JVC GY-HD200UB 1/3" 3-CCD Professional HDV Camcorder with 16x Fujinon Lens and 60/24-Frame Progressive Recording

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

We just purchased two of these cameras for event videography; the quality level is completely comparable to my Sony PDW-335 XDCAM cameras at less than a quarter the price tag.

I'd been reluctant to jump to JVC based on past history... the JVC cameras I worked with back in the 80's & 90's weren't really very good compared to Sony & Panasonic. That seems to be a thing of the past now, I'm totally satisfied with these cameras and far prefer them to my Sony HVX-Z5U cameras.

The big plusses for me were that the layout of the camera is exactly like that of the older professional cameras, everything is where you'd expect to find it and it has a real lens, not the built in things that Sony & Panasonic put on their comparable priced cameras. It also uses standard 4 pin 12 volt power and standard Anton Bauer batteries... pros won't have to replace all their existing batteries and other accessories.

Any professional will instantly feel at home with this camera, it feels and operates like a full size ENG camera, only half the size.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

Great options for video quality & formats.
Make sure you do your homework on understanding the codecs that are being used. The capture process can be quite difficult if you just start experimenting with the different HDV codecs.

It would be nice to have all-automatic features including focus for a run & gun style shooting.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

We use this camera on a national television show and are very impressed with the picture quality. We've been Sony camcorder users for years but haven't used them much since purchasing the 200UB. Forget 1080i, 720p produces breathtaking images. Coupled with a 100gb Focus Enhancements hard drive that mounts directly to the camera, it's unbeatable. Have yet to use the built in HDV tape system. I would say very few of my peers could tell the difference between footage shot on the JVC GY-HD200UB and a $30,000 Sony or Panasonic ENG camera. Btw, we use Sony Vegas Pro 9 ans shoot directly to timeline. Contrary to other reviewers I think the battery life is great.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

This camera, for the price, seems too good to be true. In my case, unfortunately, the first impression is correct. Though the image quality is spectacular and the Fujinon's manual ring controls are exactly what I need, I use FinalCut Pro 6 system to edit on a Mac Intel system, and I wish that I had been warned.

The camera records tapes that are rife with FCP importing errors. Timecode breaks abound. Batch Capture does not work, arbitrarily choosing its own in/out points. Even at points when the camera has not been started and stopped, FCP reads subtle ebbs recorded into the data stream and will cut clips in the middle of an important interview as many as 14-25 times, with up to 6 missing seconds in between each clip.

For me, as a documentary filmmaker, the camera has been a post-production nightmare, verging on financial disaster. Furthermore, this camera does not appear on FCP 7's supported hardware list.

On the bright side, I hear that editors using Avid or Premier experience little to no difficulty in this arena. So for those users, buy away.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

I use the camera for low-budget indie films and for freelance advertising gigs. Just last night I was shooting a promo for a band under less than ideal lighting conditions in a bar. I'd heard the HD200 was less than spectacular in low light but was pleasantly surprised. Didn't even have to boost the gain all the way and the image is crisp and clean.

The controls are arranged comfortably and logically, for those who prefer mechanical lens controls over mushy servos it's a joy to work with.

On the downside, it is a bit heavy and power-hungry. Between the camera itself and a couple spare batteries it can be a load.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

We shoot soccer, weddings, news, football, basketball etc. This camera is a workhorse and meets and exceeds every demand we put on them.

We also have the Sony Ex3,which is also a good camera. But, this camera beats it in comfort, usability (100 gig HD) and is about a draw on quality. The Sony wins in low light and nowhere else.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

Great picture and ability to recognize different video format automatically...nice.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

I use this camera for pro applications only. Broadcast Television/Industrial/Fashion shows/etc.

This camera in combo with a 100gig MR-100 is amazing! Great ENG camera. Light wieght, amazing pictures with the ProHD lens. I have shot so many small format cameras by other camera makers and this smokes them all. The lens is key. The flexibility is key. I can switch frame rates and never change cameras while shooting anywhere in the world. BBC uses 25p/50p...it does it. Film obsessed people who want to shoot everything in 24p can do that too. I cane shoot on the shoulder all day and never get tired. Amazing! Must be seen on HD monitors to believe it. Always shoot progressive if you can. But if the want 1080i you can do that as well.

No one is making cameras this good at this price range. I am not a brander but I have been branded!SMOKES ALL P2 Related products on price and most on picture. 100 gigs P2 would be about 6,000.00 + dollars. NO WAY I don't want to stop after and hour of shooting to clear a darn card!

