JVC GRDVM96U MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/2.5 " LCD, MPEG4 Movie Mode & 8MB SD Card

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Featuring a compact, vertically aligned body to go along with its potent 10x optical zoom, the GR-DVM96U is a great buy for those in need of portability, but who don't want to sacrifice quality.

Lens and CCD
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 1.02 megapixels--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 DVM96U is no exception. It snaps stills at the 1,280 x 960 level, and records them onto an included 8 MB MultiMediaCard (also compatible with SD memory cards). For those interested in sharing small movie clips via e-mail or the Web, the camcorder also comes with an MPEG-4 movie mode, which also records onto the memory card.

Cables and Connectors
The DVM96U comes with what JVC calls a Jack Box, which 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 (these 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 DVM96U 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.