JVC Everio MS120 Dual Flash Camcorder Blue

Mixed bag
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
After two weeks of use I’d say a definite mixed bag.

Pros:

Built in LED light

Dual card slots

Good Sound

Optical zoom

Looks nice

Cons:

Terrible software.

Lousy support.

Not “one touch” YouTube at all.

Not HD

Colors in mid to low light are very poor.

Stills are really lousy.

I bought the Sony Webbie first and returned it because

the low light was so bad. Bought this JVC for the

good lens and LED light. But the software is so

clunky it’s hard to believe. I’m an above average techie,

even owned a computer store and find this software to

be a joke. Called JVC support and they punted me to a

3rd party vendor of the software. Lame.

And as others have said, the file format is a bummer: MOD

The box and a sticker on the camera claims “YouTube One Touch Upload”

What a joke! It takes about six steps to upload.

The clipping function is ok if you just want to clip off the

beginning and the end. But otherwise it’s really weak.

If you want this for home movies, it’s decent. But if you

want to edit and upload, get something else.

I’m on the verge of returning this camcorder in the next few days.

Good little camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great camcorder…just upgraded from C-VHS. This camcorder is light and very easy to use. The battery lasts for 4 hours and the removeable cards are perfect for direct copy to a computer.

Not DVD-ready files!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The files are NOT DVD-ready files as advertised. They are mpeg-2 files, but they have errors in them preventing them from being added to a DVD as-is by any software. The first error I found is that the mpeg-2 header says it’s a 4:3 file instead of 16:9. There are some other errors that cause DVD authoring programs to stop processing when it gets to a file created by this camcorder which I haven’t bothered to figure out. So, if your intent is to save time by not having to convert files to put on a DVD, this isn’t the camcorder for you. I was very disappointed in this and contacted JVC, and they wrote back that I should use their software for converting the files and putting them on a DVD, and that they had no intention of coming out with a software update to fix the problem. But I want to use other software, so I still have to waste time converting the files. As for the video quality, it’s pretty bad, the digital image stabilization just makes everything look blocky, even on the ultra setting. The audio is very good though – it picks up the audio you’re after and does do a good job of cutting out the wind noise. The battery is better than I read, after about an hour of recording it says it still has over an hour left, I haven’t been able to verify that though. The dual-SD cards are great (very nice to have removeable media that’s readily available at any store). All in all, if I’d had time to return this camcorder and get another before my son’s football season started, I would’ve done so. And because of JVCs lack of help by their customer service, I won’t buy any JVC products in the future.

Great Camera!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this camera to replace a Sony DVD handycam and I’m so happy with my choice. It’s easy to use, memory cards are so much easier to deal with than making sure you have enough DVDs with you. I also downloaded a video to DVD already and it was SO EASY for a change. Keep in mind that you have to buy memory cards (it has a slot for two). I bought one’s with a lot of memory and it cost me an extra $100. So, not an inexpensive camera, but if you’ve dealt with older cameras in the past, you’ll appreciate the ease of use of this video camera. AND it looks great – I have the blue one.

JVC Everio MS120
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I purchased this little camcorder about a month ago along with JVC BN-VF815US 1460 mAh battery. Overall I am very impressed with this little camcorder. I have been using a Panasonic DV Tape camcorder for 9 years and it was time to get away from those darn tapes. With the JVC there is no moving parts (no hard drives, no tapes, no DVD) just a couple of flash cards.

In addition to the camcorder, I had to upgrade my video editing software. I was using Pinnacle Studio 10.8 for my old Panasonic but I could not import the MOD file format from the new JVC. I purchased Corel Ulead VideoSutdio 11.5 plus from Amazon for only 40 bucks and I am very impressed with it as well.

Here are the pros of the JVC:

1) Low cost (under $275)

2) Solid state – no moving parts – records to flash memory.

3) Great color and low light performance compared to equivalent Panasonic, Canon and Sony. Check out the review on camcorderinfo.com (http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/JVC-Everio-GZ-MG670-Camcorder-Review-36240.htm). Its for a slightly higher model (MG670) than the MS120 but they share the same lens, sensor, user interface and body.

