JVC Everio GZ-MG360 60GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom

Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Camera in a Small Package
Comment: This is the first camcorder I've ever owned, so unfortunately, I can't compare it to anything else. However, I've used it for about 3 weeks now, and I'm pretty happy with it so far. It is very easy to use, and its compact size allows me the opportunity to use it more than I probably would if it was bulkier.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Absolute Rubbish
Comment: This thing actually shoots pretty good video - but each time you stop shooting momentarily it begins a new clip - thus ensuring they all have to be spliced together in an editing suite.

The problem is that the JVC people in their infinite stupidity ensured that their camera would produce video in their proprietary .MOD files - mpg2 in a custom wrapper to make you use their software. There are lots of ways to play back the .mod files on a PC - even changing the file extension works on most.

Again however, to edit the files using Sony Vegas or any software other than JVC's really cruddy suite included with the camera is simply impossible.

Save yourself headaches and $700 - don't buy this camera or anything else by JVC until they switch to a standardised format like mpg.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Not what i was hoping for, but may be great for others
Comment: I will say that the video quality at the highest setting is very good. I also purchased the largest additional battery that was available and i am not diappointed with that either. I have shot over 30 hours of video so far and the quality is pretty good. The camera is light weight and easy to hold for long periods of time with no problems, which is a huge plus. The menu is easy to navigate to make any adjustments.



What does disapoint me is that i have had several drop detection errors occur when i was filming, even when i was not moving my hand. I do have a professional camera mount kit for my car and when i film inside the car (mounted on the dash) at high speeds and high g forces (think of how the car leans around a turn) the camera is fine. But once i take it outside the car even at speeds around 60mph and no turns, i get camera errors such as hard drive issues, I happened when i wasn't even going over 30mph. I also found that the editing software is very poor. I went ahead and ordered the recomended software upgrade from jvc, Cyberlink power director V6. I find that windows movie maker does a pretty good job, but it won't import the files from the camera.

overall, if you don't want to edit and want too keep it simple, buy this camera. If you are looking for something a step better i wouldn't recomend this camera. I personally would not buy it again.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Not what I thought I was getting.
Comment: I wanted something light and compact to record my son's soccer games and birthdays, family events, etc. While this would probably be fine for the other events, it was very poor quality for the fast-moving soccer game. It was okay when holding still, but following the players was pretty much a blur and the still shots so far at any distance are VERY poor, I'm pretty disappointed after researching and being so excited to get this model. Great price at Costco, however ours is going back. I was unable to change the recording mode from the default, which won't publish to the web as far as I can tell, which is highly disappointing. The tutorial is very limited and the software not much more of a help. Pretty disappointed all around.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Small, Compact and easy to use!!
Comment: I bought this over other brands because it was small and compact, yet easyto use. I looked at the Sony equivilant, and the only difference I found was price, and looks. Also Sony still uses a different memory card oppose to SD. Sony was a few hundred dollars more, and it was bulky, too big to put in pocket or purse. On the other hand, JVC Everio is compact and easy to use.