I just did a comparison of two smaller HD cameras we are looking at to replace our dieing tape cameras. Side by side in the real world, as the sun went down then some in the darkness although there were streetlights and traffic.
The notorious Sony EX3 and the JVC GY-HM 700. I didn't tweak anything and did my best to keep the white balance and exposure consistent between the two. As it got darker I left both irises wide open then added gain up to 18db. I thought the difference was pretty dramatic. The Sony looked better in nearly every shot. The darker it got the more difference there was. The JVC also had some nasty smearing with headlights and other bright spots. Again, I didn't change picture files or shutter or matrix or any of that. Just set everything to normal and shot.
The JVC does have some nice features, it will save multiple shots as a single clip, you can edit directly from the camera with FCP and it does sit on the shoulder.
So, what wins out for daily use? The Sony is very different to hand-hold but I don't find it awkward. The JVC is very lightweight and easy to use. Neither one has the solid feel of a traditional ENG camera and to me the Sony feels better built but that is just an impression. The viewfinder on the Sony is amazing, the JVC's is good but not in the same league.
If you were to choose based on the quality of the image vs ease of use which way would you go?
The notorious Sony EX3 and the JVC GY-HM 700. I didn't tweak anything and did my best to keep the white balance and exposure consistent between the two. As it got darker I left both irises wide open then added gain up to 18db. I thought the difference was pretty dramatic. The Sony looked better in nearly every shot. The darker it got the more difference there was. The JVC also had some nasty smearing with headlights and other bright spots. Again, I didn't change picture files or shutter or matrix or any of that. Just set everything to normal and shot.
The JVC does have some nice features, it will save multiple shots as a single clip, you can edit directly from the camera with FCP and it does sit on the shoulder.
So, what wins out for daily use? The Sony is very different to hand-hold but I don't find it awkward. The JVC is very lightweight and easy to use. Neither one has the solid feel of a traditional ENG camera and to me the Sony feels better built but that is just an impression. The viewfinder on the Sony is amazing, the JVC's is good but not in the same league.
If you were to choose based on the quality of the image vs ease of use which way would you go?