The JVC GR-X5 offers both strong video and still capabilities in a small package while still maintaining a good feeling and easy to use design. The camera would be a great fit for an intermediate user who wants to step up to a camera with the improved image quality offered from the 3 CCD’s as well as some form of manual controls. I would definitely recommend the GR-X5 to anyone who is looking for a new camcorder with a small footprint and impressive optics.

While you could achieve better results from other 3-chip consumer camcorders and 5-megapixel cameras, the GR-X5US is just about perfect for anyone with the necessary cash and the desire to combine high-quality video and still images in one very portable device.

This camcorder is unquestionably the best hybrid on the market. When you combine awesome video performance with jaw-dropping still performance, good manual control, and all the right ports, this camcorder makes a killer package. If this is what JVC can do with their first generation of 3 CCD camcorders, I’d be afraid of next year’s models if I were Panasonic and Sony.

For most videographers, however, there are plenty of other options that may not look so good on paper, but have an overall better user experience and comparable results.

The JVC GR-X5US has an interesting design, but it may not be to everyone’s taste, and its poor battery life and the omission of a viewfinder are serious problems. At $1,300, it’s also expensive. While it’s undeniably a good camcorder, it really isn’t worth the extra cash: most people would be equally well served by buying a less-expensive camcorder and spending the money they save on a decent point-and-shoot still camera.