Searching For New Camera
 

My head is going every direction in trying to decide what camera to get. XL2, XHA1, HVX200, how do I make a final decision?! I will be using the camera for narratives and possibly skate videos, but that's it. This isn't for commercials or any of that. I will most likely buy a lens adapter sometime after getting the camera (have to save up the money). I have a very good computer and editing system, I'm not rich, I'm 20, I'm in school, what do you recommend? I can provide any and all information needed to anyone that thinks they can help me make the best decision. I bought a GL2 two years ago and was very pleased with it at the time, but I have definitely outgrown it and need something much more high-end. HELP!

note: when thinking about price, I will be buying whatever I decide to get used, either off of dvinfo or elsewhere.

Hey Nicholas,
very hard to tell without knowing your budget, if you want "much more high end" from GL2, even used it could be 5k and up (if we're talking HD, and that's the only way I'd go);but if you filming just to express yourself on the web (nothing wrong with that) then latest generation consumer camcorders would be very efficient for you.
take a look at Canon HF S10/100 and Panasonic HDC SD/TM300, in decent light they produce outstanding image, I have EX1 and HF S10, daylight footage hard to tell which one is which, full manual control, inexpensive media (SDHC), very good low light,
as a general advise I'd say go with your budget, go HD and stay away from tape,

best

I think you face a tough decision at this point in time. I bought my XH A1 over 18 months ago. It was a fairly easy decision, albeit after a lot of research.

But if I had to make that decision now, I don't know what I'd do. Tape is quickly loosing ground to tapeless cams as the AVCHD codec is implemented in some cams at higher data rates than HDV. Since AVCHD (h.264)is more efficient than the HDV codec (mpeg-2) the theory says that the image quality will be better than HDV. Does that translate to reality yet? I can't say for certain, but it certainly will sometime soon. Also AVCHD is "full HD" meaning 1920x1080 versus 1440x1080 so there's a gain in resolution.

So what would I do? Dunno. I'm a Canon fan and have five now and a sixth arriving tomorrow, but Canon do not have a tapeless equivalent to the XHA1. I've looked at the JVC but the low light performance is rubbish, and I really need that. Sony and Pany may release AVCHD offerings sometime, but if they were coming soon there should have been announcements at the NAB. I wouldn't expect Canon to release anything for a year minimum since they just released the "s" versions of their XH series.

If I didn't really have to get a new cam right now, I probably wouldn't. I'd wait for some announcements from the cam manufacturers.