New (to me) JVC-GZ-HD7

John Nantz · August 28th, 2010, 11:35 PM

First, thanks, Kaushik, for the offer to help with using the video editing software. Right now I'd like to try and stay with iMovie HD 6 for a while and see how that works out.

Update: Just made my very first iMovie HD6 DVD and the video more-or-less came out good, from a story line point of view.

Technically, however, it was a bit of a flub. All my video was recorded in FULL HD. The DVD video turned out, shall we say, a bit on the low-resolution end of the spectrum. What I may have done was select the wrong setting for burning - the one which optimizes how much video you can put on a DVD. I'm going to try and repeat the process but using what I think is a different setting for burning.

This is a learning process.

In the last few days I recorded about another 45 minutes of FDV which is really filling up my camera hard drive. Really need to get some of this edited and burned to a DVD or I'm going to run out of room.

Kaushik Parmar · August 30th, 2010, 12:27 AM

Why you are making DVDs? Do you want to store your footage in Full HD version? If you are creating DVDs of your Full HD files then you will only have SD resolution 720x480. I advise you to make AVCHD DVDs or maybe Blue-ray Disk of your videos, it will give you Full HD resolution. Make sure while making SD DVDs you need to make it in HQ mode which will give you 8MB/s selection.

I guess these days you should not go for DVDs, then it is useless to use Full HD cameras. make AVCHD files or DIVX files or maybe Blue-ray disk, all these will give you option for Full HD version.

And one more advise, I bought two 500GB external HDD so I am fine, I have lots of space, you can buy external hard-disk, it is must now days, just my suggestions.

Kaushik

John Nantz · September 1st, 2010, 10:52 PM

Answer: Yes. I want to store/save the video files in Full HD. I'll have to review the options for saving the video files and find a way to avoid saving them in the format I saved them in last time. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what I did. What ever it was, the result was very disappointing to say the least.

I'm not sure if AVCHD is a format my software, iMovie HD6, will handle - I'll have to research that.

Thanks for the heads up about the different options and the results.

John Nantz · September 1st, 2010, 11:11 PM

The video recording on the boat last week was basically a failure. I'd rate it somewhere around a "D".

1. The audio wasn't good. I used the Rode stereo mic and it picked up too much undesirable noise from things like the engine, in particular, plus a number of other noises. Should probably have used the Sennheiser ME-66 shotgun to block out the undesirable noise.

2. Too much camera shake due to waves and wakes hitting the boat and causing uneven jerks and movements.

3. Un-level horizon due to the cameraman not keeping the camera level.

Solution: after doing some research, it seems one should get a steady cam. After checking eBay and Amazon plus some other web sites for prices I found a used Glidecam outfit which included a Glidecam 2000 Pro, Arm Brace (or Forearm Brace, they call it by both names), extra weights, and a Manfrotto 701HDV "Rapid Connect Adapter".

The good part about this is the Adapter will work with my tripod so now I won't have to do any messing around when switching from the tripod to the Glidecam. The Arm Brace is handy because it's my understanding that the wrist will become tired after a certain amount of Glidecam use. And last but not least, being a used package I was able to save quite a bit over buying new.

While this is a discontinued model, and it's replacement, the HD 2000, has two nice features: easier plate adjustment and better weight bolting so they don't become loose so easy, this is something I can learn on for much less. We'll see how it goes. For the boat I'd say it is a must-have, but can also be used in a lot of other situations.

On the board here, in the steady cam section, they basically say one will be "learning" to use this thing most of one's life. Well, hopefully the videos will become reasonably acceptable before the end comes!

Kaushik Parmar · September 2nd, 2010, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Nantz

Answer: Yes. I want to store/save the video files in Full HD. I'll have to review the options for saving the video files and find a way to avoid saving them in the format I saved them in last time. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what I did. What ever it was, the result was very disappointing to say the least.

I'm not sure if AVCHD is a format my software, iMovie HD6, will handle - I'll have to research that.

Thanks for the heads up about the different options and the results.

Well, if you want to just save your RAW files then just drag & drop in your empty DVDs, use 8GB disk and burn it.

If you want to save edited version then you can not save it in Full HD in DVDs. Either you need to save it on AVCHD or Blue-ray.

If your videos are shaky I advise you to put OIS off from your camera. And you can use Image Stabilizer from your software.

You can see I made one comparison on stabilized movie.

YouTube - Video stabilizer test

See this clips in 720p mode, you will see how software can help to reduce shake from the video, it really works!

Kaushik

Waldemar Winkler · September 3rd, 2010, 06:06 PM

Go here,

http://www.mindspring.com/~d-v-c/

or do a google search on Steve Mullen.

and purchase Steve Mullen's E-book on the HD7. You will learn amazing things.

