XH A1s, Me, and Tornadic Supercells . . . Perfect Together? - Page 2 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 May 6th, 2009, 01:57 AM   #16
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 166
Just to add to Tripp's note on differences - not only are the optics the same, but the CCD/image processor setup is the same.
Nick Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 6th, 2009, 09:00 PM   #17
Tourist
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cranford, New Jersey
Posts: 4
Quote:
David... No actual Alzheimer's yet. Just perceived.
Glad to hear it's not an actual diagnosis, Tripp. I'm on Gingko Biloba myself. Seems to help with the short term fade.

Quote:
- Can zoom and focus manually (probably the biggest deal)
That is a decent upgrade, although not necessarily useful for my application. Using my PD170, I've shot exclusively in Infinity mode. I can't speak for the XH A1s (yet), but the PD100a and the PD170 AF can't even come close to solving the mutable light of the immediate storm environment. The AF does its best to keep stride, but invariably produces blurry results. Does the XH A1s have an Infinity manual mode, or something equivalent to it?

Quote:
Too bad you missed at B&H. Their offer on the A1s is pretty good. If you can't find an A1, I'd pull the trigger on it.
Yeah, I'm a little put out with myself for waiting too long to take advantage of what minimal stock they apparently had left. I'm not otherwise having much luck at tracking down an A1. An outfit called Zoomania has it listed as 'in stock' for $2849. I'm pretty sure, however, that they're a gray market bait-and-switch operation. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent. A thousand points of light . . . :)

Think I'm going to lock into an A1s from B&H. They're now down to $3399, which seems pretty reasonable. With the savings from the previous quote they gave me, I'll pick up a Tiffen UV/Polarizer Twin Pack.

Quote:
BTW... Noa's right. You can turn a phrase with the best of them. Me... I write like English is my second language and I was born in the US! Maybe it is setting in for real. (grin)
Thanks, Tripp. As for your wordsmithing abilities . . . you're being humble. I'm not the only one able to wax eloquent around here. :) I hear New Hampshire is known to turn out a capable scrivener here and there.
__________________
Yes, I really do like to film violent rotation.
David Fogel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 7th, 2009, 01:58 AM   #18
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 166
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Fogel View Post
Does the XH A1s have an Infinity manual mode, or something equivalent to it?
It has full manual focus
Nick Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 7th, 2009, 04:13 AM   #19
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Belgium
Posts: 9,509
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Fogel View Post
I would say that, overall, handheld filming is a mode of necessity about 60 or 65% of the time. That said, do you feel the XH A1s is still a logical choice?
In that case i would be very careful using presets, definitely experiment with them before you use them. Like I said before, some presets tuned for dark environments produce ghosting and then you might be better of filming without any preset. Also I don't have any experience filming in circumstances you will encounter so it's difficult to give advise on that and i think a dark reception at a wedding can't be compared. :)

Another thing about the manual focus of the xh-a1; I also own a dvx100b and that one is way better on precise manual focusing. The xh-a1 is quite difficult to get the focus right, especially if you are working with the lcd screen which is also much too small.
Noa Put is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 7th, 2009, 04:18 AM   #20
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Milton Keynes, UK
Posts: 166
Quote:
Originally Posted by Noa Put View Post
The xh-a1 is quite difficult to get the focus right, especially if you are working with the lcd screen which is also much too small.
Speaking personally, I wouldn't want to get so close to a storm that I needed to focus at anything other than infinity :-)
Nick Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old May 7th, 2009, 04:47 AM   #21
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: North Conway, NH
Posts: 1,745
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Fogel View Post
Does the XH A1s have an Infinity manual mode, or something equivalent to it?
Actually, in addition to full manual mode, you can preset a desired focus distance and recall it by hitting a single button.

Be careful this. With HD, focus is more critical than SD and if you focus all the way out you'll want to be shooting the moon or something that distant. Presetting to what the camera will indicate as "infinity+" will likely be too far away unless you are 1/2 mile away from the storm. Infinity is probably a better choice. You'll know what I mean when you get the camera.

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Fogel View Post
I hear New Hampshire is known to turn out a capable scrivener here and there.
Been known to happen. Sadly, none of them work for the local newspaper. (grin)
Tripp Woelfel 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 11:49 PM.


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