Durability
The camera body seems very durable and took 3 weeks of constantly being mounted on the jib, the two dolly's, the tripod, on sandbags, high and low, in cold or hot without one complaint. My only concern is for the two video out connectors on the side. After 3 weeks of very hard use and being jerked and pulled when someone steps on a cable while camera is moving to get a reversal (first time on the set!), the rear output jack "seemed" to be coming loose. I say "seemed", because I don't remember it being loose or tight at the beginning of our shoot. Now in all fairness, the connector wasn't shorting out or breaking up the picture...it just "felt" like it was beginning to get loose. I did enjoy having the two BNC video outputs as well as an S-Video out so I could feed multiple monitors when needed (like on the dolly or jib).

On the Down Side
I've already mentioned a few minor problems I ran across with the JVC GY-DV500. Let me add a few more. The camera does not allow progressive mode shooting. If that were available, I would have shot the movie completely in progressive mode for a more film like look. Another issue was the lack of 16:9 mode, but this didn't bother me. For one thing, without true 16:9 pixels, this feature is a waste of time and money. Sorry, but that's my feeling. Too much is lost in the conversion to make a worthwhile picture suitable in the HD future. Secondly, shooting a movie in 16:9 would also be problematic at best. It's far easier to convert upwards from 4:3 than try and down convert back to 4:3 for foreign markets and normal TV viewing. The 60 minute recording time may be an issue for event videographers, but for me...nope, nada, and no! In fact 60 minutes was about what we averaged per day of shooting....and that was a lot for a film!

The "I Didn't Try It" Department

I never used the scene files, the smooth transition feature, the full auto shooting mode and the super scene finder. The only one I wanted to try was the smooth transition feature. This is a nice idea, allowing you to change white balance or video level without a major jump in picture quality during the change. A real time smoothing circuit, if you will, but never got the chance. The camera also has a genlock input, Ieee1394, an RS232 port for computer control (all I didn't use) and a standard 1/2" lens mount for a variety of lenses, even broadcast lenses.

The Bottom Line
This camera produces a picture more in line with camera's twice its price and then some. It falls perfectly in the class JVC no doubt wanted it to...between the Canon XL1 at almost the same price and the Sony DSR300 at considerably more money. Its operation, picture quality, versatility and feature set are a major leap for a manufacturer with its $5995 price point. Add to this, the camera's ability to mask bad pixels, the incredible setup choices, the ease of use and its light weight, even after a hard long day, you've got a killer combination. If JVC adds longer recording time to a new version of this camera (digital S?), watch out! Here comes market share!

I'm spoiled after three weeks of lightly lugging this camera around. It worked first time, every time from sunrise to long after sunset without a complaint. And that is just what I expect from a professional camera....nothing less. And that's what I got from the JVC GY-DV500.

Would I buy one? In a New York minute...yes. Just one problem...I already own an Ikegami Betacam and the Panasonic EZ1 DV camera. I doubt very much my loving wife will accept another camera into the family. "Look honey...this camera followed me home from the movie...can I keep it?"

I don't think so....but for three weeks I was a very happy camera...uhh... camper!

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David Jon Devoucoux has been an independent producer for over 30 years. He resides in Phoenix, Arizona. Visit his Web site at http://www.video-arizona.com.

 

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Batteries
Camera Controls
Audio
Ergonomics and Performance