| |
Model
|
| JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| Picture ? | | |
| Manufacturer | JVC 
| Panasonic 
|
| Name | GZ-HM960 | HDC-TM350 |
| European name ? | GZ-HM960 | HDC-TM350 |
| US name ? | GZ-HM960 | HDC-TM350 |
| lowest US price | (999) $ | 1300 $ |
| On the market since | April 2011 | June 2009 |
| Manufacturers URL | link to JVC | link to Panasonic |
|
|
Test preview
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Good
 |
| test picture 1200 Lux | | |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode | | |
Video
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| Video formats ? | AVCHD
| AVCHD
|
| Recording Medium | SDHC card built-in flash memory SDXC card
| SDHC card built-in flash memory
|
| video resolutions EU ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
| AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p AVCHD 1440 x 1080/25p
|
| video resolutions US ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p
|
| Max Bitrate ? | 24 Mbit/s | 17 Mbit/s |
| Compression format ? | MPEG4
| MPEG4
|
| on-board memory ? | 16 GB | 64 GB |
| Optics |
| Optics Manufacturer ? | JVC HD
| Leica
|
| Optical Zoom ? | 10 x | 12 x |
| Wide Angle 16:9 ? | 29,5 mm | 45 mm |
| Filter diameter ? | - mm | 43 mm |
| Image Stabilization ? | optically and electronically
| optical
|
| ND Filter ? | No
| No
|
| Exchangable optics ? | No
| No
|
| Image Sensor |
| Number of sensors ? | 1 | 3 |
| Size of image sensor ? | 1/2,33 inch | 1/4,1 inch |
| image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? | | 2070000 Pixel |
| Image Sensor Type ? | CMOS
| CMOS
|
| Controls |
| White Balance ? | auto manual presets
| auto manual
|
| Focus ? | auto manual
| auto manual
|
| Minimum shutter time ? | 1/4000 | 1/8.000 |
| Maximum shutter time ? | 1/2 | 1/25 |
| Apperture control ? | auto manual
| auto manual
|
| Infrared recording ? | No
| No
|
| Expanded Focus ? | No
| Yes
|
| Peaking ? | Yes
| No
|
| Signal Processing |
| Zebra ? | No
| 100% |
| Histogram ? | No
| Yes
|
| adjustable sharpness ? | No
| Yes
|
| Adjustable color ? | No
| Yes
|
| Cinegamma ? | No
| Yes
|
| Black Strech ? | No
| No
|
| Knee ? | No
| No
|
| Colorbars ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Shot Transition ? | No
| No
|
| Custom Presets ? | No
| No
|
| Set Time Code ? | No
| No
|
Configuration
|
| Connections |
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
FBAS ? synonymous: RCA, composite | | Out
|
YC ? synonymous: S-Video | No
| No
|
YUV ? synonymous: Component Signal | Out
| Out
|
| HDMI ? | Out
| Out mini
|
DV / HDV (FireWire) ? synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394 | - | - |
| USB ? | USB 2.0
| USB 2.0
|
| Microphone / Audio input ? | No
| Mini-jack
|
| Headphones ? | No
| 3.5 mm mini-jack
|
| Lanc ? | No
| No
|
| Time-code interface ? | No
| No
|
| Genlock ? | No
| No
|
| Accessory shoe ? | No
| Standard
|
| HD-SDI ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Weight (without battery) | 330 g | 390 g |
| Weight (with battery) | 370 g | 450 g |
| Battery type | JVC BN-VG114E
| Panasonic VW-VBG130-K
|
| Battery capacity | 1400 mAh | 1320 mAh |
| Charger ? | internal
| internal external
|
| Remote control | Yes
| Yes
|
| Size |
| Height | 54 mm | 70 mm |
| Width | 62 mm | 72 mm |
| Depth | 121 mm | 141 mm |
| Relative Size ? | 4 | 7 |
| Viewfinder |
| Viewfinder available ? | No
| Yes
|
| Color Viewfinder ? | - | Color
|
| Viewfinder format ? | - | 16:9 |
| Viewfinder pixels ? | | |
| Display |
| Display available ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Color display ? | Color
| Color
|
| Display size | 3,5 Inch | 2,7 Inch |
| Display format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Display pixels ? | 920000 Pixel | 230400 Pixel |
| Touch Screen ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| External controls |
| Manual Zoom ? | Rocker
| Rocker Zoom ring multi-assigned
|
| Manual Focus ? | Menu
| Menu bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
|
| Manual Aperture ? | Menu
