The cons of the Canon XH A1s: Advice please!!!!

David W. Jones · March 26th, 2009, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

I'm interested in this obsession with turning off the Canon's OIS

The majority of the stuff I shoot is tripod / jib with 35mm DOF adapter.
So rarely do I ever use OIS.

Chris Hurd · March 26th, 2009, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian David Melnyk

if you can do that on the XH-A1s, is it then a firmware fix? and if so, could one use this firmware with the XH-A1?

It's not a "fix," it's an additional feature. Maybe it can be done by firmware and maybe it can't -- we'll probably never know, because no such firmware update has been issued and I very seriously doubt there will ever be one. So, if you want OIS on a Custom Key, they way that you get it is to sell your XH A1 and buy an XH A1S. That's probably not what you wanted to hear, but... that's the way it is. Hope this helps,

Ayesha Khan · March 26th, 2009, 07:20 AM

Hello all!!!!! Thanks for your (I'm sure somewhat biased) rave reviews!!!!

I'm so happy! I haven't bought it yet but today.... yes hopefully today. Attempting to find the best bargain. I can't WAIT!!!!

I can imagine I'll be on here asking loads of annoying pesky questions on colour and light soon!!!!!

WOoohoooO!

And yes I realise posting on the XH forum is like asking people how pretty and talented their wives are but I suppose it's one of those subconscious things... especially when you're about to marry the same woman... or um... something like that.

Brian David Melnyk · March 26th, 2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

I'm interested in this obsession with turning off the Canon's OIS - are its visible artifacts so disturbing (only on a tripod presumably) that this needs to be done often? And does the camera offer four different OIS 'power settings' as the Z1 does, for instance?

when the camera is on the tripod with OIS, sometimes it tries to compensate for movement that isn't there (or tries to find movement...) and thus, actually creates a sort of pulsing jerk. i move from tripod to handheld and back on the fly, and sometimes forget to stop recording and go into the menu to switch it. some really delicate, priceless footage from Rwanda was ruined this way, as you can't really notice the jerking in the small viewers.

thanks for the response, Chris. $omeday i hope to have thi$ XH-A1 AND a new one...

Chris Hurd · March 26th, 2009, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

I'm interested in this obsession with turning off the Canon's OIS - are its visible artifacts so disturbing (only on a tripod presumably) that this needs to be done often?

Yes. The OIS is so effective that it really needs to be turned off on a tripod, otherwise it works *too* good and fights your pans and zooms. This situation is very well documented throughout our various Canon boards here.

Quote:

And does the camera offer four different OIS 'power settings' as the Z1 does, for instance?

Nope. It does not. It's either on or off.

Bill Pryor · March 26th, 2009, 08:54 AM

The OIS should be turned off when using a Steadicam too, as I discovered the hard way.

Ayesha, you mentioned trying to find the best bargain. Be very careful in that regard and only buy from a legitimate dealer with a good reputation. If you find a camera that's more than about 5% less than what B&H sells it for, then there's a good chance you'll end up paying more in the long run or that you may have a problem with the dealer, or the package you get may be incomplete. If you see a price that looks too good to be true when compared with other dealers, then that should be a warning.

Noa Put · March 26th, 2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

otherwise it works *too* good and fights your pans and zooms.

My previous camera's hardly gave a issue in that case but with the canon if I do a pan when the camera is on the tripod and when I stop panning it sometimes compensates. In some case it looks like some kind of jerky movement which occurs even when the camera doesn't move. Sometimes, especially when zoomed in, it can be so obvious it will ruin the shot.

if time allows I always disable ois on when working on a tripod but if I have to switch between tripod, handheld and back again quickly I leave it on. Then there's just no time going though the menu each time and I have to take the unwanted movements into account.

Tom Hardwick · March 26th, 2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

If you find a camera that's more than about 5% less than what B&H sells it for, then there's a good chance you'll end up paying more in the long run or that you may have a problem with the dealer, or the package you get may be incomplete.

I'm guessing Excited Ayesha of London will be buying in England, and in all my time of buying through the post and via the internet I've never once heard of the scams that you USA people have to be so wary of.

We simply buy on a credit card and claim on that card if things go wrong. If the dealer fights this they lose the ability to sell on credit - in other words they quickly go under. It's a very simple method of keeping everybody on the straight and narrow.

tom.

Ayesha Khan · March 26th, 2009, 12:11 PM

Erm... *looks around skittishly* what if you got the best deal by offering cold hard cash at the London based showroom of the dealer where you will be going tomorrow to pick up said Camera and hand over said cash?

Tom Hardwick · March 26th, 2009, 12:26 PM

Stop looking furtive. Why not buy on a 2% cash-back credit card? That way you get the backup of the card co as well as putting £30 in your pocket. Of course if you use CHC (cold hard cash) you'll still get Canon's guarantee.

