Where's da work?
 

Where's the work? Any new work? Infomercials, Pornography, and Soap Operas need not apply. Anyone on planet earth shoot a short film or music video of note with this camera? It's april 2006, and we're not getting any younger, please for the love of mercy, share the work! LINKS PLEAZE!

If you're looking for professional samples of a commercial nature which have been posted online, then your expectations might not be realistic. Seldom is such material ever posted online, primarily for copyright reasons. Besides, it's never a matter of what others have done with a camera, but rather, what *you* can do with it. We have a special showcase forum called "DV For The Masses" specifically for that purpose.

Chris is right, i don't personally own any of the work i've done on an H1 other than a few good looking tests.

I know it's not what you're looking for but i can at least tell you that having shot several very different projects ranging from feature, doc, cooking show, adult film, concert and ENG type stuff i have been very very pleased with the H1 as far as picture quality is concerned. reliability however is a different matter, i dropped it off at the canon service center in Irvine today for the 2nd time. it's a good thing it's only 40 miles away, i would be very upset if i had to keep shipping it.

-Jon

Jon: What reliability problems are you experiencing? Curious because I've had a couple too:

The sound recording portion went dead on me during a shoot - when I returned it to Canon they said they had it on the bench for 5 hours and were unable to reproduce the problem - it came back working, but I bought a Tascam HD P2 recorder as a backup, just in case - I do prefer the Tascam's audio, but it means syncing...

Also, currently I'm unable to shoot in the DV mode and play back on any of my decks (DSR40, DSR11 or M10), although it plays back from the camera -Doesn't bother me much since I only use the camera for HDV, but still...

Steve Rosen

By the way, in answer to the actual question of this thread, I am currently editing a documentary shot with my H1 titled IN A NEW COUNTRY that will eventually end up on PBS.

I do own the rights to the film, but I don't have the time or the site to post clips.. take my word for it, it looks pretty darn good, in fact better than I initially expected when I plopped down the cash for this camera.

Reliability issues aside, it's a very nice piece of equipt. I am considering buying a Sony as a backup camera and for wide-angle shooting, like inside cars (which I seem to do alot) - and I've seem some nice stuff from that camera too. I'm not a Chevy's better than Ford person - if it does the job, that's all I ask... Steve Rosen

Steve,
Which "sony" are you thinking of getting as a second camera? the Z1?
Bruce Yarock

Haven't decided yet.. since it will basically be a "glove compartment" camera, I may go cheap - but if I want a true backup, the XLRs and other subtle features would be nice to have - I'm actually waiting till there's word about a wide angle lens for the H1 before I spend the bucks... Or who knows, a GL-HD...

a couple of reliability issues...

it started out similar to your audio problem, i couldn't get a line level from the XLR inputs at all so i had to do a work around to get the sound recordist to output a mic level signal. later that week the viewfinder flickered a few times then the camera died altogether, nothing, dead as a door nail. i took it in and the next afternoon it was ready, i didn't get to speak with a tech in person but the lady at the front desk explained that a fuse had blown, likely it was from the XLR input, telling me that sometimes something involving phantom power would blow a fuse in the camera, sorry but i could not get a better explanation than that.

so i got the camera home, started it up, didn't bother plugging a mike in and figured everything was fine. my next day's work comes a few days later and i have NO signal at the XLR inputs at all, irregardless of what i did trying the mike both self-powered and phantom, then i found that i could only get channel 1 from the front mic, no channel 2 signal at all... luckily i had an XLR - mini 1/8" adapter that i haven't used in like 4 years and i was able to hook up a self-powered boom mic to the front input and get a single track of audio, not pretty but it kept the shoot going.

so i picked up my camera for the second time this afternoon, all appears well thus far, apparently there was a loose connection somewhere inside, almost certainly the tech that worked on the camera the first time's fault.

i also have a couple of lit pixels in the viewfinder, not at the chip, no big deal but a little lame, they told me that up to 25 lit pixels were allowed in the viewfinder, that seems like a lot to me.

i never had any of these issues in 14 months of HARD work on an xl2 but i thought about it today and i guess i've had 30 paid days of work now on the XL-H1 and for a "Prosumer" camera that's quite a bit, but still...

but before a half dozen HVX fans jump on here saying i gave the camera a bad review, I LOVE MY H1 AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER WITH THE PICTURE QUALITY

Jon, yeah, that's pretty much how I feel too... It is always, and I mean ALWAYS a problem to get the first seats on the bandwagon.. The smart thing is to wait until version 2 or 3 of (especially) a prosumer product before buying..

