JVC GR-D270 Camcorder Reviewby Nathaniel HansenPublished on Mar 2, 2005 12:00 PM 
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Retailing for US $350.00 street ($449 suggested retail), the JVC GR-D270 is the middle-of-the-road model of this year’s GR line and replaces last year’s JVC GR-D72 (Review, Specs, $207.95). Astute readers will notice that the price tag is $100 less than the GR-D72 entry price, and some may wonder how they managed to reduce the price even though the internal specs between the two camcorders are (with one major exception) identical. The answer: removing 3D noise reduction. Last year’s JVC GR models were the industry up-set for entry level models, and their performance at low light levels was astonishing for camcorders in the price range. This year, JVC decided to save consumers a hundred bucks by cutting out the intelligent feature that rendered low light a tame beast.
This year’s GR line is slightly smaller (by 30%) and it’s noticeable in the length and height of the camcorder. It feels and looks a little squat, and the whole camcorder looks like it was dipped in Krispy Kreme glaze (I suppose R&D at JVC has discovered the importance of bling-bling). For better or worse, the JVC GR-D270 performance results are outlined below.
Video Performance (5.5)
The JVC GR-D270 is equipped with 1/6-inch 680K CCD with 340K effective resolution for video. Additionally, the JVC GR-D270 has a 25x optical zoom on board, a significant increase over last year’s GR-D72. Most camcorder manufacturers are increasing the optical zoom on their entry level models, while not increasing the cost of the camcorder. These two factors, optical zoom and CCD size / effective pixel count, are the major factors playing into the Video Performance section.
In order to adequately assess video performance in optimal, bright light conditions (conditions recommended by the manufacture), we shoot footage at 3000 lux, the equivalent of a bright, sunny day. Footage taken at such a light level with the JVC GR-D270 was pretty good, though not the best. The camcorder’s lack of 3D Noise Reduction is not really a factor here as enough light is provided to adequately satiate the camcorder’s imager. However, some noise does occur at this light level, though not as much as seen on some lower-end Sony camcorders. Color-wise, the GR-D270 produces good, vibrant colors, though perhaps a bit nuclear in scope, a la Sony MiniDV camcorders.
Video Resolution (9.3)
It’s often hard to tell what goes into getting great video performance. Generally, big CCD sizes, high effective pixel counts, even higher gross pixel counts, and of course multiple CCDs, are auspicious but not always. We feel the best way to get at the truth behind anything is to present the reader with as much evidence as possible. So, we test each camcorder’s ability to use as many pixels as possible to produce good, sharp images during video capture.
With the GR-D270, we took footage in the camcorder’s regular 4:3 mode of a standard resolution chart, exported stills from this video, and, using Imatest Imaging Software, analyzed each still to approximate the camcorder’s “true” resolution. The JVC GR-D270 gave us approximately 237.9 lines of vertical resolution at its best, with approximately 392.3 lines of horizontal resolution, yielding a real resolution of 93,328.17.
The Front (7.0)
The JVC GR-D270 is deceptively narrow, and a good look at the front of the camcorder body will reveal its slender shape. Atop is the all important 25x optical zoom lens, with a filter diameter that measures 27mm. There is a deceptive grip around the front of the lens, reminiscent of a zoom/focus ring. No such luck; users be warned: cranking it in an effort to rack focus is in vain.
The two bulb LED is positioned neatly beneath the lens and is covered by clear plastic. Beneath it is the JVC GR-D270’s “camera” sensor. This area serves to assist the user in automatic mode making “intelligent” adjustments to white balance, focus, exposure, etc. The GR-D270 does not have an infrared receiver housed here, although the GR-D290 does. Pocked plastic labeled R and L indicate the stereo microphone, located directly beneath the sensor. The placement of these important elements is intelligent, and my long fingers did not obstruct the view when holding the camera with the strap. Holding with two hands (from the chest or waist) may present some sound issues, but with these camcorders, sound isn’t Dolby quality anyway.
