Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #50096 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: JVC
• Model: GR-D73EK
• Released on: 2004-03-31
• Dimensions: 1.10 pounds

Manufacturer's Description
The new range of JVC camcorders consists of three models, the GR-D23, D53 and D73, and starts at an entry-level price point that will encourage owners of analogue camcorders to step up to digital. Despite the competitive price points, however, the range offers high-performance features that will appeal to experienced videographers. In addition, a new design, combined with miniaturisation technology, makes these camcorders more portable and more visually appealing than previous models available in this price range.

All three models feature JVC's Digital Colour Night Scope low-light shooting technology, a 16x Optical and 700x Digital Zoom, Digital Special Effects, a 2.5 inch Amorphous Silicon LCD Colour Monitor, and high-band processing to deliver 520 lines of horizontal resolution, using the MiniDV format. Each model in the range has a slightly different mix of features to create a choice that spans the spectrum of demand, with the higher-end models offering digital still camera functions, plus a USB interface for transferring video footage to a PC, for editing, copying, and sending to friends and family via email.

The GR-D73 is equipped with a USB interface, and come bundled with software that facilitates a variety of creative and visual communication functions. The USB connection is capable of streaming MPEG-1 format video from the camcorder to a personal computer. Once it's on the PC, the MPEG-1 data can be burned on to a CD-R/RW disc to create a Video CD that can be viewed on most DVD players. This is a great and easy way to share videos with friends and family.

For people who need a Web-camera to communicate in real-time with images and sound, the MPEG-1 video stream can be webcast over the Internet (using third party software such as Microsoft Netmeeting") for teleconferencing, surveillance or videotelephony. Naturally, digital stills can also be captured from the camera's playback footage or live video stream at the PC. The USB interface on these new video cameras makes them ideal tools for gathering digital source material, which can be freely edited and processed on a PC, and authored as a final work using the provided software.

The GR-D73 comes bundled with image management and manipulation software. Digital Photo Navigator is for still image transfer, easy image re-sizing and HTML Web file creation, as well as data library management, slideshows and movie file creation. ImageMixer with VCD1.1 is a powerful multi-application program that takes care of everything from image and sound capture, file management (including stills, movies and sound), to easy, non-linear MPEG-1 editing, complete with scene transitions, MPEG-1 recording of live camera images directly on a computer's hard disk, and authoring of Video CDs. In addition, essential utilities such as a USB Video Streaming Driver are provided.

The GR-D73 features a built-in Digital Still Camera function that enables the user to shoot HG Digital Stills, with two selectable image size settings (1024x768-pixel or 640x480-pixel) and store them on a MultiMediaCard. (An 8MB MultiMediaCard is provided.) There's also an MPEG-4 Email Video Clip recording function that also stores files on the MultiMediaCard. Stored data can be quickly transferred via USB with on-screen icon access. Alternatively, the memory card can be ejected from the camera and inserted into an optional Floppy Disk Adapter or PC Card Adapter for easy transfer of the data to a PC.

In addition to the DV output available on all three models, the DV (i.LINK, IEEE 1394 compliant) terminal on the GR-D73 also offers DV input capability. This allows fast data transfer to or from a computer (equipped with a DV board) or for dubbing to or from another MiniDV unit. Models with DV input/output also offer an Analogue input to allow analogue video from an external source to be dubbed to the digital MiniDV format.

Featured on all models in the range, JVC's Digital Colour NightScope function makes it possible to shoot video in environments where it would have previously been too dark. This function combines the performance of a high-sensitivity CCD with slow-shutter and digital signal processing technology to boost picture brightness enormously letting people shoot and enjoy brighter evening and night scenes without turning on extra lights. Furthermore, unlike infrared-based night-shooting functions that give a colourless image, JVC's technology delivers a vivid, full colour image. Also, whereas infrared systems have limitations on their effectiveness (based on how far the infrared beam can travel), Digital Colour NightScope has no distance limitations because it relies only on existing ambient illumination.

All models are equipped with a 2.5 amorphous-silicon LCD monitor that can be freely tilted for accurate and creative shooting. Also common to all models in the range are the impressive 700x Super Digital Zoom, which employs spline interpolation to improve image clarity at high zoom ratios, a 16x Optical Zoom for high-quality close-up shots, and a Picture Stabiliser which eliminates camera shake, and which self-adjusts to match the degree of stabilisation required by the user.

The popular Power-Linked Operation, in which the camera automatically powers-on when the LCD monitor is opened or the viewfinder is pulled out, so that users can start shooting immediately, and automatically powers-off when the LCD is closed or the viewfinder is pushed back in, to save battery drain, is also present on all models.

Also included is a wide range of Programme AE modes with digital effects and transitions that make it easy to give your videos a professional-looking finish. Effects include Black & White, Sepia, Classic Film, Strobe, Cinema, Twilight, Sports, Snow and Spotlight many of which can be applied to the footage during playback. Scene transitions include White Fader, Black Fader, Black & White Fader, Shutter Wipe, Slide Wipe, Door Wipe, Corner Wipe, Window Wipe, and Scroll Wipe.

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