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...

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.

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.

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

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 Sony folks said that the FX1 did not have very good low light compared to Z1U.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.

So if the FX1 has the same chips as the Z1 then it should perform the same.

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).

Yes, Kevin is right, there is no real difference in sensors or image quality etc between the FX1 and Z1 cameras (just the better handling and settings options of the Z1 body).

Stu's right - the FX1 and Z1 are identical (barring production tolerances) in the low light stakes. But the Z1 has the option of the 'hyper gain' (fun to play with, almost useless because of the grain) and black stretch.

Black Stretch adds noise, and therefore uses some of the low-light sensitivity, i.e. reduces the photographic "speed" of the camera. The usual solution is to reduce the bandwidth of the front end near black, this lowers the noise level a little. Most of the small cameras don't follow the normal gamma rules anyway, they often use modified curves that have a built-in knee to cope with overloads, my old MX300 does this very nicely.

tom.

I'm editing together some XL2 & Z1 footage at the moment...

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.

The above has suddenly rung true and I've got a problem on my hands. We did a few outdoor static interviews with both cameras. With the other footage I've been able to adjust the Z1 clips by adjusting colour, contrast, gamma and brightness, so that they blend in a bit better with the XL2 clips. Not perfect, but not too bad with moving subjects and various backgrounds and changing light conditions. However, the static interview footage is so markedly different in colouration between the Z1 and XL2 that it has been almost impossible for it be matched. The Z1 footage looks OK on its own, but side-by-side comparison with the XL2 shows up the Z1 as having washed-out colours and slight brownish cast and looks terrible against the wonderful colours of the XL2. I've decided to drop the Interview Z1 clips and only use the XL2.

In hindsight it would probably have been better to leave both cameras on 'normal' instead of trying to match in-camera by using separate Presets, as this would have made it easier to match in post. The problem is that I love the end results that the XL2 Presets provide and don't think that it can be quite matched by using computer software adjustments during the editing stages.

Obviously footage from the XL2/G1/A1/H1 group of cameras would be a lot easier to match each other.

The brownish cast implies to me that the white balance of the Z1 was screwed up. I've seen lots of footage shot with the Z1, as well as the XL2 and have used both myself. Both cameras give excellent color.

The brownish cast implies to me that the white balance of the Z1 was screwed up. I've seen lots of footage shot with the Z1, as well as the XL2 and have used both myself. Both cameras give excellent color.

Gareth was on the Z1 and he always double-checks his white balance. I shouldn't really have mentioned 'brownish cast' in the previous post, as in essence the colours look OK when viewed on their own. It is just when I place them against the XL2 footage that I notice how different it is.
I've seen awesome footage from his Z1, so I'm not saying that it is not a superb camera, but more that the XL2 produces footage closer to my personal taste - and that trying to match the two is not easy for certain subjects.

Hi Guys

I too had a hard job matching the footage from the two cameras, so it comes as no surprise that Tony found the same... to me the XL2 footage was too greeny/blue...

Quality and sharpness were about the same but colours were way off...and correction in PPro was not easy... for my DVD and webvideos it scraped through ok... but I took three or four goes before I was satrisfied.... I also actually found my Z1 too red/brown... (just out of the box, since my FX1 got stolen, so perhaps this was what Tony was seeing..).. this has since been toned down for better results....

I've also been downrezzing my footage from HDV.. is this a good move? or would my shots have been better on native Dvcam??? .... Naturally the HDV rez is far higher than the XL2 but am I crippling this by using the in cam down-rez...????

I 've not got the PC power to downrez after acqisition...so a new PC is on the cards as soon as funds allow...

Anyway I now continue shooting in HDV, to future proof good sequences, and outputting, DVD and Webvideo material.. so the camera is paying its way....

Hope to hook up with Tony soon for more fun fishing...

Regards

Gareth

Maybe if you're considering intercutting Z1 and XL footage again, it may be better to switch the Z1 to its DVCAM mode. That way you avoid the down-rezzing and shooting native DV may be a better match.

tom.