New firmware for JVC GY-HM600 HD camera improves performance

JVC Professional Products Company is offering a new firmware upgrade for the GY-HM600 handheld ProHD camera. The company said the firmware upgrade, free to all existing owners, improves the camera’s autofocus and signal-to-noise ratio, as well as its flash band compensation, which minimizes or eliminates banding during recording with the camera’s internal 1/3in CMOS sensors when an external flash is in use.

Other new features include preset shooting modes, which provide optimized settings for common shooting scenarios: “Standard” mode for ideal lighting conditions and “Extended” mode with maximum gain for ENG image capture in difficult lighting conditions. In addition, the GY-HM600 now offers “AF Assist” functionality in “Auto Focus” mode.

The GY-HM600 shoots up to Full HD video with a wide-angle 23X autofocus zoom and features a low-light sensitivity of F11 at 2000 lux.

JVC said current GY-HM600 owners can download the file (version 0104) for free. Firmware is loaded using an SDHC card (Slot B), and instructions are included with the file. Cameras currently being shipped from dealers or directly from JVC already include the firmware upgrade.