JVC Everio GZ-HM1

Pitting the JVC GZ-HM1 head-to-head against the Panasonic HDC-TM700 makes for some tough competition. The HDC-TM700 is currently our #1 ranked consumer camcorder in 2010—a position that it might maintain until year's end. The GZ-HM1, on the other hand, put up some shockingly good numbers in our testing and the camcorder did beat out the Panasonic in a few of our tests (still sharpness and battery life). It didn't do quite enough to unseat the HDC-TM700 as the leader in our rankings, however, so we can't really recommend the GZ-HM1 over the TM700 based on video performance.

Adding to the HDC-TM700's value is the fact that it lists for roughly £100 less than the GZ-HM1. This difference in price does have to do with the fact that the TM700 only has 32GB of internal memory (compared to the GZ-HM1's 64GB), but we're still extremely impressed with Panasonic's ability to keep the cost of its flagship camcorder under £1000. The HDC-TM700 also has a few features the GZ-HM1 does not have: a viewfinder, larger LCD, 1080/50p recording, and a 25p Digital Cinema mode.

Unless you find the JVC GZ-HM1 for a bargain price, there really isn't much of a reason to purchase it over the HDC-TM700. Yes, the GZ-HM1 did slightly better in the still image department, but we doubt that will factor into the decision-making of many would-be consumers. This doesn't mean the GZ-HM1 isn't an excellent camcorder... it is. It's just that the Panasonic HDC-TM700 is even better. The Panasonic's main advantage comes in the form of its 1080/50p recording mode, which enabled the camcorder to capture a sharper video image than the competition.

	Comparison Specs
	JVC GZ-HM1	Panasonic HDC-TM700
Price	£1,093	£930
Primary Recording Media	64GB internal flash memory	32GB internal flash memory
Secondary Recording Media	SD/SDHC memory card	SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card
Image Sensor	1/2.3-inch CMOS	Three 1/4.1-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count	Unknown (gross pixel count: 10.62 megapixels)	7.59 megapixels (3.05 megapixels x3)
Mic Input	Yes	Yes
LCD	2.8-inch with 207,000 pixels	3-inch with 230,400 pixels
Viewfinder	No	Yes
Weight	485g	440g
Dimensions	67 x 72 x 141mm	66 x 69 x138mm
HD	Yes	Yes
Frame Rates	1080/50i (with three low-quality slow motion modes)	1080/50p, 50i, 25p (Digital Cinema)
Compression	AVCHD	AVCHD (except 50p mode)
Maximum Bitrate	24Mbps	28Mbps (1080/50p) 17Mbps (1080/50i)
Optical Zoom	10x	12x
Stabilisation	Optical with active mode	Optical with Power IS mode

JVC GZ-HM1 Colour Comparisons
JVC GZ-HM1	Panasonic HDC-TM700

Video Sharpness Score Comparison