Released earlier this year, the JVC Picsio is probably the smallest, most pocket-able, and shiniest HD camera on the market. As with any of these pocket size HD cameras, there are some great things about it and some things that need improvement. I got to run the JVC through its paces over the last few weeks and though it is not the best that I have used, it is definitely acceptable at what it does.
Specs
- 2.0″ color LCD
- 4x Digital Zoom
- 1080P/30fps HD Video Recording
- 720p/60fps HD Video Recording
- VGA: 640 x 480 / 60fps and QVGA: 320 x 240p / 30fps
- 8 Megapixel Still Image Recording
- HDMI™ and AV Output Terminal
- USB Charging
- Memory Card Slot for SDHC/SD
- Image Stabilizer
- USB cable, AV cable, hand strap and PC software
Overview
Overall, my experience with JVC Picsio was satisfactory. I wasn’t blown away by it, but neither did I hate it. I came into this review looking at this camera as a unit for a family to use for family events. Because it is a budget HD camera, there is just no way I could expect it to give me the most detailed picture in the world, or the best frame rate possible. I expected there to be a bit of blur with fast motion, and honestly, even that is not something that most people would notice. However, it is surprisingly small and serves double duty as a still camera and video camera.
Video
Shooting HD at both 1080p/30fps and 720p/60fps should provide most anyone with their HD fix. Although Youtube just added 1080 HD, the majority of HD on the web is viewed at 720p and so those are the settings I used for these test shots. As you can see, when outside and/or when the lighting is adequate, the camera performs well. However, it it the low light situations where the camera struggles, but that is to be expected. I would like the blacks to be blacker dn the colors to be a bit richer, but what do you expect for HD video at $200?
An added benefit of the Picsio over most others in this category is that it has an HDMI out and an AV out. The HDMI cable is not included. This allows you to get those shots of little Dakota at her recital and come home and watch it all over again directly from the device on your TV. No fiddling with the computer and exporting and all that madness.
It should also be noted that the Picsio does not have an internal storage like the more popular flip cameras. Video is recorded to either a user provided SD or SDHC card.
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Sound
As with all these small cameras, the audio is not very impressive. You have to be careful of any extremely loud noise. You could easily overload the mic on these with really even trying. And you can forget trying to record a concert. Your audio is going to suck.
Photos
As I mentioned, the Picsio serves double duty as a video and still camera. The still images are mediocre at best. I took a few while playing with the dogs in the back yard, and as you can see they are okay. They didn’t come out sharp enough for me, especially since they are 8mb in size. There is also a zoom function, but as you can see in the last picture, it is horrible.
Hardware
The actual build of the Picsio feels a bit cheap. It feels like it is made of the plastic that some cheap cell phones are made of. It comes in black, blue, and violet. Unfortunately, they all come with a disco ball like shiny back. The screen is big enough to see what you are filming, though it could be a bit brighter and have a bit more contrast to it. It looked a bit bland.
Size-wise, the Picisio is probably the perfect size. When i opened the box, I was pleasantly surprised at how small it is. I previously owned the Kodak Zi6 and in comparison, the Picsio is about a small as it gets. I have average sized hands, and it felt comfortable holding it and filming.
Usability
The power button. I am sure this was done to prevent it from coming on accidentally, but the power button is flush with the device. Anyone with hands any bigger than mine, are going to have issues turning this thing on. The button is just not very responsive. I found myself pressing it 3 to 4 times just to get it to turn on. The rest of the buttons are okay, and are labeled with images that most folks should be able to interpret.
Like most cameras this size, there is a macro. The Picsio’s happens to be on the side of the device and due to the plastic-y feel of the device, also feels a bit flimsy and cheap. The camera also shoots in several different modes, but you wouldn’t know it from the device itself. I had to read through the manual to find out how to switch between modes. There is a directional pad on the front and you have to double-click the left arrow to switch between modes. To be honest, I prefer the Kodak Zi6 method of just using the left and right arrows to switch modes. For some this may not be an issue, but it just seemed odd to be from a usability standpoint.
Final Thoughts
For what it is, the JVC Piscsio serves its purpose. It is not the best in its class, but it is definitely not the worse. For a family that just wants to document events and have a just in case camera, the JVC is perfect. It is small enough to fit in your pocket and does exactly what it is supposed to do. At $200 or $178 at Amazon, it is priced right along side the other cameras in this category. For the average consumer, this is another option you can add to your list when it is time to grab a pocket-able HD camera.
[JVC]
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