JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I just received this camera last week. It is my first time purchasing a video camera in the professional or "prosumer" category. I am a newbie when it comes to using a camera for purposes beyond merely shooting video of family events, trips, etc. with my goal in purchasing a better grade camera is initally get into producing programming for local access television and to move into shooting documentaries.After doing several months worth of research on the various cameras avaiable for modest cost, I am on a very tight budget, I had considered getting models from Panasonic and Canon initially, but then came across information on the HM150U and its immediate predessor camera, the HM100--with that camera being used by a number of local television news operations across the US and the world, has been used by the Miss Universe organization and by at least one independent film maker to shoot a documentary film---with all of those facts helping to make me feel good about selecting this model. You can see videos or stories regarding the use of the HM-100 by these organizations or individuals at the JVC pro video website.So far, I have just been learning to set the camera up according to my preferences, getting familar with its many functions and how to properly use it and those functions.So far, my experience with it is very limited, but I will share my initial impressions thus far of the unit.The first impression is that in spite of knowing that the numbers regarding its dimensions in the specs sheet show that this is a small camera, when you get it--it really does seem quiet small and that is both a good and bad thing--good in that it is light and compact, that it can be taken down to a stipped down state that make it seem more like a larger "handicam" which is one of the reasons that independent journalists are using it in places like during the "Arab Spring" protests and in China by the Miss Universe organization since many places often don't allow "professional" video cams entering into those countries.But on the down side of being small, the buttons and other controls on the camera are very small as is the LED viewer and what you see on it---with the small size being harder to see for older eyes, but you get used to it.At first, I didn't know if I liked the EVF viewfinder, since it didn't seem so clear, but once I made use of it--found the the diopter control allowed me to make fine adjustments so I could see the picture displayed in the EVF without having my readers on.So far, I have only shot video in the SD mode, and played it back on an analog TV. The picture and audio quality is first rate. I am looking forward to actually shooting and editing in full HD mode, right now---I am having a new PC built by a local computer store so I can make use of the capabilities of the various powerful editing programs out there--right now--I have yet to decide which editing program I am going to go with----I wished the budget would allow it--but I cannot afford to make the switch to Apple and to use a program like Final Cut Pro--at least at this point, which is the recommended editing program by JVC. It should also be noted that at the Apple computer website, this model is the only professional or prosumer HD camera that they recommend.I also have to say that even though this camera is small, when I have come to a place to shoot video with it mounted on a tripod, my external mics and headphones plugged into it, and the light attached--I did get the Bescor LED light unit the B&H offers as a suggested accessory---it has impressed everyone who sees this camera.In a few months, I will submit a more detailed review providing my thoughts and observations after I have used it much more.So far, I am very pleased with my purchase and think that it will have been a good investment to get me started into this new endeavor of video production.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I a professional motorsports film maker and really needed a camera WITHOUT a cmos rolling shutter. My question is.. How can nearly every major camera manufacturer equip their new cameras with a cmos chip that you basically cannot even pull off a fast pan with and not leave everything bending or warbling in the wind? Well JVC has. This three chip camera is amazing. Professional appearance,beautiful color,3 chip design, not too small and not too big, Nice sound and lots of pro features. Now the best part.. Just really drag and drop your files into a folder on your desktop or directly into FCP and you are immediately working. No transcode or time consuming compressions. Also the file will be basically raw and this camera is broadcast ready at 35mbs. Also, the large variety of variable frame rates at 1920x1080 is terrific. Awesome! Only One little gripe and it seems that the Image stabilization is not that great and maybe a little tough in very low light, but for most lighting it will perform well. This is a great camera to have in the bag for sure.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

Very nice camera at an affordable price. Only thing to be aware is that if you have a 3.5mm mic input you will need to buy an adapter to plug into the XLRs

