JVC Debuts Solid-State Camcorders

JVC GY-HM100 JVC is introducing two new ProHD camcorders, designed to record onto SD cards and optimized for Apple Final Cut Pro.

The GY-HM100 Pro HD camcorder is the industry’s first professional handheld model to record files directly to solid state media in the native format of Apple’s Final Cut Pro editing system. Recorded material can be edited directly from the solid state memory card, reducing the amount of time required to edit programs together. The camera made its debut at the Final Cut Pro User Group SuperMeet at MacWorld last month.

The camera incorporates JVC’s Native File Recording technology that stores video in the ready-to-edit format used by Apple Final Cut Pro. “.mov” files created in-camera can be dragged onto the NLE timeline without conversion or rewrapping. The camera also stores files in the ISO Base Media File format (MP4), compatible with all major NLE editing systems.

The 3-CCD camera sports a newly designed 1080p DSP, as well as JVC’s proprietary 35 Mbps MPEG-2 encoder. It records in 1080p, 1080i and 720p onto SDHC Class 5 memory cards, allowing up to 64 GB of on board storage. The cost-per-minute of SDHC media is comparable to professional videotape, but requiring significantly less physical storage, according to JVC. It comes equipped with an integrated HD Fujinon 10:1 lens that features three aspherical elements and a new Electronic Beam Coating that greatly reduces degradation caused by reflection off the lens surfaces.

The GY-HM100 weighs 3.1 pounds and will be available in April for $3,995.

JVC GY-HM700 The GY-HM700 is the industry’s first compact shoulder mount camcorder that records directly to SDHC memory cards. It captures in QuickTime (.mov) format for Final Cut Pro and optionally to SxS media compatible with Sony’s XDCAM-EX format. Like the GY-HM100, there is no need to convert or rewrap files prior to editing; post production can begin immediately after shooting, and editing can even be done directly from the memory card. The camera provides two memory card slots for a total of up to 64 GB of on-board storage, enough for more than 6 hours of continuous HD recording. An optional KA-MR100 dockable media recorder allows users to record Sony XDCAM EX compatible .MP4 files onto high-speeed SxS memory cards, while at the same time recording the same .MP4 files to inexpensive SDHC cards.

The GY-HM700 users three 1/3-inch progressive scan full HD CCDs. A unique 1/3-inch optical block with Diagonal Offset and a patented exclusive Adaptive Pixel Correlation Technique developed by JVC produces resolution significantly higher than previous JVC models and is comparable to cameras with larger image sensors, according to the company. The KT14x4.4KRSJ standard detachable HD lens by Canon was designed specifically for the camcorder. The camcorder also sports a new high resolution viewfinder based on a new .45-inch 1.22 million pixel LCOS panel (852x480x3), which can display images with more than 5x the resolution of typical color viewfinders.