JVC Everio GZ-HD300 Camcorder Review

Color & Noise Performance Summary
• Very accurate colors in bright light • Camcorder offers no color control options • Noise levels are average for a camcorder of its class • Close-up images show artifacting and some color-fringing
	Product Tour	(Page 3 of 17)	Motion & Sharpness Performance

Color (16.43)

The JVC GZ-HD300 doesn't have the sharpest image or the best low light performance, but it did put up very accurate color results in our bright light testing. The camcorder measured a minuscule color error of only 2.13, which is one of the best color scores we've seen this year. The camcorder registered a saturation level of 98.41% in this same test.  (More on how we test color.)

Color Accuracy Performance
Color Test Chart (above), Color Error Map (right)
The JVC GZ-HD300 produced a color error of 2.13 and a saturation level of 98.41% in our bright light color testing. (The map on the right is a diagram of the color error. The length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular color.)

In the color error map above, you can see how well the JVC GZ-HD300 did with each individual color patch. The camcorder managed to register nearly all the colors in our test chart very accurately. Some of the greens were a bit more off than other colors, but the HD300 did an excellent job overall

JVC GZ-HD300 Color Modes
Auto	100% Crop

An unfortunate aspect with the GZ-HD300 is the camcorder's complete lack of additional color modes or color adjustment controls. There are no options for adjusting color saturation, sharpness, or for enhancing skin tones. Still, the camcorder's video image in auto mode (as seen above, with a manual white balance) offers strong, deep colors that are very accurate.

JVC GZ-HD300 Color Comparisons
JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20
Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000

The rest of the camcorders in this testing set didn't fair as well with color accuracy in bright light. The worst was the Panasonic HDC-HS20, which posted a rather high color error of 5.41. Both the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and Canon HF20 had decent color accuracy in bright light, but their numbers were no match for the JVC GZ-HD300. Check out the close-up color comparisons below for a better idea of how each camcorder rendered particular colors in our test.

	Close-Up Color Comparisons
	Ideal	JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000
Red
	Ideal	JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000
Green
	Ideal	JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000
Blue
	Ideal	JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000
Skin Tone 1
	Ideal	JVC GZ-HD300	Panasonic HDC-HS20	Canon HF20	Sanyo VPC-HD2000
Skin Tone 2

Above, you probably noticed how the HD300 color patches appear significantly darker than the patches labeled as Ideal. This darker color on the HD300 is due to its high saturation level (approx. 98%), which gives the colors a deep, vivid tone. The camcorder's colors are still very accurate, it's just that they are a bit more saturated than the ideal. This is a very common occurrence in consumer camcorders, as most manufacturers tend to push the saturation levels so the products will capture bluer skies, greener grass, and a more vivid image.

Color Performance Scores

Noise (8.36)

The JVC GZ-HD300 measured fairly low noise levels in bright light. The camcorder averaged approximately .72% noise in this test, which is average for a consumer camcorder of its class. The close-up comparison images below will give you a better idea of how sharp an image the HD300 is capable of capturing, as well as show you the presence of artifacting and noise in its bright-light image. (More on how we test noise.)

Noise Comparisons
JVC GZ-HD300 100% Crop	Panasonic HDC-HS20 100% Crop	Canon HF20 100% Crop	Sanyo VPC-HD2000 100% Crop

The JVC GZ-HD300 is clearly not the sharpest camcorder of this set. The Canon HF20 has far more detail and a far better picture than the JVC in bright light. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 also produces a sharper image, although it isn't on par with the Canon. The Panasonic HDC-HS20 is quite similar to the JVC in its ability to capture detail and sharpness. In the close-up of the HD300 you can notice some slight discoloration in the vertical trumpets, especially as the lines get smaller and narrower. There is also some color-fringing around the edge of the black box in the top-middle of the image. The brown patch shows some strong artifacting and color bleeding as well.

Noise Score Comparisons