Yes, I agree. I also couldn't see any difference in the pulsing.

Oh damn.. I totally forgot about this point (currently planing to switch from DVX100 to the A1) ... can the A1 be switched to manual zoom somehow? This is a really great feature of the DVX so you can do "real" (manual) crash zooms and stuff... please don't tell me the A1 only has a servo controlled zoom *sigh* :-(

Sorry dude, I think its all servo. I think that manual zoom on the DVX is really one of those features that seperated it from the pack.

No crash zooms on the A1, (also not on the Sony's Fx1, Z1, V1, etc.) If that is important for you and you want to make the step from dvx to HD, take a look al the all manual JVC lenses. You lose auto focus, OIS.

Z1 and FX1 do have crash zoom.

XH cameras have an option called "quick zoom." It's like the Z1 and FX1 feature in that it's as close as you can get to a crash zoom with an auto servo lens.

As chris pointed out the quick zoom feaure is pretty fast, but isn't as responsive and has a slight delay, compared to the realtime on the DVX.

It shouldn't be a dealbreaker for you though, the I use the quick zoom all of the time with good results.

Sorry wrong topic, post deleted...

I cannot verify this anymore since I sold my FX1:
Can you manually zoom AND focus at the same time?

You can (almost) crash zoom on the FX1 or Z1 by flicking the zoom switch to "lever" and then twisting the zoom ring to the other end of the zoom. When you flick the switch back to "ring" the zoom speed is about a second from one end of the lens to the other.

With high speed zoom on the A1 you can get from one end of the lens to the other in about 2 seconds - though it has a longer reach, but by my perception it's not even as "crash-like" as the Z1.

Michael, I've just checked and the Z1 and FX1 can be zoomed AND focused at the same time, both using the zoom ring and focus ring or the zoom lever and focus ring.

Thank you, Alex, for checking this. I sort of remembered it that way, but was not sure.

How come the FX1 can do this and the A1 don't? The FX1 has a "servo" (what is this, by the way?) for zoom and focus as well, right?

What a bummer... the full manual zoom is really a great thing.. even if you don't do crash zooms all the time ;) it simply "feels" much better because you just have more manual control... guess this is a case of try before you buy then... let's see if the servo zoom is sufficient for my needs.
Jeez when will they finally come out with a camcorder in that price range where you can switch off all that damn servos ;o) .. i hate all this "automagic" stuff...

I suspect the FX1 / Z1 has two servos, one for focus and one for zoom. A servo is basically a variable speed motor that you can control using some sort of a "proportional" control surface - like a lens ring.

As I understand it, Canon lenses use a single motor for both zoom and focus, probably with some kind of mechanical gearing that (invisibly) switches between the two mechanisms.

Although autofocus continues to work during zooms on the A1 (with the unfortunate addition of pulsing artefacts in 24/25/30F modes) the focus mechanism appears to be disengaged during zooms in manual focus.

The lens control on the FX1 / Z1 was one of the nicest I've ever come across on handheld prosumer cameras. The lens rings were setup just right (for me) and it did pretty much whatever I asked of it, with very smooth professional looking results.

I adore the extra resolution of the A1's image (I was shooting cineframe with the FX1 which is very soft), I love the image controls, and I love the extra range on the zoom... but I'm not smitten with the "feel" of the lens controls. There have been occasions where I'd like to rack focus and zoom at the same time (background landscape to foreground presenter for example).

It seems like you can't quite have it all...

Crash zooming is manual lenses only (I'm old school). No servo lens is doing that really. Indeed Alex, you can't have it all. If you mix all the sub $10.000 cams together and take the goodies, you are close, but it's never going to happen. Live with the quirks and the strong parts.

For the most you can live with it by changing the way you shoot or work, 'workarounds'. You can continue what is not there -the empty glass- or what is there -a half bottle- and make the best out of it. I bought this cam, it gives me an incredible lot for the money, it is by far the best buy I can get.

Regarding the pulsing issues... Has anyone tried zooming manually with autofocus on... Does that pulsing still occurr?
If it's a servo lens, and works like my sony dsr 250's, the zoom should be smooth enough.