4) Can see the screen in sunlight. With no view finder I was worried about seeing the screen outside but with this screen its not that big of an issue.

5) 16X9 windscreen native (can also do 4X3)

6) Auto lens cap. Lens cap automatically opens and closed with screen.

7) Auto on and off. Along with the lens cap, the power automatically turns on and off with open and close of the screen. No more videos of the ground (or my wife’s feet) because you forgot to power off the camera after the last shot.

Instant on – Once you open the screen, you can start taking video within a second or two.

9) Low power consumption – No moving parts means less power and longer battery life.

10) Each video is saved and managed like a file on the camera. Its easy to delete or view these files right on the camera. No more hunting through the tape.

Cons -

1) Difficult to hold – the hand strap is very thin and does not have much support. You need to use two hands to hold it still enough.

2) No optical image stabilization – The digital stabilization is decent but you need to keep this one steady. Maybe that why they put that thin strap on this thing. Again two hands.

3) Like other camcorders in this range, they take decent but not good still photos. You still need to keep you digital camera near by.

4) MOD format. Works with most newer video editing SW but did not work with my 3 year old version of Studio 10.8. Words great with older version of Ulead VideoStudio 11.5

5) Low light performance – while low light performance is good compared to competitors, it does not have an IR filter like my old Panasonic.

6) No hot shoe – I never used the one on my Panasonic so not a big deal.

7) No viewfinder – Can still see well in sunlight so not a big deal.

Great camera!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The JVC Everio MS 120 is a great camera. Small, light weight, and a long lasting battery. Great value! Recording to a memory card solves so many problems with running out of tape. With no moving parts, the battery, though small, is long lasting. Only drawback is that its not HD.

Great buy for the price range – Good ski video
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I wanted to spend ~ $200 on a video camera for use videoing alpine ski racers during training. This camera has met my needs. I was shocked when I went to Best Buy to compare cameras in this price range. One of the key functions to me was stability when zoomed in. This camera blows away other cameras in the price range. I am usually videoing outside in the cold with gloves on and the stability is great (I usually use two hands). I don’t like the sliding touch bar control used to review video on the camera (it doesn’t seem to work very well), but I don’t use it that frequently so it really isn’t an issue. It’s small enough that it fits easy into my radio pack (pocket) so that it’s easy to grab quickly. Additionally it turns on fairly quickly. I am not overtly impressed wtih the video quality. It is fine for what I want it for, but I have found that when I record on cloudy or snowy days the images are a little dark and not as clear as I would expect. I bought this camera on cyber Monday for $190, which is what I think it is worth (when compared with the competition).

JVC Everio MS120 camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Bought this for my daughter to video her horse riding hobby, easy to work, good video quality. The still pictures aren’t the best but i suppose a camera would be better for that.

Mac Users BEWARE!!!
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
We bought this because we were looking for a decent videocamera to record our upcoming baby. After friends who just had a baby bought it and recomended it, we thought we’d try it out. I was a little hesitant about it because I had read reviews saying that the video format (MOD) is not easily read or transfreable with Mac computers (we have 3 Macs). The man at the store assured us that it was no trouble to upload and create movies with this camera using Mac computers.

We went ahead and got it. I was so excited when it came that my husband and I immediatly took a short video of the dog to try it out. We got the red, and it was so cute, sleek and very compact. So far so good. The set up of the camera was very easy, and it takes little time to get started recording. Even better I thought… After we recorded the dog we uploaded it straight to our Mac using iMovie ’08. It transfered straight into the program but the quality was HORRIBLE! It looked worse than the old VHS recorders from the 80′s.

The playback on the camera itself was clearer, but the video once transfered to the computer was grainy, splotchy, and the colors were very muted. We had spent nearly $300 for the camera and accessory package and felt like the quality should have been much better. I had read about the loss of quality when transfering to the computer, but thought that a little wouldn’t be bothersome (we just wanted to caputre memories with our new baby) but this quality was UNACCEPTABLE.

