Victor Company of Japan Ltd (JVC) introduced new models, the GZ-HD320 and the GZ-HD300, to its Everio HDD camcorder series. The new products have a light and compact body while supporting HD video.
The products measure 53 x 68 x 113mm and weigh 325g. The size is as small as that of the company's GZ-MG330, a camcorder that supports the SD-video standard. While using an HDD as a recording medium, the new models have "a size equivalent to that of the SD-card models," said Kenji Asakawa, manager of the Product Planning Department at the Camcorder Division of JVC.
To reduce the size and the weight, the company made two improvements. One is the zoom lens developed in collaboration with Konica Minolta Opto Inc. In order to support high resolution images while reducing the diameter of the lens, the companies revised the layout of the lens. Compared with the GZ-HD40, JVC's existing HD camcorder, the lens volume was reduced by 40%, according to the company.
Another improvement is the higher-density circuit board design. JVC integrated additional two circuits, including the HDMI transmission IC, on the image processing LSI to reduce the total footprint. In the existing product, these circuits are provided as a different LSI.
Also, the adoption of "1005-size" (footprint: 1.0 x 0.5mm) passive components, instead of "1608-size" parts (footprint: 1.6 x 0.8mm), as well as the miniaturization of the wiring pattern contributed to the size reduction. As a result of these improvements, the new mainboard measures 30% smaller than that of the GZ-40HD. Thus, the new camcorders measure 18mm smaller in width and 10mm smaller in depth, compared with the GZ-HD40.
To facilitate the transfer of recorded video data, the camcorders have a button on the main unit that is used to transfer data to the "iTunes." The GZ-HD320 has a 120-Gbytes HDD and can shoot 1920 x 1080 resolution video for up to approximately 50 hours. The GZ-HD300 comes with a 60-Gbytes HDD.
Though there is no manufacturer's suggested retail prices, the street prices of the GZ-HD320 and the GZ-HD300 are expected to be about ¥120,000 (approx US$1,325) and ¥110,000, respectively. They are slated for release early February 2009.
According to JVC, the top four user demands for camcorders are "compactness (of the main unit)," "simplicity (of operation)," "beauty (of images)" and "long hours (of shooting)." The new models "are expected to meet all of the four demands," Asakawa said.
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