The Right Side (7.0)
The right side of the JVC GR-D270 is simply laid out, with little more than the camera strap gracing the right side of the body. At the very front of the right side, users will notice a faux port cover. Don’t be fooled as I was; it doesn’t open. At the rear of the right side, at the top, users have access to the mode switch/slider. The slider is about an inch in length and is ridged for easy griping. The speaker is in the middle towards the top of the right side, and next to it are three slight bumps that, I assume, were designed with petite fingers in mind. They are useless for gripping the camcorder, even for the most nimble hands. The thin strap runs diagonally from the middle rear to the bottom front of the JVC GR-D270.
The remainder of the right side is home to the bottom-loading tape mechanism. The hard plastic, covering the majority of the right side, is dedicated to this purpose.
The Left Side (7.5)
The left side of the JVC GR-D270 is the central nervous system of the camcorder and is home to the LCD and the three menu navigation and five dual function buttons: Backlight/Stop/Index, Focus/Play/Pause, Quick Review/Fast Forward/Menu Select Down, Night/Rewind/Menu Select Up, Menu/Data. The lower half of the entire left side is dedicated to the “clear” LCD. Measuring the standard 2.5 inches, this year's line of JVC GR models have added “Clear LCD” technology to the small screen. Whether it’s just a gloss (like the camcorder body) or something larger at play, the screen does look clearer than last year’s models.
Under the LCD, thankfully, there are no keypads or jog dials to fumble with, only the light switch which engages the two LEDs on the front of the camcorders body. The light is surprisingly bright, and is best used on subjects 3-7 feet away from the shooter. Anything closer will be overly spot-lit.
Next to the LED light switch, towards the rear of the JVC GR-D270, is the video/memory switch. This switch allows users to alternate between memory card and tape as a desired recording format.
Almost completely hidden is the memory card slot, with its accompanying cover. The cover is easily flipped open, and is attached by a rubber grip. The LCD has a contoured bump in the center, making opening a cinch.
The Back (7.5)
The Back of the JVC GR D-270 is streamlined perfection, starting at the top with the small .16 inch electronic extendable viewfinder. The viewfinder is engaged only when pulled out, with the LCD closed. Directly below the viewfinder is the battery port. This year’s batteries are small and chubby, like the camcorder itself. Beneath the battery terminal users can access all of the available ports. I love this design, which keeps everything in one place. There’s nothing worse than having a million wires all tugging for attention from varying places on the camcorder body during playback or digital capture. USB, DC, A/V/Headphone, and DV/FireWire are discreetly hidden under the black rubber port cover.
The Top (7.5)
A quick glance might give the impression that there is nothing on the top of the JVC GR-D270. However, as users move their nimble fingers towards the very back, they will find that their desired digit will rest most comfortably on the zoom/volume toggle. Just millimeters behind and slightly to the right is the snap shot/slow button. Other than a small “grip” divot in the center of the top, that’s all JVC wrote.
Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (7.5)
Switching the JVC GR-D270 into automatic mode will restrict access to manual controls within the menu, and the camcorder effectively switches to auto pilot. It is possible to access such features as Zoom, Auto illumination light (Light), and the new Live Slow mode. Some users, who want access to certain features but don’t want to worry about fidgeting with the buttons and menu selections, can keep the camcorder set to manual mode but select the automatic setting for the varying manual control elements.
The quality of automatic control on any camcorder has much to do with the light source. Camcorders cannot function in the absence of light, and in poor light their automatic “adjustments” make no difference. That being said, how many of us record in near darkness? Very few, at least according to Canon R&D. The JVC GR D270 performed quite well to adjustments in adequate and well lit conditions.
Auto Focus was quick and invisible to the naked eye through all the zoom levels. There is a lack of depth at the higher levels, so don’t expect any award-winning Jean Renoir material, but for a $400 camcorder it holds it’s own.
Auto White Balance was almost nearly as seamless, although it’s much easier to perceive change in color temperature than change in focus. In a two lamp/bulb office with a window, the change was pretty slow and less perceptible. Moving the camcorder to focus on elements in the room that have different light sources is indicative of its ability. The more light from either source, the quicker the transition, and vice versa
Automatic Exposure on these entry level camcorders performs quite well, and the JVC GR-D270 is no exception. The transition is made smoothly from both dark and bright situations. The transition is not jarring, nor is it so slow as to agitate the user. Intelligent adaptation is made between even the most severe of light source shifts: stepping from indoors to out.
