JVC GR-AX380
The GR-AX380 is a European JVC, and that's the first thing to know about it. Its manual dates from 1998 and covers four PAL VHS-C models, the AX480, AX380, AX285 and AX280. The AX380 was the one with a color viewfinder, a small 0.55-inch LCD where the others had black-and-white tubes, in a slightly shorter body. It records on compact VHS cassettes with a 22x zoom, programmed exposure modes and a 1/2000 shutter, and it came with the adapter that lets those tapes play in a full-size VHS deck. We found no US version. So it's a camera for someone who has PAL VHS-C tapes to play, or who works in PAL, not for someone in the US starting fresh.
Spec at a glance
- Maker
- JVC
- Tape format
- VHS-C and VHS
- Launched
- 1998
- Records
- VHS-C (PAL); up to 60 minutes on an EC-60 tape
- Sensor
- 1/4-inch CCD
- Lens
- 22x optical zoom, F1.6, 3.8–83.6 mm, 46 mm filter thread
- Viewfinder
- 0.55-inch color LCD viewfinder; no flip-out screen
- Outputs
- Video and audio out; RF only with the optional RF-V5E unit
- Weight
- About 770 g
- Also listed as
- GR-AX380E, GRAX380, AX380
- Typical eBay ask (Oct 15, 2026)
- $110–$130
Tape check
The tapes, the cables and the power
- Records
- PAL VHS-C, analog, on compact VHS cassettes. An EC-60 tape holds up to 60 minutes.
- Plays back
- PAL VHS-C tapes. With the supplied C-P7U adapter cassette, its tapes also play in a full-size PAL VHS deck.
- Getting footage off it
- Analog only. Run the video and audio outputs into a USB capture device that accepts PAL and capture in real time. There's no FireWire or S-Video.
- TV system
- PAL. JVC sold the GR-AX380 in PAL markets, and we found no US version. That makes it the right camera for PAL VHS-C tapes from the UK, Europe or Australia, and the wrong one for US tapes: a US TV won't show its playback properly in color.
- Battery and power
- JVC's 6-volt BN-V packs. It came with a BN-V12U, and JVC lists the BN-V22U and BN-V25U as options. The manual calls them nickel-cadmium packs that must be recycled, and the European charger is the AA-V15EG.
- Viewfinder and screen
- A 0.55-inch color LCD viewfinder, the only color one among its siblings, which used black-and-white tubes. There's no flip-out screen, so the viewfinder has to work.
Should come with it
- The C-P7U cassette adapter for playing tapes in a VHS deck
- A BN-V12U, BN-V22U or BN-V25U battery and the charger
- The video and audio cable
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.
What to check
No model-specific faults are documented. It's a PAL camera, so a US buyer needs PAL gear to watch its playback, and a camera that only powers on hasn't proved its tape transport works.
- 01PAL on purpose: Make sure you want a PAL camera before you buy. A US TV won't show its playback properly in color, so it suits PAL tapes only.
- 02Tested with a tape: Ask the seller whether it has recorded and played back a VHS-C tape, not just powered on. A short video of playback through the viewfinder or on a TV is what you want.
- 03Viewfinder: Ask for a photo through the viewfinder with the camera on. It's the only screen, so it should be bright and in color.
- 04Adapter: Check the photos for the C-P7U adapter cassette. It's what lets the tapes play in a full-size VHS deck.
- 05Battery and charger: Look for a BN-V12U, BN-V22U or BN-V25U pack and its charger in the photos. Treat an old nickel-cadmium pack as dead and price it that way.
- 06Lens: Zoom in on the lens in the photos, ideally with light shining in. Clear glass with no haze, fog or web-like fungus is what you want.
- 07Eject: Ask whether a cassette loads and ejects smoothly. A door that opens and closes without sticking or grinding is a good sign.
New to old camcorders? How to check a used camcorder covers the tape transport, heads, screens and power, and getting footage off a camcorder explains FireWire and analog capture.
Buying guide
Which one to buy
§ Oct 15, 2026There's no AX380 here we'd buy yet. Only three are listed, all from Europe, so the $110 to $130 band isn't a market read. Two are the same not-tested camera at $111 delivered from a Lithuanian seller using one photo for both, $65 of it shipping, and the third asks $140 delivered from an Italian account with no feedback. It's a PAL camera, right for VHS-C tapes recorded in the UK, Europe or Australia, and a US buyer needs a PAL-capable TV or capture device to see its playback properly in color. If one turns up you like, ask for a short video of a tape playing through the viewfinder, its only screen, and check for the C-P7U adapter cassette and a BN-V battery and charger, since none of these listings name them.
- Listed now
- 3
- For parts
- 0
- Typical ask
- $110–$130
- Full range
- $46–$101
Snapshot
For sale on eBay
3 of 3 listedChecked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
For parts- Check the seller
JVC GR-AX380EG Video Camera - Not Tested
$110.97est. delivered
$46.02 + $64.95 shipping
Buy It Now$46.02
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Titled not tested, ships from Lithuania. Camera alone, in the same photo as another listing.
Seller: supportive-service
98.4% positive
- For parts
- Check the seller
JVC GR-AX380EG Video Camera - Not Tested
$111.14est. delivered
$46.09 + $65.05 shipping
Buy It Now$46.09
Offers accepted
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title and photo as the seller's other listing. Not tested, ships from Lithuania.
Seller: supportive-service
98.4% positive
Used- Check the seller
JVC GR-AX380
$139.99est. delivered
$100.79 + $39.20 shipping
Buy It Now$100.79
Check the seller
Zero-feedback seller in Italy. Camera with a strap in the photo, no test claim.
Seller: orricca
No feedback yet
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