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  • Performance

  • Format

  • Auto / Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Conclusion & Comparisons

  • Photo Gallery

  • Specs and Ratings

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Auto / Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Conclusion & Comparisons
  • Photo Gallery
  • Specs and Ratings

Performance

The JVC Everio GZ-MS100 is equipped with a lot of the same internal components that are in JVC's other entry- and mid-level Everio camcorders. Inside, you'll find a single 1/6-inch CCD with a gross pixel count of 680,000. The effective pixel count is not listed in the specs sheet, but it's safe to assume that it's a 340,000 count.

The GZ-MS100 records in standard definition MPEG-2 video, and with specs like those above, you can expect a decent image, but certainly not something you want to put on a big screen. If used as intended - for YouTube - that's absolutely fine. YouTube compression devastates most image quality anyway with its additional layer of super-heavy compression.

JVC GZ-MS100 3000 lux auto

We started testing by shooting our DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde color chart at an even 3000 lux (bright light) and examining the results on a full-size monitor, then comparing the chart results from similar camcorders. Under these more or less ideal conditions, the GZ-MS100 looked decent. The first thing you notice is the high color saturation. The greens, in particular, are very saturated. Common (though not exclusive) to entry-level and low-end camcorders, colors are sometimes boosted to help you overlook an otherwise poor image. In this case, the image isn't that bad. The fine details are, in fact, better than last year's JVC GZ-MG130 (a hard drive camcorder), the Sony DCR-DVD108 (a DVD camcorder), and this year's Panasonic SDR-SW20 (a card-based camcorder). The Sony pushed the in-camera sharpening, which boosted the detail along high contrast areas and gave it the appearance of higher resolution, but it really didn't. The Sony produced the best looking color of the three.

Compared to the two primary YouTube-oriented competitors, the Flip Ultra and the Sony NSC-GC1, the JVC GZ-MS100 performed better. The image was sharper and the colors were more accurate. We must note that we did not perform full lab testing on the Sony CG1, but we did spend a fair bit of time with it at the camcorder's release event.

Out of the lab, the Everio GZ-MS100 performs well in most circumstances. As long as the lighting is good, the camcorder produces acceptable video for its price range. The compression artifacting is hard to miss - chunky blocks of discoloration in various areas of the screen. There is also a fair amount of purple fringing around bright white areas. In indoor shooting, beware of white balance issues. We found the camcorder incapable of producing a decent pallet under fluorescent lighting, and we tried setting the camcorder in both Auto white balance and the Fluorescent preset.

Overall, the Everio GZ-MS100 is a good performer for its class and price. It certainly doesn't stand out head and shoulders above the competition, but if used primarily as a camcorder for online video sharing sites, it will do the job well.

Video Resolution* (3.66)*

The video resolution of the JVC GZ-MS100 was tested by shooting a DSC Labs resolution chart at an even, bright light, then playing the footage back on a monitor to determine the approximate line widths per picture height (lw/ph).  We found the camcorder capable of outputting a horizontal resolution of 325 lw/ph and a vertical resolution of 225 lw/ph. This is about average for a camcorder in this price range.

Low Light Performance* (5.6) *

The low light performance of the JVC Everio GZ-MS100 was tested in three stages. First, we shot our DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde chart at an even 60 lux and 15 lux, then compared them against the other camcorders that underwent the same tests.

First, we should note that all JVCs offer a function called AGC, which stands for Auto Gain Control. This means you don't have direct control over the gain, but you can turn the auto gain on and off. The factory default is to leave this on, and we highly recommend you leave it that way. The small sensor in the GZ-MS100 needs all the help it can get.

JVC GZ-MS100 60 lux auto

At 60 lux, the GZ-MS100 performs surprisingly well (with the AGC on). The fine detail retention is quite good, and the colors remain strong. JVC has touted its noise reduction systems in the last few generations of camcorders, and its positive effects are seen here. There is a definite pattern of graininess, but it doesn't mask much of the fine detail. By comparison, the JVC GZ-MG130 looks similar, but not quite as sharp. The Sony DCR-DVD108 is slightly darker than the GZ-MS100, but the colors look more natural and pleasing. The Panasonic SDR-SW20 is darker, less sharp, and duller in color.

JVC GZ-MS100 60 lux with the AGC off

At 60 lux with the AGC off, much of the color is drained and there is some loss of fine detail.

The JVC GZ-MS100 also offers shutter speed control. When we dropped the shutter down to 1/30 at 60 lux, it actually had a negative effect on the image. The color saturation was pushed beyond the point of comfort.

