that might be equal for a day ’s shot , you ’ll need either a unornamented shelling or an extended battery for anything more . JVC does offer high - capability battery ( one with twice the content cost $ 90 ) , but these add importantly to the camcorder ’s weight .
The cubist design also stand for that you ’ll need two hands for anything more than canonic operation . While the Zoom , Still Photo , and Record buttons fall under the fingers of the good hand , most of the other control require the unexpended hand , as they ’re site on the left side of the camcorder body . These include button for set the exposure mode , controlling manual focusing , and accessing the on - screen carte du jour . You castrate the options and move through the menu via a dominance dial on the front left side of the camcorder — another interesting estimation that does n’t work out that well : sprain the telephone dial involve awkwardly reaching around the camcorder .
However , the camcorder is prosperous to hold , and the main control push are easy to reach without moving your hand , which is good for steady telecasting seizure . At a little over one pound , this camcorder is also pretty light .
The GR - X5US takes attractive television — the video we captured in our tests face great , with unassailable , bright colors and plenty of detail . Although we did n’t rate it as extremely as the video that Panasonic ’s PV - GS500 ( ) and PV - GS300 ( ) beguile , it did very well in both our normal- and low - light tests . The 3 - CCD design of the camcorder no doubt help here ; with one sensor each for scarlet , blue , and green , the camcorder can capture more color and detail than single - sensor models .
It can also trance still images at a 5 - megapixel declaration , and its still images take care very attractive . A camcorder such as this is n’t going to replace a consecrate still camera , but it ’s nice to have the choice of shooting nice - quality still photograph . You ca n’t , however , capture both video and high - resolution stills at the same time .
performance
Scale = Superior , Very Good , Good , Fair , Poor
How We try out : The epitome - quality rating of the camera is ground upon a panel of judges ’ opinion in five category : exposure , color , sharpness , straining , and overall . stamp battery lifetime tester play along a precise script , including shots with and without wink , until the battery dies.—Tested in conjunction with the PC World Test Center
specifications
Macworld’s buying advice
The JVC GR - X5US has an interesting excogitation , but it may not be to everyone ’s taste , and its poor battery life story and the deletion of a finder are serious problem . At $ 1,300 , it ’s also expensive . While it ’s undeniably a good camcorder , it really is n’t worth the extra cash : most people would be every bit well served by buying a less - expensive camcorder and spending the money they save on a decent point - and - fool still photographic camera .
[ Richard Baguley is a freelance writer whose work has appeared inPC World , Wired , and other publication . ]