In this case, in order to bloody myself on the cutting edge, I bought Canon version 1.. But, like you, I am extremely impressed with the image, the camera has almost paid for itself already, and I have been able to integrate my former XL2 and my Aaton (super16) accesories into my current shooting (matte boxes, grips, batteries, etc)..

Also, I haven't had any more problems (other than the inability to shoot SD) and have not had a single drop-out in over 40 tapes...

Steve Rosen

yeah in this case it was worth it for me to bloody myself on the cutting edge as well, it's funny, the majority of my clients have had me shoot SD for their editing systems but just the idea that the camera is CAPABLE of HD gets them much more excited than my xl2, that and it definetely has a nicer SD picture.

you're from Monterey Steve? do you ever shoot at Laguna Seca Raceway? i'm usually there a couple of times a year shooting, beautiful area.

Thank you for your input on the H1. I'm glad that I've now chosen to stick with the Xl1s & XL2 for a while longer. By the time the two new H1 lenses are released, I reckon Canon may have corrected some of the odd internal electrical problems and also that prices will begin to lower (even a body only kit could be available at the same time that the wide angle is released). I was even considering to go for the JVC HD100 (due to removable lenses), but that cam also has had some teething problems.

I think that waiting in the sidelines for a while longer is the best thing to do, and in the meantime, people like John and Steve can offer us positive & negative feedback on how the H1 manages in a busy working environment.

I agree with John about the older SD XL cameras; in fact my old XL1s hardly missed a beat during months of constant work in USA last year. The only problems I had was the "moisture detected" signal that sometimes stopped me shooting...normally at a time that I very much needed to be shooting. I think that the detection system in those cameras is a little too sensitive, and would rather at least be able to finish the shooting sequence and not for the cam to lock-up. Turning off the camera and then switching it on again normally brought everything back to normal running.
It seems that most people that own the H1 are using it in the studio or on the dry streets. Has anybody had problems using the H1 for long periods outdoors during the early and latter periods of the day (or even night time) when moisture levels in the air can be high, or during rainstorms with a rain cover on the camera?

I tortured my camera in the freezing cold and snow for many hours each day at Sundance. Never missed a beat.

Tony: Yeah, it's probably a good idea to wait if you can do that, in my case it was get the Canon or the Sony, which I don't really like -

The Sony picture is fine and Sony's reliability is up there with the best - but who designed the thing? That stupid bulbous overhanging mike and the flip-out screen? The camera should come stripped in a Pro version... And I shoot mostly hand-held - and, with my custom minirod-mounted grips, the Canon handles very well, the Sony doesn't...

Problem is, however, if there isn't an enthusiastic public for the H1 there may not be a new version, so there have to be some courageous trail-blazers (sorry for all the pathetic metaphors). People are actually buying into the Panasonic hype (I owned and shot with a 100A for a year and was underwhelmed)...

The Canon tech problems, while frustrating, have been quickly resolved, usually 2 or 3 days.. I haven't sent it back for the SD fix yet because I'm in the middle of a shoot and will wait..

Jon: No, I never shoot at Laguna Seca - or the Concourse or the Jazz Festival or the AT&T for that matter.. I make "soft" social issue documentaries and the themes haven't carried me to those places (although I did drive a '56 Corvette at Laguna Seca - unsuccessfully - many many years ago)... Steve Rosen

the only problem i've had with early morning or late night shooting is that for some reason the LCD has a smear to it when it's cold, kinda like noise reduction is on, it's not on the tape, just the viewfinder, between that and the delay in the viewfinder when shooting 24f i think the viewfinder is the weakest part

i still love my camera

-Jon

Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I haven't seen sales figures yet, but judging by advertisements and retailer's stock levels, it doesn't seem that the H1 is making big sales at the moment. I think if they already had a body-only kit available, a lower price, and a couple of other HD lenses to fit it, then sales would increase dramatically.

