XA-20 is a fine camera

[Al Gardner]

What luck. Yes it will work with any camera.

[Ronnie Martin]

Now if I could just have some "luck" is discovering a Picture Profile to make the Sony cameras match the
Canon XA20.
I have spent the past few days searching all the forums without success. I have a vector scope and wave form generator in my Edius editing software that I have been comparing the ex-1r/ex-3 to the XA20. We probablly won't use the Canon in a shoot with the Sonys. The XA20 will be used alone mainly during traveling. Since the Sony cameras are more neutral in their look, It may be easier to color correct them in post to match the look of the Canon.

I just wish I could make the Sonys look more like the Canon to start with..

If you know of a site or a PP that would give me more of the Canon image please let me know

Take care

Ronnie
ronnievideo@aol.com

[Tim Akin]

Can someone confirm that the XA20 LANC control would use the same controller as Sony.

Thanks

[Don Palomaki]

LANC is a Sony standard that dates to the 1990s and designed to support to a variety of mostly consumer and prosumer gear including (but not limited to) VCRs and camcorders - it should work (but I have not tried an XA20 yet). However, it is quite possible that some, perhaps many, functions implemented in a given controller (Sony or other brand) are NOT implemented in the XA20 such as specific zoom speeds, play speeds, etc. as well as features that may not apply to a camcorder.

One would have to test the specific controller to see what is implemented, and what is not.

[Tim Akin]

Thank you Don.

I had to buy a new controller when I got the AC90, Panasonic and Sony not compatible at all. I'm seriously looking at the XA20 to replace a Sony FX1000. I've been waiting for something to come out with a 20x zoom.....same as the FX. I'm just wondering how the XA will compare to the FX with low light wedding situations.

[D.J. Ammons]

Don't know about the XA20/25 but my lanc controller I used on my Sony V1U worked fine with my Canon XA10 so my guess is it will work.

When I was buying my XA10 my internet research seemed to indicate Sony and Canon had common lanc protocol but that Panny was different.

[Don Palomaki]

Canon has a long history of using LANC dating back at least to the A1 Digital and L2 Hi8 camcorders. In fact a modified Sony LANC conroller (the RM90 ???), I forget the number) is used to program the internal settings of the XL1 (and likely several other Canons) such as back focus. Details are in the FSM. There are likely some old threads in the XL1 area on this subject.

As noted Panasonic and JVC did not support LANC, but had something sort of similar.

From memory, LANC is a Sony contol protocol and hardware spec that uses a 9600 bps serial data stream with a master-slave configuration, and an 8-byte data packet. The master sends out a stream of 8-byte data packets on the serial line and monitors the signal on the line line as well. Certain bits in the pack reflect status from the master. This can include current operating mode and time code (if implemented in the master). Other bits are available tor the slave (e.g., the controller) to send commands to the master by "pulling down" the appropriate bits. The master reads the command by observing which bits were pulled down. (If I recall correctly, LANC time code was sent every other frame.) Products like the Videonics AB-1 and Thumbs-up used LANC and LANC time code for near-frame accurate linear editing.

[Tim Akin]

Thanks guys!

The XA20 is on the way. Should have it early next week. I plan on doing some test against the FX and AC90. If it holds up well it will be a keeper and the FX is gone to B&H used dept.

[Kyle Root]

I ordered an XA-20 from BandH on Monday.

It arrived today.

This will compliment my Sony NX5U and Canon HV40 for weddings. I also use a Nikon V1 and Hero2 sometimes.

I think I'm going to really like having another 20x zoom camera. It's amazing how useful that can be, especially at weddings. Can't wait to test this out!

[Jeff Harper]

Tim, I like mine very much, it's growing on me. I like it's images better than the XA-10, they are more pleasing to me, but it is taking some getting used to, in order to white balance correctly.

[Tim Akin]

Hi Jeff, I've seen some of your post regarding WB. I don't think this will affect me much. I very rarely WB whilst recording.

WB has always been a trouble area for me.....I'm just not schooled enough to know how to get good WB for the changing light conditions. I get my wife to hold up a white towel in the sanctuary before the ceremony starts to set the WB on all cams. If the lighting is different on the alter, I will set two WB so I can toggle to it when the B&G get up there. Is this not possible on the XA20?

I don't understand how one would set WB during the ceremony with out filling the lens with white anyway, so if this is what the XA20 can't do I don't think it will be a problem for me.

Glad to hear you are liking the PQ. I have always respected your opinions with cameras.

[Jeff Harper]

Hi Tim. Thanks for the kind words. I used to set WB as you do. It has been years since I've used that method. Funny, I'd forgotten about it. Maybe I should try it again.

Anyway, I set color temp manually. Filling the screen with white is often inaccurate for me, either too blue or too yellow for me, so I just do it manually.

[Tim Akin]

Oh ok, I've never had a video cam with temp adjustments, well the GH2 but I don't use it as much as the video cams.

I can see where you would want to do that on the fly. So you trust what's on you cam monitor or do you use an off cam monitor?

[Bo Sundvall]

Hi

I read that the upstart of the XA20/25 is pretty slow. I hae a Panasonic TM900 myself that starts almost immediate as you open the LCD screen. The TM900 alsohave some kind of faster startup modes selectable in the menues, but as it starts up so fast without this option, I havn't used it.

My question regarding the XA20/25 is: how long time does it take to start the camcorder?

Regards,

/Bo

[Bob Ohlemann]

I haven't measured it but I would say about three full seconds. That might not sound like much but I've completely missed shots because of it. I just leave the camera on now and it's not a big deal except for battery consumption. It's a very nice camera. I just put about 34 hours of recording time on it over the last four days and it did a very good job even in really low, pre-dawn, light.

Bob