JVC GR-D23EK Mini DV Digital Camcorder Camcorder Best Buys

A waste of money - search the Internet before buying! - 13 Nov 2006

1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

Facts:
Cheap. Works fine at first. Then doesn't.
Mine went into a safeguard mode in about a year of light usage. Miraculously healed itself and then went into coma in another month.
Half a year after that, working again, started chewing the film's edges with jerking picture and broken timecode - a couple of cassettes spoiled and a lot of precious moments missed!
I went on the Web to search for the first fault remedy and was very unpleased to learn that JVC camcorders are infamous for that kind of things. Personally, after my own experience and all the stuff that I've read I am avoiding JVC as a brand.

Zoom/Tape Noisy, Lasted 18 Months - 02 Nov 2006

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

This camcorder was great when I first got it, was one of the cheapest at the time and did everything it was supposed to, but as the months went by I started noticing more and more tape noise on my recordings, where the mic was picking up the sound of the internal mechanism, and the noise from the zoom has been really quite awful.

Last week the camera packed up, it just says the lense cap it on all the time, even when it isn't, so it lasted about 18 months altogether.

Not great.

Great Budget DV-Cam! - 31 Aug 2005

2 out of 2 found this review helpful.

This is an excellent buy for anyone wanting to enter the world digital video. If you've used a standard camcorder before then you will quickly be able to navigate the menus and operate the functions. If you are a beginner, the manual provides excellent information on getting the best from your new gadget.

I've used this camera to make short films with a mate and they work fantastically.

The only drawback is that there is no output on the camera for using a microphone and when playing back a slight high-pitched humming sound can be heard (basically the in-built microphone is picking up the sound of the DV-tape whirring about in the camera). This however doesn't really pose much of a problem (unless you are quite fussy), and goes mostly unnoticed.

All in all, a great buy.

Bargain Buy, really amazing for the money - 21 Dec 2004

14 out of 14 found this review helpful.

My camera arrived today and i was actually shocked by how small it was, i remember a time where a camera this small would cost at least a grand. The actual camera is also very light. The picture quality is very impressive and the features very easy to use. For a camera around the 200 mark i would 110% reccomend this one as its such good value.

Bad points:
This model unfortunately does not have the features that another reviewer stated in the fact that you cand record onto the camera from a vcr or a tv, on the two models up you can, this was extremely dissapointing as i really needed to get some vhs onto dvd.
The sound is also a little poor as the motor is quiet when filming but on playback it is very loud and this is also quite dissapointing, with these two problems sorted i would tell everyone to get one.

Overall though a very impressive buy, if your using hi 8 then this is a major step up in quality.
dont forget to buy tapes aswell as they are not supplied.

Top marks and very good value - 15 Dec 2004

4 out of 5 found this review helpful.

This camcorder is very simple and easy to use, charge the battery and push the button and go. Nice light weight unit.
The price is what caught my attention, delivery was a bit longer than i thought it should have had been, but it is christmas.