About to buy the Gy-hm100

[Matt Maglodi]

Hey everyone, I've spent the last 2 months trying to figure out what cam works best for me. For the money and current reviews, I really like what this camera has to offer. I do real estate and other commercial property ads as well as weddings and I'll be starting on my second documentary. The main thing that keeps me coming back to this cam is the ability to use final cut with no re-wrapping files.
So the question is, the camera has been out for a while, how do you guys like your cam, and would you buy it again in todays market. I know canon has a couple of cams coming out. Thanks everyone.

[Gunther Reuter]

Hi,

I am using this camera since +- 2 years for private use (holidays and private ceremonies).

I am very satisfied with the qualitiy of the image.
I cut with Edius 5.51 under Windows Vista, an there is no problem to use the original files in native mode. So, dont worry about the codec. It works as well on a Mac as on a PC, on the PC you must use mp4 recording mode.

Because the camera ist easyly transformable (take of the handgrip) it is excellent for travelling. There is no other camera on the market with this features and this lttle size and XLR audio !

What is not so good:

the lowlight performance, the stabilisator, and the quality of the screen (but this is critique on a hig level).

Sorry for my english.

Gunman

[Dan Thomson]

Hey Matt;
I have had this camera for over a year and use it a lot. It has a great picture, especially in 720p 60fps mode, which is what I shoot most of the time. The mic supplied with the camera is not good, I replaced it with an AT 875. The batteries have been upgraded to the anton bauer elipz series and I purchased the JVC wide angle adapter.

All in all, it's a decent camera for the price and the workflow with Final Cut pro rocks. However, for professional work it has two serious shortcomings.

The zoom is not good. Very hard to pull a constant speed. This has been discussed on other threads and JVC say it cannot be modified.

Their is no LANC port which means using it with a remote control is really not possible. This limits its use on a tripod for extended sports shooting, or on a camera crane. I have tried workarounds with a TOS link and IR remote, but they are not very good.

I personally would not purchase this camera unless JVC fixes the zoom, but that's my opinion, others may differ.

- Dan

[Matt Maglodi]

thanks guys, what you guys are saying is what I've picked up from. I do appreciate the feedback- I really wan't something that will look good on you tube and so far I like what I see from this cam. The cam I'm using now (start laughing now) is a sony dcr-pc5 single chip sd min-dv. And all kidding aside has served well. So i'm upgrading leaps and bounds and looking foward to it.

[Ken Dykes]

Do not buy this camera. The zoom, or lack of controllable zoom, is a deal killer. Buying this camera was the worst $3500 mistake I have ever made. It has been relegated to a lock-down Charlie in the back of the church or temple in my workflow. If you don't need a smooth constant zoom, then the camera great.

[Hamish Reid]

I have an HM100 as backup / B cam to my JVC HM700 -- and, given the limitations, I like the 100 a lot. The image quality is pretty good for a 1/4 sensor, the ergonomics are good (it's small enough to be easy to carry for hours on end, and it can be partially disassembled so it can fit in small bags, etc.), the workflow with FCP is terrific (just drag and drop!), and the CCD sensor is great for what I got it for: movement and car-mounted shots where CMOS-related artifacts can be a real issue.

But you do have to know about -- and work around -- the limitations. Yes, zoom control is poor on this camera; yes, there's no LANC or other generally-usable remote control, the optical stabilization is idiosyncratic (but often very usable), low-light performance can be poor, the stock lens is too long for a lot of tastes (I use the Century Optics .65x adapter for wide angle work -- something like that's likely to be essential for real estate and other work, but watch out for the flare...), and in my opinion 720p is a lot better than 1080p on this camera.

All in all, though, if you know what you're doing and you keep the limitations in mind, the HM100's a *nice* camera...

[Matt Maglodi]

thanks for all the info guys- the not so great zoom is not a deal killer for me. Main selling point for me is the easy workflow in fc and the decent picture quality. Theres a couple of these going on ebay for around 1800 and even brand new there around 2700. If i can score one of these on ebay for less than why not!!

Also, as I just learned cnn just bought 200 of these to replace there old cams, so hey whats good for cnn is good for a medicore guy thats shooting real estate ads and making ultra cheap but entertaining docuemntries

[Kevin Mooney]

Hello Matt, I have had mine for 18 months it's fantastic and has four methods of zooming, I will say the zoom rocker does take time to get used to but it's a learning curve. When I researched buying a camera there was NOTHING on the market that came near, I confess that I am a JVC fan but I find there seems to be a lot of bias in favor Sony and Panasonic. I record a lot of shows in theater and everyone raves about the quality. Once again I have to disagree about the included mic, as an audio engineer I have done comparison tests with a Rode NGT1 and it is only slightly inferior although it is light and made of plastic.

[Steve Cottrell]

My HM100 is a B camera to a standard def DSR-450 and in this respect it excels. Biggest benefits for me: removable audio/handle for mounting a small camera anywhere, great picture, good audio connectivity when required, FCP compatibility, overall portability.

If I was buying a single camera from scratch (eg not as a B cam), I wouldn't by the HM100. Probably an EX-1.

Cheers

Steve C

[Matt Maglodi]

This camera really splits the lines here-
what do you guys think of this on ebay right now??

JVC GY-HM100U ProHD Camera - eBay (item 320629039264 end time Dec-14-10 13:38:20 PST)

I'll go up too 1200 used just in case it may have issues so I can resell it again.

[Steve Cottrell]

Originally Posted by Matt Maglodi

This camera really splits the lines here-
what do you guys think of this on ebay right now??

JVC GY-HM100U ProHD Camera - eBay (item 320629039264 end time Dec-14-10 13:38:20 PST)

From the auction: It shoots onto SD cards (class 6 and above) so there are no moving parts. This means you don't have to worry about wear and tear while the camera is running - so the camera will last forever!.

Beware, that's complete balderdash. Sure, no moving parts but electronics do die! Also, the iris is indeed mechanical (and only 4-bladed I understand) not to mention the IS system... That said, one of these used at the right price would be a good bargain. The camera produces some pretty good pics.


.02

Steve C