JVC GZ-MG155 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Oct 3, 2007 5:00 PM
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Ease of Use (5.75)
Based on the demo video stored on the GZ-MG155 (Review, Specs, $329.99), it is clear the Everio breed was created for one specific genre of consumers: point-and-shooters. If you can withstand the magnificent acting, the demo video depicts a family at a birthday party. One bearded dad has a DVD camcorder, while the clean-shaven man, obviously the superior dad, boasts an Everio. When the DVD camcorder runs out of time due to its minimal recording space, the bearded failure of a dad shakes his head in slow motion and joins the Everio dad to learn the magical ways of HDD camcorders.
JVC does have a point, though. HDD camcorders are the most user-friendly devices on the market. They can hold abnormal mounts of footage and do not require any form of external media. DVDs, memory cards, and MiniDV tapes are reasonably large investments for the avid shooter. In addition, their archiving capabilities are limited due to a short shelf life. HDD camcorders allow the shooter to transfer footage to a storage drive or an external DVD burner. JVC sells several stand-alone DVD burners to pair with its Everios.
Editing is on the flip side of the coin. Though it’s better than most in-the-box software, the provided Power Producer/Power Cinema programs are rudimentary and slow. In addition, Everio footage will rarely show up in the correct 16:9 aspect on any other editing software. This is a shame, but caters to a crowd who could care less about editing and more about throwing memories on a DVD so the HDD can be wiped for the next bar mitzvah.
The GZ-MG155’s menu interface is identical to the rest of the Everio line—simple, easy to navigate, and well organized. The LCD-mounted joystick will take some practice to master, but you’ll soon find making menu selections and manual adjustments is far superior to Sony’s smaller touch screens. One complaint is that JVC LCD screens tend to gunk up with numerous icons that obscure the viewing pane.
The GZ-MG155 comes equipped with a robust set of manual controls, but for most shooters, Auto mode will do. In Auto mode, the camcorder functions in a smooth state of autopilot, much like Sony’s Easy mode. All the shooter has to do is hit the record button and aim for the bride and groom.
Handling (5.0)
Everios are bite-sized compared to Sony and Canon HDD camcorders. They are about the size of a balled fist, and do not come equipped with viewfinders. In a nutshell, the GZ-MG155 is a consumer-driven camcorder. Portability is the key here. JVC’s implementation of an LCD-mounted joystick forces the shooter to operate the camcorder with two hands, which is the way most point-and-shooters hold a camcorder anyway. Though our lamentations over beautifully-crafted MiniDV camcorders are still prevalent, we must somehow find a way to relate to these little HDD bricks.
For one, you can start by figuring out how to hold the GZ-MG155. With a normal grip through the hand strap, larger fingers will overshoot the zoom toggle, almost sinking into the LCD cavity. It’s a good thing JVC didn’t mount the microphone up top—recorded audio would be a sea of muffles. You’ll have to shift your right hand down in order to match your index finger and thumb to the zoom toggle and Record Start/Stop button. Meanwhile, the left hand will brace the LCD panel, thumb resting atop the joystick. We emphasize brace here because the image stabilization is wanting and the zoom ratio is so temptingly high.
Making manual control adjustments is a fairly welcoming process. Sony is often the worst of the major manufacturers for manual control adjustment due to its smudgy LCD screens and tiny, finicky buttons. Panasonic and Canon jointly hold the title with rear-mounted joysticks, allowing one-handed camcorder operation. JVC falls somewhere in the middle; the GZ-MG155’s joystick operation is quick and accurate, but the joystick itself is too small. You’ll need to practice a bit before you can master the art of JVC menu navigation.
Menu (5.25)
JVC’s menus are well organized and easy to navigate, thanks to the LCD-mounted joystick. Canon has a similarly well organized menu. Sony has its own style, but it remains intuitive, and therefore good. Panasonic still has some learning to do. To select an option within any of the menus, press the center of the joystick.
