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No question that not only is dvinfo.net the best camera/DV forum as stated above, but maybe the best online forum period. From the content to the mods to the "real names" to vendor participation

I was a mod hear for a while and I can attest that Chris and the mods work very hard from the inside to keep it that way.

Though I don't have time to visit here as much as I want these days other than to look for the latest clips from cams, dvinfo is the only internet forum I have on my link toolbar and I recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in DV.

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So, no, there is no bias here towards product A or B. Information and even speculation about any new camera is always rampant, especially with the first clips trickle out. I had one of the first DVX100's and people got really excited about the "purple fringing issue" which turned out to be be cinegamma clipping. But it was quite the "design issue" at first.

The dead pixels and other issues are a concern and I've not been in love with the HDV format from the getgo, however, this camera is still too early for final conclusions. Much more footage to view before we know how it really behaves.

I see all JVC pro forums are very slow going. I guess i have to admit we are a minority. I can live with that. Smart pros are a minority. I wouldn't trade my dv5100 for any half inch sony - by the way what happened to half inch dvcam? Sony now has only 1/3" and 2/3" dsr's on catalog.

I agree - 100%. All killer, no filler...

FYI: Getting back on topic, if the dead pixel mapping of the DV300 and DV500 are anything to go for, the pixel mapping process in the HD100 is only designed to map out bad pixels at 0dB. I'll bet the process must be run with no gain applied.

Chris, thank for reminding everyone that over 2 years of HDV knowledge is at your site. A great deal of which would be of a value to those coming to HDV for the first time -- both Sony and HD100.

Re-dead pixels. These can't be dead. Clearly the manufacturering process is not able to create an entire CCD where all pixels meet the desired specification. A company has the choice tossing them-out or using them. At the beginning of a new product, the chip process is being ramped-up too. So in order to ship, they need to use all the chips.

Unless the design itself is faulting (possible) the process will get better. Or, there will be enough chips the QC dept can raise their standards.

Which is why I think JVC USA is waiting. JVC can't yet make enough HD100 bodys to meet the size of our market and the CCD process is not yet mature. The longer we wait the better.

By the way, is JVC shippping into Japan? If not, that confirms my thought. They will ship into Japan only when it is nearly perfect.

It's also possible -- that JVC has realized they can't make perfect chips and is writing code to map them out. So, until this code is ready -- JVC USA is holding back.

Or, the product is flawed and the note in the manual is simply cover.

"It's also possible -- that JVC has realized they can't make perfect chips and is writing code to map them out."

From my understanding JVC doesn't actually make any chips themselves. eg the CCD blocks of the DV5x00 are Sony.

CCD manufacturing process is very mature now, look at 1/2.5" megapixel ccds for photo cameras, no bad pixel problems. Video ccd mf is 20 years old, Its
only a QC issue and will be fixed in time.