Your wisdom and charm at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders

Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders
Canon XH G1S / G1 (with SDI), Canon XH A1S / A1 (without SDI).

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 28th, 2008, 02:31 PM   #1
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville Maryland
Posts: 30
Your wisdom and charm

Gang. I've been working with the XL2 for years creating clips online. DCLugi Online Videos, Funny Junk and Cool Video Clips on Super Deluxe

I recently have been given the chance to do a DVD for distribution and potential TV broadcast. Staying in this price range is the XH A1 a respectable upgrade consideration for this need?

A hardy thanks,
-DC
Dave Coyne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 28th, 2008, 02:33 PM   #2
Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 4,449
Why not stick with the XL2, unless there's a call for HD release of your programs?
Bill Pryor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 28th, 2008, 02:35 PM   #3
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville Maryland
Posts: 30
HD is the request but I've yet to hear the exact specs.
Dave Coyne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 28th, 2008, 02:47 PM   #4
Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 4,449
Ah, well if they want HD, then the XH A1 is probably the best quality for the money. You'll probably like the lens better than the XL2 also, because it's wider so for most everything you shouldn't need a wide angle adapter as you probably do with the XL2.

The next step up from the XH A1 (or XL H1a, s etc.) would be the 1/2" chip Sony EX tapeless camera. If you stay in the 1/3" chip world, all the cameras are more similar than they are different. I bought the Canon over the equivalent Sony because of the lens, mainly. If you like the form of your XL2 and want interchangeable lenses, you could spend more and get the XL H1a, which his the XL version of the XH A1; or the XL H1s, the XL version of the XH G1. You'll get the same end image quality from all of them.
Bill Pryor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 28th, 2008, 09:40 PM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville Maryland
Posts: 30
Many thanks Bill. A wider lens is a welcomed plus. I didn't know if there would be an issue of "true HD or not true HD" When I chat with their tech team I'll have a clearer picture of the delivery demands.

Cheers,
-DC
Dave Coyne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 08:44 AM   #6
Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 4,449
HDV is true HD. There are many different "wrappers" for HD, and lots of propaganda and hype out there from different manufacturers trying to discredit whatever format they don't use. Usually the problems cited are not really there if the filmmaker knows what he's doing.
Bill Pryor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 09:14 AM   #7
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,366
Images: 513
Currently there's no such thing as an HD format that isn't "true." As Bill points out above, anytime you see some distinction regarding so-called "true HD" you should regard it with a healthy dose of suspicion, because it's just very poor marketing hype. All of the popular High Definition formats in use today (AVCHD, HDV, P2HD, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM HD, HDCAM etc.) are indeed High Definition. To label one as "true" is to imply that something else is "false," and there's nothing false about any of the various current HD formats. Hope this helps,
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 10:06 AM   #8
Major Player
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 346
Yes, HDV is true HD yet one continually reads about one station or another not accepting HDV or they'll only accept a small percentage of the full program being HDV. Broadcasters sometimes say they won't accept it but then do because its been well produced and they like the content.

So how do you make the upgrade call if you're producing for a specific station/network. It might safest just to find out for sure by asking. On the other hand, by saying nothing you might slip under their official anti HDV position.
Jase Tanner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 11:22 AM   #9
Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 4,449
The simple and tried and true solution is to provide them with whatever format they want, which is totally independent of what you shoot with. They want Digibeta, you go to a dub house and get a Digibeta tape made. They want an H.264 QT on a DVD or up on a link, you export that for them.
Bill Pryor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 12:45 PM   #10
Major Player
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: El Cerrito, CA
Posts: 266
Hi Dave,

I made the transition from XL1s to A1 (w/ PAL "upgrade") a year ago.
(I mainly shoot documentaries for Swiss TV: they needed 16:9 SD;
I shoot HDV, downconvert & deliver SD, but I can keep my HDV footage
and play it safe for tomorrow...).
I really do like the much wider lens, and I didn't have any problem
adjusting to the different form factor (I actually prefer the A1:
lighter & easier to carry around and on a plane,
especially on those small turboprops).
In a nutshell: probably the best bang for the buck;
you can't go wrong with the A1 (if 3K is your budget, of course;
if you're willing to shell out more, then it's a whole different story).
BTW: looks like we are not far away...

Best
Vasco
__________________
www.donesmedia.net
bricioledamerica.blogspot.com (in Italian)
Vasco Dones is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 29th, 2008, 06:33 PM   #11
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 71
Dear All,

I would like to buy a A1 (PAL) but I wonder why the PAL version is always a bit expensive than the NTSC version? Is there any diference in the HD world?

Kenneth
Kenneth Tong is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 31st, 2008, 04:22 PM   #12
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville Maryland
Posts: 30
Daaaaang! Just when I was sold on the camera I hear that my old buddy Vegas can't handle the 24f. Me thinks the Cylons are responsible for all of this incompatibility with modern technology.

Thanks for all the info,
-DC
Dave Coyne is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 31st, 2008, 04:30 PM   #13
Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 4,449
That's why I stuck with FCP. I was considering moving back to Avid for a new system I set up, but it wouldn't handle 24F, and FCP does that just fine.
Bill Pryor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 31st, 2008, 04:53 PM   #14
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Makati, Metro Manila
Posts: 2,706
Images: 32
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Coyne View Post
... Vegas can't handle the 24f ...
Vegas handles 24F just fine, and has always handled 24F just fine, since Vegas 6.0, when Canon first introduced the world to 24F.
__________________
"Ultimately, the most extraordinary thing, in a frame, is a human being." - Martin Scorsese
Michael Wisniewski is offline   Reply With Quote
Old August 31st, 2008, 04:58 PM   #15
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rockville Maryland
Posts: 30
I just went through a Vegas thread that stated that these two are not friends and Sony isn't interested in fixing it. I'm all about "user friendly" and Vegas has been great with my XL2 so this comes as punch to the gut.
Dave Coyne is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:38 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network