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Clockwise starting above, |
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Press the Menu button within the LCD cavity to access the Administrative menu. A blue screen will appear containing the following options:
| Administrative Menu | |
| Video | Quality, Zoom, DIS, 16:9 Wide Recording, Gain Up, Wind Cut, Record Media For Video, Scene Counter |
| Image | Quality, Image Size, Gain Up, Continuous Shooting, Self-Timer, Record Media For Image |
| General | Bright, Drop Detection, Remote, Demo Mode, Operation Sound, Select TV Type, Analog Input, Display, Display On TV, Language, Clock Adjust, Date Display Style, Date/Time, Preset, Quick Restart, Auto Power Off |
| Media | Clean-Up HDD, Format HDD, Delete Data On HDD, Format SD Card, Video Number Reset, Image Number Reset |
The Function menu is accessed via the Function button embedded within the LCD panel. Here, you’ll find the following controls:
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Function Menu |
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| Focus | Auto, Manual |
| Adjust Brightness | Auto, Manual (12 steps) |
| Shutter Speed | Auto, 1/2 - 1/4000 |
| White Balance | Auto, Manual, Fine, Cloud, Halogen |
| Effect | Off, Sepia, Monotone, Classic Film, Strobe |
| Tele Macro | Off, On |
The Function menu
JVC also includes a digital version of a Program AE dial. By shifting the joystick to the right, a scrollable Program AE wheel appears along the left side of the LCD screen. The GZ-MG155 offers Sports, Snow, Spotlight, and Twilight Program AE modes. Shifting the joystick down cues the video light, which can be set to Auto, On, or Off. Up on the joystick triggers Backlight Compensation (BLC) and Spot Metering. Left activates NightAlive mode.
Portability (6.0)
Everios are the ultimate vacation camcorder. They’re tiny, record hours of footage in the highest quality, and do not require any external media such as DVDs or MiniDV tapes—unless you record to SD/SDHC cards. The GZ-MG155 measures 66 x 71 x 110mm (2 5/8 x 2 13/16 x 4 3/8-inches). These dimensions are identical to its younger and older siblings, the GZ-MG130 (Review, Specs, $467.95) and GZ-MG255 (Review, Specs, $389.95). However, things are a bit different at the weighing station. The GZ-MG155 tips the scale at 375 grams (0.83 pounds), wedging it between the feathery GZ-MG130 and bulkier GZ-MG255. Dimensions and mass aside, these are Everios—the smallest standard definition HDD camcorders out there. A small camera bag shall suffice—we were able to fit it in our light meter case! A very wise investment would be a backup battery—or three. With a battery life of less than 100 minutes and a maximum recordable time of 430 minutes in the highest quality … well, you do the math.
There’s a hair in the ointment, however. If you’re on vacation and the HDD happens to reach its capacity – that’s it. You have no recourse but to buy another camcorder. If you’ve thought ahead, you might be safe. Perhaps you’ve had the foresight to pack a computer or one of JVC’s snazzy standalone DVD burners. If so, congratulations, and I’m sorry your camera bag weighs so much.
One more thing to carry is the docking station. In order to keep the camcorder so small, all those beloved ports you wanted are located on the base. If you plan on connecting to a TV with an S-Video cable, you’ll need to tote that along, as well.
The 2.7" LCD screen
LCD and Viewfinder (3.0)
Welcome to Consumer Paradise. You won’t find a viewfinder on any Everio, aside from the mammoth high-definition GZ-HD7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1529). The sole source of monitoring on the GZ-MG155 is a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD with a 122,000 pixel resolution. The LCD screen flips out 90 degrees from the camcorder’s body and rotates up to 270 degrees, solarizing at the slightest angle. Along the left side of the LCD panel is a vertical column of controls including the Info/Battery button, joystick, and Function menu button. The joystick is among the smallest on the market—on par with Panasonic’s latest AVCHD HDC-SD5 flash memory camcorder. For the GZ-MG155’s market, a standard LCD screen is all that is necessary.
Battery Life (10.0)
The GZ-MG155’s BN-VF808U battery was tested for longevity by recording continuously in Manual mode with the LCD flipped open and DIS turned off. The battery lasted a total of 99 minutes and 47 seconds (1 hour, 39 minutes, and 47 seconds). For a battery pack as thin as a pack of gum, the BN-VF808U churns out an admirable performance. Both the GZ-MG255 and GZ-MG130 are equipped with the same battery pack. The GZ-MG255 lasted 85 minutes, while the GZ-MG130 nearly mirrored the GZ-MG155 with a 100-minute performance.