JVC Everio GZ-HM340 Camcorder Review

JVC GZ-HM340 versus Samsung HMX-H106
• The Samsung HMX-H106 costs a lot more than the GZ-HM340, but it has four times the internal memory (64GB) and offers much better performance. • The only significant advantage of the JVC is the fact that it is much smaller than the Samsung. • The HMX-H106 has two sister models—the HMX-H105 and the HMX-H104—that have less internal memory and are available at lower costs.
	Panasonic HDC-TM10 Comparison	(Page 14 of 17)	Conclusion

The Samsung HMX-H106 is a lot more expensive than the JVC GZ-HM340, but for the extra cash you get far better video performance. In our testing, the HMX-H106 often rivaled the best consumer camcorders of 2009, while the GZ-HM340 consistently performed like a solid mid-range model. All you need to do is look how sharp the image from the HMX-H106 is as compared to the JVC GZ-HM340 to understand what we are talking about.

Besides performance, the Samsung HMX-H106 also has a better design than the GZ-HM340. Some people may not like the unique hand strap system on the Samsung, but we found it made the camcorder more comfortable to use and a more versatile product overall.The Samsung does use a touchscreen interface, however, so keep that in mind when you compare it with the JVC. The HMX-H106 also has 64GB of internal memory, which is a boatload more than what the GZ-HM340 comes with.

The JVC is a much smaller camcorder than the HMX-H106, which is really its only advantage over the Samsung—other than price. If video performance is a primary concern of yours we have to recommend the Samsung HMX-H106 (or its sister models the HMX-H105 and HMX-H104) over the JVC GZ-HM340.

	Comparison Specs
	JVC GZ-HM340	Samsung HMX-H106
Price	$499.95	$849.99
Primary Recording Media	16GB internal flash memory	64GB internal solid state drive
Secondary Recording Media	SD/SDHC memory card	SD/SDHC memory card
Image Sensor	1/5.8-inch CMOS	1/4.5-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count	1.09 megapixels	2.2 megapixels
Mic Input	None	None
LCD	2.7 inches with 123,000 pixels	2.7 inches with 230,000 pixels
Viewfinder	None	None
Weight	255g (9 ounces) with battery	390g (13.75 oz.) with battery
Dimensions	52 x 62 x 110mm (2.1 x 2.4 x 4.3 inches)	59 x 61 x 129mm (2.32 x 2.4 x 5.06 inches)
HD	Yes	Yes
Frame Rates	1080/60i	1080/60i, 720/60p, 480/60p
Compression	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (AVCHD)	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Maximum Bitrate	24Mbps	Unknown
Optical Zoom	20x	10x
Stabilization	Digital (with two settings)	Optical

100% Crop Comparison at 3000 Lux
JVC GZ-HM340 100% Crop	Samsung HMX-H106 100% Crop

Color Score Comparison