Some new info and other angle
 

If this has been posted, oh well! :-) If not enjoy..........

http://www.dvuser.co.uk/Main%20pages.../GY-HD100.html

Anyone has a picture of the camera being used by someone? As it stands, it's impossible to determine how big the camera is.

Not impossible if you've ever shot a broadcast camcorder with interchangable lenses.

Isn't this one supposed to be smaller?

It doesn't look as bulky as a DV5000U or anything like that.

I think the best description yet is a "half height" shoulder mount.

Yeah, thanks. I was thinking something along those lines.

A bit larger than the XL2, but not has bulky and heavy as a standard ENG shoulder camera.

Yeah, the XL2 is a chainsaw. This one's a leaf blower.

The handle (where your right hand goes) seems to either float in the air or attach to the lens. Since the lenses are interchangeable, and if the handle is attached to the lens, this might limit the lens possibilities (meaning, you could get a machine shop to create lens adapters but you'd also have to either go handle-less or make an adapter to hold the handle too).

Okay, I took another look at the pictures and it seems the handle bolts onto the lens in two or four places... so I suppose it'll be handle-less with lens adapters... which is fine for tripod work but problematic for shoulder-mounted purposes.

Murad, this is a standard pro lens layout. The hand grip is part of the lens assembly that includes the servo motor/rocker for the zoom etc. On the picture of the right hand side of the camera you can see the electrical cable that connects to the camera body. Most pro lenses have switches to turn off auto metering etc too.

Ron Evans

Thanks Ron.. I should have figured as much. I guess this would make it harder to adapt photo lenses, but easy for video lenses?

Yes, harder to adapt still lenses, but who cares? Most still lenses you wouldn't really want on this thing anyway.

Having a pro arrangement for the lens brings all sorts of other things to the mix, like being able to use a Microforce zoom control on the cam. It's very much a good thing.

I read somewhere recently they'll have an adapter so you can use 1/2" chip camera lenses, which are more prevalent than the 1/3" ones. Makes sense for JVC to do that, since probably a lot of their GY 500 owners might want to switch, and they wouldn't have to buy a new lens.

I wonder if those existing lenses will resolve to HD standards? Sure hope so.

based on the article, the hd100e is the one to get since it appears to support both ntsc and pal formats. And expected price under 6K Euros. hmmmm could JVC sell the dual format version here in the states or will the one sold here be ntsc only?

Well, there are authorized dealers who can get PAL gear into the U.S. One that comes to mind is B&H. Another is Analog Digital Inc., also in Manhattan (a great little outfit, I've toured the place and have met the owner, Ayres, a sharp guy).