JVC Everio GZ-HM340 Camcorder Review

Handling & Use Summary
• The camcorder is easy to use, but the unique Laser Touch strip can be frustrating at first. • All features are arranged under one large menu with numerous submenus. • The GZ-HM340 is small, but its hand strap doesn't provide much support. The strap can be detached and used as a wrist strap. • The digital image stabilization (DIS) system has two settings on the GZ-HM340, but we found it to be less effective than the DIS on previous JVC camcorders. • The camcorder has no viewfinder and its LCD has lackluster specs.
	Still Features	(Page 9 of 17)	Playback & Connectivity

Ease of Use (6.5)

Last year, JVC implemented an interface on its consumer camcorders that was fairly simple to use and easy to understand. The GZ-HM340 uses this same exact interface and the menu structure and design has not changed at all compared to what was featured previously on the JVC GZ-HM200 and GZ-HD300. Like the other models from JVC before it, the GZ-HM340 is at its best when used in its fully automated mode.

This doesn't mean the GZ-HM340 gets a free pass when it comes to ease of use. The Laser Touch system is still very unique and we're sure many people will find it frustrating at first. We also found the Laser Touch strip to be even less responsive than some touchscreen LCD interfaces (particularly when using it to select specific menu options). The menu system on the HM340 is organized as one long menu, which makes it an easy system to figure out, but you can run into problems if you're unsure as to where a certain feature is located.

The menu also has a helpful tool tip box that provides you with information about certain settings. While we do like this info box, we can't say the same thing about JVC's convoluted instruction manual. The manual is printed in a variety of languages, but it omits some very important details about certain features on the camcorder. You can download a more detailed instruction manual from JVC's website, but we even found that document to be lacking in information.

Menus on the JVC GZ-HM340 can be displayed in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Hindi.

All of the camcorder's options are located under one large menu with multiple submenus.		Pressing the '?' button brings up a small info box.

Handling (4.15)

The JVC GZ-HM340 has a very similar design to last year's GZ-HM200 from JVC. The camcorder's compact design feels fairly comfortable in your hand, but the flimsy hand strap doesn't provide much support—which has been the case on most mid-range and entry-level models from JVC over the past couple of years.This year, however, JVC added a little release button to the HM340 that turns the hand strap into a wrist strap (see image below). This release button is a good move by JVC, but it still doesn't help with the fact that the strap is awful when it is used as a traditional hand support.

The HM340 is a compact camcorder, but it would benefit from a stronger hand strap.		The Laser Touch strip can be both useful and frustrating to use.

If you've ever used a JVC camcorder from the past two years, you've had experience with the Laser Touch system. The Laser Touch is similar to using a touchscreen interface, but it has its own set of quirks and performance issues. We found the Laser Touch to be a very frustrating navigation tool when trying to select a specific menu option, but the system works well for quickly scrolling through options (you can slide your finder along the strip to scroll).

The GZ-HM340 with the hand strap detached to be used as a wrist strap.

The GZ-HM340 feels rather cheap, but it isn't much different than most entry-level consumer camcorders. Its body is prone to scratching, many of its ports are unprotected (inside the LCD cavity), it doesn't have a built-in lens cover, and its LCD has a lackluster 123,000-pixel resolution. There isn't anything really special about the camcorder's design: it's small and feels cheap.

Despite its flimsy hand strap, the GZ-HM340 fits in the palm well.

Stabilization (3.22)

JVC outfitted the GZ-HM340 with a new stabilization system this year, but unfortunately it didn't do very well in our test. The camcorder still uses a digital stabilization system, but the GZ-HM340 has two settings instead of just one (like the JVC GZ-HM200 had). Interestingly, however, we noticed no difference between the two settings in our testing. In our low shake test, the GZ-HM340 reduced 23% of the shake with its stabilization turned on. With the high shake test the camcorder reduced slightly less shake: 16%. (More on how we test stabilization.)

JVC GZ-HM340 Stabilization Effectiveness

23% correction at low shake (above) 16% correction at high shake (below)

JVC claims the image stabilization 2 setting is meant for wide angle shots or shots with limited zoom. This helps explain why we saw very little difference between the two stabilization modes in our testing (all of our stabilization testing is done at full optical zoom). The video below shows the GZ-HM340's stabilization system in action. You can see that the stabilization does do an adequate job at times, but it simply wasn't as good as on last year's JVC GZ-HM200 or the Panasonic HDC-TM10.

Stabilization Score Comparison		Compare the JVC GZ-HM340 to the JVC GZ-HM200
		Compare the JVC GZ-HM340 to the Panasonic HDC-TM10
		Compare the JVC GZ-HM340 to the Samsung HMX-H106

Portability (10.93)

For a traditional camcorder with a horizontal design the JVC GZ-HM340 is a very compact product. It weighs only 255g fully loaded, which is lighter than all of the models we used as comparisons. We're not saying the HM340 is a small as an ultracompact model like a Flip camcorder, but it shouldn't be much of a hassle to bring it along on a day trip or vacation. You could probably even stuff the GZ-HM340 into your pocket as long as it was a fairly loose pocket, but the camcorder would be better suited in a  small bag or purse.

One thing we don't like is the fact that the GZ-HM340 does not have a built-in lens cover, which can expose its precious lens to dirt or scratches if you toss it into a bag. The camcorder does come with a removable lens cover, however, and the cover fits better than most. Still, even well-fitting lens covers are prone to popping off if you're not careful.

Battery Life (6.35)

The JVC GZ-HM340 did a fairly good job in our battery life test. The camcorder lasted for 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 47 seconds in our testing (127 minutes), which is a good 15 minutes longer than the JVC GZ-HM200 lasted. Another benefit of the GZ-HM340 is the fact that it has an open-ended battery compartment. So, if you want longer battery life you can just buy a larger battery pack that's compatible with the camcorder. (More on how we test battery life.)

Battery Life Comparisons

The GZ-HM340 with its provided battery pack.

LCD & Viewfinder (7.17)

The GZ-HM340's LCD isn't anything special. It has the same 2.7-inch screen and 123,000-pixel resolution as last year's GZ-HM200. These specs aren't fantastic when you consider most other manufacturers offer LCDs with much higher resolution, although the 2.7-inch size is standard for a mid-range camcorder. The GZ-HM340, like most mid-range models, does not include a viewfinder.

There's nothing special about the 2.7-inch LCD on the GZ-HM340.

You can adjust the LCD by setting the backlight to auto, standard, or brighter. You can also select one of eleven specific LCD brightness levels. Adjusting these settings can help you conserve battery life, but they can also make it difficult to know whether your videos have proper exposure levels.

JVC GZ-HM340 Comparisons
JVC GZ-HM200	Panasonic HDC-TM10	Samsung HMX-H106