Maybe I'm reading too much in to it, but the translation says: "The setting makes 1920x1080/25p super sharp images. In parallel, I have also turned 1280x720/25p, the difference is clear."

Can I take that to mean he thinks the camera is sharper in 1080 mode than 720? Which is pretty interesting. Comparable cameras haven't managed much better than 1280 horizontally, 720 vertically, the only real exception has been the EX.

I'd been fearing that the announcement of them using pixel shift meant the use of 960x540 chips. (Logical since it makes for easy processing in a 1920x1080 DSP.) If the interpretation of the translation is correct, with JVCs history it seems more likely that they will be 1280x720 native, and pixel shift should theoretically take that up to around a respectable 1550x860 for luminance.

It s o u n d s like he is saying that 1080 is sharper than 720 but he neither explicitly says it nor elaborates on it. So all your conclusions are at your own risk ;-)

Looking at the article..
I didn't realize how small the HM100 really is. It looks to be the size of a home video camera. That photog's hand practically swallows the camera. 35mbps coming out of that? Impressive....

Size of HM100
 

I saw an HM100 up close and was also very surprised at the small size. Seem to be a very nice form factor. I hope the HM700 is also much smaller than my HD110; I'm getting tired of lugging it around! That said, it could be a great time to buy a second (3rd, 4th, 5th?) JVC camera since everyone seems to be planning to sell their 200's and the glut in the market may drive the price down!!! :-)

And, very casually in passing, a JVC rep (in the U.S.) suggested to me that they hoped for the HM700 to be around $7000.

TVH

i saw that 200's where cheap at BH with $500 rebates as well.

You think the HD110s are big? You should try the old Sony 507s. Heck, go back to my glory days of 3/4" gear - my camera, deck and support gear weighed 45 lbs! I find my HPX500 incredibly light by comparison.
Based on the pics, I'd say the HM700 is comparable in size to the HD200s. And I am selling my HD200.

Size of HM100 and HM200
 

The JVC Product Manager Creation Europe - Semir Nouri - showed both cameras in Amsterdam. The HM100 is quite small, the HM700 is the same size as the HD1xx / HD2xx. Also same form factor.
Here are the links, again from Germany:
Video Part 1:
VIDEOAKTIV - Video: JVC Professional führt GY-HM700 ein
Video Part 2:
VIDEOAKTIV - Video: JVC Professional führt GY-HM700 ein (Teil 2)

I'm with Glen. PLEASE give us a shoulder cam. If you want compact, buy the HM100. Some of us NEED shoulder mounts. The size of the HD200 is just about perfect. I'd even accept another pound (454 grams for my European counterparts), for balance.

Sweet links - too bad about my German.... Come on USA - give us something...

I am looking forward how much better the new 1/3 ccds perform in lowlight.

I tested a HD251 (I love its formfactor and weight)a while ago and I found "my" minors:

- Viewfinder Resolution
- LCD Resolution
- LowLight Performance
- long time until in REC

- CA with supplied Lens

Looks like the HM700 adresses all these things now.

ULi

Im still paying off my 200. When I went to B&H's website the other day i almost cried. The price drop was huge! I will be paying off my 200 for a while. Now that the 700 is coming out I want one SOOO bad. But I cant sell my 200 that I haven't even payed off yet!

I wouldn't be too sad. I just reviewed some footage that I shot with the Canon super duper HDV that everyone brags about. I wasn't impressed with the footage, and I hated the unit... Also I Just taped an event last night and re-fell in love with my HD110 that I'm still paying off as well. It's a good platform, I still don't have regrets... well except that a 17x or 13x lens would be nice nice very nice.

Then again if there is a good trade in for my 6 or 8 year old JVC JY-HD10U that was $4,000 back in the day for the new GY-HM100U, then yes I'll jump..... but I have no plans to dumping my HD110. In fact if I were a sure where I was working after my expected outsourceing in April, I would be picking up some people's 1 year old HD-200's and make my HD110 a B camera. No question.

I'll chime in here as well: I own 2 HD200U's that I'll be holding on to and expect to pick up both a 100 and a 700 this year. The 200's are bought and paid for. I'm sure I'll find a use for them, even if I cannibalize a lens off of one of them and just buy a 700 body, if that option exists.

So, if I can ask the dumb questions, it's capable of 1080 25P in a tapeless format for under ten grand? With variable frame rates at 720P?

And hopefully it's better in low light, it just comes with a slightly poorer lens?

But it still is lower spec than a 251????

How we doin here????

It can do 1080/25P. Plus, 1080/60i, 50i, 24P and many flavors of 720P. All on SDHC cards.
Price has yet to be determined, but, depending on lens choice, under 10K is likely. Variable, not sure.

Low light - who knows? I can't understand German, maybe they mentioned it in the videos. But if the HM100 has LoLux, so should this camera. I expect it to have better low light ability, maybe even dramatically better.

Lens - Canon makes nice lenses. A comparison needs to be done.

Lower spec than a 251 - not sure what you mean or where you got that info from. But with 1080 and 720 formats, at 35 mbps, delivered in a Quicktime mode especially for FCP, all recorded to inexpensive SDHC cards, with LoLux, I'd say it's more capable than a 251 - unless you need a tape drive.