JVC GZ-MS100 60 lux 1/30th shutter speed

At 15 lux, the JVC GZ-MS100 is not great, which is the de facto standard for anything but higher-end camcorders. The colors are still strong and there is some fine detail retained, but not much. The Sony DCR-DVD108 looks sharper but has dimmer colors. The Panasonic SDR-SW20 looks much worse.

JVC GZ-MS100 15 lux auto

With the AGC off at 15 lux, the image is almost black.

JVC GZ-MS100 15 lux with the AGC off

When we turned the AGC back on and lowered the shutter speed to 1/30, the image looks better. If you can deal with the motion lag, it may be a useful feature for low light shooting.

JVC GZ-MS100 15 lux 1/30th shutter speed

The second stage of our low light testing involves shooting an X-Rite Color Checker chart at an even 60 lux, then exporting frame grabs to Imatest imaging software to determine color accuracy, noise, and saturation. At best, the JVC GZ-MS100 is able to produce a color error of 8.08. This is a better color accuracy than any of the camcorders we looked at for comparison - not too bad of a performance, all in all. The noise measures 0.9275 percent, which is much better than the Sony, a little better than the Panasonic, and the same as last year's JVC GZ-MG130. Finally, the saturation measures 95.47 percent. This is far brighter than the average camcorder. It seems to be a result of an overactive auto gain. The net effect is pretty good, however.

The third stage of the low light test involves shooting the DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde at a slow, steadily decreasing light while watching a waveform monitor. When the camcorder produces a peak exposure output of 50 IRE, we take the light level of the lamp and factor it in as the camcorder's sensitivity. The GZ-MS100 is able to produce 50 IRE at a light level of 13 lux. This is a little better than the Sony DVD108 and Panasonic SW20, but a huge improvement over the last year's JVC GZ-MG130.

Overall, the JVC Everio GZ-MS100 turned in a surprisingly good performance in low light. The image has noticeable noise, but in moderately low light you will be able to see a fair amount of color and detail.

Stabilization* (8.9)
*The GZ-MS100 is equipped with Digital Image Stabilization (DIS), a form of image stabilization that creates a digital buffer around the recorded frame. This sacrifices resolution along the borders of the image and is not as effective as Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which physically isolates the lens element from the body of the camcorder.

We tested the GZ-MS100's DIS system using our custom-built camcorder shake emulator at two speeds: Speed One and Speed Two. Speed One simulates the typical handheld shake created from a stationary position. Speed Two is a bit more aggressive, more along the lines of a light jog or bumpy car ride with the camcorder. The GZ-MS100 displayed an impressive 95-percent shake reduction at Speed One and a miserable 11.1-percent shake reduction at Speed Two. The GZ-MS100's DIS simply cannot handle fast motion.

**

Wide Angle*** (11.2)
*We tested the GZ-MS100's maximum wide angle measurement using a vertical laser at both left and right angles. DIS was disabled, the camcorder was set to Manual mode, and the Zoom was pulled back to its widest setting. Video was later interpreted on an external monitor to attain a true reading. The GZ-MS100's maximum wide angle measurement proved to be 56 degrees, which is along the highest end of the spectrum.

Format

Compression* (4.0)*

The JVC GZ-MS100 records standard definition video in the MPEG-2 format, similar to the kind you'd find on any DVD, hard disk drive, or flash memory camcorder. One look at the chart in the next section tells you MPEG-2 is not the most efficient compression. A lot of storage space is taken up for only a little recording time.

In terms of general image quality, MPEG-2 tends to show more compression artifacts than its main competitor in standard definition, MiniDV. Compression artifacting most often comes in the form of blocky bits of color that appear in areas where you'd expect to see a uniform or smooth pallet.

There are four quality settings on the JVC GZ-MS100 that correspond to different bitrates. The highest setting, Ultra Fine, records at 8.5 Mbps. Below that is Fine, recording at 5.5 Mbps, then Normal at 4.2 Mbps. Each of these outputs a 720 x 480 picture. There is a fourth setting, Economy, that records 1.5 Mbps at 352 x 240. This is a very low quality setting that is not recommended for any type of important recording. It's better practice to record in the highest quality, then reduce the size and quality with editing software. That way, if you ever need to go back and retrieve the high quality recording, it's there.

JVC GZ-MS100's card slot for SD and SDHC cards

Media* (6.0)
*The JVC GZ-MS100 records video to SD and SDHC memory cards, a popular and widely available card type found at any camera shop, electronics store, or megamart. Relying solely on memory cards as your recording media can be both freeing and troublesome. Cards are incredibly small and light compared to tapes, DVDs, and hard drives. It's easy to pop them out of a camcorder and into a card reader for your computer. However, cards are considerably more expensive than tapes or DVDs. If you need to stock up on blank media for a vacation, it could get costly unless you have a computer you can dump footage onto at the end of each day.

