AWARDS THE WINNERS
Mirrorless Panasonic Lumix GH6 Editor’s choice: Fujifilm X-H2S Hybrid/crossover Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro Cinema camera Red Komodo Editor’s choice: Kinefinity Mavo Edge 6K Camcorder JVC GY-HC550
CAMERAS: CAMCORDER
The JVC GY-HC550 rules as our streaming superstar VERY WELL CONNECTED W here so many winners of our awards are brand new or released in the past year or so, it takes such as Canon’s powerhouse XF705 and Sony’s Z190 and Z280. It’s always faced stiff competition, but the proven simplicity and
The HC550 has dual SDHC/SDXC media card slots with redundant, relay, backup and proxy recording modes. You can record to SSD in 4K while writing HD or proxy files to SD, and recordings may be uploaded via Auto FTP during production. For 1080p streaming up to 20Mbps, the 550 series features SMPTE 2022 forward error correction with bidirectional live streaming at low latency, as well as return video and IFB. The 550 also includes dual external antennae for wireless LAN, integrated GPS and Zixi error correction with automatic repeat request. HDR footage can be recorded in HLG mode or 10-bit J-Log mode, which expands dynamic range by 800%. The camcorder also shoots in a variety of native 4K UHD and HD file formats and supports 120fps in HD, not to mention there’s MPEG-2 and MXF recording. This model is popular with TV broadcasters, letting them deliver live coverage on location without a satellite truck. For a fast broadcast solution or a single-camera production set-up, it even comes with lower-third and full-screen titling options for recorded or streamed video output. Offering excellent ease of use, the HC550 has a four-inch, high- resolution LCD screen, electronic viewfinder, dual XLR inputs, 3G-SDI and HDMI video outputs as well as an M2 drive slot for external SSD recording. And with IPX2 rating for water resistance, it’s well-suited to outdoor recording. This JVC is everything most production companies could want for livestreaming events via the internet or TV reporting on location – at a fantastic price. That’s why it’s the Pro Moviemaker camcorder of the year.
affordability of the HC550 has seen Pro Moviemaker readers give it the official seal of approval. The camera has a 20x lens with traditional three-ring control, built-in ND filters and a high-res viewfinder. It can record up to 12 stops of dynamic range and there’s a choice of either standard, HDR or HLG colour. Recording to SSDs in 10-bit ProRes 422 at 4K in 50/60p, it also offers class-leading connectivity, with live streaming, FTP file transfer and remote camera control – as you’d come to expect from this manufacturer. JVC takes streaming seriously, and winning this award highlights that once more.
something very special for an older model to win top honours. Yet that’s exactly what has happened with the world-renowned JVC and its ever- popular GY-HC550 camcorder. Launched near the end of 2018 at the New York NAB Show alongside the base HC500 model, the HC550 shares the same one-inch 4K CMOS sensor, but has advanced streaming and graphics. Back then, streaming was really starting to take hold, as broadband speeds increased globally and customers demanded more live coverage of events. JVC is one of the pioneers of live streaming and the HC550, HC500 and HC900 sold in huge quantities – in spite of new rivals
LASTING ATTRACTION The JVC GY-HC550 isn’t new, but it’s still the camera of choice for easy live streaming
“It’s everything production companies could want for livestreaming via the internet or TV reporting”
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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