JVC GZ-HM400  Camcorder de Memória de Alta Definição Everio

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

There are a number of items that you should be aware of before purchasing this camera. I am not a professional but enjoy recording and editing video on a regular basis. I purchased this camera about 1.5 months ago and have recorded about 10 hours of video and have decided to stop using this as my main v-camera. Going back to my GZ-HD6U even though it is older.

The good:
1. it has manual buttons dedicated to focus, brightness, aperture, shutter and one user select.
2. Batteries last much longer than on HDD cameras
3. Light weight.
4. Image stabilization is good.

The bad:
1. Manual white balance either does not work or was poorly engineered. I use a calibration target and the camera still has horrible color in many indoor settings.
2. The accessory shoe will not work with any attachment unless you use JVC's cheap plastic adapter which increases the accessory height about 1.5 inches from a normal shoe. Makes it difficult for carrying in camera bags.
3. The tripod mounting screw is located at the back of the camera resulting in an unbalanced stance when mounted to a tripod, especially if you use an add-on wide angle or telephoto lens. In addition the mounting screw is so far back that when mounted to a tripod the battery release button is completely covered. There is no way to change the battery without unscrewing from tripod.
4. If you are using Apple's iMovie or FCE you will not be able to read the video files from a stored location on your computer or hard drive for later editing, you must Log and Transfer direct from the camera.
5. Aperture only goes to 2.8 vs. 1.8 on the GZ-HD6U. This is the reason for the bad low light ability.
6. The camera only shoots in interlace. I knew this before purchasing and thought it would not make that big of a difference but I definitely prefer shooting in 1080p rather than converting later.

I was looking forward to using this camera especially after purchasing it for the discounted price but I am very disappointed with the end product. It is a shame JVC fell short on the items above because it would be a great camera otherwise. Not sure why JVC changed these features for the worse when they had it right for the HD7 & HD6 cameras.

I am now back to shooting video on my 3 year old GZ-HD6U where none of the issues above exist.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I am an amateur but seriously commited movie maker. I bought this camera to be my default camera for every movie, and I was indeed surprized with it. Though it is not for professional video, it is something between a pro and an amateur camera, for its got a compact size, but more resources than an amateur one. I can easily control the light, the shooting speed and the white balance, the focus can be switched to manual and the zoom is more precise than those small sticks that come in the small cameras.
Those were the first impressions, along with a not very long lasting battery pack, but I still have a lot to discover from this camera.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

The movie format no right for dvd player

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

My last camera cost twice the price. I now have a better and smaller camera that does more.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

Great video and image quality. very good zoom

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

We use the camera to video tape our kids and the picture clarity is fantastic and features are easy to use. Our "old" camera was also a JVC but not HD. Batteries have nice life as well. Very happy with purchase and got at a great price! Whole buying experience was excellent - Thanks

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

Great HD video, nice and small, only then is bad in low light.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I use this camera for my personal film projects along with my final film project for high school. The definition on this camera is incredible! The amount of different features on this camera is incredible. For this price I'm suprised at how good it acctually is. The only drawback I find so far is that I cannot figure out out to keep the video light on if you can at all!.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I have owned 4 digital cameras in 6 years.Great consumer level camera. This camera is very user friendly and uploads quickly to my pc for editing. This camera will become legendary in time!

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I purchased this video camera a few weeks ago and the image is extremely impressive for such a low price. What amazed me even more however, we're the quality of the still pictures (9 megapixels). One of my favorite features of this camera is this camera is the ability to shoot at 600fps (although the quality is drastically decreased). However, it does not handle low-light images very well. The small wheel on the front which allows you to manually adjust brightness and focus did not meet my expectations.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

Good Quality. Needed an HD Flash Camcorder with a mic input. This one had it and best of all... no mic preamp needed! I also have a Canon HF20 (it needs a mic preamp).

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

The HD video quality is superb. The first DVD burned was crystal clear when shown on 40inch LCD.
The camera menu is easy to work with. The scrole slider on the left is somewhat touchy when making choices from the menu. Downloading to the PC is effortless. The camera as a whole is very sharp and has great feel to it.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I researched camcords for a week and found this camera to be a best buy, especially with an instant rebate of $250.I purchased this camcorder specifically for our 2010 vacation. The camcorder is everything the others reviews say it is; poor in low light, but great otherwise. I've used the HD recording and photos and have been extremely satisfied.The camcorder works great for long distance shooting, close-up shooting, fast motion recording, etc. This camcord has captured our vacation memories very clearly and did a great job.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

The camera's best quality overall is that it is the perfect balance between being a high quality videography machine and a portable size. It can comfortably handle most features that much larger and more expensive cameras can and yet this one is convinent enough that you can take it with you.

So far my only disappointment is that it's high speed recording feature diminishes video quality, but that just means I will have to simply use the computer to slow it down.

And the colors! This is the first camera I've seen that enhances anything it's filming to look more beautiful than the naked eye.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

This camera gives you great video quality for the price. I use the camera to make youtube videos and it surpasses all expectations. It has very easy to use, does very well recording inside my house, and has the perfect amount of optical zoom. There are no downsides to this camera in my opinion.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

This camera is Great...and the Price is a Big Deal.
A good sharp image with adequate lighting. Also the possbility to attaching lenses and microphones helps a lot and it was a key factor in my decision to buy this camera.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I bought this camera highly recommended. I've not used it enough to make comments on its effectivness, but the discount and the dvd burner that came along with it, made the choice a no-brainer for me. I'm looking forward to using it more. Four stars only because I've not used it enough. I am presently a casual user but am entering into doing more video production stuff. I really like the size for what I need it for.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

Great tool. Love the focus assist. Not so great in low light, but wonderful with adequate lighting. Well worth the price, and I love the $400 savings from B&H. Includes a mic input and cold shoe.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

This camera is absolutely amazing. And at a wonderful $400 dollars off from B&H. I wasn't sure about it at first, but the performance out of the box was great. Not the best quality in low light, but rather crispy with adequate lighting. The cold shoe and 46mm lens make attaching lenses and microphones possible, wich is a major plus.

Comments about JVC GZ-HM400 HD Everio Memory Camera Camcorder:

I recently bought this camera to do some full HD shooting for promos and commercials. I read some reviews for it and it looked good. [...] I tried it out and the quality was amazing! Nothing short of what it says as advertised. Along with this camera I bought a Audio - Technica ATR6550 shotgun microphone. This increases sound quality tremendously. This camera surpasses all other cameras that I have had in the past and it has very high quality and resolution pictures.