HMC40 vs JVC GY-HM100

R

robertrogoz

Carbonite Member
I am current HM100 owner, but I am getting sick and tired dealing with the long list of shortcomings of the camera. I LOVE the codec, but hate controls, issues with recessed lens and unworkable zoom. I also LOVE uncompressed sound, which is huge for me. So before I will trade a set of problems for another set of problems (like AVCHD and FCP) I wanted to hear opinions of the first hand users. I am not sure about the controls (though LCD), and transcoding into FCP. I wanted to see if someone else made a switch and how they like it?
I also wanted to see if someone was able to hook up HMC40 to Nanoflash? And if yes, how was it powered up?
Thanks for all the responses.
 
I've always said, "The perfect video camera does NOT exist." By that I mean that there's always going to be a trade-off in the camera one chooses.

Now my experience is with the Panasonic HMC40 using FCE. Other than seeing and playing with the JVC model at a trade show, I have no real experience with the JVC Model.

FCP & FCE: I am currently using Toast 9 to transcode my AVCHD footage into AIC (Apple Intermediate CODAC). I could transcode into Quicktime, BUT I find the performance of my editing system is better with AIC. By the way, the current version is Toast 10, and I'm just to lazy to get around to upgrading. My iMAC is a 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo, with 4 GB of RAM.

AUDIO: Sorry, to say that the HMC40 uses compressed audio at 384kbps. For most audio, you'd never know the difference, BUT if you do a lot of processing on the audio to sweeten it, I'm sure the audio compression will rear its ugly head. No answer for that one, it's just the way it is...

ZOOM: I love the zoom on the HMC40, it acts like there is infinite speeds, but I'm sure it's really so many different speeds built-in, it only looks that way. A very light touch on the zoom lever = slow zoom ---> heavy press = fast zoom. There's even the option to have the zoom come to a soft stop before you reach the end of the zoom range.

LCD CONTROLS: Not every option is selected through the LCD, but there are a number of settings that are selected through the LCD. While buttons would be nice, It's not impossible to deal with the LCD settings. I have really big fingers and find that I'm able to quickly able to select things. OK, every now and then I do touch the wrong setting, but it's easy to correct. Personally, I don't see it as bad as some might think it might be.

NANOFLASH: Never tried it, so nothing I can tell you....


Overall, I'm happy with my HMC40.



Bob Diaz
 
I haven't swopped from the HM100, but compared with a few other cameras I find the HMC40's LCD fine to use.

The one comment I woud make, since it seems that audio is important to you, is that access is the audio level control takes four LCD presses: 1st to bring up the 'function navi', 2nd to bring up the navi menu, 3rd to get to second menu page, and 4th to activate the level control.

Most other stuff is easier than that to access.....
 
You could probably wait till NAB. You never know but either the HMC40 or the HM100 can get replaced. It would be interesting to see both units getting replaced.
 
BobDiaz said:
FCP & FCE: I am currently using Toast 9 to transcode my AVCHD footage into AIC (Apple Intermediate CODAC). I could transcode into Quicktime, BUT I find the performance of my editing system is better with AIC. By the way, the current version is Toast 10, and I'm just to lazy to get around to upgrading. My iMAC is a 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo, with 4 GB of RAM.
Click to expand...

Bob,
It's important for you to remember that your workflow using Toast is a workaround because you're on Final Cut Express. Final Cut Pro transcodes the AVCHD files in to AIC or ProRes on it's own.
 
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