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MillimeterShoot Review—JVC JY-HD10
Aug 1, 2003 12:00 PM, By Steve Mullen
Charts
Capture
Mode and Measured Resolution
Component Analog Output Options
World's first single-chip HD camcorder is also the first to feature the HDV format.
When I titled my January 2003 story about JVC's prosumer HD camcorder — “Is DV Dead?” — I was being somewhat facetious. Little did I know that by July, a group of four manufacturers would announce a new HD format based on MPEG-2. Canon, Sharp, Sony, and JVC have proposed a specification for an HDV format that includes 720p and 1080i versions. The four companies will promote the specification and plan to finalize the versions by early fall.
 With a single megapixel CCD, the JVC JY-HD10 camcorder captures constant bit rate MPEG-2 material (720p30, at 17.8 Mbps) that displays no apparent block artifacts. |
The specification supports 1280×720 at 25p, 30p, 50p, and 60p — with an MPEG-2-TS (transport stream) data rate of 19Mbps. The specification also defines a 1080i version that offers a horizontal resolution of 1440 horizontal pixels. Interlaced 1080 recording supports both 50i and 60i with an MPEG-2 data rate of 25Mbps. Stereo audio is recorded using 16-bit, 48kHz, MPEG-1 Audio Layer-2 encoding at 384kbps.
The 720p specification of the HDV format is the same as implemented in JVC's JY-HD10 HD camcorder that began shipping in June. Specifically, the image data rate is 17.8Mbps using constant bit rate (CBR) MPEG-2 encoding with a six-frame, IBBP GOP. During my testing, I never saw an MPEG-2 block artifact, even when shooting speeding skaters in Central Park. (See my “Is DV Dead?” story in the January issue for more about the encoding system.)
The HD10 also supports 16:9 SDTV (480p60) MPEG-2 and NTSC (480i) DV recording. In all three modes, the signal is recorded to MiniDV tape. While I spent very little time using DV mode, I did check out one special Squeeze mode. This mode uses a 941×483 window in the CCD to obtain a 16:9 image that is mapped within a 4:3 ratio to make an electronic anamorphic image. DV shooters take note — this is almost equivalent to using a native 16:9 CCD.
Chart 1 on p. 29 presents measured resolution in DV mode. When in DV mode, either 32kHz, 12-bit or 48kHz, 16-bit PCM recording can be used. My impression of the DV recordings was that they looked very good. I also confirmed that through the use of FireWire, Final Cut Pro is capable of full control over the HD10 in DV mode.
Not covered in this review is the software bundled with the camcorder. The JVC bundle includes five Windows XP applications. Two supplied utilities access the camcorder's USB and IEEE 1394 ports. The USB utility transfers JPEG-compressed still photos, captured to the bundled 8MB SD memory card, to a PC.
The i.LINK I/O Utility reads MPEG-2-TS data to disk files. The utility can also be used to write MPEG-2-TS files back to the camcorder — or to any D-VHS deck. The Audio Utility converts Windows audio formats to MPEG-1 Audio Layer-2 audio files so that background music and sound effects can be incorporated into videos.
MPEG Edit Studio Pro 1.2 LE, developed by the R&D labs of Japan's KDDI, provides frame-accurate nonlinear editing of MPEG-2-TS files. Edit Studio Pro generates SD and HD MPEG-2-TS files plus — for use by the ImageMixer DVD application — NTSC MPEG-2-PS (program stream) files. ImageMixer DVD creates and burns NTSC DVDs. My story next month on editing HDV will cover PC and Mac NLE software.
JY-HD10 Features
The JY-HD10 is the first prosumer camcorder to offer analog component output. A bundled YPrPb cable (with three RCA plugs) supplies analog component output for all recording formats. A Playback menu lets you select the type of component output you need. (See Chart 2, p. 29.)
Ideally, the HD10 should be used with a display device that is able to display 720p60 natively. (See my review of the Sanyo PLV-Z1 projector on p. 72 of this issue.)
