... It states if the indicator remains contact your nearest JVC dealer . Now here's the rub , we returned to the dealer who was not helpful at all even though it is a specialist camera store. We had purchased from Jessop's , feeling there would be support here if needed .
He did all the things ... Read review
Advantages: Lightweight ,good clarity of pictures and sound,easy to use , well known make Disadvantages: Not cheap
...indicator remains contact your nearest JVC dealer . Now here's the rub , we returned to the dealer who was not helpful at all even though it is a specialist camera store. We had purchased from Jessop's , feeling there would be support here if needed .
He did all the things we had tried with the camera to no avail .
He said he could return it to JVC but they charged about £250 , as standard for any such returns. Obviously JVC ... ...performance. We have had a JVC stereo for years so feel happy with the brand but probably would not choose them for a digital video camera again. If there is not adequate back-up when things go wrong it is not worth it .I f this was an isolated incident with the cassette , then the camera would get an excellent rating.
However we don't know if this is a common problem and now you know about the aftercare watch out!
I purchased this digital video camera for Christmas 2004 for my husband.It came in at £249 . He wanted something easy to use, lightweight and with good quality recording. He had only previously used one of the old, huge , non-digital recorders. It needed to be reasonably priced so that it was not a disaster if damaged beyond repair , and so he could take it on holiday without worrying too much .
There was no carrying case provided so I bought one as an extra present ( £20 ) along with the necessary films etc. Therefore the camera has always been stored well.
Even carrying the case with the camera and all the ncessary bits and bobs it is light and compact , particularly as the camera is relatively small. it measures probably only 6 x 5 x 3 inches .
The accompanying manual was fairly user friendly for the novice. This instruction booklet is A5 size , only in English and 56 pages long . It refers to model numbers GR-D93 , GR-D73 , GR-D53 and GR-D23 . There are 5 pages of troubleshooting at the back . There is also the web link :- http://www.jvc.co.jp/english/cyber/ and for accesories http://www.jvc.co.jp/english/accessory/
After my husbands delight on opening his present we both had fun experimenting with the camera. As novices we had a laugh trying the zoom in and out, and focusing. My husband took family films during the holidays and film of our two dogs at the time,
It is a very easy camera to operate . If you are right handed you slip your right hand through the carrying handle . You then can open the screen with you left hand . This enables you to use the backlight / night function and view your recordings . There is also a s-video socket in here .
At the top near the viewfinder is a volume knob and a snapshot button . Snapshots taken are excellent quality .There is a zoom in or out button here also .Round the side from this are the main controls - Full auto recording , Manual recording , Off or Play .
The provided battery pack slides on the end of the camera very easily . It only needs charging for an hour or two to get a good length of time for using the camera .
The camera has 16 x Optical zoom lens and 700 x Digital zoom. The lens has a cap to cover it which is attached to the camera.
Underneath there is a open eject button , which when moved , automatically opens the cassette part , for the cassette to be loaded or unloaded . It does say here made in Malaysia , which I did not realise . Don't know if this is good or bad ?
The picture was exceptionally good and the clarity of sound excellent.. So much so that you had to keep quiet , unless you wanted to be heard , when it was on , as it picked up the tiniest whisper. It was brilliant whether the recording was taken outdoors or inside.
We have played back the recordings back on the TV and by a firewire to the computer. The firewire was purchased separately.
The date and time are recorded but can be turned off when playing back. . There is a viewfinder and brightness adjustment. The camera can be mounted on a tripod if necessary but one is not provided. Recordings taken at night are as good as daytime ones , and there are quite a few editing tricks available.
The ease of operation is good but possibly a bit fiddly for anyone who has mobility problems. Having said this my husband is a big guy with large hands and he had no problems. The grip handle makes you feel you have a secure hold .
It is easy to load a cassette , as on operation the camera opens automatically. But the problem I refer to later may mean it is not as easy as it seems.
We have used the camera , but not excessively as it is mainly for holidays and the odd special occasion. On holiday this year 2006 it was working well but unfortunately developed a problem.
On our last day my husband was rushing to change a cassette and it brought up an error message , as if it needed recharging. However on arrival home and further inspection the cassette he was trying to change seems to have got stuck in the camera . Try as we may all we could get was an E01 error message . The manual says remove power supply , wait a while and then reconnect and start using the camera again . It states if the indicator remains contact your nearest JVC dealer . Now here's the rub , we returned to the dealer who was not helpful at all even though it is a specialist camera store. We had purchased from Jessop's , feeling there would be support here if needed .
