JVC GZ-HM200

Lens & Imaging System

The JVC GZ-HM200 is equipped with a 20x optical zoom lens. Since the average consumer HD camcorder has a zoom between 10x and 15x, this is quite a long optical zoom for an HD camcorder. The lens also has a built-in cover that retracts when you turn on the camcorder (by opening the LCD panel). The CMOS sensor inside the GZ-HM200 is 1/4-inches in size, which is the same size sensor featured on the JVC GZ-HD300. This sensor is a good deal smaller than what is found inside JVC’s high-end models, the GZ-X900 and GZ-HM400.

Lens
Filter Diameter	30.5mm
Focal Range	2.9–58.0mm
Focal Range (35mm equivalent)	0.0–0.0mm
Maximum Aperture	f/3.2–1.9
Optical Zoom	20x
Lab-Tested Wide Angle	46.0°	How we test wide angle

Sensor
Type	CMOS x 1
Size	1/4 inches
Pixel Count (Gross)	3.0 megapixels
Pixel Count (Effective)	2.8 megapixels (video)

Zoom Ratio Examples
Wide Angle	10x Zoom	20x Zoom

LCD (7.17)

The GZ-HM200 has a 2.7-inch color LCD with a 123,000-pixel resolution. These are rather lackluster specs, although this is the same LCD you’ll find on the JVC GZ-HD300 as well as all of JVC’s standard definition camcorders. Being such a compact camcorder, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the HM200 does not include a viewfinder.

While the LCD isn’t very big and doesn’t have a high pixel count, it can be rotated up to 270-degrees, which is customary for a consumer camcorder. You can also manually set the brightness of the LCD (with 11 increments of adjustment), and you can adjust the LCD backlight (with settings for brighter, standard, and auto).

On the left side of the LCD is JVC’s Laser Touch operation strip, which is found on all of JVC’s 2009 models. The strip is used to navigate menus and adjust most of the HM200’s manual controls. As we discussed more in the Handling section of this review, the Laser Touch strip can be difficult to get used to and some people may find it a complete annoyance. It does, however, keep your LCD free from greasy fingerprints—something a touchscreen system is not capable of doing.

Feature	JVC GZ-HM200	Panasonic HDC-SD20	Canon Vixia HF20	JVC GZ-HM400
Display Size	2.7 in.	2.7 in.	2.7 in.	2.8 in.
Display Resolution	123000 pixels	230400 pixels	211000 pixels	207000 pixels
Touch Screen	✗	✓	✗	✗
Viewfinder	✗	✗	✗	✗

Connectivity (3.38)

Connection	JVC GZ-HM200	Panasonic HDC-SD20	Canon Vixia HF20	JVC GZ-HM400
A/V output	✓	✓	✓	✓
Component output	✓	✓	✓	✓
HDMI	✓	✓	✓	✓
USB	✓	✓	✓	✓
FireWire	✗	✗	✗	✗
Headphone jack	✗	✗	✓	✓
External microphone	✗	✗	✓	✓
Wireless Remote	✓	✓	✓	✓
DC Power	✓	✓	✓	✓
WiFi	✗	✗	✗	✗
GPS	✗	✗	✗	✗

The JVC GZ-HM200 has limited connectivity options, although it has all the necessary ports a mid-range camcorder should have. In our short time with the camcorder, two of its port covers have broken—something that does not bode well for the HM200’s durability.

Three of the camcorder’s ports are located inside the LCD cavity: AV-out, HDMI, and Component-out. The AV-out port is unprotected (although it is covered by the LCD when closed), while the HDMI and Component-out terminals are covered by a thin, flexible piece of plastic. This port cover did not break when we played around with it, but it definitely did not feel exceptionally sturdy. The HDMI output is capable of transmitting 1080p video output, in which the camcorder up-converts its recorded 1080/60i footage to 1080/60p.

The AV-out port	The HDMI and Component-out terminals are protected by a thin plastic covering.

Also on the left side of the camcorder are the HM200’s dual SD/SDHC card slots. Both are located beneath a sliding door mechanism that is built into the camcorder’s body. This door is an interesting design because it melds with the camcorder’s body, but it also doesn’t feel very sturdy (and if it breaks, then you’re memory cards become exposed to the elements).

On the right side of the HM200 are the USB and DC-input ports, both of which have terrible port covers. After the third or fourth time we opened the camcorder’s DC-input cover we found that we couldn’t get it to close again. The plastic tether that attaches the cover to the camcorder’s body simply wouldn’t retract anymore. Chalk this up to poor design and cheap construction on JVC’s part. What really miffed us was the fact that the USB port cover broke as well—the second time we opened it! Its plastic tether simply snapped off, which means the cover was no longer attached to the body of the camcorder. Maybe it’s a good thing the GZ-HM200 doesn’t offer too many connectivity options, as this makes for fewer port covers that can be broken.

The DC-input port cover is poorly designed...	...as is the USB cover (both covers broke when we used them).

Battery (5.60)

If you want longer battery life with your camcorder, JVC does sell some larger, longer-lasting batteries that are compatible with the GZ-HM200. The camcorder has an open battery compartment design, so you don’t have to worry about the camcorder not being able to accommodate larger batteries. Find out how the GZ-HM200 performed in our battery life test.

Media (6.00)

The GZ-HM200 features two SD/SDHC memory card slots that can both be loaded with memory cards simultaneously. The camcorder only records video to one card at a time, but you can arrange the HM200 to automatically switch over to the second card once the first one fills up—with no loss of data or stoppage of recording in between.

This is a very smart feature for JVC to include, since it increases the maximum storage capacity on the HM200 to 64GB (with two 32GB cards loaded at the same time). Camcorders that only offer one memory card slot have a maximum capacity of just 32GB. This also means you can save some cash by purchasing lower-capacity SD/SDHC cards and doubling them up (i.e. going for two 16GB cards rather than one 32GB card might save you some money). Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.