The camcorder has an “AV/S” connector (composite video, S-Video input/output, stereo audio input/output, and edit control) plus connectors for external DC power and USB. When outputting widescreen video via composite or S-Video, you can menu-select whether the image is letterboxed 4:3 or anamorphic 4:3. While you can record a composite or S-Video signal to DV25, you cannot record to MPEG-2.
A 1394 connector outputs and inputs either DV25 or MPEG-2-TS data. SD and HD MPEG-2 are output as 480p59.94 and 720p29.97 data streams, respectively. Although it is not possible to assemble-edit MPEG-2 from a camcorder to a JVC D-VHS deck, you can clone MPEG-2-TS segments to any D-VHS using a FireWire cable.
The JY-HD10 includes a dual XLR adapter (integrated into a handle) with a mount for a shotgun mic. Without the XLR adapter, the camcorder weighs 1.5kg (ready to shoot) and is 271.5mm long, 114.5mm wide, and 99mm high. I found that adding the adapter and mic made the camcorder too heavy and unwieldy. Moreover, the XLR adapter plugs into the HD10 using an ordinary 1/8in. stereo plug, which negates the virtues of building balanced connections directly into the camcorder's shielded case.
 This is a frame grab (1280x720) made in Final Cut Pro from HD10 material shot by the author in a Thai restaurant. |
Frankly, I'd suggest using the included non-XLR handle (from the consumer GR-HD1 camcorder) with the 3.75oz., 8.34in.-long Azden SGM-X Super Cardioid shotgun mic. For stereo recording, the built-in omni-directional, stereo mic sounded very good.
The microphone input is controlled by an AGC circuit, which means you can't control audio level during recording. However, because the circuit is “smart” it does not introduce audible level pumping. Moreover, the AGC's very fast limiter prevents clipping. Analyzing audio shot on New York City streets showed only a fraction of a percent clipped samples. In equally loud situations, but without honking taxis, the AGC kept peak levels under 0dB. Reasonably low audio levels are, of course, not a problem with digital audio recording. The HD10 includes an option to display an on-screen audio recording indicator. (Red does not indicate clipping.)
The far-too-small 0.44in. color LCD viewfinder has 180,000 pixels, and the flip-out, 3.5in. polycrystalline silicon LCD has 200,000 pixels. The viewfinder has a high pixel density and therefore should be better than the LCD for manual focusing. In an attempt to compensate for the tiny screen, JVC chose a powerful lens to make it appear bigger. Unfortunately, the lens magnifies the pixel structure, making it look incredibly coarse. It's time for both JVC and Sony to build an “eye coupler” like the one Panasonic uses for the DVX100. Thankfully, the flip-out LCD works quite well for manual focusing, except in direct sunlight.
The camera's grip rotates up to 90 degrees for low-angle shooting. I really liked using this feature — although I wish it had a full 180-degree rotation so one could shoot comfortably with the camera over one's head. When the camera is elevated, the LCD screen is naturally rotated down and so becomes immune to washout from direct sunlight.
JY-HD10 Performance
When shooting HD, the camera captures 30 progressive frames per second — half the temporal rate of 720p HD broadcasts. The NTT “SuperENC” MPEG-2 decoder/encoder chip is primarily responsible for the low frame rate. Some shooters will like the low rate because it is close to 24fps, thereby providing what they consider a “filmic” look. Others will dislike the look, as rapidly moving objects — or non-moving objects when one pans too quickly — appear as “double objects.” The name for this visual artifact is “eye tracking,” and it is generated within our eyes. The double images are not recorded to tape. Our eyes create the artifact from moving objects within a series of images where every frame is repeated — as it is when 720p30 is converted by the camcorder to 720p60 for display. (Just as when film is projected using a double-bladed shutter.)
