JVC MiniDV Camcorders

JVC Mini DV Camcorders

JVC is a Japanese company with a long history of making full-sized camcorders before they began to produce Mini DV camcorders. JVC were the inventors of the popular VHS format used by many of the first domestic camcorders and recorders.

Although the name DV might suggest all JVC Mini DV camcorders are digital, this isn't actually the case. The first models used very small tape cassettes to record. The introduction of the Mini DV tape cassette led to the overall size of all video camcorders coming down considerably, making them at last truly portable devices to have fun with. At that time most major manufacturers moved into making Mini DV camcorders.

A JVC MIni DV Camcorder is a good camcorder to own, as it is easy to use and compact to carry. It also produces better quality video than most mobile phones.

Style and use

The majority of JVC Mini DV camcorders are of a similar shape and design, being intended to be used one-handed and with a safety hand strap to help stop the camcorder being accidentally dropped. They all usually feature optical zoom lenses of different magnifications.

Optical zoom lenses are designed so the actual glass elements move in and out. You can compose your shots through an optical viewfinder that sees through the camera's lens, or by looking at the fold out LCD screen. This handy screen can also be used to review your footage, and some more modern JVC Mini DV camcorders use a touchscreen to work the camcorder controls. The tiltable screen also comes in useful for waist level shots as well as shooting around corners.

Digital Mini DV

JVC gradually phased out tape camcorders in favour of superior quality digital Mini DV camcorders, distinguished by the extra letter D before the model number. Most JVC digital camcorders also have additional digital zoom that allows you to get even closer in to your subject thanks to on-camera electronics..

These models use the popular SD card digital memory which comes in various capacities.

The advantage of digital over tape is that your films can be easily imported to your computer for editing. Most of JVC's digital DV camcorders allow you to edit in camera and to erase unwanted or failed shots as well. These JVC cameras can usually be connected to your TV so you can enjoy your films full size and with a bigger audience.