A consumer format in a professional camera (JVC GR-DV500)

Member Name: danielw

Product:	JVC GR-DV500
Date:	05/10/00 (1182 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Professional features for a lot less money

Disadvantages: Not as small and light as some Mini DV cameras

In the GYDV500E Pal Mini DV Camera JVC has recognized the potential of mini DV as a format.
Realizing that if good enough lenses and mics are attached to a camera that shoots in Mini DV you have a high-end industrial camera or a low end broadcast quality camera. The GYDV500E I believe is ideal for those who are thinking of making some money out of their camera not only does it look the part it can deliver in all the right areas that concern professionals i.e. interchangeable professional lenses and two channel XLR audio input. This means that although the cost of the camera and equipment are more expensive in the professional domain you have not wasted money on a high end domestic camera that is not cable of meeting your creative demands. The GYDV500 seems to have also borrowed some characteristics from the best high end consumer cameras, size and weight of the camera is only about 5kg fully loaded and Full Auto Shooting mode means you don’t have to worry about anything but focus.

Like the more expensive professional DVCam and DVCPro shoulder mount cameras the JVC camera balances on the shoulder extremely well no matter what lens you put on the front and is designed to work with full manual operation. In summary I’d say at around £4000.00 the GYDV500E has better picture and sound quality than its high end domestic counterparts (the Canon XL1 or Sony VX2000) for only a bit more money and is a lot less money than its professional format equivalents.

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