Overall Manual Control (5.0)
The JVC GR-D270 is equipped with numerous manual control features, enough to whet the appetite of any manual control freak. By pressing the “menu” button located on the top of the left side of the camcorder body, users can access the internal manual control options, namely: Exposure, Shutter Speed, and White Balance, and to an extent, Gain. Of course, the JVC GR-D270 must be set to manual mode, which is accomplished by setting the mode switch on the right side of the camcorder body to the M position.
The manual controls options menu is neatly organized and easy to scroll through. When scrolling, the title of the option is plainly displayed, as are the available options within that setting. Pressing menu again will allow the user access to these other options. Users can navigate with the + and – signs on either side of the menu button. The + symbol moves the user down and the – sign moves the user up. It's a little confusing at first, but easy enough to adapt to. Once a selection is made within the specific manual control setting, users can press menu once again to confirm their selection.
I found that the easiest way to make use of the manual control features on the JVC GR-D270 is to leave the majority of features in auto mode (while in manual mode) and then make adjustments as necessary. Normally it’s not practical to think that fine-tuning can be seamlessly accomplished by scrolling through a menu. There’s good reason that manual control options are on the camcorder body itself on higher-end prosumer/professional models: they’re more accessible. The options on the JVC GR-D270 are available and are for the most part accessible (with some scrolling and time-consuming selecting). But most users are better off sticking with automatic.
Zoom Control (7.5)
Zoom control is easily adjusted by toggling the zoom slider on the top of the JVC GR-D270. The Zoom control is very quick up to 18x optical zoom, but then slows dramatically up to 25x. Digital zoom is slow as well, and does nothing for image quality anyway. (My advice is to switch it off!) Several variable zoom speeds can be achieved by even the most novice user. The positioning of the slider is convenient and within easy reach of the index and ring finger. This is definitely a better slider than those found on lower-end Panasonic MiniDV camcorders this year.
Focus (4.0)
Best to leave focus in auto mode on the JVC GR-D270. Although the lens barrel looks as if it has a focus ring, don’t be fooled. Users can only access manual focus while in Manual mode by pressing the focus/rewind button above the LCD on the left side. Utilizing the + and – buttons, users can adjust between telephoto and wide angle focal lengths. Once the adjustment can go no further, the appropriate indicator (mountain for wide angle or portrait for telephoto) will flash. There are few instances I can think of that justify the use of manual focus. Without a numerical readout, it’s nigh impossible to get the image focused just right in any live shot. If the shot is pre-planned and the shooter has time to fuss with the manual focus, then great. If it’s too dark in the recital hall of your kid’s winter play and the auto focus is going nuts, use the manual focus. But other than that, auto focus is pretty reliable.
Exposure (Aperture) (4.5)
As with the other manual control options, be sure that the camcorder is set to the Manual mode. The exposure can be adjusted by selecting Exposure from within the menu, and then selecting Manual. Pressing menu once more will kick the user back out to their scene, and the exposure setting (-6 to +6) will be boxed in white on the left hand side. By pressing the arrows up or down, users can adjust the exposure of the scene. If menu is pressed again, the exposure is locked.
One would think that because the camera is now set in manual mode, with exposure in manual, that the exposure can be changed again by pressing the + or – button. Wrong! Pressing the + button simply engages night mode. Users will have to go through the entire process again to reset the exposure. LAME. This defeats the purpose of even having manual exposure as an option. I can’t be too harsh however, as the manual control options on any compact camcorder are going to be second-rate at best.
There is a spot metering option on the JVC GR-D270 which allows users to select a specific area of the scene to adjust exposure. Pressing the backlight button twice in manual mode will engage this feature. Pressing the + and – buttons allows users to select the “spot” of the screen to be exposed. I suppose it’s a useful feature to have on board, and it’s nice that it can be accessed from the camera body via a button.