 A frame grab (1280x720) created in Final Cut Pro from HD10 material shot by the author outside a grocery store at midnight. |
Although the artifact can't be eliminated, you can minimize it by locking the shutter-speed at 1/60 second — a speed equivalent to a film camera set to a 180-degree shutter. JVC recommends locking a 1/30 shutter speed that masks the artifact by creating so much motion blur — from the very slow shutter — that the two objects blur into one. While I prefer the former solution, my testing showed that any shutter speed from 1/30 to 1/60 second is equally acceptable. Another alternative is to shoot 480p60, native 16:9, SD video because it is free of eye-tracking artifacts. While image resolution is visibly lower, SD (like HD) is free of both interlace and NTSC artifacts.
The JY-HD10 features an all-glass, 10X (f=5.2mm-52mm) zoom lens with an optical image stabilizer. You can control the zoom via a pressure-sensitive, variable-speed control on the handgrip, or by a servo control ring on the lens. I found the ring to be of no value during shooting. Were JVC to reprogram the servo ring to make it super-responsive, one could give the ring a short, quick twist to zoom in rapidly to a subject prior to manually focusing — and then twist to zoom back rapidly to reframe.
When shooting HD, the effective 35mm zoom range is 40.3mm-403mm. The lens has no built-in ND filter but does offer a 52mm filter mount. Remarkably, the lens' speed remains F1.8-F1.9 throughout its zoom range. As one might expect with an HD camera, focusing is a crucial issue. When ambient light allows you to see the LCD screen, it's fairly easy to focus manually using the servo ring around the lens. Outdoors, however, you have the choice of squinting into the viewfinder or using Auto Focus. As long as the subject is not moving and you wait about three seconds, the AF system is very accurate. Thus, one technique is to zoom in to the subject, engage AF, wait a few seconds, disengage AF, zoom back, and reframe.
The HD10 employs a single 1/3in., 1.18 megapixel Hybrid Comple-mentary-Primary CCD capable of generating both interlaced and progressive images. (For more detail, see my article “Pixel Counting, Still Needed?” in the May issue.) Any camera that employs one — or even three — small CCD(s) with the greater-than-one megapixel count required for HD can be expected to have two characteristics: low light sensitivity and low light latitude.
Using the strict Japanese sensitivity standard, JVC Japan specs the camera's sensitivity at 35 lux, at 6dB gain. (The video AGC can apply up to 6dB gain.) In my experience with the camera, light sensitivity with the AGC enabled was acceptable in well-lit situations, although I had to use a 1/30 second shutter speed.
The JY-HD10 offers the shooter what it calls Manual Recording, which could more accurately be called “semiautomatic.” In Manual mode, you can set White Balance (Indoor, Halogen, Sunny, and Manual — in addition to AWB). You also have a choice among five AE modes: backlit biased auto-exposure; programmed auto-exposure (sports, snow, spotlight, and twilight); shutter-priority auto-exposure; bias-adjusted auto-exposure; and auto-exposure lock. Because these AE are mutually exclusive functions, you really have only two practical shooting options.
Press the Shutter/Aperture button once to enable dialing in a shutter speed of 1/30 or 1/60 second, which then allows the camera to determine the exposure automatically by varying the aperture. (Do not press S/A again.) In bright illumination, I recommend using an ND.6 filter (two-stop reduction) to prevent the aperture from being forced too far closed, which can degrade the image. The advantage of this approach is it minimizes eye-tracking artifacts by keeping a slow shutter speed. The disadvantage is that the AE system can cause visible exposure fluctuations as scene illumination changes.
Alternatively, you can use an ND.6 or ND.9 filter (depending on scene illumination) in an attempt to force shutter speed under 1/60 second. Then you can press and hold the Exposure control for several seconds to lock both the shutter and aperture. Unfortunately, there is no way to be certain the shutter speed isn't higher than 1/60 second at the point of locking. This uncertainly arises because the camera is programmed to increase shutter speed once the aperture closes to f/8. Worse, it will freely increase speed up to 1/250 second. While acceptable for a consumer DV camera, this is the exact opposite of how a 24p or 30p camera should function. I strongly recommend that JVC reprogram the HD10's shutter speed limit from 1/250 down to 1/60 while raising the f/stop limit from f/8 to f/16. Then one could more confidently lock Exposure.
