JVC Everio GZ-HD300 Camcorder Review

Still Features Summary
• Still features are a bit limited on the camcorder. • Maximum resolution for photos is only 1920 x 1080. • Camcorder has no built-in flash or accessory shoe. • Still color and noise are decent, but still sharpness isn't very good.
	Manual Controls	(Page 8 of 17)	Handling & Use

Still Features (8.45)

While the JVC GZ-HD300 can take still photos, it is rather limited in the qualities and sizes available. The maximum still image resolution on the camcorder is only 1920 x 1080. In an age where 10-megapixel still cameras are common, a 1920 x 1080 (just over 2 megapixels) is simply not going to cut it. Photos can be captured in regular video mode (even during recording) by pressing the shutter button, or you can switch over to still mode by flipping the tiny blue button inside the LCD cavity. In still mode there are more options for controlling photographic settings.

Dedicated still photography mode is entered via a tiny switch in the LCD cavity.

Along with 1920 x 1080 images, the camcorder can also take photos at 1440 x 1080 and 640 x 480—both of which are 4:3 aspect ratios. There is no flash on the JVC GZ-HD300, although the camcorder does have a video light that could help brighten your subject if you're in a pinch. The shutter button is easily accessible on the top of the camcorder, just behind the zoom toggle.

In still mode the same set of manual controls that are available in video mode are also applicable. Scene modes, manual focus (with focus assist), brightness adjustment (exposure), shutter speed, white balance, backlight compensation, photometry area, and digital effects can all be selected and applied to still images. There are also a few settings that control still images only. There's a self timer, which can be set at two or ten seconds, or it can be programmed to take a photo when a new face is detected within the frame. A continuous shooting mode is also available, and it will consistently snap photos for as long as you hold the shutter button down (at a rate of roughly four photos per second).

In still mode, there are some new options in the menu.		The menu during still playback is relatively sparse.

Still Color (8.52)

The GZ-HD300 didn't do as well in our still color testing as it did in our video color tests. At best, the camcorder measured a color error of 4.11 in the still image test. Its saturation level was 110.4%. This is still a decent color accuracy, it's just not as good as the camcorder's results in our bright light video testing. (More on how we test still color.)

The still photography color error map: the length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular color.

The JVC HD300 has limited photo capability to begin with, so the color accuracy of its still images probably won't be much of a concern for anyone. In the images below, the JVC GZ-HD300 actually looks quite good in comparison with the Panasonic HS20, Canon HF20, and Sanyo VPC-HD2000.

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

Still Noise (6.46)

The JVC GZ-HD300 registered roughly the same percentage of noise in its still photos as it did in its bright light video. The camcorder averaged 0.7% noise in its photos, which is an average score. Keeping in mind the fact that the HD300 doesn't take high-quality still photos in the first place, this presence of noise is unlikely to bother most users. If you really care about capturing quality photographs, you're better off using a dedicated still camera. (More on how we test still noise.)

Still Sharpness (1.45)

Since the GZ-HD300 has a maximum still image resolution of only 1920 x 1080, it should come as no surprise that the camcorder's still image sharpness scores are fairly low. At best, the HD300 managed a horizontal sharpness of 868 lw/ph with 7.8% oversharpening and a vertical sharpness of  614 lw/ph with 0.1% oversharpening. This limited oversharpening is a good sign, as it means the camcorder isn't trying to boost the sharpness using digital processing. Still, these are rather mediocre scores compared to what any decent digital camera is capable of. There are also plenty of HD camcorders that produce much larger, sharper still images—like the Canon HF S100, Sanyo VPC-HD2000, and JVC's new GZ-X900. (More on how we test still sharpness.)