He did all the things we had tried with the camera to no avail . He said he could return it to JVC but they charged about £250 , as standard for any such returns. Obviously JVC don't want to encourage returns by doing this as it is cheaper to buy a new camera.
I know it is a throwaway world now but feel this is not acceptable. A friend with specialist knowledge has tried to fix it but has had no joy .So we are going to try a local repair shop .
Maybe this is an unusual problem with this camera but I feel it should be a consideration when buying ,as without longevity ,there is no value for money , how ever good the performance. We have had a JVC stereo for years so feel happy with the brand but probably would not choose them for a digital video camera again. If there is not adequate back-up when things go wrong it is not worth it .I f this was an isolated incident with the cassette , then the camera would get an excellent rating.
However we don't know if this is a common problem and now you know about the aftercare watch out!
Update 20th December 2006 I have been contacted by a Ciao member who has also experienced a fault with this model . He tells me JVC Customer Care could not have cared less and wanted the same amount of money . I have told him if I can get the problem sorted I will let him know and I will also update this review .
Thanks for reading.......................eiley
Also posted on dooyoo at eiley123 ( copyright eiley)
Advantages: Small and light Disadvantages: Batteries tend to run down easily
Well we finally took the plunge and bought a digital video camera.
Bought this particular model in Fuerteventura on holiday.
What research did we carry out before purchase?
none
How many other shops did we try?
none
What then did we base the decision to but this camera on?
We tried a couple of cameras in the shop and this one felt better in the hand and the picture quality seemed a lot better in the LCD screen.
Pros and cons
Pros
It is ... ...use
transfer to video is simple
transfer to PC is simple *
internet site allows download of manuals**
Cons
Battery life is not long
Had to buy a lead for transfer to PC
Manual was in every language but English**
We've had the camera for six months now and probably haven't discovered all it's features yet, but it's done all that's been asked of it.
Probably should buy a reserve battery and then everything will be hunky dory. ...
fairenoughclough 02.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of JVC GR D23EK
Advantages: Easy to use generally, Colour viewfinder, Surround Sound Recording Disadvantages: No remote, Some features hard to use
This is one of my first reviews I have done for Ciao and I hope you like it!
This is a superb piece of kit. It combines great quality finish, easy to use, and many important features into one low priced home camcorder.
To start off with, it comes with a large, colour screen (which can be rotated 360 degrees). This enables you to easily see what you are recording, as well as watch back what you have recorded. It has a colour viewfinder, too, to ... ...other home camcorders.
The camcorder is reliable, and I have had no severe problems with it over the past few months. One thing, though, is how the inside gets dirty quickly and needs a cleaning tape. You can get these for around 10 to 20 pounds.
It also comes with Auto Light, which changes the brightness of the light depending on what the picture looks like.
One of the very useful features with this camcorder is how it has many built in slide ...
ollienewth 30.05.2005 (31.05.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of JVC GR D23EK
Advantages: cheap, easy to use Disadvantages: common faults, no external mic
...a common fault among many JVC cameras involving the CCD. this should be easily fixed under warranty. Here is the official repsonse from JVC.
http://www.jvc.co.uk/knowledge-list.php?id=4#0
There is also no facility for an external mic so you often get hum from the tape.
I have not yet edited yet, either on the camera or pc, this is something I'm planning to do in the near future so I'll keep you posted.
I would also suggest a tripod for any serious ... ...for any zoom work this is easily noticed.
I have marked very poor for remote control as the camer does not have one.
All in all this is an ideal camera for beginers.
Edited to say that I've now edited fototage through MS Moviemaker and am pleased with the results , my computer easily recognises the camera and intergration with the software is seamless. Though the manual is poor, I've no idea how to overwrite or delete my tapes. ...
tonyw151 06.07.2006 (29.12.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of JVC GR D23EK
Advantages: clear picture, good amount of functions, good features Disadvantages: low battery time, breaks and over heats, dirt gets under the screen
the jvc GR-D93EK mini DV cam corder is useful for those qucik family videos you treasure and has a wide rage of features so no movie can be the same.but what it is good for it lacks in other areas for example the battery life is disapointinly low as the camera if used constantly will run out of energy in 45-120 minutes and the charger most often will heat up and may break altogether. this camera is a nifty thing for holidays but not for long term ...
aliv101 18.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of JVC GR D23EK
JVC is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of sophisticated audio, video and related software products. Building upon a wealth of technologies the company is moving decisively to offer appropriate solutions for the multimedia age. To remain at the forefront of the audiovisual industry in the 21st century, JVC is marshalling its resources to create the ultimate in appealing, cost-competitive products.
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