Featuring a compact, vertically aligned body to go along with its potent 10x optical zoom, the GR-DVM76U is a great buy for those in need of portability, but who don't want to sacrifice quality.
Lens and CCD
Really, the two central components of any video camera (or digital still camera), are the lens and CCD (the image sensor). This JVC model builds around a 10x optical zoom, which is paired with image stabilization to cut down on the shakes and jitters common to most amateur video footage. The CCD sports a pixel count of 680,000--great for video--that translates the image into the digital video standard of 520 lines of resolution.
Digital Still Mode
Most digital camcorders these days come with some sort of digital still mode. The resolution is usually fine for posting on the Web, e-mailing to friends and family, and making small, snapshot-sized prints. The 76U is no exception; it snaps stills at the 1,024 x 768 level, and records them onto an included 8 MB MultiMediaCard (also compatible with SD memory cards).
Cables and Connectors
The GR-DVM76U comes with what JVC calls a Jack Box that exists simply to provide the ports most people want to use when connecting their camcorder to various video display devices. This is a nice approach, as it cuts down on the amount of space needed for this type of thing on the camcorder itself. The Jack Box features a USB port, which is used to transfer digital stills; AV ports, which are the traditional RCA-style connectors used by many VCRs and televisions; and an S-video port, which is a video-only port, but transfers video at a higher level of quality than traditional RCA-style connectors. On the camcorder itself is an IEEE 1394 port, which is also known as FireWire or iLink. FireWire enables lossless transfer of footage to a computer for editing purposes.
Included with the 76U is an AC power adapter, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, remote control, 8 MB MultiMediaCard, software (CD ROM), Jack Box, USB cable, and an AV cable.