Canon XH-A1 vs Sony Z5

[Ernesto Del Gesso]

Hi Bill,
thanks for your answer.
Yes indeed my question was referred to the possibility of the Z5 to save user profiles like the XH-A1 does.
You answered me...it allows you to have 99 user profiles, that's great!
Another question is if the camera allow you to configure the same (more or less) number of parameters like the XH-A1 and if in the future we will have a lot of user profiles shared here on the forum by other users.
I hope it will be like that.

You said you went through the same process as I'm now and you ended up with the Z5.
Can you tell me why?
Thank you very much
Bye

[Jonathan Shaw]

I love my A1 but if I was buying now I would go with the Z5... the LCD on the A1 is shocking and hasn't been changed on the A1s.

I reckon the lens is slightly better on the A1 but the Z5 will be better than the A1 in low light. I have shot with a Z7 and it is noticably better, and the Z5 is the same chip set I believe.

My 2c worth

[Bill Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Ernesto Del Gesso

Hi Bill,
You said you went through the same process as I'm now and you ended up with the Z5.
Can you tell me why?

I could have gone either way, but the deciding factor on the Z5 is the ability to simultaneously shoot on tape and CF card. I can shoot HD on either or both. I'll use the tape for long-term archiving and CF card for workflow capture.

[Ernesto Del Gesso]

Originally Posted by Bill Ackerman

I could have gone either way, but the deciding factor on the Z5 is the ability to simultaneously shoot on tape and CF card. I can shoot HD on either or both. I'll use the tape for long-term archiving and CF card for workflow capture.

I think you can connect Sony CF writer to XH-A1 as well. I read it in another forum.
Anyway I wish you have great time with your Z5.
I would go for the Z5 as well but what really stop me are the rolling shutter(CMOS) side effects.
Have you ever had problem with that?

[Mark Fry]

Originally Posted by Ernesto Del Gesso

I think you can connect Sony CF writer to XH-A1 as well. I read it in another forum.

Correct. The only advantage with the Z5 is that the CF device attaches to the back of the camera and shares the battery, like on a Z7. On any other camera with Firewire, you have to contrive your own mounting and use a separate battery.

If I were buying today, I'd want to try the Z5 and XH-A1s side-by-side. I think I'd go for the Canon again, because the image is at least as good, possibly a smidge better, for less money. ($1500, even canadian ones, sounds like a significant sum. Enough for a nice new tripod or a couple of microphones.) Also, I have found Sony controls and menus hard to work with in the past. However, the better LCD might just sway me towards the Sony...