Any issues/problems with the H1 from the early adopters that I should know about?
 

Hi guys just doing last minute checks on any problems that I should be aware of with the canon XL H1 before I flop out the money for it (It's my first shot at buying my own HD camera and I really only have one chance at this and dont want to screw it up!)... From Shannon Rawls, Pete Bauer, A. J. deLange and anyone else that has one already - Any draw backs? anything that really annoys you about the camera?... I have had a couple of good plays with an XL H1 and loved it. *Big smile*

The only thing that I found that was annoying after 20 minutes of use was the peaking setting for VF appeared to be useless, it seemed to only introduce large amounts of noise into the VF unlike any other camera i have used in the past i.e. Thompson LDK6000, Sony E10, etc.. which show the "glow" around the part of the image that is focused, rather then just showing noise across the whole image which is what the XL H1 I used was doing... not that much of a big deal, I doubt I would use it that much anyway.

The Sony Z1P and JVC 101E dont have some of the features that i need and the Pana HVX200 cant be mounted on the shoulder, so at the moment that leaves the Canon XL H1...

I must admit the image on the XL H1 is stunning! Ben Allen DOP was showing us footage he shot on it and it was amazing!

Would you guys recommend that I should get one after you have owned your own? or wait... I just dont want some unknown problem creeping up after I buy it!

Cheers,
Ash

1. It's heavy as F****K!! I mean, I need to go to Big5 or Sports Chalet and rack up on some dumbells if I ever want to shoot someting myself handheld.

2. Lens not as wide as the Z1U

3. Doesn't downconvert HDV to DV via firewire while recording HDV to tape. Only downconverts on Playback.

That's it. I'll add more as I go, if by crazy chance there ever is more.

Would I recommed it? I haven't owned the JVCHD100, but by the looks of things, I'm glad I don't. When you got people like Barry Green returning equipment to get his money back....something wrong. Therefore...YES I RECOMMEND IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. There's not another HDV camera out that's better.

But remember... it's $4,000.00 MORE then the Sony Z1U!! If your insane like me, and you have SPECIFIC reasons why you need this camera, then go for it. Otherwise...get a Z1U.

I spent $4,000 more for this camera because:

1. THE MONEY I made with my Z1U paid for both of them, so why not?
2. 24p in camera
3. REMOVABLE lens for things like Mini35
4. TIMECODE "in". I need this camera to be a slave from a Fostex PD4 for free-run timecode
5. I ALREADY OWN a digital Canon SLR still camera and I wanted to be able to say "I shoot ALL Canon!" lol
6. CAMERA CONTROLS are Easy as pie. Much easier then Z1U
7. 1080 RESOLUTION. if i'm gonna shoot HD, i'm going all the way.
8. But mainly I got it for 24p in DV mode and in HDV mode.

- ShannonRawls.com

I haven't found anything that makes me regret the purchase yet in fact quite the opposite. As I said in another post the capabilities of the codec were a pleasant surprise to me. If the HDV pictures look this good I can't imagine what the uncompressed would look like and anxiously await the day when something like the Firestore but that records 100 Mbps or so is available at a reasonable price.

I agree that it is pretty hefty - been on a tripod for almost everything I've tried with it so far.

The sound is a little disappointing - 4x compression isn't that much but compresed sound will never be quite as good as straight PCM and that's with 2 channels - with 4 channels it's 8x. Sharp barks from my dog are reproduced distorted on the H1. The XL2 had no problem with this. The genlock and TC outputs make it easy to sync to external sound equipment which makes up for this shortcoming somewhat and it's HDV that requires it.

Even though the 3x does work with it and shows almost equal resolution on images of a resolution chart I'm not sure one could intercut scenes shot with the 20x HD and the 3x but I haven't really tried that. I used the 3x a lot with the XL2 and if I decide I can't use it with the XLH1 I'll miss it greatly. The possibility of a HD 3x exists but it's going to be expensive.

Thanks for the replies.

At the XL H1 launch I was at, Canon said that they will be bringing out 4 - 6 more lenses for it, hopefully they dont think of profit when they price them! *Smile*

I actully found the weight factor was alright, maybe for long shoots handheld or with a mattebox on the front it would start getting a bit too front heavy but if thats the case I'll just find something to strap on the back of it i.e. Batts, audio gear etc just to balance it up.

The sound is a big concern but for anything that needs decent sound as A.J stated, you can just sync an external audio recorder with the TC out.

Well everything is pointing at buying it! The Australian RRP is $13,999 AUD! which is way steep, damn GST!...

Thanks again :-)

You should consider some weight lifting,man.
Just joking :) but the camera seems pretty light to me.

Everything is relative. Shannon is used to hoisting a Z1 and a glass of Hennessy.

Orange Juice.....I don't drink. *smile*

- ShannyMan