Where To Buy..? Jvc Hd Videocamera

[fabianfred]

My wife has a small digital photo studio here in Fang, ChiangMai which I set-up for her and taught her photography and computer use..... and she has been doing Ok for 6 years now.

With children too she became interested in video and about two and a half years ago we got a new JVC Everio digital camera from the JVC store in chiangmai airport plaza....which has a 30gb HDD and fast 1.2 lens....then about 35k baht

she has used it for weddings and funerals etc. as part of her photo service, with good results.....

not 3 ccd but better quality than from a digital still camera with video...and you get 7 hours of highest quality recording

our camera just started to have problems communicating with its HDD...so needs to go for repair

last week back in the JVC store in airport plaza we saw a new JVC video camera with HD capability and 60 gb HDD....looks very much like a semi-pro....going for 69k (reduced from 79k)

I would like the extra quality of HD and other features like manual focus.....

looking on the internet I saw it priced in the US. for $2,400....but then found other places with the price from $1,500 to as little as $999

I very much like the look of this camera...but do not want to pay top price for it.....$999 is about 33k baht

any good stores in thailand...the JVC store is probably pricier than other places....I know that more people buy video cams in the US than here..so they will have more competitive prices

[Nordlys]

last week back in the JVC store in airport plaza we saw a new JVC video camera with HD capability and 60 gb HDD....looks very much like a semi-pro....going for 69k (reduced from 79k)

Forget buying it in Thailand.

This model (I assume GZ-HD7) is priced 64,900 Baht in Bangkok (Power Buy, etc, they've recently reduced the price from outrageous B74,900).

I've paid approx 27,500 Baht for the exact same model in Japan last month.

BTW this model is discontinued in Japan and soon to be replaced (in March) by GZ-HD5 and HD6, (60GB and 120GB HDD capacity respectively). And they are considerably lighter than GZ-HD7 (and smaller), and comes with image stabilizer that is more effective than HD7, though it doesn't have the professional look of HD7 (I know what you mean by being attracted by the look of this camcorder, as that was part of the reason I chose this make/model). But the price tag of almost 3 times as much as in Japan makes buying it in Thailand out of question for me.

BTW it feels quite a big heavier and bulkier than I thought it is (I thought it was bearable, but not when I have another big SLR to carry with me). I'd probably choose palm sized SD card recorded HD camcorder if I have to buy one now.

JVC Everio digital camera from the JVC store in chiangmai airport plaza....which has a 30gb HDD and fast 1.2 lens....then about 35k bah

not 3 ccd but better quality than from a digital still camera with video...and you get 7 hours of highest quality recording

But that model is not full HD (1,920 X 1,080). The only full HD model from JVC in Thailand is that 69K Baht GZ-HD7.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Nordlys

[fabianfred]

Thanks for your advice...yes it does look as if it is too expensive here.....and some reviews say the 3 ccd sensors are too small

we generally use a monopod when filming video for customers

[fabianfred]

at around 30k baht I would be happy to buy the HD-7.....

in six months or a year we may have more choice

I know that you cannot rely on reviews always...because some people working for the opposition post negative reviews...they know people like to see others opinions about a product before buying

[Nordlys]

Quite a few new (full) HD camcorders were released from various makes during CES in Jan so you might want to wait till they hit the market in Thailand (if they ever will).

If you are looking for the absolute highest image quality (for a compact, consumer grade camcorder that is) you might want to consider Canon's HV30 just released in CES if you don't mind mini DV tape for recording media. It's a successor model to the highly rated HV-20 (often regarded as the near professional grade video image quality for a consumer camcorder).

I don't know why they are but I find HD camcorders to be just way too expensive in Thailand (not to mention too few models are available in Thailand), often costing more than double the average retail price in U.S. or Japan. Probably the only exception being Sanyo's HDM1000, at around 27,000 Baht depending on the shop (still more expensive than Japan but not like double as much).

Edited March 1, 2008 by Nordlys

[siam2007]

Malaysia is not so far away from Thailand, and is a very good place to buy Video-cams or digi-cams.

everytime I am there (usually 3-4 times a year), I go check the prices at branches of big chains in big shopping malls such as Times-Square, KLCC, Mid-Valley or Pavillion, and always find they are much cheaper than in Thailand (PLUS everybody at those shops speaks reasonable English).

as I am not an expert in this field, I would not buy something at those small shops in "bargain-computer-malls" such as PLAZA LOW YAT, though..... I'd rather pay slightly more and buy from a trusted chain-store at a fixed price to be on the safe side

By the way, bought a JVC-Everio GZ-MG 131 in my home country recently (December 2007). 34-times optical zoom, 30 GB-HD, plus can use a SD-card as well. 379 Euro, good bargain in my opinion.....

[Nordlys]

Digital camera prices aren't that bad in Thailand and neither are most portable camcorders, but not the HD camcorders.

How much do they sell JVC GZ-HD7 in Malaysia?

[fabianfred]

Panasonic HDC-SD5 and Canon HG-10 look OK too

I suppose compared to the US and Japan few p[eople buy camcorders here in thailand...so there is less competitive pricing