I found that if I gave the AE system a few seconds to settle, the camera's exposure was always optimal, as the AE system seems sensitive to the CCD's very low latitude. You might, of course, be tempted to lower exposure to prevent highlight overexposure. To do so, press but do not hold the Exposure control and lower the exposure up to three stops — in 1/3-stop increments.
Unfortunately, the 1/3in. CCD simply does not have enough latitude to keep overall scene exposure acceptable while allowing bright highlights to retain color and detail. Conversely, biasing the exposure upward because the subject is backlit or in shade may prove futile. In one case I tried increasing subject brightness and the tops of all tree leaves went white.
Once you have set the aperture, you can lock exposure. Be aware that once locked, the camera's very low light latitude leaves it vulnerable to fluctuations in illumination. Frankly, I found it best to lock the shutter speed and let the AE do the best job it could.
What's clear from my testing is that the JY-HD10 — like all cameras that use small, megapixel CCDs — must be used in a manner that is consistent with its CCD's low sensitivity and low latitude. For example, I got my best shots on bright, cloudy days. For photographers who have shot 35mm slides or 16mm positive film, none of this is difficult to comprehend. JVC, however, is responsible for the poor AE system that aggravates attempts to solve the “expected” exposure problems. The poor viewfinder and slow AF system further fuel shooter frustration.
The reward for accepting these limitations, aggravations, and frustrations is gorgeous images with stunning detail. Concerns about an HD camera with only a single CCD vanish when you see the HD10's color reproduction. It is realistic and not super-saturated, as is often the case with prosumer DV camcorders. Color balance is realistic and is neither warm nor cool.
Viewing HD and SD material shot with the HD10 on both an NTSC monitor and an HD monitor is a revealing experience. We are accustomed to watching video carrying a load of interlace artifacts (aliased diagonals, motion judder, and line twitter) as well as NTSC cross-color and cross-luminance artifacts. The HD monitor displays an image free of all these artifacts. However, the HD10's image is prone to low-level noise on saturated red — so there's still room for progress.
The HD10 has been designed to record an image without ugly edge enhancement. While this advantage may not be fully appreciated on a small TV screen, the lack of edge-enhancement artifacts is very apparent when the video is projected.
If you live with HDTV at home, you'll be amazed that for under $3,500 (street) you can — taking sufficient care — shoot images comparable to those you see in the stunning PBS HD demo loop. And the PBS loop was shot with HD equipment that's 20 times more costly.
The fine detail of the JY-HD10's HD video was very apparent on the $4,000, 19in., DT-V 1900CG HD monitor JVC supplied for my review. The detail was also apparent when projected to a 7ft. diagonal screen. Home theater enthusiasts often purchase costly video scalers to create a large-screen cinema experience from NTSC video. The JY-HD10 naturally delivers adequate resolution for a big screen.
And it's the creation of big-screen productions, whether projected or shown on plasma, that JVC has in mind for its JY-HD10. The primary market for low-cost HD production is “non-broadcast, private cinema.” This market includes both private- and public-sector clients who desire stunning visual quality when they present their message to groups of people. If these are your clients, now is the time to begin working in HD with the JY-HD10.
BOTTOM LINE
Company: JVC
Wayne, N.J.; (973) 317-5000
www.jvc.com/pro
Product: JY-HD10
Assets: Single megapixel CCD enables HD imaging; no apparent MPEG-2 block artifacts; very high picture quality.
Caveats: Use the camcorder in a manner that's consistent with its CCD's low sensitivity and low latitude.
Demographic: Shooters for non-broadcast HD and large-format presentation.
Price: $3,995
feedback
To comment on this article, email the Video Systems editorial staff at vsfeedback@primediabusiness.com.
