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Model
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| JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| Picture ? | | |
| Manufacturer | JVC 
| Sony 
|
| Name | GZ-HM960 | HDR-CX505V |
| European name ? | GZ-HM960 | HDR-CX505VE |
| US name ? | GZ-HM960 | HDR-CX500V |
| lowest US price | (999) $ | 951 $ |
| On the market since | April 2011 | August 2009 |
| Manufacturers URL | link to JVC | link to Sony |
|
|
Test preview
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| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Satisfactory
 |
| test picture 1200 Lux | | |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode | | |
Video
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| Video formats ? | AVCHD
| AVCHD
|
| Recording Medium | SDHC card built-in flash memory SDXC card
| Memory Stick PRO Duo built-in flash memory
|
| video resolutions EU ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
|
| video resolutions US ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
|
| Max Bitrate ? | 24 Mbit/s | 16 Mbit/s |
| Compression format ? | MPEG4
| MPEG4
|
| on-board memory ? | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Optics |
| Optics Manufacturer ? | JVC HD
| Sony
|
| Optical Zoom ? | 10 x | 12 x |
| Wide Angle 16:9 ? | 29,5 mm | 42,9 mm |
| Filter diameter ? | - mm | 37 mm |
| Image Stabilization ? | optically and electronically
| optical
|
| ND Filter ? | No
| No
|
| Exchangable optics ? | No
| No
|
| Image Sensor |
| Number of sensors ? | 1 | 1 |
| Size of image sensor ? | 1/2,33 inch | 1/2,9 inch |
| image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? | | 4150000 Pixel |
| Image Sensor Type ? | CMOS
| CMOS
|
| Controls |
| White Balance ? | auto manual presets
| auto manual presets WB-Shift
|
| Focus ? | auto manual
| auto manual
|
| Minimum shutter time ? | 1/4000 | 1/1000 |
| Maximum shutter time ? | 1/2 | 1/6 |
| Apperture control ? | auto manual
| auto manual AE-Shift
|
| Infrared recording ? | No
| Yes
|
| Expanded Focus ? | No
| No
|
| Peaking ? | Yes
| No
|
| Signal Processing |
| Zebra ? | No
| No
|
| Histogram ? | No
| No
|
| adjustable sharpness ? | No
| No
|
| Adjustable color ? | No
| No
|
| Cinegamma ? | No
| No
|
| 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 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
FBAS ? synonymous: RCA, composite | | Out
|
YC ? synonymous: S-Video | No
| About Special Equipment
|
YUV ? synonymous: Component Signal | Out
| Out
|
| HDMI ? | Out
| Out
|
DV / HDV (FireWire) ? synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394 | - | - |
| USB ? | USB 2.0
| USB 2.0
|
| Microphone / Audio input ? | No
| No
|
| Headphones ? | No
| No
|
| Lanc ? | No
| No
|
| Time-code interface ? | No
| No
|
| Genlock ? | No
| No
|
| Accessory shoe ? | No
| AI
|
| HD-SDI ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Weight (without battery) | 330 g | 370 g |
| Weight (with battery) | 370 g | 450 g |
| Battery type | JVC BN-VG114E
| Sony NP-FH60
|
| Battery capacity | 1400 mAh | 1000 mAh |
| Charger ? | internal
| internal
|
| Remote control | Yes
| Yes
|
| Size |
| Height | 54 mm | 62 mm |
| Width | 62 mm | 65 mm |
| Depth | 121 mm | 125 mm |
| Relative Size ? | 4 | 5 |
| Viewfinder |
| Viewfinder available ? | No
| No
|
| Color Viewfinder ? | - | - |
| Viewfinder format ? | - | - |
| Viewfinder pixels ? | | |
| Display |
| Display available ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Color display ? | Color
| Color
|
| Display size | 3,5 Inch | 3,0 Inch |
| Display format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Display pixels ? | 920000 Pixel | 230000 Pixel |
| Touch Screen ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| External controls |
| Manual Zoom ? | Rocker
| Rocker
|
| Manual Focus ? | Menu
| bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
|
| Manual Aperture ? | Menu
| bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
|
| Focus switcher ? | No
| No
|
| 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
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| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| Audio Formats ? | Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
| AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
|
| Microphone ? | Stereo internal
| 5.1 Internal
|
| Audio Control ? | auto
| auto
|
| Audio levels ? | No
| No
|
Still
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| Recording Medium ? | built-in flash memory SDHC card SDXC card
| Memory Stick Duo
|
| Medium included ? | No
| No
|
| Effective pixels ? | | 6631000 Pixel |
| Resolutions ? | 3968 x 2976 - Max
| 3640 x 2160 max
|
| Standard ? | JPEG Exif 2.2
| JPEG Exif 2.2
|
| Flash ? | Yes
| Yes
|
Misc.
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| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| Specials | 2D -> 3D converter, Bluetooth, 3D display | -50 upscaling in playback mode - image stabilizator corrects hand rotations - GPS receiver built in
|
Product Shots
|
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| View 1 | | |
| View 2 | | |
Test results
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| Test pictures |
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| 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 | Very good |
| Resolution ? | Very good | Good |
| Color performance ? | Good | Good |
| subj.Picture impression ? | Good | Very good |
| Optical Zoom ? | Sufficient | Sufficient |
| Wide Angle ? | Excellent | Poor |
| Configuration / image ? | Satisfactory | Sufficient |
| Configuration / sound ? | Poor | Poor |
| Handling ? | Satisfactory | Good |
| Portability ? | Very good | Very good |
| Photo function ? | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Optics ? | Good | Good |
| Dynamics ? | Good | Very good |
| Conclusion slashCAM |
| slashCAM rating ? | Good
 | Satisfactory
 |
Total score ? (maximal 570) | 378 | 328 |
| Pros | + Lowlight + wide angle
| + multi functional ring + focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well + good lowlight sensibility + six freely configuarable display buttons
|
| Cons | - few manual control options - Complicated operation
| - no microphone and headphone jacks + mediocre display resolution - upgradeable only with expensive and proprietary MemorySticks
|
| 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. | for now, the low-light image quality rules superior in the sub 1000 Euro camcorder class.The great dynamic range when using the factory settings as well as its abandonment of moving part makes this cam interesting for independent filmmakers.On the other hand there are some features missing, there is no histogram, no zebra, no exposure time control, no sharpness helper and no image adjustment. |
More information
|
| Reviews and Forums |
| [ top ] | JVC GZ-HM960 | Sony HDR-CX505V |
| slashCAM Review | | |
| external reviews/tests | | |
| Forum posts | | import of AVCHD (; m2ts) of sony CX505VE in Final Cut Express 4 is not funzt
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