JVC To Announce New Mini DV Digital Camcorders

JVC plans to introduce Thursday a new Mini DV digital camcorder line. Among the new features are a 25x optical zoom on all Compact series models. Ultra-Compact Series camcorders offer a 15x optical zoom and JVC's Low Light Plus, which combines the company's 3D noise reduction with an F1.2 Super Bright lens for low-light performance. Also new for 2005 is a Data Battery function, available in both Compact and Ultra-Compact models, that gives users a one-touch view in the LCD or viewfinder of remaining battery and recording time.

JVC's exclusive new Live Slow feature makes it possible to record slow motion images and play them back with real-time sound. In addition, footage shot at normal speed can be played back in slow motion with real-time sound. Scenes can be shot in Live Slow with the press of a button, and the footage will be recorded in slow motion. Live Slow is available in all of JVC's new camcorders with the exception of the Compact Series GR-D250 and Ultra-Compact Series GR-DF430.

The Ultra-Compact Series' Low Light Plus uses an F1.2 Aspherical Super Bright lens, which offers 2.3 times the brightness of an F1.8 lens and 1.8 times the brightness of an F1.6 lens. That performance is enhanced by JVC's 3D noise reduction that delivers a 2dB improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio and reduces video noise by approximately 30 percent. Flicker is eliminated and color reproduction is improved.

At the top of the Ultra-Compact Series is the GR-DF550, which uses JVC's Megabrid engine that separately processes video and still signals, providing optimal processing for each. Megabrid technology assures high sensitivity and a high signal-to-noise ratio for video and clear, high resolution progressive still images.

All new JVC Mini DV camcorders feature the one-touch Data Battery function that displays battery power and calculates remaining recording time with the power on or off.

JVC's Clear-View LCD monitor suppresses diffusion of internal light to deliver a brighter, clearer image, and also reduces reflection and glare from external light so that images are always clearly visible even when shooting outdoors in bright sunlight.

All JVC Mini DV camcorders feature a Super High-Band Processor that restores the high-band components of the luminance signal to ensure a crisp, clear picture. Advanced models include a 1.33-megapixel CCD for 540 lines of horizontal resolution, while entry-level models feature a 680,000 pixel CCD that delivers 520 lines of resolution.

JVC's Mini DV camcorders can capture digital stills with no motion blur, according to the company. This year all models, with the exception of the entry level GR-D250 and GR-DF430, offer a progressive shutter that allows stills to be captured by the entire frame, eliminating the blur that occurs when separate fields are combined to form a frame. In addition, the 1.33 megapixel models can capture 27 percent more visual information than 680,000-pixel cameras, providing images of 1600 x 1200 pixels, 1024 x 768 pixels and 640 x 480 pixels.

Throughout JVC's Mini DV line, the camcorders are designed with the PC in mind, offering multiple PC connection options, including USB and iLink (IEEE 1394) DV cable.