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I study Audio Video Production so I use this camera for all sorts of things. What attracted me to it was the XLR inputs as well as the color sampling, bit rate, XD CAM implementation, dual card slot and of course the price. I have gotten very good, crisp picture quality with this camera even in 720p! The onboard stereo mic does a good job, the shot gun mic is decent. I do cut on Avid as well as Final Cut 7 and I am even messing with Premier Pro. I have had no problems ingesting the footage. Link to AMA works just fine. Premier responds better when dealing with MP4 files. The batteries could last longer. As with any type of videography, always manage your lighting situation. No camera will fix bad lighting for you. It's lightweight, easy to operate and the focus assist is a handy tool.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I am a beginning/aspiring videographer--my main goal at present is to do things like producing pieces for access Television, doing some "gun and run" news type stories, and doing some documentary sort of work, and to bring in quick cash---shoot weddings and similar events for people, companies and organizations.

I had been thinking of getting a particular Panasonic model because it is the model that the access TV organization I am affilated with just bought them to replace some of their old gear and I surely like the Panny, but as someone new to this business-I am trying to get established, do some of sorts of things that I want to do, and just get things going on a rather small budget. Someone told me to forget getting anything from JVC--but that on this site and others that I can find--I have only found the one really bad review on this product and some very good ones---some of the best for any cam that I have been considering--the person who said to stay away from a JVC said that their video quality is poor and if you get known for putting out product not up to snuff---you have already killed yourself--but it seems to me that unless you can afford something like a $30,000 Ikegami or some such pure pro-brodcast unit--then you have to accept "compromises" and trade offs no matter what camera you get.

Heck if I had the money to do so--I would just go buy myself a RED cam since I have to learn how to do all the things in regards to shooting video anyhow both on the tech and artistic levels.

At this point, I am looking for a camera that will give me reasonably decent results for the money so I get get rolling and in six to 12 months, I can afford an even better camera--right now--I also need to not only get a half-decent cam---but all the related gear like decent wireless mics, etc.

Other people say to go with whatever I can afford and just learn the craft and business because some of those guys shooting stuff they are selling are using even older generations of cams and other stuff----so since this cam has some pretty good features and its in my budget--should I just pull the trigger and go for it??

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

So far, so good, I expected quality and got it, now I will start to enjoy the ride. Easy to set up, was shooting in less than fifteen minutes, quality is unbelieveable, HD Live Feed blew us away! All features are easy to find and use, mic is good quality, picked up conversations clearly more than 8' away. A few of the controls are a bit tricky, need small fingers and with the monitor I purchased, tough to get to, but overall I'm extremely satisfied, great value, buy one and start shooting your indie!!

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I recently purchased this camera and shot a few test scenes in 60i 501 24p 30p all in 1080 and a few in 720. I shot outside, woods, moving cars and some inside and low light too. I was extremely excited to find this camera but once I brought the footage into FCP X I was very disappointed. I previously worked with a far cheaper Canon and felt it produced far better quality of picture. I even imported that footage from iMovie and felt even after going through that ringer the Cannon footage still looked better that the JVC. Also, i felt the autofocus was slow and didn't lock onto things in full-auto as well as I thought it should. I think I'm going to return it and get something else.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

HD video cams have been available many years but few have had all the capabilities I wanted in a single package. Several major features...three color chips, HD (not AVCHD) and SD recording, XLR audio inputs, and two card slots...were among the "must haves" on any camera I'd consider.

Of course, all these features had to be on a camera I could afford!

JVC's GY-HM150U fills the bill better than any other camera I've seen. It has a decent price that was sweetened by a nice rebate and extended warranty when I ordered one.

The box had only been open a short time when I realized this camera would require more "user involvement" than other cameras I'd owned. I read most of the Owner's Manual while the battery charged. That was time well spent. There is a lot to learn and I don't know it all yet!

I like the placement of controls and the assortment of features. I appreciate the ability to assign functions to so many buttons. The miniature "joystick" that controls menu functions is easy to use.

Neither the viewfinder and LCD screen are particularly crisp. However, this is the first camera I've ever owned with an LCD screen bright enough to be seen in complete daylight.

