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JVC GY-HM700L17S camcorder
I’m considering the purchase of a JVC GY-HM700L17S camcorder and was hoping to get opinions on this unit. I work for a Fire Department and shoot events that require a run-and-gun approach, however I am also doing quite a lot of training videos, both talking head type and how-tos. We’ll also be using this camera to provide video streaming of studio and live video streaming to the web. Any thoughts you might have on this camera would be greatly appreciated.
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5 Replies
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I bought this model a few weeks ago and I have no regrets. Everyone will tell you the HM700s aren’t so great in low-light situations, which is true, but if I shoot something indoors I’m going to light it anyway. Right now I’m shooting mostly outdoor events and everything looks great.
Things I really like: You can record in .mov format, so bringing in footage into FCP or Media 100 (which I still use) is simple. I understand the latest update of Premiere Pro CS5 now supports .mov files too. Also, it’s tapeless and you can use SDHC cards (class 6 minimum) and those get cheaper all the time. Heck, I use a $20 card reader to bring the files into my Mac’s backup drive. Tapeless workflow is the best. And, the form factor of this camera can’t be beat, IMHO. Light, shoulder-mount, easy to transport, easy to use. My old Dionic 90 battery fits right on it, and so does my old tripod plate. So I didn’t have to buy a bunch of new stuff.
I think the main difference with the HM700L17S is that it has a newer version of the Fuji 17x lens — someone will correct me if I’m wrong. Anyway, I just think JVC got it right with the HM700 series. It’s the camera I was waiting for (for a long time!).
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Thanks very much Peter. You’ve confirmed what I think about this camera; just concerned about how easy it is to use in a Run-and-Gun shoot scenario. I don’t always have the time to set focus, gain etc. I use FCP and Premiere on a Mac Pro and really like the workfow the HM700 provides.
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Ah yes, true confession time. To answer your concern, on many occasions I’ve had to catch stuff really quick, and I just grabbed the camera, switched to full auto, and shot away. All things considered, it looked great. BUT… do take the time to study the manual and understand all the settings. This camera has a lot of nice features and you’ll want to take advantage of them. Good luck!
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Sometimes the situation calls for drastic action, everbody does it.
One thought, In all my research on this camera I had come to the conclusion that it did not have an AUTO setting. Guess I was wrong.Thanks again.
Sometimes being the only fish in the Fire Dept. pond I don’t get the opportunity to bounce ideas around or learn from others, the CC forums helps me feel connected to my peers. -
Hi Mike. I just posted our like new barely used JVC HMU 700 on the classified forum just in case you are interested. I thouhgt i might make a post here as a lot of people don’t even know there is a classified forum. Thanks Stuart
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