We also took a few still photos, and like all the other reviewers have said before, don’t give up your digital camera. The JVC takes horrible picuters. (But I guess if that’s all you got…)

Perhaps with a PC it doesn’t lose as much quality (we’ll never know), but we’re going to be returning it and getting a 2nd Generation Flip MinoHD or UltraHD instead. I’ve seen first hand the ease of use with both Macs and PC’s (it uses a more universal MP4 file) and the quality of the picutre is 100000x better than the JVC, not to mention it’s much less in price. We know that those are much higher (HD) quality picture and you don’t lose any of it in conversion to the computer.

Overall, if you have a PC, maybe it’d be a different experience, but if you’re looking for ease of use, quality, good price overall, and use a Mac computer, DONT GO WITH THE JVC EVERIO! Find something with a more universal file format. It really will make a difference!

I love this camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
In my opinion, this is the perfect camera. Totally worth the money, which for a video camera, isn’t that much. It’s great for uploading videos to youtube ([...])

Pros:

-170 minute battery life

-LED light for a flash

-2 SD card slots for as much memory as you’re willing to buy

-Screen visible eve in bright sunlight

-Konica Minolta(sp?)Lens

-40x optical zoom(WOW) and 800 digital’

-Snapshot mode

-One touch export to youtube or itunes library (love that)

Con:

-I don’t like the laser touch thing.

great buy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
i love this camcorder. so easy to use, light, and the best part is the dual memory card slot. Beautiful color, light, pictures… the only thing was recording while moving, the camcorder is so light that any movement you make will ruin the video.

Great Camcorder
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a great little camcorder. However; I have three comments. First: The hand strap is located too low on the body of the camcorder. The camera tends to twist to the left (I’m right-handed) which is uncomfortable. Second: any battery other than the smallest adds a weight which seems to unbalance the camera when taking movies. Third: and my most vexing – the downloading to a MacIntosh computer and burning to a Cd/DVD is not the simple chore as outlined in the instruction manual. The manual is NOT written for a MacIntosh user. The instructions are very vague and leaves much to be desired. If I did not have some very knowledgeable family members I doubt if I could have downloaded the movies. I do NOT recommend this camcorder for a MacIntosh owner. It may be the best camera on the market for a PC owner – I cannot make a comment on this.

Convenient and time saving
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I really like this JVC flash memory camcorder. No longer do I have to sit through hours of tape either on the computer or through a dvd recorder recording video to dvd. Great standard def picture quality. First I purchased the Samsung SMX-F34 flash memory cam., but took it back because video quality was terrible. Too over compressed. Didn’t like the mpeg4 video. This JVC cam. has way better video. Mpeg-2 video. Less compression. Love all the features and the fact that it has a light, a small light, but still a light. I was impressed by the low light video this camcorder took. The only drawback for me is that there is no fade-in or fade-out effect. That I really miss. But it has everything else I need. This camcorder, JVC Everio MS120, I won’t be returning to the store.

Perfect.. except the HUGE negative
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ll make this simple. It’s everything I wanted. Perfect picture, starts quickly, nice lcd.. I love it all. Live those before me, the HORRID problem is the format it records in. (MOD). Out of all the *%&#$ formats they could have chosen from, they had to use this.. MOD.. whatever it is. I’ve had this for nearly a month, and only gone through the stress to get 2 videos off the camera into a useable format. The only reason I was able to do this was due to a free trial that would convert the MOD file to ones that you can do something with. Oh.. the one touch YouTube.. forget it. It’s about 20 touches, and then.. for me… “UPLOAD FAILED”

A perfect little camera that is borderline useless for me. It makes me sad to think of all I put into reviewing cameras and then ended up not checking the format.. I had no idea this format existed is the main reason for that.

Works great for camcorders in this price range
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve had this camcorder for a month or so now and I’ve been really happy with this camcorder. I use this camcorder to take pictures of my wife and kid occasionally. The video quality is acceptable when there’s sufficient light, at low light the video gets grainy but there’s a built in light that can be turn on (manually or automatically). The microphone was also pretty sensitive and the sound in my videos are good of good quality. You can take snapshots in the middle of recording a video, the quality is ok for facebook but it you’re looking for high quality you should get a digital camera. It has no built in memory, but recording to SDHC is convenient and downloading to PC is very easy, just insert the SD card and grab the AVI files, I haven’t had any problems with the encoding.

