Nope -- it's the exact same sensor and almost the same lens as the HV10. Therefore it will be closer to the picture quality of the HV10, not the XH A1. The only thing it has in common with the A1 is the Digic DV processor.

In the right light under the right conditions (outdoors on a good day), it'll cut well with an A1. But so does the HV10 right now. Bottom line, between the HV10 and A1, the HV20 will be closer to the HV10. Hope this helps,

But the same cine color mode based on the custom presets included with the Canon XH series. . .

Well, based on just one of them though. Preset #8 to be exact. And it's not exactly the same as the XH preset, either. Better to describe it as "inspired by" that one particular preset.

Firmware Upgrade
 

I haven't even started using my HV10, and I don't really care to replace it soon, but I hope that some of the features of the 20 will be available through firmware upgrade.
Does that make sense to anyone more familiar with the process than myself?

why i am optimistic about the PQ being closer to A1 is regarding the progressive
mode. that when compared with HV10's interlaced footage deinterlaced in post will result in softer image.

and comparable low light performance to A1 which should also boost shadow detail during day that would be super uber.

well shadow detail in day really has very little to do with low-light performance.
shadow detail will be a function of things like sensor-latitude (same as HV10..), gamma curve (prob same as HV10), Digic processing (same as HV10) and, simply, the exposure used for the shot.

I think Chris said it very well - its similar optics and same CMOS sensor as HV10, so if you want to know what the video will look like, just look at HV10 footage. (which is really excellent).

XHA1 is 3-chip CCD, this is single-chip CMOS.
- Both HDV, but they arrive at the end-image by quite different paths.

ok thanks Stu, didn't know that.

i will move down from cloud 9 down to cloud 7.. still high!

HV20 sample footage, and Japanese review posted:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...7/zooma294.htm

Great, thanks! Here's a translated version -
http://translate.google.com/translat...&hl=en&ie=UTF8

I also located two other clips not listed on the page there that are worth grabbing -
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...0207/ezsm2.mov
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/do...0207/ezsm2.mov

Actually, in movie ezsm4.mov at the end where there's a sunset and it pans down over the bicycle. That looks glitchy. What would be causing that, the rolling shutter, OIS, or could it just be a bad tripod move? It's not a good sign if it's caused by the rolling shutter or OIS.

Aren't both files the same? Is there any other link?

Those clips are on the page. There are 3 clips of the woman that are the same except for the different shooting modes used.

The ones on the page are 3, 4 and 5 if I remember correctly. The others that don't appear are 1 & 2.. Sorry I just posted 2 twice. Just different shots of the girl with different settings. Looks good.