Check it out, that funky looking JVC GR-DA20 camcorder made its way over from Italy to become the JVC GR-DA30 (or GR-DA30US). It’s got that same vertical sliding LCD screen and all. I actually got a chance to hold it for a moment and I have to say it’s not as bad as it looks. It is a lot smaller than it looks from the pictures, so the LCD screen doesn’t seem so garish. Besides recording to MiniDV tape, here are the specs:
On the JVC GR-DA30 you are looking at a 2.4″ sliding LCD screen. I have yet to figure out the reason for this, as it doesn’t slide very far, but I’m sure there is a good one. The screen is not 16:9 ratio, although the camcorder will record in that format.
The JVC GR-DA30US also features a 30x optical zoom, VGA still photos, and JVC’s 3D Noise Reduction. The camcorder is built with a 680K, 1/6″ CCD, which is standard at this price point. Out of the total 680K pixels, the GR-DA30 has 340K effective pixels.
For only $199.99, I’m sure many budget-conscious buyers will be drawn to the JVC GR-DA30US. Once they are more available, I would definitely recommend heading to your local electronics super-store to handle it before you buy.
Right now, it looks like you can pick one up immediately from BestBuy.com
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the screen slides up and down for a better view when you are shooting a video above or below your eye level, similar to other swivel screen camcorders.