Outdoor H1
 

Tony,

I've been weighing the decision between H1 and JVC HD100 and have read about an awful lot of problems in reliability of HD100, so much so that they now only ship a 100a.

I have been married to the Canon brand in SLR, Dig Still, DV and Hi8 (the L1), so admittedly I am biased toward Canon. I've been trying to be objective.

Obviously the JVC is cheaper, about 4k CDN, but the stock batteries are so lame that I need the IDX? upgrade pack at $1800. This brings the 2 closer together. The dealer will throw in 2-BP970 batteries on the H1.

As much of what I do will be outdoors, I especially have been looking for reliability issues outside. Two diverse posts came to mind from the 'underwater/overland' forum. (I would attach links to them but not sure how).

One was from JVC user in Africa complaining about the apparent cheapness of the covers and seals on the HD100. Saying many have had to be replaced.

An H1 user is using his to record marlin fishing offshore without a housing, subjecting it to salt spray, constant vibration and moisture. He said it perfrorms without a hitch for weeks at a time.

EWA has an underwater housing for the H1. I've got it in my budget for CDN $1000.00.

After a month of analysis, I'm leaning to the H1 with about 2 weeks yet to decide. There is a dealer locally who sells both the JVC and H1 and I will try them both before the final decision is made.

Can't say how valuable a tool this site has been in helping make the decision.

Ken

Ken, I can't speak of much experience with the XL-H1 (have rented it twice so far, was once out in weather with occasional drizzle for about three hours and without protection - no problems), but I've treated my XL-1s quite roughly for the last five+ years. The roughest 'ride' was a trip through national parks in Namibia and Botswana, where the camera was mounted outside our vehicle most of the time. Lots of dust, vibration, direct sun, the occasional drizzle over a four week time span - and the cam performed flawlessly! If the XL-H1 is anything like that, it's definitely up to the task.

Edit: I definitely concur with previous posters regarding teething problems - I'd wait as long as feasible to allow for most of these problems to have been taken care of on the manufacturing side. I've just been through a major ordeal with my Apple G5 Quad desktop - it's one of the first units shipping here in Europe, and it showed (actually, it still shows, and thus has to go back to the shop again - what a pain)!

FWIW,

Ron

Ron,

I agree with you. Normally I'll wait for at least a release or two. But in this case I have no camera other than a consumer SDV. I was originally looking at the XL2 but I would rather overbuy than underbuy at this point. I figure that the H1 will last a while. I am making looking to make indie docs and some corp vids etc. Most stuff will be to DVD and or local TV. I will likely shoot HD and downconvert to SD for most stuff.

Ken.

None of us knows the sales figures, since the companies don't release that kind of info. I very recently heard an industry professional say that their understanding was that Canon was selling XL H1's as fast as they come off the assembly line, but that they are not manufacturing large numbers. Makes sense to me. Still, guesses about sales volume oughtn't be much of a factor in which camera a person chooses.

The first choice is whether to invest both the money to upgrade hardware and software, and the effort to learn HD. If so, then choose the feature set that's important to you and within your means. Several of us are enjoying the privilege of seeing and playing with the whole menu of "affordable" HD cameras at the TEXAS SHOOTOUT this weekend. We are still shooting and have only taken short glimpses of the raw output, but I think we all agree that none of them suck! I don't think anyone who brought their own camera, including myself with the XL H1, will go away sorry and wishing "if only I had gotten that other camera..." but we do all recognize that each camera has particular strengths and particular weaknesses.

There's a lot of good info here on DVi regarding all of these cameras -- with more to follow when the SHOOTOUT results become available later. A lot of the work done here is anticipated to be released in HD (I personally don't have further details on that). DVi along with any opportunities to try out cameras personally should give you what you need to make a decision you'll be happy with when the time to move up to HD does come along.