Bill Pryor · March 26th, 2009, 01:20 PM

If the dealer has a legitimate showroom in London, then the likelihood is good that he's legitimate. Most of the scams in the U.S. involve online merchants. If everything's packaged up in the Canon box with all the paperwork, etc., then it's legitimate. If the dealer's showroom is the back seat of his car, then I'd be worried.:)

Ayesha Khan · March 27th, 2009, 01:14 AM

Thanks guys. Yeah the showroom is a legitimate actual place with an address and a phone that they actually pick up. I think the only reason I got a good deal was because they are a generic electronics company as opposed to a specific broadcast equipment company. I'll be picking up my A1s and may grab a toaster or a kettle too.

Steve Sobodos · March 27th, 2009, 09:09 AM

The small LCD is my biggest gripe. I ended up using one of the Hoodman magnifiers so I could focus.

Manny Desantos · March 27th, 2009, 12:51 PM

My main gripe with the camera is the audio inputs.
If you use the XLR input and want to switch back to the onboard mic, you have to pause the recording, go to the menu and switch off the XLR input.

With our old XL1s and XL2, there are switches on the side of the camera you can switch at anytime to change your audio inputs.

Bill Pryor · March 30th, 2009, 03:37 PM

If you need to switch to an on-camera mic it's best to use a short shotgun mounted on the camera instead of the built-in mic, in my opinion. I keep one on all the time just for recording ambient sound. It goes into channel 1, my wireless into channel 2; and if I'm shooting an interview, I can pull the shotgun off and put it on a fishpole, although I have a second mic I usually use for that purpose.

March 26th, 2009, 07:20 AM	#18
Ayesha Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: london, england Posts: 50	Thank you!!!!! Hello all!!!!! Thanks for your (I'm sure somewhat biased) rave reviews!!!! I'm so happy! I haven't bought it yet but today.... yes hopefully today. Attempting to find the best bargain. I can't WAIT!!!! I can imagine I'll be on here asking loads of annoying pesky questions on colour and light soon!!!!! WOoohoooO! And yes I realise posting on the XH forum is like asking people how pretty and talented their wives are but I suppose it's one of those subconscious things... especially when you're about to marry the same woman... or um... something like that.

March 27th, 2009, 09:09 AM	#28
Steve Sobodos Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Forest, CA Posts: 106	The small LCD is my biggest gripe. I ended up using one of the Hoodman magnifiers so I could focus. __________________ Canon XH A1, Sony HVR-MRC1, Premiere Pro 3.2.0, Matrox RT.X2 LE http://www.scsvideo.com

March 26th, 2009, 08:54 AM	#21
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	The OIS should be turned off when using a Steadicam too, as I discovered the hard way. Ayesha, you mentioned trying to find the best bargain. Be very careful in that regard and only buy from a legitimate dealer with a good reputation. If you find a camera that's more than about 5% less than what B&H sells it for, then there's a good chance you'll end up paying more in the long run or that you may have a problem with the dealer, or the package you get may be incomplete. If you see a price that looks too good to be true when compared with other dealers, then that should be a warning.

March 26th, 2009, 12:11 PM	#24
Ayesha Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: london, england Posts: 50	Erm... looks around skittishly what if you got the best deal by offering cold hard cash at the London based showroom of the dealer where you will be going tomorrow to pick up said Camera and hand over said cash?

March 26th, 2009, 12:26 PM	#25
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Stop looking furtive. Why not buy on a 2% cash-back credit card? That way you get the backup of the card co as well as putting £30 in your pocket. Of course if you use CHC (cold hard cash) you'll still get Canon's guarantee.

March 26th, 2009, 01:20 PM	#26
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	If the dealer has a legitimate showroom in London, then the likelihood is good that he's legitimate. Most of the scams in the U.S. involve online merchants. If everything's packaged up in the Canon box with all the paperwork, etc., then it's legitimate. If the dealer's showroom is the back seat of his car, then I'd be worried.:)

March 27th, 2009, 01:14 AM	#27
Ayesha Khan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: london, england Posts: 50	Thanks guys. Yeah the showroom is a legitimate actual place with an address and a phone that they actually pick up. I think the only reason I got a good deal was because they are a generic electronics company as opposed to a specific broadcast equipment company. I'll be picking up my A1s and may grab a toaster or a kettle too.

March 27th, 2009, 12:51 PM	#29
Manny Desantos New Boot Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Norfolk, VA Posts: 7	My main gripe with the camera is the audio inputs. If you use the XLR input and want to switch back to the onboard mic, you have to pause the recording, go to the menu and switch off the XLR input. With our old XL1s and XL2, there are switches on the side of the camera you can switch at anytime to change your audio inputs.

March 30th, 2009, 03:37 PM	#30
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	If you need to switch to an on-camera mic it's best to use a short shotgun mounted on the camera instead of the built-in mic, in my opinion. I keep one on all the time just for recording ambient sound. It goes into channel 1, my wireless into channel 2; and if I'm shooting an interview, I can pull the shotgun off and put it on a fishpole, although I have a second mic I usually use for that purpose.