JVC GR-DVM70U Digital Cybercam Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode
By: JVC Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 27
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 On: 2003-11-20
How do you get pictures and movies on your email? I have windows XP and cant get things loaded onto the computer without it playing on just the camera.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-01-05
I have been using this camera for 3 years or so now. The only issue I had with this was the battery was not holding charge so had to buy another battery... The digital still images are ok. The software could have been better.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-06
generelly speaking, it is a good mini dv camcorder which is small size, lot of function and good quilty video image. but still image qulity is not good, especially indoor shooting.flash light doesnt help much. another problem is nightalive function is bad, video qulity dramatically decrases because its shooting speed slows down, which is much worse than other digital camcorder.
my point is if you use it outdoor most of time, it is good one.
On: 2002-06-30
hý how do ý get thýs stuff pls gýve me some ýnformatýon
by: Anonymous On: 2002-06-06
I am spending hours to find out
1-Were I can not get any information how to instal this product to win.xp.
2- How I can transfare picture from DSC to my PC (even with my former win.98
3- How can I send email?May be somebody answer me
overall I give zero rating for this product web info,and help
 On: 2002-03-13
My JVC is 2 years old. Ive had to replace the mother board once, and recently have another malfunction.
On: 2002-02-16
Have had this wonderful camera for about a year; have struggled that long with the software. Makes it almost impossible to transfer pix from camera to PC, and repeated trips to JVC and Mr Photo websites have failed to find any updates or even replacement software. At this point, I have tried several different photo programs and none can download from the camera to the PC.
I have excellent pictures, but little way to enjoy them except in the camera. I just cant believe a huge company like JVC would leave so many customers hanging like this, with very pricey equipment and no way to use it.
The camera gets five stars, the software actually gets zero.
 On: 2001-11-01
I bought a JVC GR-DVM70 when they were hot, shiny, and new. Paid a ton for it too. Camera works good and is small enough to fit in loose pockets. I really enjoy the physical camera. Turns out however, that JVC makes the WORST software in the world. I dont know who their software engineers are, but they wrote (...) software and included it with the camera. Also, my camera is not USB and that is a huge part of the problem. You really should only buy a USB based camera because serial based is extemely slow in transferring images and I can never connect the camera to the computer for downloading stills without having endless problems. Just DONT buy it (or if you must, buy the one I own).
On: 2001-08-25
The quality of the still pictures just @#@$........I just bought this camcorder five days ago 08-20-01 and Im going to take it back today after work. The only reason I gave it a 2 star rating is because the camcorder portion seems to be realy good, but I also wanted the still pictures to be great for [the price]. sorry JVC but you realy let me down on this one....
 On: 2001-07-29
I bought the GR-DVM70 in the spring of 1999 and Ive had only two minor problems with it. The first is that the standard 1-hour rechargeable battery is now beginning to lose its ability to hold a charge (I also bought a 2-hour battery). The second is that the plastic button that covers the switch that opens the camera somehow popped off. As you can see both of these are minor issues.Other the other hand, Ive shot countless hours of excellent video with this camera including the birth of my two children and vacation footage. Ive never experienced the zoom/noise problem discussed in the other postings. Ive used the digital still feature and the Picture Navigator software to upload photos to my computer and sent them to family and freinds via email. It is true that the resolution of the digital stills is not photo quality but I think it is just fine for computer/internet use. I will admit that the Picture Navigator s/w is somewhat user un-freindly and that the serial link is a slow way to upload digital stills. In addition, Picture Navigator does not run on Windows2000 -- which I now run on my computer. So...I upgraded to another piece of software from Digital Origin called "IntroDV". This software (which runs on Win2000)comes with a firewire card (IEEE1395) which is MUCH faster. It allows me to upload digital stills AND digital video. It comes with a digital video editor so I can edit and transition my sceens, put in titles, and lay down music tracks. Once Ive finished editing I can output my resulting movie to a CD in Quicktime format (the Quicktime movie player is free from Apple). Ive been doing this with home movies of the kids and sending them back in CD form to family and freinds. This is a lot cheaper than sending VCR tapes! The catch is that your movie recipients will need at least a PentiumII/450MHz computer to watch the video without dropped frames. The video is about 4"x3" on your screen (you can make it larger if you computer has the horsepower to handle it). To make the movies, you will need the same kind of computing power, at leeast a 10Gb hard disk and a CD R/W drive. Overall the camera has performed admirably for me. The only reason I would want to replace it would be to increase the video/still picture resolution; which is probably something I will do in the next few years as the technology gets better and the prices become more competitive.
