Here you will find a great shoot-out between four of the (still current although somewhat updated) popular HD cameras on the market. They test between the Panasonic HVX 200, the Canon XL H1, the JVC GY-HD100, and the Sony HVR-Z1.
Please note that this test is from January 2007 and several of the cameras included have since been modified.
Its a very interesting article I found, especially because at the end they cited features from every single camera that they’d want ideally. I felt reassured in my support of the JVC (especially since the 110 and 111 models include features that were lacking their earlier 100 model).
I found several details of the tests very interesting indeed. I figured that the HVX would have the best overall picture quality since it doesn’t use a long-GOP CODEC. Whilst it had the least artefacting, interestingly it didn’t have the best colour reproduction, although its picture looked very natural. Also interesting was one comment that the testers unanimously made concerning the GY-HD100 and its stabilising ability. Despite its lack of optical image stabiliser (which one person I know argued was such a sore point against the JVC camera that he couldn’t own one), it had the most stable handheld shooting of al the cameras, including the shoulder-mounted XL-H1 with its powerful Canon stabiliser. The HVX came up short in many of the tests (although some were suspect due to use of settings that they later felt didn’t suit the camera), but that still hasn’t stopped the HVX from being a popular low-end indy cine camera thanks to its variable frame modes – including the highly desirable 720p60.
Still waiting on the VTR to arrive, and considering getting a Focus Firestore drive for my camera to ease up on the work (and hectic deadlines) of the football show. Also, I’ve been researching 35mm lens adapters and will probably do a write up on those shortly too, documenting all my findings (including the RedRock ‘Bazooka‘ Micro…)
J
