I have a chance to pick up a used JVC Dual CAmcorder, 250X Digital Zoom, 680K Pixel CCD, Mod. no. GRDVL550U....slightly used but in excellent shape....probably a year or two old at most.

Any Ideas as to its value would be appreciated.

Ray,

I have no idea about the value. But if you do go ahead and get it, first thing you should do is to disable that digital zoom!

Just stick to optical zoom for all your picture/video taking.

A quick check shows no JVC GRDVL550Us on Ebay to get a going market price. No writeups anywhere on the Internet including Epinions so it must not have been a popular model.

Any ideas if it has image stablization(IS)? Can it take still pics? Is the format miniDV, Hi8 or ????

JVC has come a long way but back two years ago was when I was researching a new camcorder JVC was lacking in many of their models.

Saeed,
How do I disable the digital zoom??? It is the top of the line JVC, will take singles etc. Apparantly it is a good deal at the asking price based on Ebay auctions...It is near new and I ended up getting it for a song...My camera buddies tell me I stole it, soooo who knows, now I have to learn to use the damn complicated thing....

Now I know why I love my old Pentax K-1000, it just does everything so simply...what ya sees is what ya get.

Spec17

I found several on Ebay and I am well within the used ball park on this one, it has all the nice-i-ties!

Ray,

I am not familiar with this particular model. But, generally, you should find the option in one of the menus.