How does the XH A1 Compare to the Sony FX1?
 

I was planning to get a Sony FX1 shortly, but the XH-A1 has some appealing features, especially the built-in XLR compatability.

I'm interested in hearing any thoughts on how they compare. As the Fx1 is getting to be an older model these days, and I assume that the A1 might perform better in low-light or whatever.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a good hands-on review of the A1?

I'm specifically looking for more info on manual focus, manual apature setting and available light shooting.

Also, am I right in thinking this camera uses the same HDV standards as the Sony, and will be compatible with my Premiere Pro 2.0 setup?

no reviews yet. But the Canon A1 should be coming out in a few weeks. So I'm hoping we see a few reviews pretty quick.

But you might as well go with the Canon A1 or the FX1 IMO.

I think the A1 is more comparable with the Z1 than the FX1.

Anyone have Sony's and Canons? I'm thinking of picking up an A1 to use as my A cam, and using my FX1 as my B cam...or possibly seling my FX1 and upgrading to another A1.

I'm basically wondering how well the two will cut together if I don't have the money to get two XHA1s simultaneously...

Well, as the Canon's are not out yet, I wouldn't expect any one to have them together w/ the Sony's...

I'm aware that no one has the A1's or G1's yet, but I was wondering if anyone had mixed footage from the XLH1 and Sony's or even XL2 and FX1/Z1U SD footage...

Sony and Canon cameras can be mixed together for AB rolls. But you will have to color correct to match.
SOny's pictures tends to be cooler and a bit more green, while Canon's tend to be warmer and a bit more red.
I would reccomend that if you get an A1, then sell off the FX1 and buy another A1.
Matching cameras are always best for picture quiality, ease fo use, as well as sharing all of the same batteries and accesories.

I've matched Canon cameras with Sony before, but not HDV ones. Usually I'd have to desaturate the color from the XL1, but when Sony professional cameras are adjusted properly they don't have any strange hue. The XLs I've intercut have always been just a bit oversaturated. XL2 footage I've seen recently looks like it would intercut better. In your case, matching two cameras of pretty much equal resolution and chip size should be easier.

sorry I should have said Canon A1 or the Sony V1.

FX1 and A1
 

I was at WEVA Expo and got a look at the Z1U, FX1, and A1. The Sony folks said that the FX1 did not have very good low light compared to Z1U. I took a look at the Z1U pointed into the dark area above the suspended lighting and then the same a few minutes later with the Canon XH A1. As far as I could tell with both cameras at 18 db, iris wide open, 1/30 shutter speed they were the same. I really liked a couple things on the Z1U, but I really like the 20x lens even more.

I have ordered a Canon A1.

Bill Ritter

The FX1 low light image should be almost identical to the Z1U lowlight image. Possible (small) exception may be when Z1 has Black Stretch enabled but even then they'll be almost identical.

Z1 also has some sort of +36dB super-hyper gain, which the FX1 doesn't have, but I doubt that they would use that in any sort of low-light comparison.

I goofed, the other camcorder was not the FX1, it was the A1 (smaller form factor). So if the FX1 has the same chips as the Z1 then it should perform the same.

Sorry

Bill Ritter

I'm editing together some XL2 & Z1 footage at the moment. Even though we tried to match settings in-camera prior to filming the same outdoor subjects, the Z1 footage (filmed in HDV and down-converted to SD) still looks far cooler with a different colour cast.

Most of the footage can be matched OK with some adjustment in post. I expect the same would be true if you were trying to match Z1 and A1 clips. However, most of the filming we did with the XL2 & Z1 was taken at entirely different angles, so the slight differences between clips from the two cameras would be accepted as normal to most viewers due to differences in exposure levels and backgrounds when the same subject is filmed from various angles and heights.

Trying to match a more static indoor scene with both cameras aimed at almost the same angle but with different framing would probably be more of a headache during the editing stages, especially trying to exactly match background wall colours or flesh tones.

As far as I know the Sony FX1 and Z1U use the same sensors, and if you compare the two of them side by side it looks like they come off the same assembly line with a few external parts changed. I've shot with both and mixed the footage and not seen any distinguishable difference in how they handle different lighting situations, at least running at standard settings (no black stretch or hypergain).