CES: JVC launches prosumer HD 3D camcorder

JVC's prosumer 3D AVCHD camcorder produces full 1080i video.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice

I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.

Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories

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Lori Grunin

Jan. 7, 2011 5:25 p.m. PT

LAS VEGAS--It was a bit unfortunate for JVC that its "world's first consumer camcorder to offer 3D recording in Full HD" came the day after Sony's announcement of its consumer full HD 3D camcorder, the HDR-TD10; it's even similarly named to JVC's offering, the Everio GS-TD1.

Like Sony's offering, the JVC model has two of everything that counts: a pair of 3-megapixel BSI CMOS sensors and two f1.2 lenses (5x zoom in 3D, 10x in 2D). It only has a single processing engine--unattractively dubbed "Falconbrid"--but that's just marketing. A single engine can handle the bandwidth if it's designed correctly.

Of course, the AVCHD specification doesn't support a full-HD 3D stream, only half-width side-by-side 3D, so JVC has developed a proprietary format it calls "LR Independent format," with a maximum bitrate of 34 megabits per second.

The TD1 also has some other 3D-oriented features, including 3D sound, "Optical Axis Automatic Stabilization System for disparity control to give depth to 3D images" (I have no clue what that is) and 3D still photos and time-lapse. It has a 3.5-inch glasses-free 3D touch panel and 64GB of built-in memory.

It's slated to ship in March for $1,999.95.