JVC Everio GZ-HD7
JVC has launched, what it claims, is the first consumer HD camcorder but it may have cut a few corners in doing so.
Leave it to JVC to do something just a little bit different with its high-end consumer products. The company's Everio GZ-HD7, announced today at CES, has all the right creds: three progressive-scan 1/5-inch chips; a Fujinon HD broadcast lens; a hard disk capable of recording five hours of maximum-quality video; and a reasonable US$1,799.95 price tag. JVC bills the GZ-HD7 as the first consumer model that records full HD video, which might be true; I could swear that Sony's AVCHD models record at the same 1920x1080 resolution, but I don't have time to check (and the Sony website is quite uninformative on this point). It's definitely the first 3CCD model. Regardless, first or not, it's a good thing.
But the company cut corners on the CCDs. First, they're really small. Second, each chip is a mere 976x548 pixels, using JVC's pixel shift technology to generate -- dare I say "interpolate"? -- it's vaunted "full" HD resolution. The jury on this one will have to remain sequestered until review units are available. The camcorder is slated to ship to North America in April.
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