Cameras: News and Updates

(WAYNE, NJ) JVC Professional Products Company, a division of JVC Americas Corp., has ushered in a new era of mobile newsgathering with its new GY-HM650 ProHD handheld mobile news camera, which can shoot and deliver news footage faster than ever. Equipped with dual codecs, it produces full HD files on one memory card while simultaneously creating smaller, Web-friendly files (1/4 HD) on a second card. With built-in FTP and Wi-Fi connectivity, the GY-HM650 delivers the footage back to a station without a microwave or satellite connection.

With a built-in Fujinon wide angle 23x zoom lens, superior low-light performance, and excellent sensitivity (F11 at 2000 lux), the GY-HM650 has ideal optics for challenging shooting environments. The HD lens has a focal range of 29mm-667mm (35mm equivalent) and includes manual focus, servo zoom, and iris rings, along with three ND filters and a removable hood. Other features include JVC's auto-focus with face detection and an optical image stabilizer.

Equipped with three, 1/3-inch 1920×1080 12-bit CMOS sensors, the lightweight GY-HM650 records HD or SD footage in multiple file formats, including native XDCAM EX™ (.MP4), Final Cut Pro™ (.MOV), and AVCHD, to non-proprietary SDHC or SDXC media cards. It also records .MXF files with rich descriptive metadata that is optimized for asset management. The camera also includes HD-SDI and HDMI outputs for easy monitoring of HD footage.

"Newsgathering and independent production continue to evolve. One or two-person teams have become commonplace, and many shooters are capturing images for TV, the Internet, and mobile devices," said Craig Yanagi, manager, marketing and brand strategy. "With built-in Web connectivity, simultaneous recording of a Web-friendly video file, and .MXF files with rich descriptive metadata, the GY-HM650 is ideal for today's file-based workflows."

Designed for versatility, the GY-HM650 features a 1.22 MP color viewfinder and color 3.5-inch LCD to handle run-and-gun and tripod-based stand-ups. The Pre Rec (retro cache) feature continuously records and stores up to five seconds of footage in cache memory to help prevent missed shots of breaking news, while a second trigger and servo zoom control on the built-in handle makes it easy to record while holding the camera at low or high angles. In addition, the GY-HM650 provides a number of essential audio features. Its built-in stereo microphone is ideal for capturing natural sound on location, but the camera also includes two XLR inputs with phantom power and a shotgun mic holder, as well as a headphone jack and separate input for a wireless mic receiver. The GY-HM650 has a suggested list price of $5,695 and will be available in Winter 2012.

Resources:

pro.jvc.com