I've been using the HD7 for three years now, and find it produces really good images. I has major drawbacks in regard to the way one must control exposure settings while shooting, but that is to be expected when using a camera designed for consumer use. One just has to learn the work-arounds.

I can't say for sure, but I believe this camera was the basis for JVC's small pro camera that was released a year or so ago.

John Nantz · September 4th, 2010, 10:05 AM

Kaushik, thanks for the list of file saving options. *I think* :)

I say this because the AVCHD isn't one of the options I can use - yet. And, ditto with BluRay. There has to be another way, somehow, but I just haven't come across it yet. I'm definitely going to be using the old version of iMovie, HD 6, which has high definition capability but how to do this with the HD7 is another matter.

Right now I don't see that there are many video movie file options available for my system because of the way it is currently configured.

With regard to saving video raw files, I'll probably have to start doing this in order to free up my camera and computer hard drive space. I've got a couple Passport drives which, same as you, is good for dumping a lot of these massive files on.

That was a good side-by-side video of image stabilization you made. Really good comparison.

John Nantz · September 4th, 2010, 10:19 AM

Shortly after I got the HD7 there was a problem I had with making a video and in another area I had a post. Steve Mullen posted a reply that was really helpful but didn't "advertise" his "book". While doing some searching on this side I came across a few more posts of his where he did mention his web site and his book and after reading it I'm sure I'll wind up getting it. Thanks, Waldemar, for the Mullen book suggestion.

Currently, however, I just want to get past the "road block de jour" which is saving my iMovie in a high-definition format. Once I do this then I've got a lot of video to edit and burn to a disk which will allow me to start taking more video and exploring all the capabilities of the camer system.

The HD7 has a lot of settings one can adjust to improve the video quality and I'm just starting to learn my way around some of them, including the frequently mentioned OIS on/off. Exposure is another one I've started experimenting with.

Kaushik Parmar · September 8th, 2010, 04:01 AM

I found this original video by JVC, this was recorded by JVC GZ-HD7.

Kaushik

John Nantz · September 8th, 2010, 10:08 PM

That was a great video. A really GREAT video!

Lots of good points like good color, depth of field, and obviously done by someone who knows how to shoot video.

Wish I could do something like that.

Oh, the gal and her sax playing..... well, that was good too!

I've got another "little" roadblock. I've misplaced (I think actually lost) my JVC/iMovie binder. :-(
It has EVERYTHING in it. All my notes, printouts, step-by-step instructions, everything. I'm totally bumed out. I've tried retracing my steps and calling people to see if they may have found it but, so far, no binder.

Kaushik Parmar · September 9th, 2010, 05:29 AM

And this one is preloaded in JVC HD7, I found this video in my HD7:

John Nantz · September 10th, 2010, 01:27 PM

For 2:20 the video carried a lot of information. Liked the pictures of the camera and the lens system with the receptors. The CU-VD40 Disk Burner caught my attention as it has a lot of RCA inputs and outputs which my VD20 doesn't have. Not sure that I need them, though.

The early part had a boquet of flowers with the gal holding an umbrella and the detail of the flowers was super. Later there were white downe fluffs floating down and they were really white while the other colors looked really true to form.

Went and checked prices for the VD40 and it was a surprise - they can be had used in the $89 range (Amazon). The customer reviews were really bad - average of only two stars! There were a lot of one star ratings. When I read the reviews I found out why - the customers thought it would burn DVDs and they found out it would only archive the HD7 files which can't be read by a regular DVD player. I guess I'd be unhappy too if I was led to believe it would.

Speaking of *.tod files, the JVC engineers did a marvelous job on the camera so why couldn't management have provided for an easier path to go from *.tod to something everybody could use? It's like they put the thing out on the street and abandoned it. I don't get it.

Besides having lost my JVCiMovie binder with all my notes and information, I've now been having problems with my laptop dropping the WiFi connection. Won't it ever end?

This is the second time I wrote something like this because the first one was "lost" in cyber space and never got posted. This time I'm going to at least save what I wrote.

Thanks for the video, Kaushik! It was a great one!

Gan Eden · September 14th, 2010, 01:37 AM

I got the fancy silver one (Jap model) as I prefered the look of it to the black one.

I've jazzed mine up a bit with a Canon WD-H58 Wide angle lens (works great and zoom thru) using a step down lens adapter.

Also added the Audio Technica AT897 shotgun mic with the Rode SM-3 mount.

I tried to add pics as attachements but it will not let me. (Is there some ruling on this?)

Gan Eden · September 14th, 2010, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaushik Parmar

I found this original video by JVC, this was recorded by JVC GZ-HD7.

JVC GZ HD7 Demo Video on Vimeo

Kaushik

Wow she is gorgeous!

Kaushik Parmar · September 14th, 2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gan Eden

I got the fancy silver one (Jap model) as I prefered the look of it to the black one.