The chart below gives you approximate recording times based on card capacity.

Editing* (6.0)*

Editing MPEG-2 footage from the JVC GZ-MS100 is relatively easy. JVC could have made the process a little easier if each video clip was a unified, single file that could be copied and pasted from one place to another. As it is, clips are split into separate video and audio files, and only certain editing programs have the ability to re-join them.

The GZ-MS100's YouTube Upload feature is definitely one of its selling points, but we encountered a few bugs along the way. First, you may want to set the GZ-MS100 to 'Upload Record On,' a mode that limits clips to 10-minute chunks. Of course, you can also shoot as much as you want, then edit the footage down to a single movie. The important thing to remember is that YouTube cannot import clips longer than 10 minutes.

Next, you'll need to install Power Cinema NE, the included software, from a CD-ROM. This is one area where JVC loses big points compared to the Pure Digital Flip Ultra and Sony NSC-GC1, both of which have software built right into the camcorder - no installation, just connect to a computer and the upload process begins. JVC also loses points (as does Sony) for offering PC support only, sorry Mac owners.

Once the software is installed, connect the GZ-MS100 to your PC via a USB cable. There are several buttons on the camcorder and the computer screen that you could hit to begin the upload process, and it's not entirely clear what you're supposed to do. It was only after some trial and error that we found that all the buttons have the same effect. Select 'Upload' from the camcorder and Power Cinema will provide you with a screen of options, one of which is a YouTube button.

After you've selected your clip, click the YouTube button again. A login screen will appear, prompting you to enter your YouTube username and password. If you don't have one, there is an option to create a username and password. Once you've logged in, you can choose the video category and whether or not you want your video to be Public or Private. The downside is that the title, description, and tags are all chosen for you--some random file name becomes the file name, 'Everio Videos'  becomes the description, and 'Everio' becomes the tag. Fine, if JVC wants to brand its videos, that's one thing.  You can change the labels later, but they should at least give you the opportunity to replace the labels from the beginning. This product is supposed to make it easy for non-techies to upload video. The same group shouldn't then be expected to navigate YouTube's user settings, find their videos, and rename them.

After agreeing to YouTube's terms of service, you can upload your video. The video is automatically down-converted from an .MOD file to a .WMV file so it meets YouTube's file size requirement.

Here's what we found about this, the least involve but most time consuming part of the process. The Upload function is buggy. It works most of the time, but the progress bar is misleading. For example, it will appear at 87% progress and then suddenly jump back down to 50% for a short duration before the 'Your video was successfully uploaded' screen appears. In addition, it seemed to work well on XP machines, but  worked more sporadically on different on Vista machines.  This is frustrating, and a real pain in the behind if you plan on leaving your video to upload while you go out. Make sure you have a rock solid connection and stable PC.

Oh, and that's another slap in the face--no Mac support. It's less than ideal.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (4.0)

The JVC Everio GZ-MS100 is an entry-level camcorder, small and inexpensive, and therefore will likely be used in Auto mode more than anything else. The truth is, even most expensive camcorders are limited to point-and-shoot Auto mode shooting as well. So it's crucial that a camcorder perform well without user interface.

In practice, we found the GZ-MS100 to be only moderately proficient. The autofocus is good, though you'll need to be careful not to use the powerful 35x zoom on objects that are too close, as no camcorder can keep that in focus. The auto exposure is more than adequate for most shooting situations. For a tighter control over how the camcorder automatically exposes, the camcorder allows you to choose between Whole Screen and Spot metering. As the name implies, the Whole Screen option looks at the entire shot and automatically corrects for exposure as best it can. The Spot metering creates a small red target in the center of the screen. Whatever appears in the center of this target becomes the point of metering. You can also move that target horizontally left or right, but not up and down.

The auto white balance is not good at all. Typically, the shots are too warm. It looks alright when you're outdoors, but indoor shooting is problematic. Colors in fluorescent lighting look terrible. None of the presets look very good, either.

You'll also find an array of Program AE modes (sometimes called 'Scene modes' on other camcorders). Options include Night, Twilight, Portrait, Sports, Snow, and Spotlight.

JVC GZ-MS100 Program AE modes

Overall Manual Control (4.25)

The JVC GZ-MS100 is a decent choice for budget-minded consumers that still want some level of control over image quality. However, we're sorry to report that the new control system - the Laser Touch operation - leaves a lot to be desired. First off, all the controls are 'virtual,' merely touch-sensitive areas that offer no tactile feedback. It sounds like it could work (it works for Sony touch screens, for the most part) but they just don't feel that good. The layout and operation is frustrating. You have to press too hard and hold too long for the camcorder to recognize your command. You have to scroll in one area and confirm your selection in another area. But to activate the menu, you have to hit a third area. It would have made much more sense to offer the ability to simply tap once on the scroll area to confirm - and thus the system would have worked like any laptop's touchpad. Girls (or guys) with longer nails will experience their own woes when the touch areas won't respond.

