The GZ-MC500 digital media camera records 60 minutes of DVD-quality video or thousands of photo-quality stills to a 4GB Microdrive removable hard disk. The benefits of recording video to a hard disk are the same benefits that have made hard disk-based audio players so popular--random access to quickly locate desired material, the ability to effortlessly delete unwanted material, and easily rearrange playback sequence. What's more, there's no danger of mistakenly recording over something you want to keep.

The use of three CCDs combined with advanced pixel shift technology allows the GZ-MC500 to deliver 5 megapixel-class digital stills with a maximum size of 2560 x 1920 pixels, and a broadened dynamic range when recording still or moving images. The result is naturally sharp, vivid color, good contrast and clean images or videos with good low light performance. To fully capitalize on the camera's inherent picture performance, JVC's Megabrid imaging engine separately processes video and still signals, providing optimal processing for each. Megabrid technology assures high sensitivity and a high signal-to-noise ratio for moving pictures, and clear, high resolution progressive still images.

The GZ-MC500 also features a unique rotating grip design. The camcorder's two sections, the grip and the lens/body assembly, pivot so the lens portion can be tilted without the user changing hand location. This makes it easy to quickly transition to a high or low shooting angle, and affords a number of comfortable and stable single and two handed shooting positions.