I told my friend, a pro in NYC (owns DV equipment and a CineAlta) I have the HD10, and complained about the auto iris. He said this:

"I didn't know JVC had resumed shipping the MiniHD. Last time we
spoke to a JVC rep we were told that they halted shipping due to many
dissatisfied professionals and were attempting to rework the camera for a
later release date. Open Source Creations and Definition Productions had
order two and after our conversation with the JVC rep, we cancelled our
order."

If this is true, I may send it back. The auto iris sucks, and it's not easy to get around.

Also, Paul, what about the auto iris? As a filmmaker, I can't deal with auto anything, even if my movies are uber-tiny. What can I do to get around it? Put a ton of filters on it?

heath

Well, this is a major holiday weekend, so there's no way to know if it's true until Monday when we can ask JVC directly. Until then, if falls into the rumor category... to be perpetuated, no doubt, by follow-ups from those who don't really know one way or the other but feel compelled to respond regardless. My sincere advice is to wait on this until Monday in order to receive official word. Until then, it's rumor, which is as far away from information as one can get.

<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : Well, this is a major holiday weekend, so there's no way to know if it's true until Monday when we can ask JVC directly. Until then, if falls into the rumor category... to be perpetuated, no doubt, by follow-ups from those who don't really know one way or the other but feel compelled to respond regardless. My sincere advice is to wait on this until Monday in order to receive official word. Until then, it's rumor, which is as far away from information as one can get. -->>>

I agree, but trust what my friend says. Unless JVC yanked his chain, or he heard from someone else at his office who talked to JVC (which makes it hearsay).

heath

The Auto-Iris issue is a big one, and I would think a deal-killer for many looking at this camera. I made this point in my first inquiries about it to Ken Freed. I think if they did fix this issue, and also fixed the zoom ring so that it was usable and didn't jerk, and the zoom rocker sensitivity (which isn't terrible by consumer standards but is not good by professional standards) they would have much much bigger sales for this camera. Personally, I'm currently so much in love with the picture detail that I plan to keep mine come hell or high water, but if they offered me a "fixed" version, of course I'd love it. Somehow I think this is just rumour though, who knows. I haven't found a way around it by the way, just ND filters to stop it adjusting so radically in bright situations and stop the whites blowing out. I totally understand your feelings about it though.

<<<-- Originally posted by Paul Mogg : The Auto-Iris issue is a big one, and I would think a deal-killer for many looking at this camera. I made this point in my first inquiries about it to Ken Freed. I think if they did fix this issue, and also fixed the zoom ring so that it was usable and didn't jerk, and the zoom rocker sensitivity (which isn't terrible by consumer standards but is not good by professional standards) they would have much much bigger sales for this camera. Personally, I'm currently so much in love with the picture detail that I plan to keep mine come hell or high water, but if they offered me a "fixed" version, of course I'd love it. Somehow I think this is just rumour though, who knows. I haven't found a way around it by the way, just ND filters to stop it adjusting so radically in bright situations and stop the whites blowing out. I totally understand your feelings about it though. -->>>

Rumor for now, but still, the auto iris is killing me. I'm thisclose to calling JVC Monday and telling them to shove it. Yeah, image rocks, but auto iris sucks. Zoom doesn't bug me yet, but I'm pretty much pissed about the auto iris. This ISN'T a pro camera, or even prosumer. And that really strikes me as stupid on their part. We'll know Monday, come heck or high water.

heath

Yeah it does not make sense that JVC professional division would even release a pro camera with absolutely no pro controls over the cameras image. Even the basic GL1 or trv900 has this kind of control. Those are consumer too! I mean it does not have one actual pro control over the image. Something is not right about that. Maybe JVC Pro is trying to rework the issue. There are not many HD10U's in the market. So it's not an issue to rework the camera SW. In the long run this will benefit JVC, because people will buy it for it's picture and at least have manual control that any camera labeled professional would have.

Michael Pappas

<<<<Rumor for now, but still, the auto iris is killing me. I'm thisclose to calling JVC Monday and telling them to shove it. Yeah, image rocks, but auto iris sucks. Zoom doesn't bug me yet, but I'm pretty much pissed about the auto iris. This ISN'T a pro camera, or even prosumer. And that really strikes me as stupid on their part. We'll know Monday, come heck or high water.

heath>>>>

Monday will provide more answers.

heath

So now it is Monday, which actually does provide answers:

See Ken Freed's response (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&postid=76995#post76995) in this other thread.

Ken (from JVC) states in no uncertain terms that there is NOT a hold on the camera, and unless that anonymous source can be identified by name, then it has to count as one of unfortunately far too many unsubstantiated rumors floating around on the net... exactly what I started this board to avoid. Hope this helps,