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Wedding / Event Videography Techniques
Shooting non-repeatable events: weddings, recitals, plays, performances...

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Old February 12th, 2009, 06:26 PM   #1
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2nd cam upgrade to match XHA1

After reading a bunch of old posts about second cameras I am thinking about upgrading my second camera (an HF10) to an XHA1 to match the existing XHA1 that I use as my main cam. I know lots of people use the XHA1's for wedding, but it sounds like since I bought mine (in early 2007) there are a lot more options out there in the same class. It sounds like perhaps the sony's have better low light and I like the idea of going tapeless with the panasonic HC150...but I already have one XHA1...should I just stick with buying another canon? I guess I don't want to sink more money into a second camera if I should really be using my HF10 for a bit until I wait for the next "big new thing"....like a tapeless, low light version of the XHA1...all for 2500...oh wait...maybe I've been dreaming too much :)

P.S. Something else to consider is that my wallet pain threshold is already being threatened with the idea of shelling out the 2500 for a good used XHA1...so any potential solutions need to be similar in dollars...I don't mind used gear though...
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Old February 14th, 2009, 12:25 AM   #2
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I've been having the same debate for a while now. Now that you can find an HV30 for around $599 I've been leaning that way, although the HV40 is supposed to be out soon and will use the same 24p technique as the XHA1.

I avoided the AVCHD cams because I wasn't sure about editing HDV and AVCHD on the same timeline.

I might save my sheckels and wait to buy an XHA1s, just so I can get the 6 pin firewire to use with my firestore.
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Old February 15th, 2009, 04:29 PM   #3
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Thanks for the reply...how do you like the firestore??
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Old February 15th, 2009, 04:44 PM   #4
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It works as advertised. I ended up getting the FS-C, the Canon version. It's saved my bacon a couple of times when events ran long and I ran out of tapes. (It's funny how a one-hour wedding can turn into a 3 hour wedding).

My main problem is still the 4 pin firewire on the XHA1. It's very difficult to anchor the plug if you're going to be shooting anything that isn't on a tripod. I've been thinking of actually taking a 4 pin to 6 pin converter and building a little clamp on it so I can attach it to the camera and it will be secure. Others have done similar things.

When I read the XHA1s was going to have 6 PIN I immediately contacted Canon and asked how much it would cost me to have them swap out the 4pin for a 6pin but they said an upgrade of that kind wasn't possible. Hehe.

Either way, I'm still trying to decide what to do about a second camera. HV30/40 also sounds good because then I wouldn't have to lug my XHA1 to the kids' Christmas programs and what-not. It's fun, in a sword-measuring kind of way, when all the other dads have crappy little handhelds or are shooting video with their still camera, but it's a pain to lug around.
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Old February 16th, 2009, 08:52 PM   #5
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Thanks for the info on the firestore. I read someplace on this board about somebody adding a 3.5mm jack that plugs into one of the other plugs on the camera to stabilize the firewire cord.
I like the portability of the HV30, but since I am doing mostly weddings and it sounds like it really suffers (as my HF10 does) in low light I figured I might need to go for the big guy...
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