KNXV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix, is using a complement of JVC ProHD cameras in the field and studio for local HD news production.
Although the station has been broadcasting its local news in HD for almost three years, it transitioned its ENG operations to HD with the purchase of JVC GY-HM700 and GY-HM100 camcorders.
For its multimedia journalists — one-man bands who write, shoot and edit their news packages independently in the field — KNXV added eight handheld GY-HM100 camcorders. The station also purchased 20 GY-HM700s for ENG work, and it has been using two GY-HD250 cameras in the newsroom and one on a jib in the studio.
The GY-HM700 in particular “makes a very good HD image,” according to Ryan Steward, chief engineer. He said the camcorder has noticeable improvements over the GY-HD250, including better balance and an enhanced color viewfinder. Initially, he was concerned with its smaller, lighter form factor, but Steward said the camcorders have held up very well against the trials of everyday ENG use.
An important consideration for KNXV’s new camcorders was weather. “When you work in the desert, your camera has to be able to withstand extreme temperatures,” Steward said.
Steward conducted extensive tests with the JVC GY-HM700, and at one point left a camcorder outside to record footage in the full sunlight of a 116-degree day for about 45 minutes. The GY-HM700 passed every test, and Steward has not had a problem with the GY-HM700s or GY-HM100s. Both camcorders record to inexpensive, solid-state SDHC media cards and do not use moving parts for recording.