AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

JVC Everio

The first mass market hard-drive based camcorder has been introduced. It blurs the lines even further between a camcorder and a digital camera. The $1000 JVC Everio's main recording medium is a 4 GB microdrive, a removable hard drive. You can record 2.1 mpixel stills or video to the microdrive or a removable SD memory card.

Given that you can buy an iPod Mini with a similar microdrive for under $300, it looks like camcorders like the JVC Everio are poised for a rapid introduction and a rapid price drop. Still, if SD memory cards continue their recent price plunge, I think it's plausable that consumer imaging will skip the hard drive phase altogether. Based on Moore's law, 18 months from now, a 2 GB SD memory card will cost about $60.00 and will give about 40 minutes of high resolution video. Four gigabyte cards will be available at a little over $100.00. With no moving parts, camcorders using solid state memory can be as small and light as current snapshot digital cameras.

Based on the review below, the Everio appears to be a transitional product geared toward early adopters. You would be better servedby buying a $300 4-5 Mpixel camera and a $350 minidv camcorder

Tom's Hardware Guide Video: JVC Everio GZ-MC200: An Hour of DVD with No Cassette! - Introduction