JVC Everio GZ-X900 Camcorder Review

JVC GZ-X900 versus JVC GZ-HD300
• GZ-HD300 has similar menus, controls, and features to the X900. • Even though HD300 is technically the step-down model, we found its overall performance to be better than the X900. • The GZ-HD300 records to a 60GB internal hard drive and has a MicroSD card slot.
	Panasonic HDC-TM300 Comparison	(Page 14 of 17)	Conclusion

Before the GZ-X900 came along, the GZ-HD300 was JVC's top HD camcorder for 2009. The GZ-HD300 is significantly cheaper than the X900 (by $300) and it has a stouter, more traditional design. When we reviewed the HD300 we liked it for what it offered—decent video performance for a reasonable price. It also has quite a few manual controls, although not quite as many as the GZ-X900. The GZ-HD300 records to a 60GB internal hard drive and has a MicroSD card slot for storing additional footage.

What really shocked us, however, is that the GZ-HD300 actually outperformed the GZ-X900 in most of our tests. Sure, the X900 had a sharper image and better motion, but the HD300 had much better low light performance, more accurate colors, and less noise. The HD300 is limited when it comes to still images, however, which is an area where the GZ-X900 shines.

Our recommendation is to go with the GZ-HD300 over the GZ-X900 unless still image capability is very important to you. The rest of the GZ-X900's advantages aren't significant enough to justify spending the extra money.

	Comparison Specs
	JVC GZ-X900	JVC GZ-HD300
Price	$999.95	$699.95
Primary Recording Media	SD/SDHC memory card	60GB internal hard drive
Secondary Recording Media	None	MicroSD memory card
Image Sensor	1/2.33-inch CMOS	1/4.1-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count	Unknown (video) 9-megapixel (stills)	3.05 Megapixels
Mic Input	None	None
LCD	2.8-inch with 207,000 pixels	2.7-inch with 123,000 pixels
Viewfinder	None	None
Weight	298g (0.66 lbs) with battery	370g with battery
Dimensions	37 x 66 x 124mm	53 x 68 x 113mm
HD	Yes	Yes
Frame Rates	1080/60i	1080/60i
Compression	AVCHD (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)	AVCHD
Maximum Bitrate	24Mbps	24Mbps
Optical Zoom	5x	20x
Stabilization	Optical	Digital

Bright Light Comparisons (3000 lux)
JVC GZ-X900 100% Crop	JVC GZ-HD300 100% Crop

Video Sharpness Score Comparisons