As far as manual controls go, the GZ-MS100 has a decent number of offerings, but accessing them is frustrating for all the reasons listed above. Manual focus, exposure (called 'brightness'), shutter speed, white balance, and other controls are discussed in the Automatic Controls section. JVC always offers a competitive selection of controls, comparable with Canon and Panasonic, and better than Sony.

*

Zoom (6.0)*

The JVC GZ-MS100 has a thin, loose toggle switch on top for zooming. It feels cheap, but it works well enough. This is good, because camcorders with a 35x zoom will likely see a lot of zoom action. When zooming, a scale appears on the top portion of the screen, along with the actual numerical value of the zoom power. This is very useful if you need to recreate a shot later. It's possible to get a decent crawl from 1x to 3x only. After that, the zoom starts speeding up.

Zoom Power Ratio (35.0)

The JVC GZ-MS100 has an optical zoom of 35x, which is among the most powerful of the year. As far as 'YouTube camcorders' go, this is by far the best. The Sony Net Sharing Cam has a 4x optical zoom, and the Flip only has digital zoom. What's even better, the digital image stabilization system on the MS100 actually seems to work well, as long as your hands are stabilized.

The GZ-MS100 also offers a digital zoom, of course, which can be set to 70x or 800x.  We always recommend you leave this turned off, as it has a negative effect on image quality. Also, do you really need digital zoom with a 35x optical zoom?

Focus (3.0)

A manual focus option is offered, but it's not easy to use. To engage, enter the menu, then go to the Manual Settings submenu. When activated, two small icons appear on the LCD, roughly a man and a mountain. To actually shift the focus, you'll need to use the Laser Touch operation. It feels imprecise and unreliable for quick adjustments. It's better to either set up your focus before you hit record or let auto focus do its job.

Exposure & Aperture (5.5)

The GZ-MS100 does not offer direct control over the aperture, which might limit its appeal to advanced users. Canon offers Aperture Priority modes on most of its camcorders, and Panasonic offers fully independent aperture and shutter speed. Sony offers no such control.

JVC's offering in this area is a tool called 'Brightness,' which is just another name for exposure compensation. When activated, a scale appears on the left side of the LCD. The scale has a range of +6 to -6. Using the Laser Touch strip, going up makes it brighter and going down makes it darker. Any changes you make are relative to what the automatic exposure has already made, meaning this is not an absolute scale. As far as access is concerned, the Laser Touch is better for adjusting Brightness than it is in something like Focus, which requires a finer touch.

JVC GZ-MS100 Brightness control

Shutter Speed (6.15)

The G-ZMS100 offers shutter speed control, located in the Manual Control submenu along with most of the other controls. The range is quite good: 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/15, 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, and 1/4000. Panasonic and Canon offer a similar range. Sony does not offer manual shutter speed on most of its consumer camcorders. Like the Brightness control, the Laser Touch operation works decently here, although the very path of getting to the shutter speed control - the button sequence that we complained about in the Overall Manual Control section above - is still frustrating.

White Balance (4.75)

The GZ-MS100 offers a Manual (evaluative) white balance setting, as well as presets for Fine, Cloud, and Halogen. This is a sad collection of presets, especially if you plan on doing a lot of indoor shooting. There are no settings for incandescent or fluorescent lighting, which accounts for a lot of the typical shooter's experience. Making a manual white balance is straightforward. Simply scroll to the 'MWB' option, then push and hold the OK button. The MWB text blinks on and off for a moment, and you should notice the colors adjust. Learning and getting comfortable with this process is important, because the auto white balance system is not very good.

JVC GZ-MS100 White Balance

Gain (1.0)

There is no manual gain on the JVC Everio GZ-MS100, nor on any JVC consumer camcorder. Panasonic is the only manufacturer to offer manual gain in this price range. However, JVC is unique in offering the ability to turn the auto gain control (AGC) on and off. The factory default is to leave the control, and we strongly recommend leaving it that way.

Other Manual Controls (2.0)
Backlight compensation - This feature compensates for a subject that is too strongly backlit by boosting the overall compensation. It can prove useful in some circumstances, but if you have the option, just tell your subject to kindly take a step to the left.

Tele Macro - The Tele Macro is meant to help with focusing on small objects. We saw no particular benefit from this function.

