Recording direct to SD card?
 

At the risk this question has been asked before, as there is a switch on the A1 to record still pictures to either tape or card, it doesn't seem too far out to me that a firmware update couldn't enable video recording to SD card which would be great without having to attach external units?
Mick

video records to tape, stills to the card. /Battle Vaughan /miamiherald.com video team

It's a nice thought but how much video could be stored on an sd card.

Alan

Hello Alan
With the new SDHC cards up to 32GB, I just thought that when Canon designed the A1 there were only the low capacity SD cards available so there wasn't much point, but now with the likes of Panasonic HMC 151 which will only record to SD and others that have both, if an update would allow A1 users to do the same?
Mick

The Canon XH camcorders are compatible with SDHC cards, and as demonstrated on a lot of AVCHD camcorders, a 16GB or 32GB SDHC card can hold a couple of hours worth of HD video... in fact, much more HD video than can fit on a standard 60min tape, and at just as high quality as HDV, if not better.

The problem is that a "firmware update" is not going to magically enable an HDV camcorder to become an AVCHD camcorder. You're looking at significant internal hardware changes -- it's a lot more than just firmware. Hope this helps,

To record on a SD card you need to get a Sony HVR-MRC1.
(see the thread here : Awesome news for canon users - The Digital Video Information Network)

As for time, the 32GB 133x SD card records about 140 minutes of HDV.

Steve

The above post is incorrect -- the Sony HVR-MRC1 does *not* record to SD (Secure Digital) cards. It records only to CF (Compact Flash) cards. There is a huge form factor difference between these two type of memory cards, so be aware.

On a related note, there is no such thing as an SD card with a capacity of 32GB. Memory capacities that high are found in SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards. Hope this helps,