lots of features and a simple remote which can operate most of the features.
Not a bad little camera, the size is the biggest plus. I got this camera to take videos and snapshots of my new baby for the relatives. The camera is very good for well lit videos, but as with most of the DVM series, the low light filming is not very good. Transfer to PC is pretty quick using the firewire port. I use Ulead Video software that came with my firewire card, and not the JVC software.

Do not buy a JVC camcorder!!! - Just a couple of months after buying a JVC GRDVM80U an "E04" error start popping in th screen. Apparently the machinery is very sensitive to tapes lubricants and other compounds. Cleaning the head is not enough - the camara just becomes useless (Well, you can probably fix it for $350, but then it will break down again soon) Search the web for "E04 JVC" and you'll know how frequent and fustrating this error is - and I was surprised to learn it is not restricted to this model. JVC just ignores the problem and blames the tape manufacturers. It might function as an average camera if you are willing to give up using a tape ... and recording.

I got the camcorder about a month ago but only spend about 2 weeks with it because it was in the repair shop most of the time. It seems that this camcorder is incompatible with TDK tapes. There were no mention of it anywhere in the manual or in the packaging. They should at least include a recent updated notice on the problem. After using the TDK tape for 15 minutes, the picture became distorted and the message "Head cleaning required" appeared. I took it to the shop and the technician said the video heads were damage and need to be replaced. After calling JVC on the phone, they told me alot of people had call in about the same problem. I'm surprised no one mention it in their reviews or I would have stay away from the TDK tapes.

I bought this one, and then returned it a month later. The main reason is that the GR-DVM90U is about the same price, and there are two features that are well worth the upgrade to the 90U. The first is the memory card for digital stills. The 80U doesn't have it -- digital stills are stored on the Mini-DV cassette. This is incredibly inconvenient. The second feature is a flash for digital stills. It makes a huge difference, and I have taken some pretty good quality stills with my new 90U. If you already have a digital camera, and don't want to use this camcorder for stills, the 80U is OK. However, if you want to use it for stills, it's well worth it to upgrade to the 90U.

This is a great buy, especially at 42% off list price. It is compact and user friendly. The number of features, add-ons such as editing software, cables, etc. is more than you get with any other camera. I looked at the JVC vs. the Sony line and chose JVC for value --- after having a Sony Hi-8mm camcorder before. It's a great digital camcorder to get started with, and probably for most the only camcorder they need.

but then, considering that this camera was already a relic when I purchased it used, that really didn't help things. Regardless, it will still work with a video input. I broke the firewire on it somehow, the quality of which was not all that great, with grain and weird color artifacts stacked well on top of that factor.

The progressive image option is nice to have, though, and I have shot a lot of tests on it which were indistinguishable from the look of my webcam tests. That said, these cameras were designed to fail, and there is a tape error that locks up the camera, at which point it can only be serviced by JVC authorized service centers. Thankfully, so far I haven't run into the error yet, as I don't even use the camera with a tape in it. Buyer be wary, but not of the seller--of the camera itself.