 

Still Features

Still Features* (4.75)*

The GZ-MS100 is lacking in the Still Features department. With only one image size, 640 x 480 (VGA), the GZ-MS100 only captures stills with a resolution suitable for the web. Images can be captured in Fine or Standard quality, but there's not much you can do with a VGA still image--the quality setting will not be noticeable. You're better off using a separate digital camera for stills.

The GZ-MS100's Manual Controls are readily available in Photo mode, including White Balance, Shutter Speed, and Exposure (Brightness). There is a Self-Timer available in the Function menu that can be set to 2 or 10 seconds. Still images can be captured in Single mode (one image is snapped at a time) or Continuous mode (images are captured repeatedly in increments of 0.5 seconds until the Photo Capture button is released).

The GZ-MS100 also allows you to set the Photometry Area to two settings: Whole Screen and Spot. Whole Screen adjusts the Exposure according to the entire image while Spot allows you to select a portion of the screen. You can use the touch buttons along the bottom of the LCD screen to move the red square around the frame of the image in order to set the desired area of adjustment. When the GZ-MS100 is set to Auto Focus in Photo mode, pressing the Photo Capture button halfway automatically brings a subject into focus. This is characterized by a tiny icon representing the bust of a person that turns green from yellow when the image is correctly focused.

The Photo Menu can be accessed by pressing the Menu button on the LCD Panel. Navigation is controlled by the laser touch panel and the Photo Menu contains the following items:

JVC GZ-MS100 Photo function menu

In order to review images, press the Play/Rec button located in the LCD cavity. A scrolling menu of icons appears containing individually-captured images. The Photo Playback menu is accessed by pressing the Menu button and contains the following options: Delete, Protect/Cancel, Effect, DPOF, Basic Settings.

Still Performance* (9.95)*

The still performance of the JVC Everio GZ-MS100 was tested by shooting an X-Rite Color Checker chart at an even, bright light, then running the stills through Imatest imaging software to determine color, noise, and saturation. At best, the camcorder is able to produce a color error of 6.03, which is quite good compared to the competing camcorders. Of course, the good color accuracy is offset by the fact that the camcorder can only produce 640 x 480 stills, so you'll have to bear that in mind. The noise measures 0.7175 percent, also a great score. Finally, the saturation measures 98.92 percent.

In order to get this best score, we lowered the camcorder's brightness control by one increment, which means the automatic adjustments do a pretty food job. Overall, this isn't the camera you want to use for capturing your most precious moments in still photos, but it will do the job in a pinch.

Still Resolution* (5.45)*

The still resolution of the JVC Everio GZ-MS100 was tested by shooting an Applied Image ISO 12233 resolution chart at an even, bright light, then running the stills through Imatest imaging software. At best, the camcorder is able to produce a horizontal resolution of 450 line widths per picture height (lw/ph), with a clipping of 2.01 percent and a oversharpening of 17.1 percent. The vertical resolution measures 353 lw/ph, with a 4.31 percent clipping and a 17.4 percent oversharpening. These scores are about average for a camcorder of this pixel count.

Handling and Use

Ease of Use* (5.0)
*For a camcorder that's cheap, highly portable, and simply designed, the GZ-MS100 is not intuitive compared to its competition. Sony's Easy mode is prized by consumers for its autopilot nature - just press the Record Start/Stop button and you're ready to roll. The GZ-MS100 has two distinct Auto and Manual modes, controlled by the Auto/Manual button in the LCD cavity. When Auto mode is selected, the Manual Settings category becomes extinct. All Manual Controls are adjusted automatically, but all other menu options are still available.

Why is this bogus? Well, for one thing, the laser touch panel takes some getting used to. Unlike a joystick, the laser touch panel requires more multitasking skills because of the numerous buttons spread out across the bottom of the LCD panel. JVC's good old LCD joystick may not have been a looker, but it offered a much faster and effective navigation experience. The laser touch panel is sluggish and requires a patient left thumb. We also found the menu options to be scattered about in no particular order. Manual Settings is located at the top, but all administrative settings (Basic Menu) are all the way at the bottom. There's no logical placement of features in this menu - it's a free-for-all. Panasonic's menu structure could have saved JVC's behind here.

The GZ-MS100's SD card media is one of its strengths. SD cards are simple to use - just pop a card in and begin recording. If you have a card reader, you can just throw the SD card in and drag the files to your computer. There's no annoying DVD finalizing or real-time tape rendering. Solid state is on the rise.