Picture quality is wonderful in both HD and SD. Videographers can shoot in full-auto or manual modes. I've gotten far better results in manual. This is the first camera on which I've consistently used the zebra function. It helps when adjusting exposures in manual mode.

The HM150U seems to be an "all or nothing" camera. Full automatic mode or full manual mode. I miss aperture and shutter-priority options. If AE is available, I've not found it yet!

White balance is easy to set manually...important because this camera isn't as good in "auto white balance" mode as other cameras I've owned.

Battery life is unremarkable. I've been getting about 90 minutes on a charge with the LCD open. My other cameras will run over four hours with an open LCD and dedicated microphone on the hot shoe.

I'd like to report more fully on the camera's capabilities but unfortunately haven't been able to use it much due to a defect found a few hours after the unit arrived.

The problem surfaced Friday evening. JVC doesn't support professional equipment on weekends. Consequently the replacement process couldn't begin until the following week.

Ironically, I did talk with a representative in the consumer electronics department on Saturday.

To their credit, JVC has a "Perfect Experience" policy that provides replacement for equipment that is defective out of the box. The policy is easy to locate on their web site.

Finding people to help with the replacement was a different matter. I found several 800 and toll numbers and called each, hoping one would reach a call center where an agent would open a trackable ticket and refer to the correct workgroup.

Instead I reached voice mailboxes and left the same lengthy message over and over.

Two weeks and many calls/emails later, a replacement arrived. It works beautifully.

Most JVC employees were polite and seemed interested in resolving the problem. Their support process, however, appears to be be broken.

With what I now know I'd buy the GY-HM150U again. It packs a lot of features into a reasonably-priced camera. The ability to manually control exposure and other functions is important to me.

This camera would be difficult for videographers without a good understanding exposure control to adjust and use. Also, if support is a concern, you may consider other alternatives.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

We shoot Cable and Broadcast TV. Also lots of internet video. Put this camera to work right out of the box. Read the manual--lots of flexibility. Switches easily between HD & SD. Love the workflow. Native recording formats drop right into FCB or Adobe Premier. Makes a big difference. Will be shooting commercial work indoors next week. I feel confident with proper lighting, it will hit it out of the park.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

For a while, my business became less about videography and promotional short films, and more about website development. Now, at the demand of my clients, that focus is beginning to shift back digital video. My equipment was outdated and lacked the features that were in demand. A friend pointed me to this camera, and I could not be happier. In this little camera, I found the manual control I required, the quality I desired, and the compact design I have so admired.

The primary requirements of my equipment search was for a 1) tapeless camera, 2) two-xlr channel inputs, 3) superior image quality. While this unit was a bit beyond my proposed budget, the features surpassed my expectations and made it well worth the expense.

Note: You will want to have plenty of light when filming, as the low-light performance is not ideal, but that is to be expected given the price-bracket of this model. Even so, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the image in less-than-ideal lighting. Overall, an excellent camera and an investment in which I am completely satisfied.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I bought three of these cameras for event video production. The camera has a small form factor. The size doesn't make it harder to use. The controls on the outside of the camera are simple. The menu is efficient. I would buy extra batteries for these because they burn up pretty fast.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I shoot music venues regularly and I am finding that this is a great camera for that purpose. I am typically shooting b-roll and am in crowds or on stage with the bands. The portability of this camera is perfect for me. My previous camera weighted about 15lb. and by the end of a show I was really worn out. Now, I can shoot a show and still feel great. The card is wonderful for logging and capturing the video. It is quick and easy to use.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

This camera is awesome!!! Very happy with the quality.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I'm not a big fan of JVC - who is? - but the workflow advantages of direct importing to FCP, especially after dealing with AVCHD for the last four years, won me over. I've only shot test footage thus far, but here are my initial impressions:

