Can someome fill me in on the mini35 and certain updates or current models needed to cover the xlH1??? heard there is a model upgrade to be released for this camera.. any idea??

Hi Craig, when I spoke to ZGC (our site sponsor and the U.S. distributor on the Mini35, but you already knew that) back in April at NAB, they told me that the current 400-series Mini35 for the XL2 is the same one for the XL H1. If that changes anytime soon, you can bet I'll announce it here.

So, is GEAR finally adding a Mini35 to the Austin Arsenel? Inquiring minds want to know!

well,, as you know its always a matter of liability with such an item at an equipment provider. Most users do not have enough- if any- insurance coverage to cover checking out this item plus a set of primes and all of the other support. However, We are seriously looking at this item due to the greater amount of cameras that can now mount with the 400 series unit. We did just get in our new steadicam flyer unit.,, so as always there are more toys than anyone can afford. Thanks for the info.

hmmmm... the series 300 fits the XL-2 too, someone knows if series 300 works with XLH1 too ?

The XL2 and XL-H1 are the same size, so it SHOULD fit, but I'm not sure if the spinning glass will work as well with the high def camera.

I've got a 300 i'll dust it off and let you know if the glass is a problem.

I've tested with my XL-H1, and it doesn't work as well as with my XL2. Images a lot too soft and spinning GG is visible on white or clear surfaces also with -3 gain, Nikon at F 1,4, noise reduction on, sharpness -9.
Is for that reason that I'm selling the unit.

I have XL H1 and mini35. I use it all the time, and once you get used to it and gain experience you picture gets cleaner and cleaner from the ground glass dirt, but I have noticed the following. I use canon with SDI out and mostly record the material strait to a computer either in uncompressed 8 bit file format or DVCPRO HD, this way it is cleaner, but sometimes I get to locations where it is too much trouble to take the computer and the raind and the monitor with me, so I record directly to tape, this way the ground glass is more visible, I guess this is because of the HDV compression.

So, if you think you will be able to record to minimum DVCPRO HD then I would recommend it to you, but other than that you will not be very clean in the image.

I hope this helps, and I hope this was not a late post :*)

Its never to late to pass on information. Thanks for the tip on recording from the SDI port. I believe this is the better and future-proof method of using this camera.

That was a first test with Canon H1 and mini35, Nikon 50 and 85 mm lens.
www.olegkalyan.ru

Very Nice Oleg,
I love shooting with the H1 and a 35mm (I use the Letus which is I think made in the Image of the Mini)
and yes it's hard to focus, even with a Marshal HD monitor.
J

John, thank you, focus can be a problem, if a person moves his head back a forth for example( now I realise how stationary a face shold be, to shoot on 85mm or longer lens, to be in perfect focus, unless doing a planned rack focus. I also got Nikon 35mm 1.4 lens, will use it this weekend, will post results...Regards