Handling* (3.75)
*In hand, the GZ-MS100 is a bit of a mixed bag. Here's an ultra portable cam that can fit in a pants pocket--though snugly. One would think that handling would suffer greatly due to the GZ-MS100's diminutive size. However, JVC's ergonomic architecture makes this Internet cam a joy to hold. The right side is carved like a tidal wave of comfort, the Record Start/Stop button falls directly beneath the thumb, and the hand strap is oddly comfortable, despite its cheap construction. So what's all the to-do about? Well, JVC implemented a love-or-hate menu navigation system--the laser touch panel.

JVC GZ-MS100 in hand

Unlike LCD joystick-touting Everios of the past, the GZ-MS100 is equipped with a laser touch panel that runs vertically along the left side of the LCD panel. The laser touch panel is composed of a vertical strip running along the outer edge of the LCD panel. A row of control buttons is located at the bottom of the LCD panel: an 'OK' button, three soft buttons, and 'Menu.' The main issue you'll run into with the laser touch panel is its sluggish nature. It takes some real fine motor skills to hone in on an option from the menu. You'll also have to press the OK button to confirm a selection, rather than just tapping the strip, which is exactly what our fingers wanted to do. Sure, the laser touch panel looks cool, and the GZ-MS100 will sell because of it. But for power shooters, the laser touch will only slow you down.

The JVC GZ-MS100 and the Canon FS11 differ only a little in size

While holding the GZ-MS100, you'll notice how light it is. This cam has portability written all over it. The hand strap does a nice job of ratcheting your hand to the body of the camcorder without the GZ-MS100 flopping to the side. The GZ-MS100 is about half the width of an HDD Everio, so shooters with larger hands will find their fingers reaching the left side of the camcorder. Just shift your hand down further in the strap and this problem will be solved. We could have used a more solid construction for the port covers, which are constructed of flimsy rubberized plastic and are easily yanked out. Overall, the GZ-MS100 handles nicely for its size.

Menu* (4.5)
*This year, JVC took a departure from a three-part menu system and funneled it down to one big honking menu that includes everything. In the past, standard definition Everios featured a Function, Administrative, and Program AE menu that were easy to access and divvied up tasks nicely. The GZ-MS100 takes all three menus and tosses them into one large cluster of options. All manual controls are located at the top and can be accessed by selecting Manual Setting. A string of random options follows and is bookended by the Basic settings, which is stuffed all the way at the bottom. The Basic settings, which is essentially JVC's Administrative menu, should be its own separate entity. For the average shooter, this all-in-one approach can be intimidating and cumbersome to wade through.

JVC's new laser touch panel is not very intuitive and difficult to operate. You'll have to hone in on a precise stroke pattern just to shift from one option to the next without rifling past your intended choice. The touch buttons are somewhat responsive, but not entirely reliable. The ease of use factor delivered by the LCD Joystick is long gone with the introduction of the laser touch panel.

To access the Menu, press the menu button. You can scroll through options using the laser touch panel and select an option by pressing the OK button. Three unmarked buttons control random functions that are contextual to the menu. The Menu contains the following options:

**

Portability*** (8.25)
*The GZ-MS100 will delight proud fanny pack owners across the globe - this cam is highly portable. Measuring a petite 54 x 68 x 111mm (2 3/16 x 2 11/16 x 4 3/8 inches), and tipping the scale at a mere 270 grams (0.60 pounds), the GZ-MS100 can fit inside a small purse or large pants pocket. SDHC cards are among the smallest form of camcorder media available in the camcorder world, taking up about as much space as a postage stamp. The GZ-MS100's tiny design will also treat your arm to a stress-free day. As far as endurance goes, you'll have to spring for another battery or two and a high-capacity SDHC card. A pair of 2GB SD cards would do the trick, as well.

JVC GZ-MS100's LCD screen

LCD and Viewfinder* (3.0)
*The GZ-MS100 is equipped with a 2.7-inch color LCD screen that flips out 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates up to 270 degrees. The centerpiece here is JVC's new laser touch panel and touch-sensitive operation buttons. But, we've ranted about the new laser touch panel far too much in this review, so we'll spare you. You can adjust the brightness of the LCD screen by selecting Monitor Bright. A vertical scale appears along the left side of the LCD screen, controlled by the laser touch panel. You can shift up to brighten the LCD screen and down to darken it. Do not use this feature if you plan on manually adjusting the Exposure - the LCD screen will give a false representation of how bright or dark the image actually is. You can also set Monitor Backlight to Auto, Standard, or Brighter. Your best bet is not to use any of those options and stick with Manual adjustment.

The GZ-MS100 is devoid of a viewfinder.

Battery Life* (14.9)*

We tested the efficiency of the GZ-MS100's BN-VF808U rechargeable battery pack by recording continuously in Manual mode with DIS disabled and the LCD screen flipped out. Video was recorded at the highest quality setting to a 4GB SDHC card. When the card ran out of space, the external power was plugged in and the card was erased.

