New JVC 3ccd ...World's Smallest at DVinfo.net

Robert Mann Z. · February 2nd, 2005, 08:10 AM

New JVC Everio GZ-MC500: World's Smallest 3CCD

http://www.i4u.com/article2827.html

Jesse Bekas · February 2nd, 2005, 02:27 PM

Wow, that thing is tiny. If I could afford to throw away cash like that, I'd buy one and keep it on me all the time.

Can't wait to see what real world testing has to say about this model.

Does 3CCD's mean inherently better low-light abilities (assuming chip size/pixel count is the same as the other two models)?

Joshua Provost · February 2nd, 2005, 02:44 PM

3CCD will mean better color reproduction. Now, I haven't heard anyone ever say this, but I believe 3CCD inherently means worse low-light performance, since the light is being split three ways for the CCDs. The minimum lux rating on the Panasonic 3CCD cameras is fairly high, 12lux?

Jesse Bekas · February 2nd, 2005, 03:47 PM

You might be right.

I think, now, that only the 1-chippers with color filters suffered a low-light ability hit compared to 3-chippers (i.e. Optura Xi).

Steve Nunez · March 23rd, 2005, 08:54 PM

You guys do realise this camcorder is tapeless and records straight to hard-drive? It's awesome and a sign of what's to come.

Chris Hink · April 24th, 2005, 05:27 PM

This is so perfect for what I need except the recording to MPEG2. You can't edit easily with it. I hope they make one that records to DV or HDV. Better yet, I hope Sony makes something like this that records to HDV.

Brandon Murphy · April 25th, 2005, 09:22 AM

that thing is awesome. Take that cam and a laptop with editing software and you can pack your documentary gear into a small backpack!

Jos Svendsen · April 30th, 2005, 02:20 AM

Brandon - you are absolutely right.

It does not matter if you have the worlds greatest SuperHDV camera, if it is standing on a shelf, because it is to difficult to carry with you. I think that we gonna se an explosive growth in videoblogs and documentaries due to these solid state cameras.

I loaned a MC200 for several weeks, and it went with me everwhere. Using a program like Ulead DVDFactory made DVD creation a snap. I tried transcoding the MPEG2 video to DV and the results was absolutely usable.

Too bad that JVC uses a stange variation of AC3 encoding, thats not playing back in all programs.

David Purdy · May 30th, 2005, 10:01 PM

This little camera is very intriguing to me, so much i had to register just to comment.

According to the JVC australia sight its sensor is 1280x720 but your only option for output is 720x480 60/50i mpeg2

http://www.jvc-australia.com/everio_web/spec/index.html

i for one would like to see 1280x720 30p

but really.... 854x480 60p along with 655x480 60p, now that would be very, very interesting.

Couple in a HDMI connector and you have a very compelling solution for providing digital content to wide screen projectors.

And what do you use to play the content, of course the camera itself but how about all of those media PC's popping up?

JVC hint hint.....

David

James Connors · May 31st, 2005, 05:17 AM

Its cute, but I'd have absolutely no use for it whatsoever. I can see backpackers etc having a like for it, but I doubt it could stand the rough environment at all, and shooting stablily with something so small... lack of manual controls (due to no room to put the buttons!) and just generally hard to use...

A good concept, a nice "we can do this", but there's no way in a million years I'd even consider buying it.

Patrick Jenkins · May 31st, 2005, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hink

This is so perfect for what I need except the recording to MPEG2. You can't edit easily with it. I hope they make one that records to DV or HDV. Better yet, I hope Sony makes something like this that records to HDV.

Why not convert it to an easily editable format? HDCAM isn't easily editable - it's almost 6 times the data of 25 Mbit/s DV. Most editors don't edit straight on that but rather a lower res proxy. HDCAM SR is 440ish Mbit/s. Not easily editable (yes, for entirely different reasons than HDV - remainder is the same).

If something does what you need to have done, learn to work the way it operates to best do what it does :-)

Also, HDV is an mpeg2 format.

Chris Hink · May 31st, 2005, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick Jenkins

Also, HDV is an mpeg2 format.

But HDV is a standard supported by several video editors (FCP, Vegas, Avid soon)

David Purdy · June 3rd, 2005, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hink

But HDV is a standard supported by several video editors (FCP, Vegas, Avid soon)

i don't understand the problem, mpeg2 is supported by these editors, at least the first two.

Chris Hink · June 4th, 2005, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Purdy

i don't understand the problem, mpeg2 is supported by these editors, at least the first two.

These editors can export to MPEG2 but they can't edit in the MPEG2 format. If you have an MPEG2 file you have to convert it to something usable before editing it.

