Specs for new GY-HM100 ProHD Camcorder

[George Angeludis]

In all the specifications I read I can't see anywhere mentioned the low light capability of the lenses. Does anyone knows about that?

[Harry Pallenberg]

The JVC page says this:

"Versatile Manual Controls
When operating the camera in the manual mode, depth of field can be adjusted by manually setting the iris. Aperture priority automatically selects the correct shutter setting based on the iris selection. Shutter can be manually adjusted from 1/4 to 1/10000 sec. Other manual adjustments include:

LoLux mode -- a JVC exclusive feature that permits shooting in adverse lighting conditions

H detail & V detail Adjustment
KNEE Setting (AUTO/LOW/MID/HIGH)
Zebra pattern which range specification is possible
Color matrix/Gain Adjustment
Gain settings of 0,3,6,9,12,15,18 dB & ALC can be assigned to the "L/M/H" gain switch
Gamma Adjustment which gives rich expression of gradation"

We'll just have to see how that LoLux mode is. I'm guessing it will not be good enough for people who really should have a DP or someone to light something properly (even with only 1 light), but will "fingers crossed" be good enough for getting the shot vs. no getting the shot...

We'll see.. can't wait.

the info is here: JVC Professional Technical Discription page

[George Angeludis]

The Lo lux is an added extra. I mean that every lens indicates how much light needs to be able to reproduce a good image in lux and with what f/stop combination.

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by George Angeludis

I mean that every lens indicates how much light needs to be able to reproduce a good image in lux and with what f/stop combination.

The fStop @ Lux specification is based on the camera imager, not a specific lens.

For example, many broadcast Sony Betacam front ends were rated at f8 @ 2000 lux when I started in the business. This rates how sensitive the imager is, not how much light passes through a lens. Speed of lenses is rated in fStop or (more accurately) T-Stop numbers (usually only on Cine style lenses).

[George Angeludis]

I know but the thing is that we don't know what low lux can the camera do.
Does anyone knows?
I mean EX1 is something like @0.14 lx F1.9, +18 dB gain, @64frames

[Robert Rogoz]

I don't think the life span of this generation of cameras will be too long. Here we go with SDXC cards- capacity of up to 2 TB! Also greatly increased writing speed. Companies should take a hint from RED. These cards will make possible to record virtually without compression. ProRes 422 HQ is .82Gb/min, so long recording times without quality loss will be possible. Personally I would also like to see 24 frame rate going away, replaced with 30 or even 60p. The days of film are numbered and in the near future even movie theaters will be showing films through digital projectors.

[Tim Dashwood]

I'm not sure if Chris posted this link somewhere already but here's my "sneak peek" review.
JVC ProHD GY-HM100 Sneak Peek by Tim Dashwood on DV Info Net

[George Angeludis]

Great Tim thanks but it seems this isn't a winner at low light as V1E never was. But the look of the cam is awesome. This is a beauty in contrary with Panasonic new line.
It seems also that the files will be easily edited on MC as they use EX's codec.
Can I find some clips to download and test for myself?

[David Parks]

JVC is very smart. The option to record mxf is just as significant as the ability to record in Quicktime. Avid edits using mxf. and edits 25 and 35mbits native. And I believe that you can edit mxf native in Adobe Premiere and After Effects. So direct injest is certainly there. You may not be able to edit straight off the card in Avid, but this is much better than converting mp4 to mxf like you do with XDCAM EX.

Good call JVC.

[George Angeludis]

I wonder if I can import QT files of it into MC as it fully support it.

[David Parks]

Originally Posted by George Angeludis

I wonder if I can import QT files of it into MC as it fully support it.

Sure it will import QT. However, I believe it will be a forced transcoode into DNXHD which will be a much slower import than importing native XDCAM codec mxf and editing natively in the same codec. Otherwise you would go out HDSDI, which you can do on the HM 700 but not the HM 100. But, yes if you felt the need to record in quicktime you can still get it into Avid as DNXHD.

[Matt San]

I think from the spec it will be long gop mpeg-2 within Mpeg4 level 14 wrapper not MXF. THis is what the Sony EX1 is. The EX3 is pure MXF.

[David Parks]

From Tim Dashwood's review linked a couple of posts earlier: "The truth is that the HM100 has two recording formats! It has Quicktime, indicated as .MOV in the menu system, and "ISO Base Media File Format," indicated as .MXF in the menu system.

According to Tim it is mxf. I take ISO to refer to industry standard file format and mxf is widely adopted.

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

I'm not sure if Chris posted this link somewhere already but here's my "sneak peek" review.
JVC ProHD GY-HM100 Sneak Peek by Tim Dashwood on DV Info Net

Thanks! I hadn't seen your review, so I was wondering if there were bad news.

But, from my point of view, much to the contrary... Good News!

The very reasonable picture at 18db gain, the small camera size (and removable handle!), and other features make this seem to be a very promising camera for many uses. I still think this fits a need that is missing and has a possibility of being very successful.

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Matt San

I think from the spec it will be long gop mpeg-2 within Mpeg4 level 14 wrapper not MXF. THis is what the Sony EX1 is. The EX3 is pure MXF.

Correct. Exactly like EX1 or EX3. The files themselves are in a .mp4 wrapper, even though the menu indicated "MXF." I should have been clearer about that in the article.

Keep in mind this is a pre-release engineering sample so the internal firmware will likely change before the cameras ship in April.