JVC GR-D350 Camcorder Review

Ease of Use (5.0)
The GR-D350 is an easy to use camcorder thanks to a prominently displayed Auto mode button located on its upper left side. Pushing this button puts the entire camcorder in auto mode, relieving the user of all tasks but pointing, zooming, and hitting record. Those interested in a more interactive experience will encounter some handling problems (see the Handling section), most centering around the four-way touchpad in the LCD cavity. This awkward control can get to be a frustrating process.

Within the budget line of camcorders, Sony still takes the cake for ease of use. Almost all of the major manufacturers can make idiot-proof auto modes, if pointing and shooting are all you're interested in. Beginners also tend to find Sony's touch screen more user-friendly, but the flaws quickly start to reveal themselves (fingerprints on the display, lengthy menu layouts, etc.). JVC has a simple menu with which to interface; we just wish it had a better navigation device. 

Handling (6.5)
While the GR-D350’s handling is on par with other low-end camcorders, there are some small differences. This year, Canon attempted to improve handling by slimming down the width of their camcorders and increasing the height. It was a gambit which went against the grain of what most traditional “compact” camcorder attempt : decreasing height and increasing width. For some reason, people seem to associate a small body with a short, fat one, but Canon’s design works very well and JVC generally takes a similar approach. The D350, however, is tall and wide, or at least wider than the ZR models.

As a result, the camcorder feels a little bulkier than it needs to be. The zoom toggle may prove to be a stretch for short fingers, and the record on/off button, squeezed between the battery and the mode dial, is too slender for comfort.

The worst aspect of handling is the four-way touch pad located on the left side of the body in the LCD cavity. First of all, placing controls in the LCD cavity means that users need to keep the LCD open to make changes, thus increasing the drain on the battery. Secondly, when the main navigation tool is hidden in the cavity engaging the manual controls is supremely frustrating. If a four-directional touch pad is not facing you, it's hard to determine where the directions are pointing: it's easy to confuse the left arrow with "forward" and the right with "back."  Finally, the touchpad itself is too small: the “enter” button can only be pressed effectively with a thumbnail. Everyone else seems to have moved onto a joystick. We believe it’s time JVC did the same.

Portability (7.0)
Measuring 5.9 x 9.4 x 11.4 (W x H x L in cm), the JVC GR-D359 is not among the most portable compact MiniDV camcorders. It’s certainly not an ultra-compact, and would have a hard time fitting into a medium-sized purse or the largest pocket. However, the D350 is entirely self-sufficient, unlike some of the ultra-compacts which have cradles that must also be carried.

LCD/Viewfinder (7.5)
The 2.5 inch LCD for the JVC GR-D350 is on the left side of the camcorder and is opened by pulling along the back edge of the screen adjacent to a scalloped section of the camera body. Since this camcorder uses crop and zoom instead of shooting in true 16:9 format, it's unsurprising that the LCD is not a widescreen display. The Display sub-menu does have an LCD brightness adjustment feature, with a scale of  +/-5, but it should be used with care. Settings like shutter speed and exposure will appear differently if the LCD has been customized to user preference. Since LCD brightness is not an effect on the recorded video, it is easily possible to record video with entirely different exposure and lighting levels from those pictured on LCD.

An electronic color viewfinder does give the GR-D350 a secondary monitoring option. This 0.33 inch viewfinder can be extended from the camcorder body. However, it extends over a prominent battery back and is surrounded by a  hard plastic frame that is anything but comfortable when pressed to an eye. The major problem, beyond comfort, is that turning on the viewfinder requires the LCD to be closed, thus blocking access to the menu and manual controls in the LCD cavity. While this unfortunate design is common in consumer camcorders, it greatly compromises the functionality of this feature. Those who don't mind shooting in auto mode, or making all manual adjustments before closing the LCD, will find that using the viewfinder increases battery life. Finally,  a large dioptric adjustment control is located on the top of the extended viewfinder.

Battery Life (11.2)
The D350 ships with the BN-VF707U battery. We tested the battery for endurance during shooting by putting the camcorder in auto mode, leaving the LCD open, and shooting at SP mode with the image stabilization on. When the tape needed to be changed, we removed the battery, inserted the DC power, changed tapes, and reinserted the battery. In total, the battery lasted for 112 minutes and 27 seconds (1 hour, 52 minutes, and 27 seconds) of continuous shooting.