Shoot Tools — JVC

Choice of four recording modes. Price: $1799

While add-on hard drive devices from companies such as Focus Enhancements deliver versatility to camcorders, the new tide of tiny drives popping up in consumer gear from iPods to still cameras looks to deliver even more innovative gear. JVC's GZ-MC500 Digital Media Camera is not only the company's first three-CCD prosumer camcorder, but it also employs a removable 4GB Microdrive card. Another use of those three CCDs is to create an interpolated 5-megapixel (2560×1920 pixel) still camera via pixel-shift technology. The multiple CCDs deliver a broader dynamic range, allowing blacks to stay black and whites to stay white while yielding more contrast control. Features include a 10X optical zoom (8X for stills), a floating suspension system to hold down vibration, rotating grip design, and Dolby Digital audio.
Wayne, N.J. • (800) 252-5722 • www.jvc.com