Shutter Speed (6.0)
Shutter speed is controlled manually by setting the camcorder into manual mode and pressing the menu button. Once inside the menu, scroll down to the shutter speed option and a host of manual shutter settings will be displayed. Shutter speeds of 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000. Program AE modes of Sports, Snow, Spotlight, Twilight, Sepia, B/W, Classic Film, Strobe and Mirror are available as well. The last five are listed here since the special look given to the image is dependent largely on the shutter speed. It would be nice to have some slower shutter rates for those dreamlike effects, but oh well.
White Balance (7.0)
White balance control on the JVC GR-D270 is pretty standard and includes Auto, MWB, Fine, Cloud, and Halogen modes. These are accessed through the menu in manual mode. To set the manual white balance, focus the camcorder on a true white space (ideally a piece of paper) and then press and hold MENU until the white balance icon blinks rapidly. This setting is retained even if the power is shut off or if the user switches to other white balance modes. Effectively, it’s locked until it's reset. The white balance options are standard and easy to access. No surprises. Hopefully, you’ll only need to use manual white balance once per shot, so entering the menu system shouldn’t be too much of a problem in the interim.
Gain (3.0)
Surprisingly, there is a gain control option on the JVC GR-D270. Three settings are available: OFF, AGC (automatic gain control) and Auto (adjusts the shutter and gain). There is a noticeable difference in poorly lit scenarios when shifting between OFF and AGC, which may severely impact the low light quality; when gain is boosted so is the amount of grain within the scene. It’s great that JVC is offering the option though, since boosting the gain is often the only way to effectively shoot in poor light.
Other Manual Control (0.0)
The JVC GR-D270 doesn’t offer any additional manual control.
Ease of Use (6.0)
The JVC GR-D270 is comfortable to hold and has the buttons and dials in all the right places. The reduction in size doesn’t impact the handling ability, and the placement of menu buttons outside and above the LCD makes for easy access. Some study is required at first, but then adapting to scrolling and navigating through menus is easy.
In automatic mode, the JVC GR-D270 makes quick adjustments to all shooting variables, making the camcorder a good option for users intimidated by manual controls. The menu is intuitively laid out and well labeled, and there’s really no getting lost inside it. There is one drawback, as outlined in the exposure section: it is often hard to manually adjust something and then quickly make a second adjustment.
The port placement on the JVC GR-D270 is smart, with all terminals and ports at the rear of the camcorder body. This saves looking for hidden ports and terminals when it comes time to charge or transfer DV footage from the camcorder to the computer.
Still Features (6.5)
The JVC GR-D270 has some limited still features on board. For emailing, users can snap stills at 640 x 480 (Standard) and for printing users can utilize the 1024 x 768 mode (Fine). There is an interval shot option which gives the user the ability to take shots at a given interval.
The camcorder can be used as a digital still camera when the user switches the source switch to Memory. The power slider can be set to automatic or manual with the same features available in each mode as in video mode. To take a photo, users simply need to press the “snapshot” button on top of the camcorder, behind the zoom toggle. Photos are stored to the memory card, and the number of photos is only limited by the amount of memory available on the card.
Still Resolution (1.4)
The still resolution of both the GR-D270's 640 x 480 and 1024 x 768 still images was put under the same tests as the camcorder’s video was. When 640 x 480 stills were processed by Imatest Imaging Software, they gave us 121986.151 (0.1219 Megapixels) pixels of resolution at their best. When 1028 x 768 stills were tested, they gave us 139048.342 pixels (0.139 Megapixels), only slightly better than the 640 x 480. These readings were not necessarily unusual compared to other similar camcorders, though it is interesting that both of these stills performed similarly.
Still Performance (3.0)
In evaluating the image quality of stills taken on the GR-D270, I have to say that these stills are abysmal. While it is nice to have options of either 1024 x 768 or 640 x 480, the quality of both sizes is pretty bad with lots of really ugly noise, much of which resembles the Moire pattern. For better still performance, check out the lower-end Panasonic camcorders, which, while only capturing at 640 x 480, have much better image quality.
Low Light Performance (3.5)
The low light performance on the GR-D270 is better than expected. We had originally thought that because of the lower-end JVCs’ lack of 3D noise reduction, they would suffer horribly in low light, but that’s not the case. At 60 lux, the GR-D270 does exhibit some focusing problems due the lower light levels, but it also shows an extremely bright image and is less grainy that other manufactures' images.