If your budget is $200-$300 then you’re probably comparing this JVC MS120 with the Canon FS200 or the flip ultra HD (maybe the Sony/Panasonic ones as well). I went with JVC since Canon is more expensive, flip ultra HD has very limited controls and the reviews of Sony/Panasonic ones weren’t that great. And the JVC has kept me happy so far.

JVC Everio MS102 Dual flash CAM
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a great little camcorder. Its a little bigger than the palm of your hand and not much bigger than a digital camera. I tried out the ultra fine mode and economy mode and both work great. The ultra fine give you better detail but takes up lots of room. The economy mode works just as good but provides less detail. It shoots very clear picture in adequate lighting but in low lighting, you will need to turn on the LED light or make the proper adjustments. Also, you can view what you recorded right on the camcorder. It is also very easy to convert the videos you record to a workable format. For the price of $270 you can’t go wrong. I recommend it to everyone.

Perfect for Home Movies
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This camcorder is the best for home movies. This camera is meant to replace a Sony 8 mm Handycam that requires occasional “percusive maintenance” (a careful slap to the side) to operate. I did the research to compare Sony,JVC,and Canon for the following features: under $300 price, SD/Memory Stick media, good quality picture, and ease of use–without a lot of features that I would never use. The main use for this camera will be to easily shoot family events that can be uploaded to YouTube and Facebook or sent to a DVD.

The JVC MS120BU (black case)that I chose matched all of my requirements. I bought the camera with an 8GB memory card; while I am currently not needing the dual memory card feature, it is good to know that the storage capability is there. I played with all the menu selections, and left everything on Auto at this time. I loaded the enclosed software on my laptop, shot a short video, and sent it to YouTube. No problems. I did look at the manual briefly, but did not really need it beyond identifying where the buttons all were. The Lasertouch feature took a few minutes to master as I have a heavy touch, and it is very sensitive. Holding the camera took a bit of practice. I use just the wrist strap for safety and hold the camera using the pinkie and next finger. The middle finger runs the wide/telephoto button; the index finger takes snapshots, and the thumb runs the record button. The resulting video shows no shake with this setup.

I really have no need to do much editing of the results — it is what it is — family pictures. Beyond changing the order of scenes, there’s not much editing to do. Some of the negative reviews mention features not intended for this camera. Those who aspire to filmaking and professional editing should look into more expensive camcorders.

Nice Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
For Years I used a digital video camera that used Mini DV Cassettes and what a pain to download the tape to the computer just to create a DVD to send to my friends. Now I just plug the SD chip into the reader and I can produce a dvd. The software that comes with this camera makes it easy to do some basic editing too. If you want to make videos fast and easy this is the camera to buy. I researched this type of camera on CNET and it was given a good rating. It is easy to use and the price was $50.00 less that what I would have paid “On Sale” locally.

arrived broken
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I ordered the jvc everio ms 120 based on the suggestion of a local store clerk who didn’t have the camera in stock.

Problem: it didn’t work. It arrived broken, we called the service number and was told to mail it in for evaluation.

Not likely, when I buy a new product, I expect it to work when I receive it, not after it has been returned and evaluated.

Great for the price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After doing much research I bought this camera from a chain store to ensure that I could return it easily if need be. Good thing I did, the first one had a small red dot that showed up on the left hand side of the screen while in low light conditions. This dot also showed up in the recordings when played back on the TV. I returned the camera for an exchange and I’m happy to report that the new one does not have this problem. Defective unit I guess. However I’m not going to hold this fluke against this camera as it is an awesome camera. The recordings from it look every bit as good as a digital standard definition broadcast signal does on my 42″ TV. The camera also has very impressive low light recording quality, however there is some noise, but not enough in my opinion to be bothersome. The bottom line – if you’re looking for a camera for general video capture inside the house or outside with good quality and that will not break the bank look no further. Would highly recommend.

