JVC showed the new GY-HM700 camcorder, which records to SDHC memory cards in the QuickTime (.MOV) format for immediate editing in Apple’s Final Cut Pro. Data can also be captured simultaneously on SxS media as an option. Recording in the editing system’s native format speeds up the post-production workflow.
Craig Yanagi, marketing manager at JVC, said the new GY-HM700 will have special appeal on projects with high shooting ratios. A documentary producer, for example, will now be able to shoot hundreds of hours of footage on a single project without offloading the material to a hard disk or other storage medium.
Because the GY-HM700 records in the QuickTime file format, there’s no need to convert or rewrap files prior to editing. Post-production can begin immediately after shooting. It is even possible to edit directly from the memory card. Because no transfer or re-encoding takes place, first generation quality is always maintained.
In addition, the GY-HM700 provides two SDHC memory card slots, for a total of up to 64GB of onboard storage — enough for more than six hours of continuous HD recording. The camera automatically begins recording on the second card when the first card fills up. When the second card fills up, the camera reverts to recording to the first card slot, allowing for virtually unlimited recording time.
JVC is offering the GY-HM700 in two basic configurations: the GY-HM700U, which records only on SDHC cards, and the GY-HM700UXT, which records to both SxS memory and SDHC cards simultaneously. The base model can be upgraded by adding the SxS adapter later. With the SxS adapter installed, the camera can record in the XDCAM EX .MP4 format onto either or both SxS memory and SDHC memory. It is also possible to split formats and record .MP4 to the SxS card while recording .MOV to the SDHC memory card. Having two copies instantaneously available provides more versatility in the field and a data backup.
The GY-HM700 uses three 1/3in progressive scan CCDs with H & V Offset and a patented exclusive Adaptive Pixel Correlation Technique that produces resolution significantly higher than previous JVC models. It also comes with a LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) color viewfinder and Canon KT14x4.4KRSJ HD lens. An internal MPEG-2 encoder provides highly efficient compression at bit rates up to 35Mb/s. The GY-HM700 supports all major HD signal formats including 1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1080 and 1280 x 720.