At 15 lux, darkness does affect the GR-D270 even with the camcorder’s auto gain function on. The image is very muddy and has some awful blue noise. Even so there is some color information, which is noticeably absent on other similar camcorders. The noise on the GR-D270 isn’t small and circular as that of many other camcorders at this light level. Instead, it is broad and muddy. I’m not sure which is better; both have extremely negative effects.
Zoom Power/Ratio (25.0)
The JVC GR-D270 has great optical zoom power for an entry level camcorder. This seems to be the new standard, as all the major manufacturers seem to be including more and more zoom under the hood. The zoom control is smooth and steady at full speed until 18x, when it comes screeching to a near halt; from 18x – 25x the zoom speed is painfully slow. There is a very limited depth of field at these rates and the camera is working extra hard to interpret the light coming through the lens and striking the 1/6th inch CCD.
VCR Mode (6.5)
VCR mode is terribly easy to navigate on the JVC GR-D270 as all of the necessary controls are on the camcorder’s body, outside of the LCD. This is similar to the Canon camcorder paradigm (the ZRs in particular) where all VCR controls are above the LCD. The camcorder can be used as a handheld playback device by inverting and recessing the LCD. Most camcorders bury VCR controls under the LCD screen, or within it (Sony’s touch screen). I very much liked using the playback mode on the JVC GR-D270, mostly because the playback controls were well marked and easy to access.
LCD/Viewfinder (7.0)
The LCD measures the standard 2.5 inches, and utilizes a new JVC technology called Clear LCD monitor. The LCD flips out from the left side for a total rotation of 270 degrees, and it does seem to have a clear reflective glass-like quality. There is no more information on the Clear LCD monitor technology, but some of the solarizing and external light glare is diminished. The LCD also works as a temporary “sleep” feature when closed (provided the viewfinder is not extended). Users can take advantage of the quick startup time by using this feature. Leave the camcorder power on, and simply open and close the LCD when you want to save battery power.
The Viewfinder is situated atop the back of the camcorder body and can be extended out toward the user. It cannot be rotated in any direction. The viewfinder is electronic, and replicates everything that would be included on the LCD screen. The camcorder can be put to sleep by extending and closing the viewfinder, provided the LCD is closed and the power remains on--a handy feature to avoid prolonged startup times.
Audio (3.0)
Audio on board any consumer camcorder is sketchy at best, but at this price point optimal audio quality isn’t a concern for most users. The forward mounted stereo mic is pretty sensitive and will pick up some handling noise (as every camcorder mic does). There is one audio feature, Wind Cut, which will help to cut down noise created by wind striking the mic’s diaphragm. It’s unclear exactly what happens in this mode, but there is a difference in audio quality. In general, the features available on the JVC GR-D270 are standard and easy to use.
Handling (7.75)
Handling the JVC GR-D270 is a dream. Really, I was pleasantly surprised to find the camera easy to use, a pleasure to hold, and intuitively laid out. The GR-D270 made improvements over last years GR models, and implemented a stubbier design which I thought would be a pain for my long fingers.
The LCD has a handy divot which allows it to be easily accessed and flipped out, unlike some LCDs on other camcorders. The viewfinder is quickly becoming a relic of the pre-digital age, and the static position of the GR-D270’s viewfinder is adequate proof. Old school videographers used to use the viewfinder to gauge contrast and to have a physical connection with the camera itself, and this feature is really only still useful (and present) on pro cameras. The positioning of the ports is a welcome move, centering all postproduction connectivity in one place.
The strap can be easily adjusted to accommodate hands of any size. The contoured divots in the top of the camcorder's body make for better handling. My only real complaint is the bottom-loading tape mechanism which makes tripod shooting awkward when it comes time to change tapes.
Portability (8.0)
The decrease in size from other GR camcorders allows JVC to make significant advances towards improved portability. Most users don’t want to carry a heavy camcorder around the theme park, or to the baseball game or gymnastics competition. I welcome the size decrease on these consumer camcorders
Battery Life (8.9)
With a reported battery life of 1.5 hrs, the JVC GR-D270 does pretty well testing out at 1 hr, 29 min, and 21 sec.