I've jazzed mine up a bit with a Canon WD-H58 Wide angle lens (works great and zoom thru) using a step down lens adapter.

Also added the Audio Technica AT897 shotgun mic with the Rode SM-3 mount.

I tried to add pics as attachements but it will not let me. (Is there some ruling on this?)

I know in Japan this silver was available. But I bought it from USA and only black was available, but I guess black looks more pro kind, this is my view.

In USA also so many people bought it from eBay, direct from Japan, and that too when it was not launched in USA! And some days back it was available in USA, but only black one.

And yes, that gorgeous woman in also available in your HD7's HDD, if yo have formated your HDD then it will be there. The Demo video was preloaded in each HD7.

See my You Tube channel here:

YouTube - AhmedabadHD's Channel

All videos done with JVC GZ-HD7.

August 28th, 2010, 11:35 PM	#16
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Update: Just Made First iMovie DVD First, thanks, Kaushik, for the offer to help with using the video editing software. Right now I'd like to try and stay with iMovie HD 6 for a while and see how that works out. Update: Just made my very first iMovie HD6 DVD and the video more-or-less came out good, from a story line point of view. Technically, however, it was a bit of a flub. All my video was recorded in FULL HD. The DVD video turned out, shall we say, a bit on the low-resolution end of the spectrum. What I may have done was select the wrong setting for burning - the one which optimizes how much video you can put on a DVD. I'm going to try and repeat the process but using what I think is a different setting for burning. This is a learning process. In the last few days I recorded about another 45 minutes of FDV which is really filling up my camera hard drive. Really need to get some of this edited and burned to a DVD or I'm going to run out of room.

September 1st, 2010, 10:52 PM	#18
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Burning video files to DVD disks Answer: Yes. I want to store/save the video files in Full HD. I'll have to review the options for saving the video files and find a way to avoid saving them in the format I saved them in last time. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what I did. What ever it was, the result was very disappointing to say the least. I'm not sure if AVCHD is a format my software, iMovie HD6, will handle - I'll have to research that. Thanks for the heads up about the different options and the results.

September 1st, 2010, 11:11 PM	#19
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Another Update: Glidecam (steadycam) The video recording on the boat last week was basically a failure. I'd rate it somewhere around a "D". 1. The audio wasn't good. I used the Rode stereo mic and it picked up too much undesirable noise from things like the engine, in particular, plus a number of other noises. Should probably have used the Sennheiser ME-66 shotgun to block out the undesirable noise. 2. Too much camera shake due to waves and wakes hitting the boat and causing uneven jerks and movements. 3. Un-level horizon due to the cameraman not keeping the camera level. Solution: after doing some research, it seems one should get a steady cam. After checking eBay and Amazon plus some other web sites for prices I found a used Glidecam outfit which included a Glidecam 2000 Pro, Arm Brace (or Forearm Brace, they call it by both names), extra weights, and a Manfrotto 701HDV "Rapid Connect Adapter". The good part about this is the Adapter will work with my tripod so now I won't have to do any messing around when switching from the tripod to the Glidecam. The Arm Brace is handy because it's my understanding that the wrist will become tired after a certain amount of Glidecam use. And last but not least, being a used package I was able to save quite a bit over buying new. While this is a discontinued model, and it's replacement, the HD 2000, has two nice features: easier plate adjustment and better weight bolting so they don't become loose so easy, this is something I can learn on for much less. We'll see how it goes. For the boat I'd say it is a must-have, but can also be used in a lot of other situations. On the board here, in the steady cam section, they basically say one will be "learning" to use this thing most of one's life. Well, hopefully the videos will become reasonably acceptable before the end comes!

September 3rd, 2010, 06:06 PM	#21
Waldemar Winkler Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Durango, Colorado, USA Posts: 711	Go here, http://www.mindspring.com/~d-v-c/ or do a google search on Steve Mullen. and purchase Steve Mullen's E-book on the HD7. You will learn amazing things. I've been using the HD7 for three years now, and find it produces really good images. I has major drawbacks in regard to the way one must control exposure settings while shooting, but that is to be expected when using a camera designed for consumer use. One just has to learn the work-arounds. I can't say for sure, but I believe this camera was the basis for JVC's small pro camera that was released a year or so ago. __________________ Waldemar

September 4th, 2010, 10:05 AM	#22
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Not many video movie options Kaushik, thanks for the list of file saving options. I think :) I say this because the AVCHD isn't one of the options I can use - yet. And, ditto with BluRay. There has to be another way, somehow, but I just haven't come across it yet. I'm definitely going to be using the old version of iMovie, HD 6, which has high definition capability but how to do this with the HD7 is another matter. Right now I don't see that there are many video movie file options available for my system because of the way it is currently configured. With regard to saving video raw files, I'll probably have to start doing this in order to free up my camera and computer hard drive space. I've got a couple Passport drives which, same as you, is good for dumping a lot of these massive files on. That was a good side-by-side video of image stabilization you made. Really good comparison.

