The Whiz Kid Speaks:JVC Everio GZ-MS120 has 800x digital zoom, 3.05 mega pixels, optical sensor is 1/6”, videos are stored in MPEG-2 format, shooting programs include twilight mode, portrait mode, sports mode, night mode, spotlight, snow. Images are stored in JPEG format.
The camcorder supports SD memory cards. Image resolution options are JPEG 640 x 360, JPEG 832 x 624, JPEG 640 x 480. The device has Zoom lens – 2.2 mm – 77 mm – F/1.8, focal length is 2.2 mm – 77 mm, lens aperture is F/1.8, optical zoom is 35x, minimum focal length is 2.2 mm, maximum focal length is 77 mm, lens is manufactured by Konica Minolta.
Additional features include Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording, YouTube capture mode, Auto power save. The device has 2.7 inch TFT LCD, connectors on the camcorder include DC power input, Composite video/audio output and USB. There are 2 expansion slots for SD memory card.
The camcorder supports JVC BN-VF808 and is powered by li-ion rechargeable battery. The device is 2.2 inches wide, 4.4 inches deep, 2.6 inches high and weighs about 8.5 oz.
Razzle Dazzle:
JVC Everio GZ-MS120 has plastic exteriors but is nice to hold and shoot. Mostly the plastic exteriors give a cheap feeling to the device but this one is a rare exception. The device comes in three color options – red, blue and black. The camcorder does have shooting features similar to that of Flip devices but MS120 is bigger so it won’t fit as easily in jacket pocket as the Flip recorder. Regarding the design, the only thing disappointing is the strap which is weak. It is low, thin and not good for holding the device upright while shooting.
Inside Dope:
JVC Everio GZ-MS120 is a sub $300 class of camcorder and it is for people who are fine with SD quality or want to upload photos on the web. Such camcorders are now struggling to compete with the cheaper pocket video camcorders which capture 720p video. Optical zoom and storage are the only two features now which give such camcorders an edge over the mini camcorders. The highlights of this device is the presence of 35x optical zoom and two slots of SD/SDHC which lets you plug in two 32 GB cards, giving you a 64 GB storage space in all. There is no internal memory though.
If you like Flip mini camcorders and don’t mind the big size, get this unit. It is not capable of recording HD videos but is an excellent option if you are looking for SD recording for putting clips on websites like YouTube. The bundled user-friendly software further helps you to put the videos on sites.
The battery hogs most of the space on the back, however there is a bit of space for record start/stop key in there. Snapshot button and zoom rocker are located on the top of the device. You can also click photographs when you are in the video mode, the tiny switch on the MS120 gives more features for still pictures. Don’t expect great photos, they are limited to 640X480 resolution good only for small prints or web.
Other buttons include a toggle button for record and play, power button (you can also boot up the device by opening and closing the LCD). There area also buttons for direct DVD, Export and upload. The latter button is for clips meant for YouTube. The MS120 will automatically limit the clips to ten minutes, which is max that the website can take.
There are two slots of SD/SDHC cards. A single slot can take 32 GB of memory which gives you a maximum of 64 GB. There is no internal memory on the device which is a bit of a disappointment. However, while shooting, if you run out of memory space in one card, the MS120 automatically switches to the other. The switch isn’t instantaneous so you will miss some part of the video.
JVC has Laser Touch Controls but we weren’t fond of it. The strip on the side can be used to zooming in and out. The menu system has been revamped; it is now more user-friendly and hence easy to use.
Considering this is an entry level camcorder, the MS120 has good shooting options. The touch sensitive button lets you control the white balance, shutter speed, brightness and focus. If these things confuse you, you can always use the Auto mode. There are a few recording effects, which we were fond of like Classic Film which gives an old look to your video and Strobe which makes your video recording look like consecutive snapshots. Other options include backlight compensation and scene modes.
The MS120 records in MPEG-2 format (.MOD) which takes 8.5Mbps at Ultra Fine version. 15 minutes of recording takes up 1 GB. There three more options, the lowest being Eco which records at 1.5 Mbps. It takes 20 hours on an eight gig card. We would recommend you not to go beyond Ultra Fine version because the video quality gets quite bad after that.
Recording in daylight with the MS120 gives average videos and the low light videos too are better than what we have seen in other devices. There is a bit of purple fringing but that is not unexpected in such entry level camcorders. As long as you don’t expect great clarity and high-definition detail, the videos will look great on a big TV. Color representation was pleasing; in natural light the white balance was acceptable. There is no fluorescent or incandescent presets for white balance, however there is manual option and the halogen setting can be used with the LED lamp.
Nitty Gritty:
We would recommend the JVC Everio GZ-MS120 to people who are fond of Flip-style mini camcorders and don’t mind the big size. We thought the two card slot was more of a gimmick than innovation and other than that the MS120 is a typical of a standard SD camcorder.