English Manual Anyone?

I couldn't wait for the camcorder to arrive in the UK (why do we always seem to be last), so I bought one from Ebay for £800. Only snag is that it's a Japanese model branded as the Victor Company rather than JVC. Technically it's the same but the buttons are labeled in Japenese.

I've managed to figure out most of the buttons, but would really like to get hold of a manual in English (can't find one on the US JVC website even though the camcorder is available there and Austrailia).

If anyone finds a link to an English version of the manual, please let me know.

I couldn't wait for the camcorder to arrive in the UK (why do we always seem to be last), so I bought one from Ebay for £800. Only snag is that it's a Japanese model branded as the Victor Company rather than JVC. Technically it's the same but the buttons are labeled in Japenese.

I've managed to figure out most of the buttons, but would really like to get hold of a manual in English (can't find one on the US JVC website even though the camcorder is available there and Austrailia).

If anyone finds a link to an English version of the manual, please let me know.

I checked the CD that came with the camcorder, but it didn't contain the manual. You may have to wait until JVC updates its download section for GZ-HD7. Btw. I didn't find the manual too useful. It only has brief information about how to turn features on/off. Let me know if you can't figure something out and I'll try to help. I assume you have at least managed to switch the menus to English.

Thanks for the offer. I have managed to switch the menus to english and have figured out most of the controls.

I mainly wanted the manual to see if there was anything I was missing.

Also, having played with the camcorder for a couple of days, I am impressed with both the quality of the picture (at full HD), and the construction of the camcorder which seems sturdy withouth been excessivly heavy

I posted with the same dilemma. Some features are intuitive if you have used a lot of pro and prosumer cams before, but some things you have to break down and read about in the manual because cams have their quirks.

I have not been able to edit the footage I've taken in anything but the included suite of software. That is frustrating. I had been hoping for a more widely adopted format.

In the absense of been able to download a user manual in English, I would appreciate it if someone could confirm the buttons and their functions.

Within the LCD compartment (starting top left and going clockwise)
Playback / Record Toggle
??
Menu
Backup

On the back of the Camcorder to the right of the view finder
A - Apeture Priority
S - Shutter Priortity
AE - Auto Exposure?

On the top of the camcorder
Auto / Manual Mode
Backlight - Does not seem to have any effect
Zoom control
Still Image Capture

On the right of the Camcorder
Power toggle - Off, On, switch between video and still

On the front of the camcorder
Focus Assist
Focus Button - ??

On the LCD
Battery / HDD Status
Joystick for navigating menus
Function - enter menus

Any help would be appreciated as, I'm loathed to spend £800 on a camcorder and leave it in manual mode.

I have finally found a copy of a manual for the GZ-HD7 available for download

http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/257/257GZHD7.PDF