JVC GR-HD1: High Definition Camcorder Test Drive

If you are a serious videographer, be it commercial, part-time pro, or advanced amateur, how can you rise above the bulk of the competition armed with consumer-grade MiniDV camcorders? The answer is obvious. You produce a better final product! How: HDTV….you dare say it out loud, “HDTV.” Your wife hears you and says, “Don’t even think about it! We just ordered a new dishwasher.”

Unbeknownst to her, stashed under your pillow is the latest brochure for JVC’s GR-HD1 HDV camcorder. Is this the solution? A new HDTV camcorder that lists for only $3499 (with street prices as low as $2300). Can that low a price be real for HDTV? Is it right for you?

The JVC GR-HD1 is the first camera to use the standard called “HDV”. This format allows the recording of HDTV content on standard MiniDV tapes utilizing MPEG 2 compression, opening up a completely new product category offering excellent quality for the price.

The first time you pick up the camera you know you are dealing with something above a consumer model. JVC has succeeded in combining form and function to provide a great operating camera.

Of course, the most important point is image quality, so we will cover that first. This JVC offers recording/playback modes of DV (720x480i/60Hz), SD (720x480p/60Hz) and HD (1280x720p/30Hz). It uses a single, newly developed 1.18 million pixel 1/3” CCD and an excellent F1.8, f=5.2mm to 52mm, 10:1 zoom lens.

Interlaced vs. Progressive, what works best? Typically, the 720x480i (standard TV) and 1920x1080i HDTV formats offer a bit of the nasty jitters and stair stepping that are a by-product of interlaced video. Most HD-ready TV sets have a somewhat limited capability to transparently process these interlaced signals. Sending the set a progressive signal will yield better results since you bypass its internal deinterlacing stage.

When it comes to the GR-HD1, remember this chant, “Progressive is best, Progressive is best…!” While the 1280x720p rate produced stunning color and detail that jumps off the screen, there are only a couple of issues to consider with this particular setting: One is the 30Hz “judder” in the 1280x720p/30Hz frame rate (which is not present in a 60 Hz setting). The other is with the MPEG 2 compression. With fact action, the image shows slight 30Hz “motion judder” when either the subject moves or the camera pans. This can be distracting to some viewers.

The MPEG compression can introduce some digital artifacts. This is most evident in shots with a lot of random motion such as with scenes of ocean waves. On a windy day, the increased ocean wave motion created havoc with the MPEG compression algorithms, resulting in the ocean looking very blotchy and blurry. However, other shots of a lake with smaller, less “busy” waves were not a problem. MPEG 2 is the “trade off” for the flexibility and lower cost of using the MiniDV format.

Now for the best: the 720x480p/60Hz setting is great, yielding the best picture of all, for both detail and motion. Here there is much more detail than with the DV format, it is widescreen, and it completely avoids the 30 Hz motion judder, mentioned earlier.

The CCD does a fine job overall and battery life with the GR-HD1 was very good. I was able to record a 1.5-hour wedding on the one included battery. The GR-HD1 lens is also excellent. While it offers a manual zoom and focus ring, these are just controls for servomotors; the lens is not truly manual, so it does not offer the utmost degree of fine control. Focusing was fastest and most accurate when activating the auto focus for a few seconds then switching to manual to lock the setting. The manual/auto focus button is well positioned to use “on the fly” for fast moving events. The lens uses optical image stabilization that works well and is a far better approach than the digital versions found in most consumer units.

If you have only used consumer digicams, you will be very, very impressed with the JVC GR-HD1. The ergonomic design of the camera is excellent, following closely that of JVC’s professional camera line. It is rugged and the controls are well placed. Wherever I shot, I was surprised at how many people stopped to comment on the camera. It looks like a very expensive professional model.

The camera also offers the ability to capture still images (along with many special still image features) but I do not feel this ability is that important, as most people who buy the GR-HD1 will do so for the video features and will likely have a still camera available when a still images may be required. It is a nice extra, however, and does allow you to take a low-resolution shot of each scene you shoot and store it on a flash memory card (8MB included). Each snapshot includes the time code information so you can locate a scene and the camera can jump to that location on the tape.

Still photos taken with JVC GR-HD1

Is this camera worth it for wedding videography and other pro and semi-pro applications (such as very serious amateurs, who really want great image quality)? I think so. To offer top-quality images that can be burned onto a DVD is a big plus. The quality of construction also insures years of reliable use.

Now stand up straight and go right out there and tell your wife who’s the boss and that you are going HDTV…oh, and be prepared to promise her the dishwasher upgrade you said “No” to last week.

by Pete Halenbeck
Pete Halenbeck is a highly regarded video professional who serves as Director of Sales for the Industrial and Broadcast Groups at Faroudja Labs.