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

Simply put, the GY-HD200UB is the choice for small production houses! Combined with the 35mm lens adapter, I'm in heaven! Sleek design, easier menu interface, but a bit on the heavy side, the 200 will turn any interview, spot, film into something special.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

This is my second camera that b and h has sent me the first had dead pixelsAnd this one dose to. But I did a pixel compensation in the camera and fixed itThis is a common problem with jvc cameras[...]This is a grate camera for the money it fits in my production jobsJust beware of dead pixels

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

JVC GY-HD200UB so far is the best camera I have ever used. Cristal and very contrast image, perfect, sharp and very natural colors put this camera together with high end broadcasting cameras. When I broadcast my production with HD Canon, Panasonic AG-HVX 200, it is easy to see that production was made with consumer camcorder. Production made with my new JVC it is difficult to distinguish the quality of JVC from $32,000 Sony XDCAM. Cameras still light enough to carry around on hiking trails for nature documentaries. Very comfortable and professional controls. Possibilities to record on videotape and hard drive with format which I can use on FCP right away.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

I use this camera primarily for shooting short films and commercials and I absolutely love it. I upgraded from the 100 to the 200, and the 60p format alone was worth the extra money. The focus assist feature is amazing and makes focusing much less of a hassle when you don't have a lot of time. Overall, a fantastic camera. The biggest drawback is compatibility issues with capturing in Final Cut Pro (new clips are created every time you stop recording, and sometimes even when you don't). This isn't a huge issue, however, because it can be solved with either a lot of patience, or the DR-HD100 hard drive module.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

Once you've gotten your head around the ratrher complex menu features and the instruction manual as a whole, you will find it's a great new toy! The "B" version allows for 1080i recording (with the firestore HD) in addition to its native 720p mode. The 24frame setting is especially great for the guerilla filmmaker who wants to go to the big screen.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

I use this camera for a variety of productions. I've used it for TV commercials, live events, corporate films, you name it. The best thing about this camera is how comfortable it is when it is shoulder-mounted and the ease and locations of the controls. Picture quality can be stunning. Also, the ability to shoot in SD or HDV and the ability to shoot to hard drive and tape at the same time. I know the Air Force bought lots of JVC HDV cameras because it makes a lot of sense during the transition from Analog tape world to HD digital world. I can't tell you how priceless it is to be able to have a video tape backup. The only negative I can see with this camera is that it is not the best low-light performer however, the footage is typically usable in low-light. I would give it 5-stars if it had better performance in low-light. Would also be awesome if there was an autofocus.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

My first impressions of the HD200u are that it’s well built, solid, and professional. The camera feels good and handles well. The HD200u camera operations and menus are comparable to the HD110 so I bought an instructional DVD for the HD110 (couldn’t find one for the HD200u) to get a few pointers on the camera setup and operation. This camera is simple enough for an amateur to operate and has all the extras that a pro would require. I was able to operate the camera with ease after watching the video. JVC might consider making a camera instructional video to include with this camera. What about the picture quality? Here’s were we start to have problems. The picture at the center of view is crystal clear with the stock lens that ships with the basic camera. Using the 16:9 setting the edges blur. Not the worst thing in the world but you will notice the blur. I hope this can be corrected with a better lens and I plan to buy a full HD lens later. One more problem was a dead pixel on the CCD. I emailed JVC for instructions to correct the error, no response. I called a person that I had spoken to about some rebate items and no response. I called B&H and they gave me instructions on contacting JVC support. I called tech support and they gave me verbal instructions to correct the problem, wrong! they didn’t give me the correct steps in the process. I found the correct process on a website. I am concerned that JVC has poor customer support? It’s hard to believe in the age of the Internet that companies the size of JVC would have poor customer support. JVC you need to work on your customer support or the word will get out! Lets end on a good note; I could not be more satisfied with the deal I got with this camera. The extras that came with my camera package were more than I expected, good job JVC.

Comments about JVC GY-HD200UB Professional HDV Camcorder:

Full-time wedding videographer. Great camera if you're not into the handy-cam (shaky-cam) style of shooting and need to look professional during events. The lens is probably the camera's greatest compromise (Fujinon's cheapest glass) however it's what you would expect for the price, also the cam is not that great in low light. Other than the above it is a dream to use on the job especially if you like being in control and not relying on automatic settings, however the camera could use an OIS because at the tele end of the zoom things can get a little shaky. The camera balances out well once loaded up with the battery & light. The included microphone is very cheaply made and not what I would consider professional but then a professional would already have better microphones anyway.

A great improvement to this camera would be a better quality lens and a proper microphone.