JVC Everio GZ-MG555

Last update: Review by OCRegister (added on 22/06/07)

The JVC Everio GZ-MG555 is a 5 Megapixel Camcorder features 30GB built-in hard disk drive, 10x optical zom, 2.7-inch Clear Widescreen LCD, DPOF support, Auto video light, Histogram display, PictBridge support, Accessories hot shoe, PRINT Image Matching, USB 2.0 compatibility, Backlight compensation, Digital noise reduction and a docking station. The camcorder measures 12 x 14 x 10 inches and weighs 3.2 pounds.

Overall Rating: | Latest Price Info

REVIEWS (last updated: 22/06/07)

OCRegister reviews the JVC Everio GZ-MG555 and writes;

“Indoor video had that home-recording look, probably due to my amateur skills. Outdoor footage was sharper. But still, this isn’t high-definition quality, just regular TV-friendly quality… Not having to switch camera tapes was almost worth the annoyance of ending up with video files that weren’t compatible with the video-editing software tools I’m used to. This is not for everyone. If you don’t mind the limitations, the high price and sticking with everything JVC, the system is a decent entry into recording family videos. ”
Rating:

CamcorderInfo reviews the JVC Everio GZ-MG555 and writes;

“Overall, yes the GZ-MG555 is a good value, but it’s not right for everyone. If you’re content with a no-thinking-required operation, Sony has what you’re looking for, with a better picture to boot. More ambitious users will have to maximize of the MG555’s flexibility to get what they want.”
Rating: N/A

CNET reviews the JVC Everio GZ-MG555 and writes;

“The JVC Everio GZ-MG555 impressed us with its robust controls and solid image quality. However, its price seems a bit steep for a single-sensor, standard-definition camcorder… The good: The JVC Everio GZ-MG555 hard-drive camcorder has lots of useful controls and takes decent still photos; its neutral-density filter can be handy when shooting in bright light. The bad: Sluggish focus; expensive. The bottom line: The JVC Everio GZ-MG555 hard-drive camcorder offers lots of control over your videos–and its photos look nice–but its steep price has us reaching for the Pause button. ”
Rating:

PCWorld reviews the JVC Everio GZ-MG555 and writes;

“The GZ-MG555 earned a mediocre rating of Fair for its video quality in our lab tests, in part because details looked less sharp than in the output from competing models, and because colors seemed less accurate. This model earned a below-average score for audio quality, too, and its low-light video looked excessively dark, earning a score of just 52 versus an average mark of 82… The GZ-MG555 sports an excellent design with easy access to manual controls, but its video quality could stand some improvement.”
Rating:

USER MANUALS (PDF)
- Click the link to view
- Right click on the link and select Save Target As.. or Save link as.. to save it to your computer

- Download JVC Everio GZ-MG555 User Manual in English (PDF - 17.4 MB)
- Download JVC Everio GZ-MG555 Software Guide in English (PDF - 2.82 MB)

PRESS RELEASE

LAS VEGAS, January 7, 2007 – Reaffirming its leadership in the hard drive camcorder category, JVC today announced a new line of Everio G Series camcorders, featuring four new models that offer improved picture quality, enhanced convenience features and record to either a built-in 30GB hard drive or removable SD card.

For 2007, the Everio line, the world’s first hard drive camcorders, offers advanced imaging technology and a new level of versatility that allows users to master the art of video storytelling. Innovations include a new imaging engine, one-touch DVD burning, one-touch back-up to a PC, in-camera editing features, an Everio dock and support for SDHC, the new high-capacity SD card. In addition, the new flagship GZ-MG555 will produce razor-sharp still images thanks to a 5.37-megapixel CCD, the largest offered in a hard drive/SD camcorder.

JVC’s newly developed Gigabrid engine improves picture quality throughout the line-up by integrating various noise reduction technologies to increase the signal-to-noise ratio by about 30 percent (3dB) over previous models. All 2007 Everio models feature shooting sensitivity equal or better than previous models. CCD image sensors in the line-up range from 680k pixels to 5.37megapixels, tailored for various shooting needs.

For enhanced convenience, JVC’s Everio camcorders offer a range of new features, including:

1. Everio Dock – Most 2007 Everio models includes a docking station that the camcorder snaps into. Leave the dock connected to a display, PC or Everio SHARE STATION, and there’s no need to connect cables when transferring files or burning DVDs. The Everio dock also charges the camcorder’s battery;
2. One-touch direct DVD burning – a touch of the Direct DVD button is all that’s need to burn footage from the camcorder to a DVD. Newly recorded data will be transferred to the burner;
3. Direct Back-Up – One touch back-up of video files to a PC;
4. i.LINK (IEEE 1394) output on the Everio dock permits easy dubbing to DVD or hard drive recorders, and allows the footage to be imported by many third party NLE (non-linear editing) applications.

New Everios also offer a new in-camera editing function, which, when combined with other Everio functions, makes it simple to edit and organize files in the camera. New for 2007 is a Partial Delete function that allows a portion of a video file to be saved as a new file, leaving out the unwanted material. To organize files, Everios continue to offer a Playlist function for arranging the sequencing of clips for playback or burning to DVD. Combined with Event Selection, a carryover feature that allows the user to tag clips with an icon representing an event category, Everio now makes it easier than ever to view, edit and burn recordings to DVD.

For users interested in bypassing the fully automatic mode, 2007 Everios offer five shooting modes that are easily selected through the use of an LCD panel graphic that depicts the shooting mode dial found on many still cameras. A push of the camcorder’s stick controller to the left of the display brings up the graphic and modes are easily selected by pushing the control stick up or down. The stick controller also provides easy access to other menu settings and playback controls.

Also new for 2007 is the Quick Restart mode, which when engaged allows recording to start about one second after re-opening the LCD.

All Everio G Series camcorders continue to offer an SD card slot as an alternative to the hard drive for storing video and still recordings. New for 2007 is SDHC compatibility so they can handle the new generation of higher capacity cards. In addition, all Everio G Series camcorders have USB mass storage compatibility.

For editing and archiving footage, Everio camcorders come with a complete software suite. For Windows PCs, JVC includes CyberLink’s PowerCinema™ NE for Everio for browsing camera content and enabling Direct DVD/Direct Back-Up functions, PowerProducer™ 3 NE easy DVD burning, and PowerDirector™ 5 NE Express for editing.

The 2007 Everio line is comprised of four camcorders, each with a built-in 30GB hard drive. Each is compact and exceptionally lightweight, and all offer 16:9 recording and are equipped with a 2.7-inch widescreen LCD for real-time viewing of 16:9 aspect ratio video while shooting, and an SD card slot.

Shooting Time – GZ-MG555, (approximate)

Mode
Ultra (DVD Movie) 7 hours
Fine (DVD Cam) 10.5 hours
Norm (TV) 14 hours
Eco (Internet) 37.5 hours

Pricing and availability:
GZ-MG555 $899.95 March