JVC Everio GZ-MG155 HDD review

Although Sony and Panasonic have also introduced camcorders that record to tiny internal hard disks, JVC's Everio G series leads the way, offering hours of DVD-quality recording before you need to download your clips.

The GZ-MG155 has a 30GB hard disk and an SD memory slot.

Using the same type of recording format as DVD video, MPEG-2, this lightweight unit can record up to seven hours at the best quality setting and a massive 37 hours at the lowest. Unlike with tape-based video, you can edit, re-arrange and delete your clips on the built-in screen, as with a digital stills camera. You can even create a playlist of your preferred clips in the order you want, then play it to a TV or video recorder or copy it to a blank DVD in your PC.

Though it lacks a viewfinder, the Everio has a large 2.7-inch widescreen colour LCD with operating controls at its side. The 32x optical zoom is impressive, even if the 800x digital zoom gives images as uselessly blocky as you would expect.

You can easily pick up the JVC and shoot within minutes, but if you want more control over filming there are easily selectable manual options for focus and white balance (indoor/exterior colour control). A separate docking station makes it easier to charge the battery and connect to a TV, video recorder or computer, providing standard AV (red, white and yellow) connections, S-Video, USB2.0 and FireWire (IEEE 1394), which is handy for direct digital transfer of your playlisted clips to a similarly equipped DVD/HDD recorder. You can also connect to a TV or charge the supplied Data Li-Ion battery without the dock.

If the camcorder is dropped, the G-Sensor will shut down the hard disk before what you've recorded gets damaged. You can disable this, for example while filming a fairground ride, so it doesn't keep switching you off.

The Everio comes with Cyberlink DVD Solution software for video production and Digital Photo Navigator for image editing. Copying to DVD is as easy as connecting the supplied USB cable to your PC, inserting a blank DVD and hitting the Direct DVD button on the camcorder.

Some users will still prefer tape-based systems, which at the moment allow more precise editing, but the Everio GZ-MG155 is easy to use, produces great pictures and sounds, and makes copying to DVD a cinch.