On: 2001-06-28
The one thing I am really disappointed about re this camera is the poor quality of the digital stills. It is all very nice to have a still pic facility on a camcorder but the resolution is visibly fuzzy - it is only 640 x 480! JVC should not have bothered with this feature at this level of quality.
On: 2001-05-28
Throw away all your other cameras. This does it all and fits in your pocket
On: 2001-05-06
If you are looking for an ultracompact, feature-filled camcorder, the JVC GR-DVM70U digital cybercam will take you to new levels of vacation and home video making. The GR-DVM70U features a digital still picture output that allows this camcorder to act as a digital still camera. The still images are stored on a removable 4 MB multimedia card and can be downloaded onto your PC via the provided serial cable. A short editing process makes your images Web-ready or e- mail compliant with the software included. This JVC digital cybercam offers a high level of picture and sound quality. A 680,000-pixel CCD delivers outstanding resolution, and with the 180,000-pixel color LCD monitor, the camcorder can be operated from any angle. For important close-up shots, the 200x digital zoom provides fast zooming at variable speeds by finger pressure. This cybercam is full of digital effects and scene transitions for the budding filmmaker. Let your creativity run free with effects such as classic film, strobe, slow shutter, black and white, and many more. A time-lapse capability allows you to record at preset intervals to catch slow motion action such as plant growth or cloud movement. You can also record in a special animation mode that creates the illusion of movement for an otherwise stationary scene when you shoot a series of slightly different poses. Random assemble editing provides an eight-scene memory for favorite scenes as well as the ability to add special effects. The JVC GR-DVM70U is fully compatible with your PC computer. It includes a serial cable, 4 MB multimedia card and digital output link. Other accessories include a handgrip strap, audio-video output cable, editing cable, DC adapter, cleaning cloth, AC adapter/battery charger, and docking station.
On: 2001-02-11
I got the JVC DVM-70 from a large dept store. If you are buying the camera for the small size, then this is the one you want. However, after owning for 1.5 years the camera has been in for service multiple times due to a problem of dropping audio & video. Luckily for me I purchased a 3 year warranty at Circuit City, and the camera will get replaced after the 3rd time in service for the same problem. My next camera model will probably be a Sony.Some other drawbacks: -whine sound while recording from zoom motor (as mentioned above) -audio/video dropping problem -MultiMediaCard reading software that comes with the camera isnt very friendly. I recommend getting SanDisks MultiMediaCard reader from Circuit City or other computer store -Might not work 100% perfect with IEEE 1394 Firewire capture software (such as Ulead/Adobe Premier) (I still have to experiment more with this). However, I have made a few computer videos with the camera while it wasnt in the service shop. - Hard to find underwater casings except for the bag from ewa-marine. Sony has much more support for underwater filming. Like I said, this is the camera you want if the small size is important to you. It takes great pics - both stills and video. But if you want a workhorse that is very versatile, then this model is not the one.
On: 2000-11-11
After spending 6 of its first 12 weeks of ownership in the Atlanta JVC Service Center, they could not fix the problem of noise and dropouts in the audio and video. Tried several different brands of new tapes, many of which it ate and ruined. After third trip to Atlanta, JVC just cut me a refund check but I had to call US Headquarters and speak to corporate level service management. Steer clear of lousy product and service.
On: 2000-10-14
Ive owned this camcorder for a month...Although please avoid them if possible, they open the box from JVC and change the standard battery for a NiCa battery which lasts only 20mins! Then they charge you extra for the normal battery. Unless youre really on the ball youll be caught out like me. I cannot believe the nerve of these people! Check out Camcorder & Computer Video mag for other retailers with prices just as good, some better.The GRDVM50 is identical to the grdvm70 except it doesent have the memory card & built in flash. Firstly, the video quality is superb. For my personal use of creating PC picture albums I find the digital stills perfectly adaquate, one real advantage with the software is even if the still you take is not in great focus you can frame by frame advance and youll always find in 1 or 2 frames a clear image, just press the capture button on the software and this is the still thats transferred. If youre looking for high quality stills then buy a dedicated digital camera of high cost camcorder like the sony pc100 approx.$1500 street! In a nutshell, this unit is so easy to use and carry around, its also pretty rugged compared to the plasticcy models from other manufacturers. On the downside, yes you can hear motor whine on the tape when using zoom but to be honest I really dont find it a problem. Wind noise-there is an electronic feature to reduce windnoise. I used this on Millenium Force rollercoaster at Cedar Pt.(Ohio) and it worked fine. The battery doesent last long, you can buy 1.5hrs (actual) from camera shops. JVC Service & literature dont give me a warm feeling in terms of PC connectivity & what Ive heard. Oh yeah, I had a problem with connecting to PC, check under on your PC underStart,settings,control panel,ports, that the baud rate is 9600 JVC connectivity literature is pathetic considering how easy it actually is to connect. Dont waste time reading the software manuals, just install & use. So..as far as rating goes, Im not biased, and Im basically blown away by this little machine considering the price I paid and the overall performance.