| Menu bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
|
| Focus switcher ? | No
| Yes
|
| ND Filter ? | No
| No
|
| Exp Lock ? | No
| No
|
| Gain ? | No
| No
|
| White balance ? | No
| No
|
| Push AF ? | No
| No
|
| Audio Levels ? | No
| No
|
Custom Keys ? synonymous: User buttons | 1 | No
|
Audio
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| Audio Formats ? | Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
| AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
|
| Microphone ? | Stereo internal
| Stereo internal Mini-jack external
|
| Audio Control ? | auto
| auto manual
|
| Audio levels ? | No
| Viewfinder Screen
|
Still
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| Recording Medium ? | built-in flash memory SDHC card SDXC card
| built-in flash memory SDHC card
|
| Medium included ? | No
| No
|
| Effective pixels ? | | 7530000 Pixel |
| Resolutions ? | 3968 x 2976 - Max
| 3984 x 2656 |
| Standard ? | JPEG Exif 2.2
| JPEG Exif 2.2
|
| Flash ? | Yes
| Yes
|
Misc.
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| Specials | 2D -> 3D converter, Bluetooth, 3D display | |
Product Shots
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| View 1 | | |
| View 2 | | |
Test results
|
| Test pictures |
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| luminance resolution | | |
| chrominance resolution | | |
| lens distortion | | |
| test small ISO image | | |
| noise / internal microphone | | |
| test picture 1200 Lux | | |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode ? | | |
| Test image 12 lux optimized ? | | |
| slashCAM rating |
| Lowlight ? | Very good | Satisfactory |
| Resolution ? | Very good | Very good |
| Color performance ? | Good | Very good |
| subj.Picture impression ? | Good | Very good |
| Optical Zoom ? | Sufficient | Sufficient |
| Wide Angle ? | Excellent | Poor |
| Configuration / image ? | Satisfactory | Very good |
| Configuration / sound ? | Poor | Satisfactory |
| Handling ? | Satisfactory | Good |
| Portability ? | Very good | Excellent |
| Photo function ? | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Optics ? | Good | Good |
| Dynamics ? | Good | Good |
| Conclusion slashCAM |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Good
 |
Total score ? (maximal 570) | 378 | 372 |
| Pros | + Lowlight + wide angle
| + Sharpness and colour at the upper AVCHD limit + Many manual controls + Good image stabilizer for moving camera
|
| Cons | - few manual control options - Complicated operation
| - weak wide angle
|
| Conclusion | The JVC GZ-HM960 is a very sharp camera with a solid technical foundation, but unfortunately it doesn´t recommend itself for ambitious videographers.Too little manual control is offered along with the otherwise very up-to-date technical specs.Rather, the GZ-HM960 will appeal to users who are interested in technical gadgets.The 3D mode, however, is no comparison to real 3D camcorders and should be seen more as a gimmick.The similarly constructed but cheaper GZ-HM845 on the other hand, would be a pretty interesting device in its price class, if only JVC would have enabled more manual features.In its 1000 Euro price class the competition by now allows more manual control. | The new image stabilizer is better and especially interesting for people who like cheap glide camsIn terms of low light the camera easily gets surpassed by the Sony XR520 and the wide angle is a sorry affair in this price range.But that is just about all we could find to complain about.Except maybe that you get almost the same technology without the internal memory and improved image stabilization in the notably cheaper HDC-SD300. |
More information
|
| Reviews and Forums |
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Panasonic HDC-TM350 |
| slashCAM Review | | |
| external reviews/tests | | |
| Forum posts | | Panasonic TM350 - images generally too dark and colorless?
Purchase the Panasonic HDC-TM350
Replacement Battery for HDC TM350 Original VW VBG130
Test: Panasonic HDC-TM350
|
| |