For the Average Consumer and Amateur Filmmakers, the Best Bang for your Buck
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
After my disastrous experience with Sony’s HD Webbie, I was in the market for a video camera that was both high quality and user friendly. Those who’ve read my review for that product, or who have used the product themselves, know that Sony intentionally designed the Webbie to shut down recording after 25 minutes of footage, ostensibly to retain the integrity of the Camera’s internal components. This means that footage must be recorded in 25 minute intervals, with necessary breaks in between to re-start recording. For all of its positives, this glaring drawback made the Webbie useless to me, and, I would presume, most others as well.

In my search for a new camera that was as close to the Webbie as possible without being useless, I came across the JVC Everio. I’d never owned a JVC product before, but had heard good things; formerly a “Sony Man,” the Webbie debacle had left me willing to try out other brand names and see what they had to offer. With one drawback– the still camera option– it turned out to be a worthwhile decision.

IMAGE QUALITY AND RECORDING FEATURES

Image quality is probably the number-one thing people are looking for in a video camera, so I’ll address it first. The Everio is definitely not HD; if one wants to use this for professional purposes, and are bereft some high-quality video editing software, the Everio is probably not for you. The Webbie does, without a doubt, create higher-quality recordings. That being said, this is probably the highest quality video available without going HD. Think of it as “semi-HD.” The camera comes with multiple video quality settings, which permit for more recording time for lower quality or less recording time for higher quality. The lowest quality setting is analagous to a high-quality cell-phone camera or a middle-of-the-road webcam. The highest setting is that “semi-HD” category.

Contributing to the video quality are the image stabilization feature and the superb 40x optical zoom, which loses no video quality. The Flip, for example, will rapidly degrade in video quality the further one zooms in, and is only really useful for recording about two to three feet in front of the camera. Not so with the Everio.

In addition, the Everio comes with multiple image options– Black and white and sepia, which speak for themselves; Strobe, which simulates low-quality webcam recording (for whatever reason), and a very nifty “Old Fashioned” feature that simulates an old 1970s-1980s era film, with a grainy filter and washed out colors. For the more industrious user, JVC also makes several accessories for the camera, including a polarized filter for bright, outdoor recording, and various conversion lenses.

The Everio’s primary drawback in video recording is that it has limited capabilities in adjusting for low-light recording. This is not to say that video recorded in low-light is of a poor quality, simply that it is lower quality than video recorded in medium or bright light. To offset this, the Everio comes with a built-in LED bulb that is pretty bright, and can light up a medium-sized room in the dark. It doesn’t quite fix the problem, but it does a lot to make sure that one’s video recorded in a darker area isn’t a lost cause. That being said, there is no night vision feature, so if that’s a necessity, this isn’t your camera.

STORAGE MEDIUM

Like the Webbie, the Everio utilizes the SD card feature. This means that in order to record, one inserts an SD card into a slot on the camera and records onto it; it’s an identical principle to recording onto a VHS. Once the SD card has filled up, one can either save it and record on another card, or transfer the footage onto one’s computer or a DVD, then wipe the card and use it again and again.

Unlike the Webbie, though, the Everio has TWO SD card slots which work in tandem. Say, for example, one has an SD card with an hour’s worth of recording time, but wants to record two hours of footage. Simply insert a second SD card into the camera, and when the first reaches capacity, the Everio will automatically begin recording on the second card. With two high-capacity SD cards, one could theoretically record for days without having to stop.

CONSTRUCTION/EASE OF USE

The camera is made of a medium-high grade durable plastic, and should be able to stand up to a moderate amount of abuse. At the end of the day, though, this is a piece of eletronic equipment, and isn’t designed to be beaten up. It’s somewhat cumbersome in construction, but definitely easier to manage than some of the older mini-DV/DVD recorders that were only slightly smaller than a 1980s VHS camera. Imagine holding a 12oz can of soda sideways and you’ve got the idea. Those with larger hands might find it too small, those with smaller hands too big. In either case, it’s a fairly easy adjustment (I’ve got larger hands, my girlfriend has smaller hands) and not a hindrance to operation. A leather strap on the side of the camera allows it to somewhat rest of the back of one’s hand, but it’s not a terribly well thought-out feature and most probably won’t put it to use.

