EX1 first impressions.
 

Today I finally got a chance to start playing around with the camera, and I have to say the workflow and video quality is amazing. I was editing a clip in minutes after I shot it, would have never happened a week ago with the XH A1.

I still have both the XH A1 and HV30, I use the focus enhancements DTE on the A1 so not as bad as tape but if the clip splits during the vows, is a real pain fixing it.

I have mixed clips from the A1 and EX1 on a CS4 timeline and they mix fine.

I do feel the EX1 will need to be run in Manual most of the time.

Denny, I just became a member of the EX1 club a couple hours ago myself. Will probably go out for some test shots a little later, right now still familiarizing myself with everything, charging the battery, fitting it into my carrying case.

I don't have any big projects coming up, so I'll be taking my time learning all the ins and outs. Initial impression is: "wow!" Quite an upgrade from the Z1 (which is now our company camera and will continue to be used for performance archive video).

I've had my EX1 for about 8 months now. I still find myself saying, "Wow - what a camera!"

Features like overcranking, undercranking, shot transition, & slow shutter mode put this camera in a different league (at least as compared to any other camera I've ever owned).

I really love the tapeless workflow too. Coming from HDV, I was skeptical at first - but once you get accustomed to working with SxS, you don't want to go back.

With regard to manual vis-a-vis automatic, the EX1 definitely demands more operator attention than many cameras. The autofocus is sluggish, so you will need to supervise. One helpful tip is to change your peaking color -- I've got mine set to yellow -- as it really helps determine proper focus.