I am in the throws of buying a Canon XH A1.

At PMA 2007 I was told that the camera can be converted to shoot both NTSC and Pal. Has anyone had this conversion/adaptation carried out. If so is it any good?

I was also told that could be done via a Firmware download, yet the brochure states it has to be done at a Canon service centre. Can anyone shed some more light on this?

Thanks

Vincent Oliver
www.photo-i.co.uk

Yes, you have to send it back to the Canon service center.

Trond: Have you had it done? I've been unable to get hold of anyone in Canon Norway who can tell me how to get it done. All I know is that a) Serviceproffen can't do it, and b) it has to be sent to Sweden.

Even, no I haven't done it.
But it has been stated several times in different threads here that only Canon service centers can do it.

There is also a Canon service center in Bergen, Norway in addition to Serviceproffen in Oslo:
http://www.canon.no/Support/privat_bruk/Serviceverksteder/index.asp

Yes, I too have seen the threads about the Canon Service Centers. I'll try contacting the guys in Bergen to see what they say. Thanks.

I was curious about this too -- wanted to buy an NTSC A1 but am living in NZ for the moment so wanted to get it converted to PAL. I called the Canon Service Centre here in Auckland and while they will do it they want NZ$795! For a software update!

They also stated that although this gives the soft options of the NTSC/PAL frame rates, the tech stated that you still are left with 'NTSC hardware' whatever that means.