JVC launches YouTube-friendly SD camera

Stepping out of its normal camera launch schedule, JVC today launched the Everio GZ-MS100 camcorder in the US. The standard-definition camera is JVC's latest to run solely on SD cards for storage and weighs just 0.6 pounds thanks to the lack of moving parts. The switch not only allows easy offloading to a computer through USB or an SD card reader but also proves central to the camera's YouTube feature. On Windows PCs, an Upload button automatically sends recorded footage to a CyberLink app for posting to the Google-run website; any user can also use the button to limit recording to 10 minutes and fit within YouTube's limits.

The new Everio supports SDHC cards and can hold as much as 3 hours and 35 minutes of MPEG-2 footage at maximum quality or 19 hours and 15 minutes at its most basic setting. Actual battery life runs for just over 2 hours.

Aside from its flash storage, the camera also supplies a 35X optical zoom lens and a 2.7-inch preview LCD with a touch-sensitive strip for controls. JVC plans a quick release for the camera and expects it to ship in June for $350.