Reviews for JVC Everio GZ-MC500 Digital Camcorder - 1.8" LCD - CCD

Absolutely agree with stevkyt. The still quality is there only if used in manual mode, which takes time and is very hit and miss using the LCD screen, remember this is the only reference! Low light performance is poor i.e. indoors!

I bought this camera last month. The picture quality is very BAD! 5 Mpixels? Where?? My SONY dsc-s85, 4.1 MP has much better photo quality than this supposed JVC 5 MP. The video quality is good.

Where is the other review of this camera??!!
this was getting to be very informative on this product.
N.

Has anybody found a way to create a widescreen DVD with this camera? I found that the camera will generate a move with a 16:9 aspect ratio, but that the included Cyberlink PowerDirector software reduces the video to 4:3. I cannot find anywhere that the Cyberlink editing software supports 16:9. I also tried Pinnacle Studio 9, and Sony Vegas Studio. Neither of these packages can correctly open the video files. The Sony software will open the mpeg, but won't provide any sound. I called JVC, and was told that I need to call Cyberlink regarding the lack of 16:9 support. When I questioned them about problems opening the files from this camera with other editing packages, I was told that they only support the Cyberlink software included with the camera.

hi have u tried playing in tv after making movie ?
i thought its not showing widescreen in computer and it will how in tv. plz check in tv.plz tell me how the quqlity also thanks

I can only play the movie with a widescreen aspect ratio using the PowerDVD application. If I connect the camera directly to the tv, the image is played in 4:3, and everything is distorted (skinny). Also, the Cyberlink software used to create a dvd squishes the video into a 4:3 format and again everthing is distorted. This is true even if I try to play the finished DVD using the PowerDVD application.

which format u r making movie?
is it giving same pixel as u r original pixel one after making movie.
have tried originl one playing in tv, and computer.(without making any chages and just changing extention mod to mpg).for me in computer without making any changes giving good quality.

If I copy the .mod file, rename it to .mpg and play it using PowerDVD, the movie will play in a 16:9 format. If I try to open the file in Windows media player the image is 4:3. The pixel counts for the video do not change when I open it in PowerDirector, although I notice that the file size property of the input file in PowerDirector is slightly smaller than the actual file size in windows explorer.

I open the .mod file in PowerDirector, add it to the storyboard making no changes. I then attempt to create a high Quality DVD leaving it in the default NTSC format. The resulting DVD when opened in PowerDVD shows all the same properties except the aspect ratio has been changed from 16:9 to 4:3.

I have also tried each of using each of of the other PowerDVD output types and formats. I get slightly different results with each, but the aspect ratio of 4:3 is consistent.

So am I to unbderstand that this camera uses a proprietary file format that cannot be manipulated with any software but the included application? I was hoping I could just drag the files off of it like an external hard drive and edit them with my standard video editing software of which I use a few different packages.

I don't know if the files from this camera are proprietary or not, but so far they are not properly read into Pinnacle Studio 9, or the Sony Vegas with DVD suite. When I called JVC regarding this problem, I was told that I needed the proper codec for the packages to work. When I asked how to get the proper codec, I was told by the JVC support person that she did't know how.

I just found this info from a review which supports the previous comment, but offers no real solutions:

To gain PC access to the Microdrive and contents of the SD card slot, the JVC is hooked up by USB 2 - no FireWire connection is provided. As with the previous Everios, video is recorded in the unusual MOD file format, which is MPEG2 video allied with Dolby Digital audio. Only the supplied CyberLink PowerProducer can edit MODs natively. However, we found we could simply rename them MPG files and edit them in any MPEG-aware editing app, although this relies on having the appropriate video and audio codecs installed.

Where can I go to find the proper codecs? I tried re-naming files and opening them, but only the Sony software would play the file. The Sony software also wouldn't recognize the sound. Is there any software packages you could recommend? I like this camera, and would like to use it. Also, unlike the previous Everio models the GZ-500 supposedly records in a true 16:9 format. Is there any recommendations you can make for software that will recognize and burn this widescreen format?

I've got one more week to figure this out. :>

Thanks

Not sure, I guess i will buy one and try it out.

I think anybody that has gone to the trouble of researching this camera and is thinking of buying (or has already bought) this camera will agree that the crux of the matter is this MOD/mpg/codec file business. I think if the people at JVC were to point their customers (or erstwhile customers as I think the majority of those reading this post must be) in the right direction concerning an acquisition source for the necessary codec(s) then they might have something of a sales deluge on there hands, this device and its predecesors the GZ-MC200/100 are already selling at a phenomenal rate in Japan, effectively out-stripping sales on established formats and brands in a way that some big electonics chain salespersons say they have not seen in the last 15 years. HD video and HDD storage are about to meet at the consumer level and the only thing we can do is brace for the impact.
For JVC this is a magic time they have arrived at the plateau where what is sure to be this decades longest and bloodiest videocam conflict is to be waged and found, much to there apparent surprise and everyone else’s dismay that they are all alone!, not a soul in sight, for the moment, but if they stop wringing there hands and shuffling their corporate feet for just a moment and listen carefully they will hear the crazed, slavering, howls and snarls of the rest of vid/cam pack as they scabber up to enjoin them.
So Japan Victor Company JVC has two choices, One; find someplace to hide and pray that Sony and Hitachi cant find you when the get there and begin to rip each other to shreds, or Two, they can press the high-ground advantage the y currently for all its worth, and establishing their position. Now interestingly doing that may hinge on something as simple as solving this MOD/mpeg issue. Hey, it would serve JVC well to bear theZ old moral in mind “For want of a nail… …the kingdom was lost” (Google that).
The purchase of the relevant codec (or of rights to use and distribution of said codec) from Cyberlink or whoever currently holds rights at present.(if that is indeed the complication here) would be a step in the right direction, costs incurrred would soon be recouped in present market.