by: Anonymous On: 2000-10-13
Ive had this camera since last Christmas and still cannot operate the software! The Ulead software provided for the video is not user friendly; there are more cords, wires, options and complications with the whole system than the average picture taker can handle. However the picture quality is outstanding.
On: 2000-10-08
I love this camcorder, it is small enough to carry anywhere I go. I purchased extra batteries which has increased my ease of use. I have not been able to connect it to my computer as of yet. The instructions from JVC are not the best and their site is no help at all. I emailed them and asked for help and got a really ignorant response. If anyone can give me some help with connecting this to my computer I would really appreciate it!
by: Anonymous On: 2000-09-27
This camcorder pretty much ruined any hopes of capturing a very special event (Getting married in Hawaii) as it suffered one failure after another, including no sound capture. To add insult to injury, the product has been in a JVC authorized service center for over 2 weeks and 4 phone calls without so much as a single response... Bad product, lousy service...
On: 2000-08-31
Ok, probably like you I thought this was a very cool camcorder. Its a great design, small with lots of features. The problem is that it has one fatal flaw. The left and right mic are on top and pick-up a high pich whine of the camcorder motor when you are recording. I tried to get used to it but after a few days returned the product with much regret. As an Engineer I couldnt help but be amazed how could such a simple and fatal flaw could have made it to market on such a great product.
On: 2000-08-09
easy to use, the small size is perfect! still camera is much pleasure, an ideal way to get your pictures on your pc and tranfer them by e-mail. just the perfect camera for a reasonable price
On: 2000-07-06
I tried two units before giving up on the JVC. The video was OK (not great color) but the audio was fatally flawed. The camera itself generates a whine which is then picked up by the microphone and recorded. Any quiet recordings, when played back, have this buzzing whining sound added; I found it completely unsatifactory. No provision for an external microphone (which would have been a satisfactory solution) is made! Were it not for this flaw I would have been happy with the camera.
On: 2000-07-01
After the birth of my son, I wanted a camcorder to shoot video of him and family events.I tried the Canon ZR, Canon Vistura, and JVC DVM-70 The main reason I liked the JVC DVM-70 is the small size and relative low cost. This camcorder is so small it fits in a pants pocket or even a shirt pocket! Size is very important for me because of my experience with 35 millimeter cameras. I have 2 cameras: one full size Canon SRL camera that cost about $1000.00, and one small Yashika T4 Super pocket size camera that cost $150.00. Guess where most of my good family photos come from - the $150.00 pocket size camera! Thats because this is the camera I carry most of the time. I just dont like to be "Joe Photographer Guy" or "Joe Camcorder Guy" lugging around a big piece of equipment. I can carry the DVM-70 in my pocket and quickly pull it out and start shooting when something interesting happens - just the way I use my Yashika T4. The DVM-70 is also very quick and easy to use. Once you turn a switch to the "Camera" position, the camcorder automatically turns itself on and off when you open or close the LCD panel, or eye piece. This is important because often the action you want to record happens quickly; youll miss shots if you have to fumble with controls. One problem with this camera is that the microphone is on the top. It picks up some motor noise from the camera, and you have to be careful not to let it pick up the sound of your own breathing. However, this is a problem with most of these very small camcorders, and I dont find it to be too big of a problem. I have also had problems with lots of wind noise when shooting outside in the wind. Ive had the DVM-70 for about a year now and I still dont see another camcorder Id rather have for recording family events.
