New JVC cameras and gear

I got a play with these cameras last night at Createasphere. I was very, very impressed with them. They have a lot of features packed into a very diminutive body, and feel very nice to use. The images on monitor coming from the demo models was quite rich and pleasing. High gain performance seemed excellent.

I've never shot JVC before, but these cameras would definitely make me consider them.
 
Thanks for sharing. Any idea of how clean the image was at 0 db compared to other 1/3" chip cameras? Also, was there a color matrix? Thanks
 
cowpunk52 said:
I got a play with these cameras last night at Createasphere. I was very, very impressed with them. They have a lot of features packed into a very diminutive body, and feel very nice to use. The images on monitor coming from the demo models was quite rich and pleasing. High gain performance seemed excellent.

I've never shot JVC before, but these cameras would definitely make me consider them.
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That's really encouraging. Can the image be tweaked to give a flat-ish profile (not log flat, but not the usual horrible video gamma) ?
How would you say it compares to other 1/3'' cameras like the ac160 in low light, dynamic range and resolution?
 
Those are excellent questions, and I wish I had an answer for you. I didn't get to spend an appreciable amount of time with the cameras because I was on a bit of a schedule, and in fact didn't even intend to look at them. But they caught my eye when I walked past, and the IQ on monitors drew me in. I didn't check for custom profiling capabilities, and I've never used an AC160. The last 1/3" camcorders I used was an XF300 and XF100, and I will say that the JVC's compared favorably to them in terms of sensitivity. I would say maybe a stop more sensitive, but that's just a guess-timate.
 
I stopped by the JVC booth yesterday to check out the 600. I wanted to compare a couple of specifics between it and the Pana 160A, specifically: the zoom servo (I use "zoom creeps" during interviews, etc.) and the 160 autofocus "problem" that has been discussed here.
The zoom rocker servo on the JVC gives a very sweet silky pull out from full 23x tele and also has a smoother, more dampened feel in manual mode. The Panny, using the old 3 speed servo from the DVX100a days can't do this and always has a "bump" coming out, as the servo clicks into a gear (always been one of the few 'pet peeves" on my 100A). By comparison,the new Panny 90 has a super smooth servo zoom (like the one from the 30 & 40).

I panned the Pana 160A from the BG of their lit setup to the wine bottles in the FG and, although the focus was slower at the cam's 24P setting, it didn't fail to focus on the FG or lock up. However, when I panned to the darker BG area away from the booth and tried to auto focus on the (admittedly muddy) lower contrast floor carpet pattern, the camera couldn't find a focus at all, and kept wavering between 80-82 on the scale at full tele. When I shifted to manual focus and manual zoom, I was able to focus on the pattern, but when I did a slow manual zoom out, the focus shifted in and out briefly near the beginning of the zoom.
The JVC found and locked on to the focus in auto mode on an equally dark part of the same floor pattern at the long end of it's zoom.

Personally, I almost never use auto anything, although the shift in focus on manual zoom out with the 160A does concern me a bit. It might have just been that particular sample unit and it's possible that a software alignment at a service center would correct the problem.
I do prefer the Panny color palette. Also, the viewfinder on the JVC seemed more "plasticky" than the Pana; it didn't want to hold its position when tilted up...too loose. Maybe an easy tightening fix, don't know. Also the LCD on the JVC is really too small for a camera like this. The JVC rep did say that 1080P 60 was "coming" when I asked about that.
The JVC can record in different file formats and also has a 4:2:2 out from the SDI and HDMI outs (8 bit) for those who use an outboard recorder like the Nano Flash.

Anyway, they're both good tools in their price range, and each has it's quirks and "I wish this was better" points.

Hope this helps.
Ken
 
cowpunk52 said:
Those are excellent questions, and I wish I had an answer for you. I didn't get to spend an appreciable amount of time with the cameras because I was on a bit of a schedule, and in fact didn't even intend to look at them. But they caught my eye when I walked past, and the IQ on monitors drew me in. I didn't check for custom profiling capabilities, and I've never used an AC160. The last 1/3" camcorders I used was an XF300 and XF100, and I will say that the JVC's compared favorably to them in terms of sensitivity. I would say maybe a stop more sensitive, but that's just a guess-timate.
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Thanks :)
Btw, Is it possible to deduce its native ISO at 0db given the JVC's f/11 @ 2000lux sensitivity?
Was the viewfinder usable for focus?
 
Donald Ong said:
Haha Other other cameras...That sounds so condescending. Like the JVCs are regarded as toys or something :)
Yeah yeah, of course..There isn't a sony, canon, or panasonic logo on it, of course it's a toy. haha
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SHAME on jvc for not having a better marketing dept!

What JVC's have kept up with or superseded the industry? Though late to the game, (aka, after I bought into Panasonic), their miniDV offerings seemed great.
 
James0b57 said:
SHAME on jvc for not having a better marketing dept!

What JVC's have kept up with or superseded the industry? Though late to the game, (aka, after I bought into Panasonic), their miniDV offerings seemed great.
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One of my mates (not a video person, though) didn't even know JVC made cameras... That's how bad their marketing is! :)
 
Donald Ong said:
One of my mates (not a video person, though) didn't even know JVC made cameras... That's how bad their marketing is! :)
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Actually, that doesn't really prove anything. Another way to interpret that is that JVC are so good at targeted marketing that people outside the industry, who have no chance of becoming a customer, don't have any resources wasted on them. :)
 
Mike Warren said:
Actually, that doesn't really prove anything. Another way to interpret that is that JVC are so good at targeted marketing that people outside the industry, who have no chance of becoming a customer, don't have any resources wasted on them. :)
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Haha that's a nice way to interpret it.
But I have to say, I'm more of a Sony person, if the hm600 wasn't so attractive, i wouldn't even have cared about JVC :)
That's sad, though. If Sony had released the hm600, I'd be all over it and buy it without a second thought. But then again, if Sony had released this, the price would probably have been quite a bit higher.

but I'm really considering the Hm600 now, though...where are the reviews? Only the HDwarrior one is out and it does seem positive... though I'd like more reassurance.
 
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Saw the JVC600/650 last week. The picture looks good on the HD Warrior BVE Report video. The zoom rocker gives a superb ease in / ease out on zooms much better than anything else I have used like EX1 and HPX250. I think this range is well worth consideration.
 
Whatever happened to that JVC cam which had a Super35 sized sensor and a Nikon-F mount? There was a pic of it somewhere behind a glass case at some camera show...can't seem to find it...
 
very interesting lower cost alternative to Sony F5/F700. But stick in between market niches. Still could be a great ENG package with power zoom.
 
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