The camera is operated via the view screen, which does double duty as a touch-activated menu screen. Options are scrolled through via a sensor to the left of the screen, identical in function to the touch-activated scroll bar found on several laptop mousepads. The Everio has a tendency to scroll through options too quickly, and can be somewhat sensitive to touch, which can be mildly frustrating. Those experienced with laptop touch pads, though, should have no problem at all.

POWER

Unlike the Webbie, which has an internal battery and can only be charged by plugging in the camera, the Everio runs on an external battery that snaps into the back of the camera. The battery can either be charged by keeping it in the camera and then plugging the camera into the wall, or by buying a separate battery charger. As of the writing of this review, JVC makes three types of batteries for the Everio; the most basic, one of which accompanies the camera, runs for about two hours on a full charge. One can purchase one of the two upgrades, which run for five and eight hours.

CAMERA

Like the Webbie, the Everio comes with a built-in digital camera. This sounds like a great feature, and was a contributing factor in my purchase– why buy a video and digital camera if one can have both in the same product? Unfortunately, here is the area where the Webbie blows away the Everio, hands down, and is what prevented me from giving this five stars. The Webbie’s built in camera, although worthless in low light, produced excellent images in medium and bright light. The Everio’s camera feature, quite honestly, is garbage. For the superiority of the film quality the Everio is capable of, its still image capabilities are worthless. The pictures one gets are of cell-phone camera quality: Grainy, heavily pixelated, and in need of contrast/lighting correction. Even with a great photo editing program, one will still be left with sub-par quality pictures. The camera also lacks the stabilization feature of the video camera; the tiniest movement produces an image that looks as though it was taken from underwater. The subjects, as well as the camera operator, must remain perfectly still for anything even vaguely resembling a nice picture.

CONCLUSION

This is a great piece of equipment, and for the average consumer, the best bang for your buck. It certainly isn’t HD quality, and won’t take the place of your digital camera, but for everyday user, and even amateur filmmakers who don’t have the monetary resources for a “top of the line” camera, this is the product you’ve been looking for.

Wish I hadn’t bought it.
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
When I went to the store to buy a video camera, this seemed like the best choice. The price was right and the video quality as seen through the LCD monitor seemed crisp and sharp. However, there are problems.

First, the still pictures it takes are garbage, so don’t think you’re going to replace your digital camera with this. That wasn’t much of a drawback for me, since I mainly intended to use it for video.

Second problem: while recording video or when reviewing recorded video on the camera’s monitor, it always looks great. But when you watch it on a TV or upload it to your computer, it usually looks absolutely horrible, even if the video was taken in full sunlight. The Auto settings for this thing are completely worthless, and what you see in the LCD monitor is often not what you get in reality. It took me A LOT of experimentation with the settings in order to get my video quality to be any good, but it is possible.

The third, and biggest problem is the format in which video is recorded. When you upload video to your computer, it is in MOD format. Yes, it will play in the Everio Media Browser that comes with the camera and it will even play in Windows Media Player, but if you want to edit it or put it on a DVD, you’re in for a very frustrating time. I had a simple movie I needed to edit using Windows Movie Maker, and then to put on a DVD. WMM wouldn’t recognize the MOD format. Yes, the camera comes with software that converts the MOD files into WMV files, which Windows Movie Maker recognizes, but the quality_really_suffers with the conversion. So, I spent a week searching for programs on the internet that would convert MOD files into something compatible with WMM, but which would retain the quality of the original MOD file. It was very difficult.

So, my recommendation is to find out beforehand whether your video editing software can handle the MOD format. As I understand it, the newer (meaning within the last year or 2), higher-end programs can do it, but not everyone wants to spend the $ for that. So, do your homework before buying this, or any camera.

Great Camera for the Price
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This camera has great bang for your buck.

Pros:

-Great Zoom, digital zoom still holds decent quality

-Light

-nice interface

-Quality optics

Cons:

-Light plastic construction, dont drop it

-Low light performance isn’t great, not a problem for me.

-Still picture taking quality is poor

-Need to keep it rather steady

I just wanted a small camcorder for quick action movies for sports/snowboarding/rock climbing that i could upload and mix with an audio track and the everio delivers. I am happy with the product so far for what I paid.