August 30th, 2010, 12:27 AM	#17
Kaushik Parmar Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 339	Why you are making DVDs? Do you want to store your footage in Full HD version? If you are creating DVDs of your Full HD files then you will only have SD resolution 720x480. I advise you to make AVCHD DVDs or maybe Blue-ray Disk of your videos, it will give you Full HD resolution. Make sure while making SD DVDs you need to make it in HQ mode which will give you 8MB/s selection. I guess these days you should not go for DVDs, then it is useless to use Full HD cameras. make AVCHD files or DIVX files or maybe Blue-ray disk, all these will give you option for Full HD version. And one more advise, I bought two 500GB external HDD so I am fine, I have lots of space, you can buy external hard-disk, it is must now days, just my suggestions. Kaushik

September 4th, 2010, 10:19 AM	#23
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	re: Steve Mullen's Book Shortly after I got the HD7 there was a problem I had with making a video and in another area I had a post. Steve Mullen posted a reply that was really helpful but didn't "advertise" his "book". While doing some searching on this side I came across a few more posts of his where he did mention his web site and his book and after reading it I'm sure I'll wind up getting it. Thanks, Waldemar, for the Mullen book suggestion. Currently, however, I just want to get past the "road block de jour" which is saving my iMovie in a high-definition format. Once I do this then I've got a lot of video to edit and burn to a disk which will allow me to start taking more video and exploring all the capabilities of the camer system. The HD7 has a lot of settings one can adjust to improve the video quality and I'm just starting to learn my way around some of them, including the frequently mentioned OIS on/off. Exposure is another one I've started experimenting with.

September 8th, 2010, 04:01 AM	#24
Kaushik Parmar Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 339	JVC GZ-HD7 Demo Video By JVC I found this original video by JVC, this was recorded by JVC GZ-HD7. JVC GZ HD7 Demo Video on Vimeo Kaushik

September 8th, 2010, 10:08 PM	#25
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Hot damn! That was GREAT! That was a great video. A really GREAT video! Lots of good points like good color, depth of field, and obviously done by someone who knows how to shoot video. Wish I could do something like that. Oh, the gal and her sax playing..... well, that was good too! I've got another "little" roadblock. I've misplaced (I think actually lost) my JVC/iMovie binder. :-( It has EVERYTHING in it. All my notes, printouts, step-by-step instructions, everything. I'm totally bumed out. I've tried retracing my steps and calling people to see if they may have found it but, so far, no binder.

September 9th, 2010, 05:29 AM	#26
Kaushik Parmar Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 339	JVC GZ-HD7 Demo Video By JVC And this one is preloaded in JVC HD7, I found this video in my HD7: JVC GZ HD7 Demo Video on Vimeo

September 10th, 2010, 01:27 PM	#27
John Nantz Trustee Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 1,254	Really Great demonstration video! For 2:20 the video carried a lot of information. Liked the pictures of the camera and the lens system with the receptors. The CU-VD40 Disk Burner caught my attention as it has a lot of RCA inputs and outputs which my VD20 doesn't have. Not sure that I need them, though. The early part had a boquet of flowers with the gal holding an umbrella and the detail of the flowers was super. Later there were white downe fluffs floating down and they were really white while the other colors looked really true to form. Went and checked prices for the VD40 and it was a surprise - they can be had used in the $89 range (Amazon). The customer reviews were really bad - average of only two stars! There were a lot of one star ratings. When I read the reviews I found out why - the customers thought it would burn DVDs and they found out it would only archive the HD7 files which can't be read by a regular DVD player. I guess I'd be unhappy too if I was led to believe it would. Speaking of .tod files, the JVC engineers did a marvelous job on the camera so why couldn't management have provided for an easier path to go from .tod to something everybody could use? It's like they put the thing out on the street and abandoned it. I don't get it. Besides having lost my JVCiMovie binder with all my notes and information, I've now been having problems with my laptop dropping the WiFi connection. Won't it ever end? This is the second time I wrote something like this because the first one was "lost" in cyber space and never got posted. This time I'm going to at least save what I wrote. Thanks for the video, Kaushik! It was a great one!

September 14th, 2010, 01:37 AM	#28
Gan Eden Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Golden Outback, Australia Posts: 55	Here's mine! I got the fancy silver one (Jap model) as I prefered the look of it to the black one. I've jazzed mine up a bit with a Canon WD-H58 Wide angle lens (works great and zoom thru) using a step down lens adapter. Also added the Audio Technica AT897 shotgun mic with the Rode SM-3 mount. I tried to add pics as attachements but it will not let me. (Is there some ruling on this?)