JVC HD GZ-HD7 1080i camcorder to hit in April
By Cyrus Farivar 
posted Jan 7th 2007 12:51PM
posted Jan 7th 2007 12:51PM
While we've been pining for more details on that JVC HD camcorder for the last few months, those folks in Japan have finally come through with some info that American consumers can sink their teeth into. Enter the Everio GZ-HD7 -- while its name isn't the easiest to say, its features are definitely something to behold. The GZ-HD7 shoots and records full HD images (1920 x 1080i) via a trio of CCDs (one each for red, green and blue). Further, it's loaded up with a 60GB hard drive that can store what JVC claims is up to five hours of full 1080i video shot with that sweet FUJINON lens. And like we spotted at CEATEC, there's an HDMI port, along with other connectivity options that include USB and FireWire. Sadly though, you'll still have to wait a little bit before you can take the GZ-HD7 home to meet your family -- and at $1,800, she ain't no cheap date.
Two features I think it needs to have added to it (if it doesn't already have):
1. recording to an external HD like an iPod via USB
2. recording over wireless (example: WiFi + WEP) connection
3. easily swappable/removable hard drive
I know that USB 2.0 is fast enough to stream HD content from a disc (ie the HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox360 that connects via USB2,) but I doubt it would be fast enough to transmit data from the CCDs in real time to a hard-disc, ditto for wifi.
That's...three. You even numbered them.
It'd be pretty difficult to send a full HD recording over wireless, by the way. That would require a pretty hefty amount of bandwidth that only Draft-N can deliver, and that's not even in place yet.
1080i? The first sentence in the press release is "JVC Develops First Consumer Full HD Recording 3-CCD Camcorder System Featuring 16:9 Progressive Scan CCDs".
This is interesting. I was planning on getting the SONY HDR-HC1, but will now wait and see what happens over the coming months with consumer HD camcorders. Especially since the HC1's successor - the HDR-HC3, released *just* last year - has already been removed from first line retail channels (it's no longer available at bestbuy.com, or Sony's own site) to make way for, what prosumers consider to be, the inferior HDR-SR1.
Does anyone know if this camera does MPEG2, or is the industry insisting on using AVC in everything from now on? If so, maybe my only option is the HC1 (or the more expensive FX7 or FX1).
I doubt it will mpeg2 at the highest quality setting. It will probably be AVC, basing my guess on what formats both HD-DVD and Blue-ray use (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H.264/MPEG-4_AVC#Applications).
Mpeg 2 at up to 30 MBits per Second
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/JVC-GZ-HD7-First-Impressions-Review.htm
Blu-Ray and HD-DVD constitute a tiny fraction of the consumer market, and broadcast HD is still largely MPEG2. Film makers, independant and otherwise, use MPEG2. There isn't a SINGLE serious camera using AVC. All the good cameras still use MPEG2. AVC might make sense in 3-5 years but, for now, MPEG2 is the standard.
If manufacturers insist on foisting AVC camcorders on the market their sales will suffer badly. IN any case, the experts and pro community over at camcorderinfo.com seem to think this new camera will use MPEG2 and will be directly supported by most NLEs (non-linear video editors). On the other hand, NOT A SINGLE NLE supports AVC. Oh, and all existing camcorder AVC implementations suffer from overcompression which severely affects video quality compared to the mature MPEG2. Peruse camcorderinfo.com for more info.
From the JVC press release?
"The Red and Blue imaging CCDs are shifted a half-pixel both horizontally and vertically relative to the Green imaging CCD. Because the pixel-shift system uses progressive scan CCDs, signals are processed first as 1920 x 1080p progressive signals, then converted to 1920 x 1080i interlace signals for recording.
As a result, the system records a higher resolution HD image than the interline (IL) CCD system"
So does this mean that they have a technically viable 1080p camera? WHy can't they record in both 1080p or 1080i?
n00b question alert!
Why isn't MPEG-4 on the table? Doesn't it make smaller file sizes and therefore allow for more recording time?
Hi,
Just returned from Akihabara in Tokyo where I bought this bad boy. I almost didn't because: 1. Not progressive 2.Damned expensive
I've been looking at HD cameras for some time now and remember when this was touted a 1080p (yes, at first it had a p not an i). I almost went with an SD camera but found a shop where they offered this at a price I could just not pass on.
As an FYI: this camera comes in 2 colors: black and sort of a shiny gunmetal color. I went for the black one. There are at least 3 battery options. The one that came with the camera is supposed to last 1.5 hrs and the biggest one is supposed to last 5.5 hours. Weight and size are good... neither too heavy nor too light and I think the size is about right.
I have only taken a little bit of video but I can say that the video quality just from my samples is great. I am going on vacation later this week and bought it primarily for that. Still pictures are also ok, but as usual nothing that would move me to toss my regular still camera.
Needless to say that such a high end prosumer camera has a lot of settings, but the 2 main ones are auto (which does a great job) and manual where a great number of settings (Shutter speed and Aperture priority settings can be changed for stills)
The LCD is not a touch-screen as is the case with the Sony SR1, but the SR1's is too big and I have yet to see one that doesn't look badly glued on.
File size is pretty big, but that was to be expected. Colors look pretty real, but in darker settings (Tokyo underground) I noticed some spillage of light that looks like a line extending from the light down to the ground. maybe there are some settings I can change (like lower the WB)
All in all, a very nice camera so far...