BBC to add 500 JVC GY-HM650 ProHD camcorders for newsgathering

The BBC will purchase more than 500 JVC GY-HM650 ProHD network-enabled camcorders throughout 2013 to be used in its newsgathering operations in the UK and globally.

The GY-HM600 camera series meets the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU’s) recommendations for journalism use (“Tier 2J”). It also meets the requirements for general long form HD programming (“Tier 2L”), when used with a suitable external recording device supporting 50Mb/s or greater recording.

"We are delighted by the success of the GY-HM650 camcorder,” said John Kelly, general manager, UK & Ireland, Scandinavia and MEA. “Following on from the recent announcement that the GY-HM600 series camcorders meet EBU requirements for journalism, this provides further confirmation of its suitability for broadcast news production.”

Key features of the GY-HM650 are dual codec capability, network connectivity and ease of use.

These dual-mode ProHD camcorders feature have a wide-angle 23X autofocus zoom lens and deliver superior low-light performance (F12 at 2000 lux in Extended mode) in a comfortable, versatile form factor.

The lightweight cameras record HD or SD footage in multiple file formats, including native XDCAM EX (.MP4), Final Cut Pro (.MOV) and AVCHD, to nonproprietary affordable SDHC or SDXC media cards. The 650 model also supports MXF files for rich descriptive metadata.

The GY-HM650 ProHD handheld mobile news camera offers dual codecs allowing it to produce full HD files on one memory card while simultaneously creating smaller, Web-friendly files (1/4 HD or SD) on a second card. With built-in FTP client and network connectivity, the GY-HM650 delivers the footage back to a station without a microwave or satellite connection.