Compression (8.0)
The JVC GR-D270 records NTSC DV to MiniDV tape. JPEG compatible compression is utilized for still pictures on the JVC GR-D270, and this is pretty much the industry standard, so no complaints here.
Media (8.0)
SD Media card memory is compatible in the memory drive on the JVC GR-D270. Additionally, the camcorder records DV video to MiniDV tape.
Editing (8.0)
For whatever reason, camcorder manufacturers jam their camcorders with ridiculous editing features, single-handedly changing the meaning of in-camera editing. Thankfully, the JVC GR-D270 keeps the editing functionality to insert editing and connectivity. Basically, this useless feature allows users to define an in and out point, and then replace the video with some degeneration in image quality; the original audio remains intact. With personal computers and gadgets becoming more and more compatible, I think that manufactures would be wise to remove these obsolete features in lieu of emerging technology.
Widescreen/16:9 Mode (6.5)
There are two different wide modes available to users of the JVC GR-D270. When set to Off, the camcorder records to MiniDV tape in an aspect ratio of 4:3, the same as most television programs. Cinema mode inserts black bands at the top and bottom of the screen, commonly referred to as letterbox. According to the manual, the black bands disappear on wide screen TV playback. Playback on a 4:3 television will however show the letterbox.
The second widescreen mode is Squeeze mode, designed for playback on TVs with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The image is expanded to fit the screen sans distortion. During playback and recording the image will look vertically stretched.
Both of these modes are useful to have on a consumer camcorder, for those with more expensive toys to play their Disneyland videos on. Like other manual control features, these widescreen modes are accessible through the menu when in manual mode.
Letterboxed 16:9 mode
"Squeezed" 16:9 mode
Standard 4:3 mode
Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
Not surprisingly, there are no alternate frame rates on board the JVC GR-D270.
Jacks, Ports, and Plugs (6.0)
The ports are at the back of the JVC GR-D270 and include USB, Audio/Video output, CD input connector, and DV. The location of these ports, and the handsome rubber port cover, is a great idea. On most camcorders the ports are spread all over the camera’s body, making postproduction and production connectivity a bit of a pain.
Other Features (5.0)
TeleMacro
This mode allows users to get in close (up to .6th of an inch) to their subject.
Wind Cut
As mentioned in the audio section, this feature reduces the overall dB level and keeps the wind from popping on the diaphragm.
Image Stabilization
Digital image stabilization is on board the JVC GR-D270. It’s not as effective or accurate as optical image stabilization, but at least it has something on board to compensate for the mc’shakes.
Night Alive
In manual mode, users can access the night alive feature which slows the shutter considerably to allow for more light to strike the CCD. The feature’s icon is reminiscent of the tootsie roll owl, and when it's engaged don’t expect to catch any fast-moving action.
Comparisons
Sony DCR-HC32
Sony DCR-HC32, the middle-grade HC model this year, shoots with a similar 680K CCD, and its video quality is relatively equal to that of the DCR-HC21 (Review, Specs, $329). That being said, the GR-D270 performs a bit better in low light situations, offering brighter images with less noticeable (but muddy) noise. The DCR-HC32 features less manual control than the GR-D270, offering no manual shutter speed options. This camcorder is also marred with Sony’s touch screen menu system. Cosmetically, the DCR-HC32 definitely takes the cake; it's pretty good-looking no matter what donut glaze the GR-D270 has apparently been dipped in. The DCR-HC32 has been suggested to sell for $500, though you can probably get it for less in a bit.
Panasonic PV-GS31 (Specs, $299)
The PV-GS31 is Panasonic’s middle-of-the-road low-end MiniDV camcorder. (It should therefor have similar video performance to that of the PV-GS35 (Review, Specs, $359.95) (Review, Specs, $283.25).) The PV-GS35 displayed much better bright and low light light performance than the GR-D270. Especially in the still performance department, the PV-GS35 produced phenomenally better still images, though it only captures at 640 x 480. As always, Panasonic wins in the manual control department, offering shutter speed and F-stop options, and with Panasonic’s new, easier-to-use navigational system, the PV-GS35 and PV-GS31 seem pretty cool. And did I mention that it has a 30x optical zoom? The PV-GS31 has a 26x optical zoom. The PV-GS31 should be priced comparably to the GR-D270 with the PV-GS35 at a little higher (it has that higher zoom and an S-Video port).