Ironically only negative reviews I have read on this camera are to do with the MOD file and its picture quality. Now on the issue of picture quality I will say that anyone that has previously bought a camera that offers both video and picture functions will tell you that the complaints seen here are par for the course, these device will typically do only one thing well or both things mediocrely so I think the fact that eh video is good is a plus. On the other hand the MOD file issue (which I consider directly linked to the 16:9/4:3 aspect ratio issues raised above) could be the fly in JVCs “Everio ointment”.
The codec (and since the Cyberlink software has it incorporated it in some form) must exist If said codec were to allows JVCs customers the option of recourse to a wider set of editing applications this would only broaden the user base and improve JVCs bottom line.
Its such a painful shame to watch here (yet again) JVC so far ahead of the pack with this device, even Sony has yet to voice an adequate response. Yet it seem that they are on the verge of fumbling the ball over what, in a few years/months time, will come to light as a case of the corporate bean-counters, overruling the engineering and marketing divisions, who surely want to put out a device that they know would blow the competition AWAY. Currently every potential buyer from the weight-wise holiday planning consumer looking to make a smart buy to the tech-savvy pro-sumer are giving the Everios a look-see, they realize what 3CCD+HD+palmsize equals a shockingly large world of possibilities.
JVC should press this advantge with every Iota of there marketing muscle, every erg of there support strength, and make sure EVERIO is on “EVERIone's” lips, they just need to make sure that what is being said isn't "... Should I?" but "Hell yes!".

I could not agree more. I was set to buy one until I learned of the .mod issue. Now I have decided to wait and see what the competition will come up with as I want a more felxible file format. This appears to be a great product, but it falls short of my needs.

From what I have gathered, the mod file produced from the camera is not an obscure format. It is a standard mpeg-2 format with Dolby Digital (AC3) sound. The problem is many of the Video editors cannot read the AC3 sound format. It does appear that there might be many others that do, and maybe as more consumer grade digital camcorders support Dolby Digital the common Editing software tools will begin to support it.

My big complaint is that JVC knowing this is not a widely supporte format, provided editing software with this camera that doesn't support all the camera features. For $1500 you should be given software that can at least use all the basic features of the camera. I find their support people to be evasive, and I will not by another JVC product.

Ditto to comment #15: I was already hesitant because I lean so far towards Sony, never having had a disaster with them; but this JVC seemed so good that I almost gave it a chance and I would have been seriously upset for having moved away from Sony. True, Sony might be later with the same/better model but this is not a $29.95 throw away camera. Hope JVC is reading these posts.

hi anybody found a cover for lcd separately?

Has anyone looked at the video editing software Movie Edit Pro v10 from Magix. I have this camera on order and expect it to arrive next week. A number of items they have support for is
Dolby® Digital multi-channel support

Also 16:9 support also. the software costs 59.xx
i think it may help with the audio and video issue.

Adobe Premiere pro version 1.5 handles the output from this camera excellently All you need is to change the *.MOD to *.mpg however the price tag on Premiere pro 1.5 is quite hefty at circa 700U$.
(preservation of 16:9 aspect ratio still unchecked).

Need to emphasize that it's Version 1.5 of premiere pro that does the trick, version 1.0 has a sticky timeline playback issue (video playback isnt smoothly displayed in premiere's monitor window when an attempt to playback the movie direct from the timeline is made)I was unable to resolve this until upgrading to 1.5. other than the timeline scrubbing issue version 1.0 seemed fine, and played the file in the non-timeline monitor window (ie. directly from file).

Rank Amecha
PC specs. P4 3.2 HT, 2GB RAM, Video card Matrox 64 MB AGP dual head,350GB HD. winXP pro.

I own this camera, and I do not want to use the included editing software. I'm using Avid Xpress, has anyone been able to edit the files in it.

When I rename it to .mpg Avid gives me an error saying "Sorry, Generic mpeg files are not supported".

Is there a way I can download some .mod codec, or some Dolby AC-3 Mpeg-2 codec.

This really sucks because we were planning on using this camera as independent film makers, and it would've been really cool, but now it seems like we'll have to convert all the files somehow which just sucks.

JVC really needs to support a better format, what were they thinking not making this format flexible enough or being able to import into other editing software suites.

We might try to use Adobe premiere 1.5, but we'd like to use Avid.

Reply by member: chgorob1
Oct 31, 2005

JVC has posted an update for 16:9 problems with the cyberlink software

http://www2.cli.co.jp/products/ne/update_eng.htm

Haven't tried it yet...hope it helps

What an illuminating discussion. It seems prudent to wait until the competition catches up and then choose the best all around package, which should always include ongoing support of the product by the manufacturer.