JVC GZ-MG505 camcorder - should I buy it????

[furrowed_brow]

Hi
I am trying to choose a camcorder for myself as a gift for christmas. The person buying is happy for me to get a decent one. I've seen the JVC 505 and read as much as I can but still trying to decide. If I order by tomorrow I can have it for Christmas but don't want to rush into a purchase that I might regret. Seen it for around £650 including next day delivery (Jessops seem to charge £899). I realise the Sony HDR-HC1 is better but don't want to ask for a more expensive one and I've not seen it for less than around 950.
It's to be used for family celebrations, travel, recording our wedding next year, child growing up that sort of thing. Not too fussed about stills. Basically want good quality recording and not too small hard disk (30GB good on the JVC505 but others seem to have 4)
Can anyone help???? Should I go for it? Or is there something better out there for this price???
Thank you in advance!
Nicola

[lurcher]

I was looking at the JVC 505 which had good reviews but the lack of a viewfinder put me off so I decided on the Sony SR 90 30GB model and havent been disapointed.
Paid about £514 from Jessops.
Remember £650 should just about get you a better PQ Sony HC3E HD camcorder if you can live with tapes.
I"d go for the better quality Sony HC3 ( I have the HC1E ).

[redsox_mark]

I agree with lurcher. The MG505 and the SR90 are very similar in overall quality, and both very good. Personally I like having a viewfinder so that is a downside of the JVC.

But when you get into the £650 bracket, I too would rather have the HDV HC3.

[Accylad]

I have the Sony HC3 and can not say enough in its favour

PQ is great, its easy to use and even my wife agrees it was money well spent !!!!

[DurkS]

I was also originally looking at the 505 as I was looking for a good HDD model as I thought it would be more convenient. But ultimately picture quality is most important to me and the increased compression currently used on HDD machines means that DV tape machines are still the best for this.
I also read a post on here about how much cheaper the DV tapes are per hour of footage than HDD's.
I also felt if I bought a standard definition machine now I would want to replace it a lot sooner than a high def camcorder. So I've just ordered the Sony HC3. Ended up ordering from PurelyGadgets, but via the Amazon website as the PurelyGadget site wouldn't accept my credit card for some reason. They also sell for £5 cheaper on Amaxon??!!??

[Moviebuff]

I purchased the JVC and it's a great camcorder - superb ease of use and great PQ. A viewfinder would have been nice, but then in a package that small, I guess something had to give.

[lurcher]

JVC 505 is £564 from http://www.cameras2u.com/products/in...WORD_SEARCH=N&

[furrowed_brow]

Hi
Thanks to everyone for their help. The person buying it for me was keen for me to get a hard drive one so I went for the JVC 505 in the end. I ordered it yesterday at about 4pm from Cameras2U.com
They have promised it will be delivered tomorrow. I just checked the order and it's not yet dispatched. I could have got it a little cheaper at Crompton and Moore but was put off by the discussion here about opened packages etc.
I'll let you know how Cameras2U get on with their next day delivery promise! I also think that, taking into account delivery costs and the fact they were prepared to do it next day, they were pretty much the cheapest. I got it for 679 with 3.95 next day delivery charge (lurker - the 505 camcorder that was cheaper than this was the Sony one not the JVC one - sorry, I started to use abbreviations as I got tired of writing out the whole number!). Some of the other sellers seemed to put their prices up last few days (eg PRC direct) and amazon were out of stock before christmas. Jessops wouldn't budge on their cost of 900 and wouldn't price match.
Will let you know in case anyone else is thinking about using Cameras2U
Cheers, Nicola

[lurcher]

Originally Posted by furrowed_brow

Hi
(lurker - the 505 camcorder that was cheaper than this was the Sony one not the JVC one -

Yes you are right I"m wrong , sorry.