- It's not just that the LCD is small - I could live with that - but the resolution is lousy. I don't know why they didn't invest in better glass for a pro camera. Color reproduction is fairly accurate, but without focus assist turned on, it's very difficult to see what you're doing. That goes double for the vf, which is awful. But, you rarely use it on a camera this small anyway.
- Low light is handled fairly well at +9 dB, with pretty minimal noise. Higher than that is garbage.
- In full ext. light situations, the ND filter does a very good job of improving contrast, with nice deep blacks. Tweaking the gamma and color gain yields good results depending on the look you want. I noticed very little chromatic aberration.
- Full auto does a pretty good job, actually, if you are in a hurry. AF is a little pokey for my taste.
- Depth of field is about what you would expect, meaning not very good. I haven't found that opening the aperture helps much unless you're toward the tele end to begin with, but I haven't played with that in a studio situation.
- The menu is a mixed bag, but there are a number of assignable buttons and an easy-to-use favorites system that saves time. The saved setup files work well.
- Sound seems to work well.
- Overall build quality is about what I'd expect for a camera in this price range. They cut a few corners, notably on the on/off switch, which feels cheap. The handle is sturdy, though, and doesn't make any noise at all.
- The integrated lens cover is a nice touch, though I wish it would somehow remind you when you leave it open.
- The position of the knob on top of the mic mount may interfere with LED camera lights (it's not a hot shoe, btw). Mine works, but a narrower one would be better.

Overall, I'm pleased so far with the camera. I know the Canons and Pannys in the same category have better image quality, but the workflow advantages and cheap media are major considerations. Almost everything I shoot is for the Web anyway, and most any camera looks decent enough for a YT window.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I just completed my 6th shoot with this camera and its definately got its pros and cons.

First off this camera performs very poorly in low light. Even if you shoot with a slow shutter speed and the aperture wide open with the gain set on high it still is exceptionally bad. It does have a Low-Lux setting but it makes the footage so grainly its un-usable.

They eye peice was a huge dissapointment. When looking through it, it distorts the image and it just plain hard to look through.

The zooming toggle is touchy! I love slow rolling zooms, but I can't accomplish them on this toggle. I had to program the zoom control on the LCD panel to work around this problem.

The dial for the aperture is very difficult to manage. I've gone from 2.8 to 8 so many times by accident. It goes way to fast and is hard to control.

Then the 3200k and 5600k settings are not accurate. The 5600k setting is so far off it imparts a green hue to the image, and the 3200k setting is no where close to what it should be. So I have to do a manual white balance for almost everything.

Ok, now on to the good things. The format it shoots in is awesome. .mov Just drag and drop it into final cut pro. Easy peasy! Also it shoots in SD which is very helpful for me, especially when I'm hired as a second camera man for a SD shoot.

The quality is absolutley stunning at full resolution. WOW!

The shotgun microphone that comes with the camera does and excellent job and I often pick up things I don't expect to be able to hear with it. The dials on the audio level are small and difficult to adjust accuretly. And of course having two XLR inputs rock.

It has a nice focus assist funtion that works really well. It turns the image into black and white and when the image is in focus it will give a blue color on the detail your focusing. My first impression is I though this was kind of gimicky but I've started to rely on it.

I also love this camera since you can opertate it in full manual mode. I like having control over the camera.

Its small and fun to use all things considered. I look forward to getting to know this camera like the back of my hand and I'm sure I'll be able to work through most of these problems, so on the whole I am very happy with purchase.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