When all was said and done, the GZ-MS100's battery pack lasted a hefty 149 minutes and 26 seconds (2 hours, 29 minutes, and 26 seconds). This is an outstanding performance for such a little pack.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio* (3.0)*

A Wind Cut setting is the extent of the audio control you have on the GZ-MS100. With no accessory shoe, no Mic or Headphone inputs, and no levels control, you should expect very minimal audio performance. For a $350 YouTube cam, this is to be expected. Sony's Net Sharing cam also lacks in the audio department, and the $400 Panasonic SDR-SW20 just has a Zoom mic. Make sure you're as close enough to the action as possible.

Playback* (4.75)
*In order to play back video clips or review still images on the GZ-MS100, press the Play/Rec button located in the LCD cavity. A screen appears, filled with individual thumbnails that represent recorded video clips or still images, depending on what mode you're in. Three buttons are located at the bottom: Search by Date, Search Event Files, and Delete. You can scroll through thumbnails using the laser touch panel and select them by pressing the OK button.

Once a video clip is selected, it begins playing within the entirety of the LCD screen. The three nondescript buttons at the bottom of the LCD panel act as playback controls--Play/Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward, Slow Rewind, and Slow Fast Forward. The individual LED buttons on the laser touch panel control Next Clip, Previous Clip, and Stop. In Photo playback mode, the laser touch panel buttons rotate the image 90 degrees.

The Video Playback menu can be accessed by pressing the Menu button and contains the following options: Delete, Protect/Cancel, Playback Playlist, Playback MPG File, Edited Copy, Change Event Reg., Edit Playlist, Effect, Wipe/Fader, and Basic Settings.

Connectivity* (4.0)
*The GZ-MS100 has a total of four ports, all housed by flimsy rubberized enclosures that will snap off with a moderate yank. Ports are also scattered about the GZ-MS100. The USB terminal is located in front, underneath the lens, while the DC input is situated in back, above the battery. The AV jack is located on the right side, underneath the hand strap, and the SD/SDHC card slot is located on the bottom, tucked along the bottom ridge of the right side. The SD/SDHC card slot door features the only semi-burly port cover, and will stand the test of time.

 

 

Other Features

**What’s in the Box?
**The GZ-MS100 ships with the following items:

-AC Adapter

-BN-VF808U Battery Pack

-Audio/Video Cable

-USB Cable

-CD-ROM

You'll have to invest in a couple of SD cards or a single SDHC card. A higher capacity backup battery is a wise choice too.

Other Features** (4.0)**

Video Light - GZ-MS100's LED video light emits a pale beam upon your subject. You can access the video light from the Menu, but JVC should have included an external video light button.

**Battery Info - **JVC offers a nice capacity and battery meter, accessed by pressing the Info button in the LCD cavity. When initially pressed, a screen containing a pie graph appears, accompanied by a list of the remaining recordable times per each recording quality level. Pressing the Info button again cues a screen containing a vertical battery life meter and remaining digital minute display.*
*

**Effects- **Located in the Manual Setting menu, JVC offers a handful of digital image effects, just in case you don't have time to apply them in post-editing. The Effects consist of Sepia, Monotone, Classic Film, and Strobe.*
*

**Backlight Compensation- **When a subject is underexposed amidst a background that has a normal exposure, Backlight Compensation boosts the overall exposure of the image so the subject is brought into light. This is helpful for shots where the sun is directly behind your subject.*
*

**Upload Mode- **In order to utilize the YouTube Upload function, you must set the GZ-MS100 to Upload Rec On, which is done by pressing the Upload button in the LCD cavity. Upload Rec mode also limits all clips to a maximum of 10 minutes so they fit the YouTube length requirements.

**
**

Conclusion & Comparisons

Conclusion

The JVC Everio GZ-MS100 is a decent entry-level camcorder, but the two flashiest and most compelling features - the YouTube compatibility and the 'Laser Touch' operation - are the very elements that weaken it. The YouTube upload process is not as simple, elegant, or effective as the Pure Digltal Flip Ultra or other Flips. It requires installing the software ahead of time (barring on-the-go uploading) and offers PC-only support.

The Laser Touch operation, JVC's new touch-sensitive controls, are not terrible, but they just don't work as well as they should. The responsiveness is sluggish and the layout is less than ideal. We miss the less cutting edge but more reliable joystick, which have smartly been left in place on the company's higher-end HD camcorders.