Tom Wills · June 4th, 2005, 08:54 AM

I can't imagine buying this camera for a few reasons. First, it's too small. Whenever I go out on a film shoot I commonly have to bring extra support equipment for my little 4 pound camera, so imagine something that small. Another reason is no viewfinder. Ever try to shoot with no viewfinder on a sunny day? The final reason is simple: You only have one drive. The max you can shoot at any good datarate will be about 1-1.5 hours on that drive, maybe 2 if you have ultra-compression. Once you've shot it out, it's over. You can't do anything more until you transfer all that out to a computer. That's a huge downside for me. I commonly travel 8-10 hours by car to get to my film shoots, where I'm often around no computers (and sometimes no power), so I'd have a hell of a time trying to work with one of these.

February 2nd, 2005, 08:10 AM	#1
Robert Mann Z. Skyonic New York Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 614	New JVC 3ccd ...World's Smallest New JVC Everio GZ-MC500: World's Smallest 3CCD http://www.i4u.com/article2827.html

March 23rd, 2005, 08:54 PM	#5
Steve Nunez Trustee Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 1,418	You guys do realise this camcorder is tapeless and records straight to hard-drive? It's awesome and a sign of what's to come. __________________ Steve Nunez-New York City www.stevenunez.com

April 24th, 2005, 05:27 PM	#6
Chris Hink New Boot Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Burbank, CA Posts: 24	I'd buy this if it didn't record MPEG2 This is so perfect for what I need except the recording to MPEG2. You can't edit easily with it. I hope they make one that records to DV or HDV. Better yet, I hope Sony makes something like this that records to HDV.

May 30th, 2005, 10:01 PM	#9
David Purdy Tourist Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2	interesting camera This little camera is very intriguing to me, so much i had to register just to comment. According to the JVC australia sight its sensor is 1280x720 but your only option for output is 720x480 60/50i mpeg2 http://www.jvc-australia.com/everio_web/spec/index.html i for one would like to see 1280x720 30p but really.... 854x480 60p along with 655x480 60p, now that would be very, very interesting. Couple in a HDMI connector and you have a very compelling solution for providing digital content to wide screen projectors. And what do you use to play the content, of course the camera itself but how about all of those media PC's popping up? JVC hint hint..... David

February 2nd, 2005, 02:27 PM	#2
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	Wow, that thing is tiny. If I could afford to throw away cash like that, I'd buy one and keep it on me all the time. Can't wait to see what real world testing has to say about this model. Does 3CCD's mean inherently better low-light abilities (assuming chip size/pixel count is the same as the other two models)?

February 2nd, 2005, 02:44 PM	#3
Joshua Provost Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 493	3CCD will mean better color reproduction. Now, I haven't heard anyone ever say this, but I believe 3CCD inherently means worse low-light performance, since the light is being split three ways for the CCDs. The minimum lux rating on the Panasonic 3CCD cameras is fairly high, 12lux?

February 2nd, 2005, 03:47 PM	#4
Jesse Bekas Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, USA Posts: 572	You might be right. I think, now, that only the 1-chippers with color filters suffered a low-light ability hit compared to 3-chippers (i.e. Optura Xi).

April 25th, 2005, 09:22 AM	#7
Brandon Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: PA, USA Posts: 30	that thing is awesome. Take that cam and a laptop with editing software and you can pack your documentary gear into a small backpack!

April 30th, 2005, 02:20 AM	#8
Jos Svendsen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 221	Brandon - you are absolutely right. It does not matter if you have the worlds greatest SuperHDV camera, if it is standing on a shelf, because it is to difficult to carry with you. I think that we gonna se an explosive growth in videoblogs and documentaries due to these solid state cameras. I loaned a MC200 for several weeks, and it went with me everwhere. Using a program like Ulead DVDFactory made DVD creation a snap. I tried transcoding the MPEG2 video to DV and the results was absolutely usable. Too bad that JVC uses a stange variation of AC3 encoding, thats not playing back in all programs.

May 31st, 2005, 05:17 AM	#10
James Connors Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cardiff, UK Posts: 223	Its cute, but I'd have absolutely no use for it whatsoever. I can see backpackers etc having a like for it, but I doubt it could stand the rough environment at all, and shooting stablily with something so small... lack of manual controls (due to no room to put the buttons!) and just generally hard to use... A good concept, a nice "we can do this", but there's no way in a million years I'd even consider buying it.

June 4th, 2005, 08:54 AM	#15
Tom Wills Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 326	I can't imagine buying this camera for a few reasons. First, it's too small. Whenever I go out on a film shoot I commonly have to bring extra support equipment for my little 4 pound camera, so imagine something that small. Another reason is no viewfinder. Ever try to shoot with no viewfinder on a sunny day? The final reason is simple: You only have one drive. The max you can shoot at any good datarate will be about 1-1.5 hours on that drive, maybe 2 if you have ultra-compression. Once you've shot it out, it's over. You can't do anything more until you transfer all that out to a computer. That's a huge downside for me. I commonly travel 8-10 hours by car to get to my film shoots, where I'm often around no computers (and sometimes no power), so I'd have a hell of a time trying to work with one of these.