Okay, first off I just want to say, wake up videographers and stop complaining about every small detail on your new camcorder. Truthfully, you should have known already what your camcorder can and cannot do before you made the purchase. After six months of research, I went with the JVC HM150U...and I must say, this machine really ROCKS!! The 3-CCD blows away any cmos camera. You absolutely get no jello effect. As far as picture quality... it leaves more expensive camcorders in the dirt. You just can't beat the 35Mbps. The supplied shot gun mic works very well along with the manual iris, focus and gain control. Hardly no noise at all when shooting with 9db of gain. For a compact camera, it feels very solid not cheap. As a wedding videographer, I was concerned about the compact size, but as I was holding it for the first time, I realized it was not as compact as I thought. It looks very professional. Slap on a head set and people will think your from the local news. And as far as the 1/4 size chip goes, well, I don't understand what all the fuss is about. So you may have to tweak it a little bit in low light, so what. This camera will shoot just as well as any 1/3 chip camera. And you will get a shaper image. You should always shoot in lowlight with a mounted light no matter what size chip camera you are using. There are two major factors on the JVC hm150u which sold me out, and that is of course the dual SD card slots. The biggest fear in shooting weddings is SD card failure. With only one card slot on most camcorders this is a major fear factor. The hm150u will record to two cards at the same time. If one of the cards should ever fail while shooting, the number 2 card slot will keep right on rolling with no loss of footage. No More Fears! The other major factor is, this camcorder is final cut pro ready. While the rest of the world are scratching their heads and having sleepless nights trying to figure out ways to in-jest their avchd files into their computer, here I am with 4 hours of video on an SD card that will take only 35 minutes to write to final cut pro. Every file will write to quick time using .mov format. No other camcorder on the market will do this. No more wasting time converting files.
This camera will also shoot standard definition. There is still a strong market for SD film shoots. Another cool feature is you can remove the top handle along with XLR inputs and shot gun mic. This is great if you don't want to stand out in a crowd. I love how the lens cover is connected to the lens hood. With a flick of a switch the lens cover will open or close. It works a lot like the sony lens cover. You will never lose your lens cover. The controls are in the right place and easy to reach. There is also six user button where you can program and call up instantly your customize settings. I was surprised at how
well this camera films in automatic mode. So far, I have not had any problems with this camera. This is truly an incredible machine. Yes, I could nip pick about a few things. But the awesome quality over shadows the short comings.
My best advise is to take your time and do some research. Being an event videographer I don't think you will find a better camcorder that will support your needs especially if you work with final cut pro.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

This was my first camcorder purchase in 30 years. After spending a bit of time with the manual, I was shooting video like a pro. The video quality is very good and all the controls are easy to get. to. It takes a little while to get use to their positions but they are laid out perfectly. The unit feels substantial as if it's built very well.

On the negative side, I wished that it had a slightly larger font size in the
viewfinder as it's hard to see without my "cheaters". Additionally I'd like to see a little more zoom on the wide angle side.

Other than that it's a great camera.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

Bought this camera to replace my Canon XL-H1a. I am in the middle of a documentary film project and the Canon was too heavy, too unwieldy and only shot to tape. Once I purchased the 150U, Life got so much better. First off, it is super light. I can hold it with one hand if need be while hanging from a tree on the side of a hill and still get a great shot. It also gives you every possible option combination for auto and manual. It's got a great white balance set up including two programable settings and on daylight. A/E. A/M Focus and A/M shutter speed and Fstop. I have been using the 1080 24p setting and the footage is amazing. But for me the best thing is the flash card it records to. Cheap mini Flash cards. I bought three 32G cards and have yet to roll fully through 2 of them. Long battery life as well. The only thing that is less than spectacular is the Shotgun mic it comes with, I have always mounted my Senheiser Sm-66 on the camera so that is not an issue for me. The sound set up is also really amazing. two XLR ins, auto and Manual options for sound settings.
I highly recommend this camera for anyone who is shooting run and gun.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I am a mountain climber and need light, portable gear. With the quality features inherent in this camcorder and its lack of bulk, I have been very pleased with the whole package. Would be nice to have a more "crush proof" body but that goes for me too and "hey, who is out to be crushed?" I like the ability to change from auto to manual quickly for those times prior to belaying when I want to be an artist instead of recording the grit and sweat of the unexpected. I like everything about this little machine. I got the idea for purchasing this upgraded model from a course on mountain lions. One of the instructors had nothing but praise for the HM100 and I feel the same about this upgrade.

Comments about JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld 3-CCD Camcorder:

I'm using this camera in a semi professional setting and thus far it works great. It takes a few minutes to get familiar with but the time invested in well worth it.