Last Updated on January 13, 2019
Travelers, adventurers, and outdoor sports enthusiasts know how hard it is to capture moments using a smartphone. Since it’s not advisable to expose your device to the elements, you either have to pass up the opportunity to take great photos or videos or risk destroying your expensive gadget.
Fortunately, JVC has come up with a solution to help you find a way around this dilemma: two powerful cameras that can withstand rugged use and take whatever the weather throws at it.
Introducing the Everio R Line
GZ-R550
The camcorders are called GZ-R550 and GZ-R440 and are part of the new Everio R line. They’re built with JVC’s Quad-Proof structure, which means they’re designed to withstand exposure to dust, shock, water and freezing temperatures. The new camcorders are water-resistant up to 5 meters (or 16.4 feet) and freeze-proof down to -10 degrees Celsius (or 14 degrees Fahrenheit). They can also withstand drops from 1.5 meters (or 4.9 feet) and are built to keep dust away from their internal components.
All of these mean that the GZ-R550 and GZ-R440 are ideal companions for people who go on rough adventures and/or travel to places with extreme climates and unpleasant weather. They’re also great for those who do extreme sports and want to document their performance.
Aside from their weather-proof structure, the Everio 3 camcorders are built to float. So, if you’re planning to go kayaking, canoeing, white water rafting, or simply swimming at the beach, you won’t hesitate to bring your GZ-R550 or GZ-R440 camcorder with you. After all, you have the assurance that it won’t get damaged by the water and that you won’t lose it even when you drop it into the lake or river. The floating feature also allows you to capture videos and pictures that would be impossible to take using ordinary cameras and smartphones.
Specs and Details
GZ-R440
The Everio R GZ-R550 and GZ-R440 are both powered by a 2.5 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS Sensor and the FALCONBRID image processing engine, which work together to give the camcorders a 24 Mbps high bit rate recording and excellent image quality. They come with the KONICA MINOLTA HD LENS, which has 40x optical zoom and 60x digital zoom and allows you to zoom in on your subject while maintaining HD resolution. They’re also built with the JVC K2 Technology, which preserves audio quality and lets you record high-fidelity sound along with your videos.
Battery life isn’t a problem with the GZ-R550 and GZ-R440 since they both come with an internal battery that can last up to five hours on a single charge. It’s also compatible with third-party portable power banks (the kind that you use to charge your smartphone), which means you can easily recharge your camcorder while you’re on the go.
The key difference between these two models is their internal memory. The GZ-R4400 has a 4 GB internal memory, while the GZ-R550 comes with 32 GB. The latter also has a built-in Auto Illumi. Light and is capable of AVCHD Progressive Recording. The GZ-R4400 is available in two colors (orange and matte black) and will retail at $399.95, while the GZ-R550 comes in matte black only and will be priced at $499.95.