Those issues aside, the GZ-MS100 is compact and lightweight, making it a viable choice for occasional vacation shooting. Shooting exclusively to SD and SDHC memory cards, be sure you pack extra cards, or have a computer to dump files at the end of the day. The video performance is good for its price range. The low light performance, in particular, stands out as a strong contender. Clearly JVC did some worthwhile experimenting within the last year in regards to auto gain and noise reduction. It's already outperforming camcorders that cost more money.

Overall, the Everio GZ-MS100 is going to appeal to consumers looking for a bargain in the compact class. If finding the simplest solution to YouTube is your goal, look elsewhere. The Pure Digital Flip Ultra is probably your best bet, video quality notwithstanding.

Comparisons
Flip Ultra

It's popular, it's cute - there's no denying the presence of the Flip Ultra ($149.99 MSRP). It has a spring-loaded USB arm for an instant connection, a lightweight and highly compact design, and a vibrant array of color choices to choose from. Manual Controls are nonexistent and the built-in LCD screen is too small, but the Flip Ultra offers up some pretty decent video quality for its price. The Flip can hold either 30 or 60 minutes of video, depending on the model, stored on its internal Flash Memory. The software is built straight into the camcorder for upload, just plug it in and go. If your main goal in the video world is to point, shoot, and upload, the Flip is for you. Shooters who want more out of their YouTube cam will want to go for the GZ-MS100.

Sony NSC-GC1

Last summer Sony hopped a train that has been gaining steam by the month - the YouTube/Internet video integration. The NSC-GC1 Net Sharing Cam ($199 MSRP) marked Sony's first attempt in that market. The results are mixed. The NSC-GC1 features a highly compact, rectangular design, a 4x zoom, and almost no Manual Controls. This is Sony's version of the Flip Ultra. Although we didn't get a chance to test the NSC-GC1, we can safely say that the video quality is far from great, based on our time spent with it at the Sony press event.  Like the Flip Ultra, the Sony NSC-GC1 also has buit-in software for uploading, but it's PC only.  The GZ-MS100 will offer oodles more, including surprisingly decent video quality and a full plate of Manual Controls. If you have the extra $200 to spare, YouTube will look a lot better with the GZ-MS100.

*Panasonic SDR-SW20
*Panasonic's underwater flash cam, the SDR-SW20 ($399 MSRP) has been making some waves in the consumer market. It's submergable up to 5 feet, shock proof up to 4 feet, and dust proof. The SDR-SW20 has a basic 1/6-inch CCD that contributed to a decent image, though not as sharp as the GZ-MS100's. Manual Controls are about the same, although the SDR-SW20 adds manual gain control and independent shutter and aperture. The SDR-SW20 is a thinner and more rugged cam, and it's designed to take a beating. You don't have the luxury of direct YouTube uploading, but the SDR-SW20's files are easy to work with and export using almost any NLE. The choice between the SW20 and the JVC GZ-MS100 is based solely on the type of shooting you plan on doing -Carribean vacationers will flock to the SDR-SW20 while skateboard teens will gravitate toward the GZ-MS100. 

*Canon FS100
*We haven't tested the FS100 ($399 MSRP) yet, Canon's entry-level standard definition flash cam. We do have the FS11, though, which shares the same 1/6-inch CCD and 1,070,000 gross pixel count. The video from the FS100 and GZ-MS100 should be roughly similar, though JVC's new processing did very well in our testing lab. The FS100's Program AE modes are ample compared to the GZ-MS100's, and Canon's LCD Joystick is far superior to JVC's new laser touch panel. Handling in general will be another differentiation, as the FS100 is slightly larger than the GZ-MS100. Canon surely takes the cake in menu operation, relying on a joystick rather than JVC's new Laser Touch operation. Both cams are relatively matched, so this is a try before you buy.

 *
Who It’s For
*Point-and-Shooters
**YouTubers, unite - this is your cam. It's cheap, gets the job done, and lets you upload those feature-bound clips of cats doing the dishes.

**Budget Consumers
**$350 for a pocket-size cam with Manual Controls, a decent picture, and YouTube support is dandy. Just dandy.*
*

**Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
**With a max resolution of 640 x 480 (VGA) and a grim set of still features, the GZ-MS100 is hardly a viable alternative to a cheap digital camera.*
*

**Gadget Freaks
**That YouTube sticker will be the honey to catch the average flighty geek. Aside from that - standard definition? What's that?

**Manual Control Freaks
**For its price range, the GZ-MS100 is stoked with a worthy Manual Control set including Focus, Exposure, Shutter Speed, and White Balance.*
*

**Pros / Serious Hobbyists
**Not a chance.

Specs and Ratings

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Meet the tester

Michael Perlman

Michael Perlman

Editor

Michael Perlman is a valued contributor to the Reviewed.com family of sites.

See all of Michael Perlman's reviews

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