Canon ZR300 (Review, Specs, $449)
The Canon ZR300 is available for a suggested price of $499, though probably cheaper from selected vendors. It features a similar CCD to that on the GR-D270, and has similar performance. It has similar zoom, still options, and manual controls to the GR-D270. I do like Canon’s jog dial navigational method, which may make manual control adjustment easier, but these camcorders are very similar. Also, the method of zooming, Canon's excellent low-end zoom toggle is included on this model. As far as performance goes, the ZR200 (Review, Specs, $120.99) performs very well compared to the JVC offer slightly better performance in low and bright lighting.
JVC GR-D250 (Review, Specs, ) (Review, Specs, $299)
JVC’s GR-D250 is available for a suggested twenty dollars less than the GR-D270 and only loses a couple features. These include the GR-D270’s auto illumination light and all still capability save stills to tape. With the horrible performance of the GR-D270 in still quality, it might be worth the money to just by the lower model, especially if you’re set on buying a JVC.
*Note: all prices listed in the comparison section are the suggested retail prices of the manufactures. All camcorders most likely can and will be available for much less on the street, even at the beginning of the year.
Who It's For
Point-and-Shooters (7.0)
Absolutely a choice for the point-and-shoot consumer. It’s easy to use, with buttons on the camcorder body.
Budget Consumers (8.5)
A decent choice for the wallet-minded consumer, but for $450 (suggested) users might expect a little more out of the performance.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (5.0)
It has a still mode, but this is no hybrid camcorder. Look elsewhere and be prepared to spend some extra cash for hybrid functionality.
Gadget Freak (6.0)
Not really a good option for the resident gadget freak. It has a few improvements that some might notice, but gadget gurus won’t be that impressed.
Manual Control Freaks (8.5)
There are a surprising number of manual controls on the JVC GR-D270, but utilizing manual controls on these compact camcorders can be more trouble than they're worth.
Pros / Serious Hobbyists (7.0)
An inexpensive, light weight holiday/vacation camera maybe. But most pros want as much functionality out of their camera investment as possible and this might not be the best choice.
Conclusion
The JVC GR-D270 is a decent camcorder for the price point and in many areas is very competitive in the entry level model tier of camcorders. The 25x optical zoom is noteworthy, as is the new design and layout. The Clear LCD is an improvement over other JVC models, which had a bad habit of solarizing when rotated. The 1/6th inch CCD with an unremarkable 340K effective pixels for video and another 340K for still photos is just that: unremarkable.
The Automatic Gain Control is a notable addition to this level of camcorders; it does brighten up low light testing, though noise is increased, showing a muddier image. On the bright side though, the image is still pretty good, with not as much moving noise as seen on many of Sony’s lower-end camcorders. Users looking for ease of use may like JVC’s newest GR models, and they have enough manual controls to allow for experimentation when even the most timid amateur feels like venturing outside of automatic mode. The processor, in conjunction with the other internal hardware, seemed to function well in automatic and made adequate and relatively fast adjustments to multiple conditions. At the end of the day, this is a point-and-shoot camcorder for the consumer on a budget. It’s a great entry model for newcomers to digital video, but more advanced users may feel the image quality is not up to the level of other camcorders in the market.
As far as strict performance goes, the JVC GR-D270 performs better than some comparably priced and equipped camcorders (the Sony DCR-HC21) and worse some others (Panasonic PV-GS35). Compared to last year’s JVCs, the GR-D270, even though it loses last year’s 3D noise reduction technology, performs pretty well even in low light. Though its performance at 15 lux is pretty mediocre, things look pretty good otherwise. With a 25x optical zoom, it isn’t bad, and it offers some manual control, but don’t expect to do too much with it. This is a decent camcorder, if you don’t care about still performance.