On: 2000-06-30
After the birth of my son, I wanted a camcorder to shoot video of him and family events.I tried the Canon ZR, Canon Vistura, and JVC DVM-70 The main reason I liked the JVC DVM-70 is the small size and relative low cost. This camcorder is so small it fits in a pants pocket or even a shirt pocket! Size is very important for me because of my experience with 35 millimeter cameras. I have 2 cameras: one full size Canon SRL camera that cost about $1000.00, and one small Yashika T4 Super pocket size camera that cost $150.00. Guess where most of my good family photos come from - the $150.00 pocket size camera! Thats because this is the camera I carry most of the time. I just dont like to be "Joe Photographer Guy" or "Joe Camcorder Guy" lugging around a big piece of equipment. I can carry the DVM-70 in my pocket and quickly pull it out and start shooting when something interesting happens - just the way I use my Yashika T4. The DVM-70 is also very quick and easy to use. Once you turn a switch to the "Camera" position, the camcorder automatically turns itself on and off when you open or close the LCD panel, or eye piece. This is important because often the action you want to record happens quickly; youll miss shots if you have to fumble with controls. One problem with this camera is that the microphone is on the top. It picks up some motor noise from the camera, and you have to be careful not to let it pick up the sound of your own breathing. However, this is a problem with most of these very small camcorders, and I dont find it to be too big of a problem. I have also had problems with lots of wind noise when shooting outside in the wind. Ive had the DVM-70 for about a year now and I still dont see another camcorder Id rather have for recording family events.
On: 2000-06-20
Overall, Ive been very happy with this cam, but only after having spent quite a bit of additional money to add features that negate its flaws. Its solid & small enough to fit in a back pocket, but also very comfortable to use. I get comments and the cam gets admiring glances wherever I go. My problems with it are few, but important if you dont know how to get around them. The features & praise you can read elsewhere, and Id echo most of that praise. But here are the flaws:
-- The included apparati for transferring data to your computer are slow (serial cables) & lame (software). For transferring & editing video, Pinnacle Studios Studio DV and its included FireWire cable is a must buy (...). Also, if youre serious about editing video on your computer, make sure youve got a great machine (fast processor, beefy video card, huge & fast hard drive, lots of RAM). Likewise, the included still camera software is a waste of bytes. Transferring still shots is much easier with the MultiMedia Card Reader from Sandisk ... . Just plug in the card like a floppy and there are your JPGs. It wouldnt hurt to invest in a bigger (16MB ...) MultiMedia Card, while youre at it.
-- The on-board software is buggy. I suppose I need to take my cam in for servicing to see if it can be fixed, but trying to use the slideshow feature for the stills turns my entire screen green & I have no choice but to power off. You might expect JVC to have updated BIOS downloads on their web site so you could update it yourself, but one look at the JVC homepage and your expectations will be lowered.
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On: 2000-06-19
Overall, Ive been very happy with this cam, but only after having spent quite a bit of additional money to add features that negate its flaws. Its solid & small enough to fit in a back pocket, but also very comfortable to use. I get comments and the cam gets admiring glances wherever I go. My problems with it are few, but important if you dont know how to get around them. The features & praise you can read elsewhere, and Id echo most of that praise. But here are the flaws:
-- The included apparati for transferring data to your computer are slow (serial cables) & lame (software). For transferring & editing video, Pinnacle Studios Studio DV and its included FireWire cable is a must buy (...). Also, if youre serious about editing video on your computer, make sure youve got a great machine (fast processor, beefy video card, huge & fast hard drive, lots of RAM). Likewise, the included still camera software is a waste of bytes. Transferring still shots is much easier with the MultiMedia Card Reader from Sandisk ... . Just plug in the card like a floppy and there are your JPGs. It wouldnt hurt to invest in a bigger (16MB ...) MultiMedia Card, while youre at it.
-- The on-board software is buggy. I suppose I need to take my cam in for servicing to see if it can be fixed, but trying to use the slideshow feature for the stills turns my entire screen green & I have no choice but to power off. You might expect JVC to have updated BIOS downloads on their web site so you could update it yourself, but one look at the JVC homepage and your expectations will be lowered.
END
On: 2000-06-19
I have bought more than 8 digital video cameras in the last 3 years, its part of my job, and this one is the one... it is really, really good. Everyone working with me agrees. For personal use, for professional use... its just great. Any doubts contact me: construct.it@mail.telepac.pt
On: 2000-06-18
I really liked this camera because it is so easy to use and all of its awesome features make it even better! If you need a totally spectacular digital video camera at a great price, this is the camera youve been looking for! Its the best consumer video camera on the market today!
On: 2000-06-17
I really liked this camera because it is so easy to use and all of its awesome features make it even better! If you need a totally spectacular digital video camera at a great price, this is the camera youve been looking for! Its the best consumer video camera on the market today!
On: 2000-06-14
The size of the camera is very compact and handy but it has its drawbacks. The still picture quality is not very good with white lines running vertically, looking like a pin striped suit. The LCD Display is useless in very much light and is very small. The battery life is only about 1/2 hour shooting video and if you would want to take stills that use the flash, battery life is much shorter.
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