JVC’s new Procision camcorder helps Ryan Vogelsong hone his pitching skills
posted Monday, April 29, 2013 at 8:53 AM EST
Sports fans, pay attention: no matter whether you're a behind-the-camera type or you prefer to be in the action yourself, JVC has a new video camera aimed squarely at you. The JVC Procision GC-PX100 camcorder combines a high-resolution image sensor, bright zoom lens, and extremely swift capture to create a package that, according to its maker, is "ideal for capturing and analyzing fast-moving action".
At the heart of the JVC Procision GC-PX100 is a 1/2.3-inch type, 12.8 megapixel backside illuminated CMOS image sensor that sits behind a 10x optical zoom lens with a bright f/1.2 maximum aperture. Optical image stabilization is included to help steady your video. You can frame and review your shooting on a three-inch articulated LCD monitor, or an optional color electronic viewfinder. Helpfully, JVC includes an LCD hood in the product bundle.
The GC-PX100 can shoot either video or stills. Video capture is possible at up to Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 pixel) resolution. For MOV videos, you can opt for capture at up to 60 progressive-scan frames per second, with a 36Mbps bitrate. A further 4Mbps is devoted to audio capture. You can also choose 36Mbps 1080p60 video in MP4 format, or 28Mbps 1080p60 in AVCHD Progressive format. There's also a standard AVCHD mode with 60 interlaced, Full HD fields per second with a bitrate of 17Mbps.
It's the reduced-res high speed modes that JVC is really emphasizing, though. If you're willing to drop resolution to just 640 x 360 pixels, you can record at a whopping 120, 240, or 300 frames per second, for super slow-motion video playback. Reduce the resolution still further to 320 x 176 pixels, and you'll get rates of 420 or 600 frames per second. There's also a Continuous Still function that allows still image capture at anywhere from two to 60 frames per second, with a burst depth off 115 frames at 7 fps or above, and no limit at all below this point. Unfortunately, JVC doesn't specify the maximum resolution possible in each Continuous mode.
The JVC PX100 also includes built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, and the company is providing a couple of apps for smartphones and tablets at launch. Perhaps most unusual is the JVC CAM Coach app, which is compatible with tablets only. (iOS at launch, with Android support coming from May 2013.) This app not only lets you simultaneously play back two different high-speed clips on your tablet, letting you compare the motion of a golf swing, long jump, or anything else you care to capture -- it also lets you annotate the video. According to JVC, Ryan Vogelsong (currently of the San Francisco Giants) is already using a GC-PX100 and the CAM Coach app to analyze and refine his pitching.
Other features of the JVC Procision PX100 include time-lapse recording, and a zoom position memory function that lets you instantly switch between wide angle, telephoto, and one user-defined position in between.
Available immediately, the JVC GC-PX100 camcorder is priced at around US$1,000.
(Note: An earlier version of this article referenced the San Francisco Giants using the camera and app, based on a misunderstanding of JVC's marketing materials. The company has advised us that it is in fact Vogelsong personally who is using the Procision PX100, and that the team is not involved. Apologies for the misunderstanding!)