Entry-Level Pro Camcorder Will Ship in May

Pushing for more cost-effective HD acquisition, JVC today announced the GY-HM70, a shoulder-mount HD camcorder that shoots at resolutions up to 1080/60p and records AVC HD footage to dual SDHC/SDXC memory cards at up to 28 Mbps. The camera lists for $1995 and is expected to ship in May.

The camera's imager is a 1/2.3-inch 12-megapixel CMOS that records 1080/60p, 1080/60i, and 480/60i footage at a variety of bit rates, starting at 3 Mbps for SD and 5 Mbps for 1080/60i HD. It will also shoot at 300 fps, but only at 720×480 (PAL versions shoot 250 fps at 720×576). The camera will also capture still images at 12 megapixels of resolution. JVC reps tell us this is the same sensor used in the company's GY-HMQ10 4K compact handheld camcorder.

The glass is a 29.5mm (35mm-equivalent) wide-angle GT lens with 10x optical zoom and 16x "dynamic zoom." It has manual focus, iris, and shutter controls and a choice of manual or automatic white balance. Optical image stabilization, auto focus, and focus assist are also featured.

For viewfinding while the camera is shoulder-mounted, a .24-inch LCOS color viewfinder is available, as well as a flip-out three-inch LCD for viewing while the camera is tripod-mounted. (There is also an HDMI Mini connector and RCA video and audio outs, should you need them for monitoring or playback.) A mic, 3.5mm mic input, and 3.5mm headphone jack are all on board.

A hot-swappable dual battery system lets shooters keep the camera running for hours. With one battery attached, it weighs about 6.7 pounds (3.0 kg). 

It's aimed at traditionally low-budget market segments like education and event videography.

For more information, see the spec list at JVC's website.