GE DV1 review

The GE DV1: A compact camcorder that shoots full HD video

The DV1 is now the second member of GE’s Active Series camera club. As a pocketable video camera the device is no bigger than your average smartphone in size, and being waterproof, dustproof and shockproof the DV1 is made for the adventurous videographer.

Attractively designed, the camera has a smart black gloss back plate with silver sides and is available in five bright and vibrant colours, including, blue, orange, green, red and grey. In hand, the DV1 feels robust with an even amount of weight behind it that will prove beneficial in reducing unwanted camera shake when shooting handheld. The camera also offers in-built image stabilisation to create smoother results when panning in video mode. Notably, the 2.5-inch LCD screen automatically adjusts its own brightness, which makes it easier to compose videos and stills while shooting or using playback in any lighting condition. With an in-built accelerometer the screen will also rotate to landscape or portrait as you turn the camera on its side.

The DV1’s li-ion battery comes built in and offers users up to 80 minutes in continuous video shooting. The camera also supports SD and SDHC memory cards reaching a capacity of up to 32GB. Primarily a video camera, the DV1 is capable of shooting full 1080p HD video and also offers lower resolution shooting options for smaller video sizes that are better suited to web uploading and online sharing.

Video capture and quality is of a good standard; however, when you consider that most compact stills cameras now offer HD video shooting capabilities and stills capture up to 10MP the DV1’s overall image quality and performance is not as impressive as we’d have hoped. The camera does offer stills capture, although much like a phone camera it is only capable of shooting up to 5MP, meaning you sacrifice still image quality and larger sizes for HD video and affordability.   

On review, colours appeared slightly washed out and contrast in images and video was low, so we lost out on capturing the finer and sharper details in shots. The DV1 also automatically selects its ISO that only ranges from 100-400, which makes it a poor performer in low light with notable noise and grain present both in stills and video footage.

The camera does offer a good 4x digital zoom lens; however, its ability to focus on a subject up close is poor, with users expected to be at least 1.5 metres from their subject for the image to be sharp and in focus. The camera also needs time to suitably adjust its exposure settings when moving into brighter or lower lighting conditions to avoid blowouts or silhouetted results. The DV1 does offer a HDR shooting mode although this didn’t make any considerable difference to still or video results.

The camera’s most redeeming features are its price tag and durability. The fact that this compact video camera is waterproof down to 5 metres makes it fantastic for family holidays and those looking to explore underwater worlds. The built-in microphone also yielded some great results, with clear recording and playback from a distance or even underwater.  

Overall, the DV1 is easy to use and great for those looking to shoot and share with others by using the integrated USB and HDMI ports. With a low retail price and some great online deals this camera can be forgiven for what it lacks as it’s worth having on hand for family fun days and water-filled adventure holidays.