Dvx100BE or Canon XH-A1 HD

[Luka71]

Hi all! That's the simply question:D
I really love the taste of Dvx100Be, and that's my first opinion...but now I'm looking some A1 videoclips that make some confusion...
What I must to buy? I know that are different, but I'm fascination about the "sound like" progressive 25F and HDV of Canon...
I always want to buy Pana, but now I'm not sure...
Please, what do you suggest?
I know the beauty of "real" progressive (dvx100be) but it's seem to be an old camera, and if the A1 looks closer...
Thanx you very much for suggestion:thumbsup:

[Nektonic]

It has been debated to death and pretty much proven that the Canon A1's F modes look just the same as the Progressive ones on a DVX or HVX etc.

You say you love the look of the DVX. There are 3 different Canon A1 presets that you can download for free from DVinfo. These presets are designed to look like the DVX and I have to say that since trying them with my A1, I agree. I was skeptical at first, but after shooting some tests I thought I was looking at High-Def DVX footage on my HD monitor.

If you are torn between the two, then I would say get the one that fulfills your needs the best. For example, are you shooting for pay, or just for fun? If you are doing video production as a job, what do your clients need or want, SD or HD? Also consider that HD requires a faster computer for effecient editing. I have a fast PC and render times out of Premiere Pro 2.0 are hideously long compared to DV. Another factor is editing HD then downconverting to SD, which adds even more time to the post phase.

I currently have an A1 and I have decided to keep my DVX100 as well (not even the A or B model but the original). I shoot quite a bit of freelance event stuff for a local company, and they strickly want 4x3 SD, which right now is where the DVX shines over the A1 in my opinion. When I am doing my own stuff I can choose the best tool for the job, although I prefer HD for the majority of my stuff.

[Kelly Olsen]

It has been debated to death and pretty much proven that the Canon A1's F modes look just the same as the Progressive ones on a DVX or HVX etc.

There are 3 different Canon A1 presets that you can download for free from DVinfo. These presets are designed to look like the DVX and I have to say that since trying them with my A1, I agree.

I shoot quite a bit of freelance event stuff for a local company, and they strickly want 4x3 SD, which right now is where the DVX shines over the A1 in my opinion.

Thanks for relating your experience, but the conclusion of you statements confuse me just a bit. Maybe you could clarify.

If "the A1 can look exactly like the DVX", why do you say the "the DVX shines over the A1", especially taking into account that the A1 can do HDV as well as SD?

I'm not being combative, I really want to understand what you meant. I appreciate your experience since I have a 100B and am seriously considering going over to the A1 because I might have a project that needs to be shot in some version of HD (and HDV is about the limit for my budget and I can't afford to have two cameras) but I don't want to go to a camera which is inferior in SD which I will also need to shoot in at times.

From the begining of your comments I thought the A1 covers both bases, which made me feel like it would fill the bill, but at the end you make the comment which seems to contradict the opening statements. Did I not get it correct?

Thanks.

[PaPa]

the A1 is still the winner. Native 16x9 chips, better in SD and HD. the Auto focus kills the dvx. the zoom range. manual iris. need i go on? oh , and they are only a few hundred bucks apart, with the option of HDV should u need it in the future. Why waste money on an older technology when a new one of approximate equal value can deliver the same and more?

i am a previous 100b owner and made the switch to the A1, never looked back, not even for a second.

[Luka71]

Thank you very much for answer; I've read it with happyness...
but now, like Kelly Olsen I'm a little bit more confused...sorry!
I'll buy the cam for starting a little bussiness in video production of dvd yoga teaching. I would like to propose some little publicity too for shops, and educational videos too. I've worked professional for 2 years with video editing, using "Edit" (rip) and Avid Xp...

Papa, that's right! But here in Italy, Hdv/Hd is still a little part of video works. People here still have analogic tv; only 30% of population have an Lcd screen or plasma. 4:3 still reign...

In a famous video's forum here, an owner of A1 said that a lot of guys switch from dvx100b to A1. He say that is a "natural progression"....
Thanx a lot everybody for helping me!!
I really bug your pardon for my poor english, sorry!:engel017:

[Sirocco]

Luka71, I own a A1 and are very happy with it but if I understand well your needs maybe you should save some money and look for a used DVX or used DVC30. Since you defined your market as mostly analogique and 4:3 you don't really need progressive, 24p etc.
One think you would appreciate though, is a wide angle for shooting yoga demonstration.

[Luka71]

Thanks again!
But in this post you Sirocco, are the 2# guy that comes from dvx100, and it's happy of his new A1. That's a fact. So is true that Canon A1 is the natural second step of evolution in video shooting.
Considering Nektoni too, is another A1 owner...

About my personal position, it's right to think how my bussiness will be, most 4:3 probably now. But I do not want to buy a dv100be now, and next year another cam in Hdv. Because when people (me too) see high definition, well it's another story. If you can put progressive like dvx100 and Hdv in the same cam, well, it's a big goal!