Canon Unveils New Prosumer HDV Line: XH G1 and XH A1

Any word on an exact release date for these cameras? The A1 appears to be just what I've been looking for. Glad I didn't go out and purchase a DVX100B like I was planning on doing. :)
 
This was shot by Disjecta with his XL-H1 and the Letus XL version2 35mm adapter with Nikon SLR lenses. I've heard the Red Rock can be as sharp as this so imagine the A1 outfitted with the Red Rock and you can get some very nice shallow DOF without the telephoto effect.

http://www.realm.cc/upload/disjecta/DisjectaLetus.wmv

Some jpegs captured from clip playback: (I recommend right-clicking and downloading the jpegs and viewing full frame)
D1.jpg

D2.jpg

D3.jpg
 
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FOR shallow DOF try the one light trick. This is when you get a single 500 watt photoflood light in the distance (usually off to the side) to light your subject while the back of the room stays lit only by a 250 watt.

This works if you're shooting in a big room with you main characters right up front and you're in total control of the lighting. I saw a friend do this once in a short he was shooting and it worked pretty well. A lot of detail loss in the background, nice fine details in the foreground. I'm sure others have mentioned this.

-Nate
 
TimurCivan said:
THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT..... Look how organic that picture is......
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That is exactly the word I was looking for...organic! I mean, look at it. You can tell what the texture is like in each and every part of the frame. That's it! I'm throwing my FX1 in a lake and buying a XH A1!
 
That's it! I'm throwing my FX1 in a lake and buying a XH A1!__________________
Rafa
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Ha ha, i dropped mine ( an xm2) while out on a boat on loch lomond. If you visit Scotland you can take your fx1 with you and drop it where i er.....dropped mine.:( Well at least they will have each other for company:)
 
I guess part of the resolution deal really is a good thing. I dunno if that kinda detail is to be seen elsewhere in this price range.

That kinda detail is great.
 
TimurCivan said:
THIS IS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT..... Look how organic that picture is......
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I think a great deal of the natural feel of the footage is a combination of the Nikon lenses, DOF, and Cinegamma 2 from the H1. (the original footage is sharper and more artifact free too)

The H1 Cinegamma's are noticeably improved over the XL2 IMHO and can impart a very organic feel to the image--especially the 35mm adapter stuff.
 
Hey Mike by here? :) RED & Canon? Or still only RED?
__________________
just an euro frame's banner......that's all folks! Quote:
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I am copying Red and keeping my options open. Nothing tied down until nearer production time?:)
There is absolutely no doubt that a few people considering Red may be in the same position as me, stretching themselves to get Red. If another camera did come out that offered a great deal then who knows?
The things i love about Red are. great low light ability. Superb FOV. Brilliant resolution, possible great dynamics and lattitude. Possible good night vision option. relatively stable and reasonably cheap hard disc recording option. likely codec similar to cineform and various codec options, a proper high resolution LCD and lastly a possible hoped for pre-record function. An added great new EVF would also be great.
I have to equip myself with everything including sound stuff as well. When you total up the whole package i am looking at £30.000 plus. So the difference in camera price of (as someone was recently quoted in UK) £3,500 for an A1 as against Red somewhere between £10,500 - £12,000 plus extras you have to make sure you are doing the right thing and it is fully justified. I know it is not in the same league but for me it is a consideration.
The canon A1 is likely to be a great camera no doubt but i just wish they had included some kind of pre-record option, like a limited flash drive or something. Also some very observant chap noted that you may not be able to fit a matt box without it obscuring the likely new auto focus system. I work around water most of the time so a matt box with french flags is likely to be essential.
The one negative feeling i have with the Red camera is the fact that it is going to be a manual only camera. Now i fully understand considering the problems encountered with the present auto focus systems. BUT as i stated on another post elsewhere i happen to think new technology in the NEAR future could result in a complete u turn with regards manual focus as the preferred pro method. Just look at the latest still cameras with face recognition for focusing. How good will canons auto focus system be, i would like to see that in operation near water. Who else will produce even better stunning auto focus that will have 90% of pros using auto for most of the time?
Will Sony come back at canon with a better camera just prior to October? Or will they come out with an improved camera but lacking something deemed important to pros therebye protecting their own (other higher priced cameras) market share?
Michael
 
Mike for your thoughts. The auto-focus-tool would be very useful @RED indeed!
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That depends......On how good Red's focus assist set up is? I have a feeling it will be groundbreaking in itself.

I am a beginner so many would quite rightly say what do i know? But looking from the outside in, as i do, i just dont think it is wise to restrict the Red camera to manual only. Now if Canon's auto focus is really well ahead of the competition and does what it says in the box then it is surely going to make the canon duo's very popular indeed. If technology continues to improve on that front how for example could you explain to your boss that you got that video out of focus when inexperienced (by comparison) joe bloggs just covered it perfectly (in auto focus).

Everything is improving upwards all the time, why should we somehow think that auto focus problems that exist today will not be eliminated in the very near future? Resolution was a big drawback to still digital cameras against film just four years ago now look. Video resolution was (if everyone was honest within themselves perhaps) not as good as most would have liked with HD at first and now we are about to see Red unleashed with mega resolution and canon will very shortly unleash two very potent and capable cameras that will serve many pretty well, albeit with certain reservations. Low light and a restricted FOV when comparing to 35mm cameras. Canons price point (in America anyway for $4,000) is superb value surely.

The idea that shallow focus skills seperates the men from the boys with 35mm cameras might be true today, but in the near future? Focusing is ONE issue that could be marked as a negative point in the near future for Red. That is why it would have been wise (i think) not to have simply discounted auto focus as simply not pro but at least have put something in place that would utilise any new technology in the near fuuture.

I applaud canons efforts on auto focus it is forward thinking:)

Michael
 
And don't forget the next Cineform 10-bit 4:2:2 recording from the G1's HD-SDI port or even from the A1's uncompressed HD component out.
 
"the XH G1 (right) has the professional BNC jack cluster with SDI output, GenLock input and Time Code input and output."

I haven't been thru the whole thread but,
now that ups the ante.
 
I read somewhere in this thread that the AVC-HD codec will be recording 1080i/24p (and 25p) but where does that leave us for slow motion shots? Will there be an option to shoot AVC-HD interlaced as well as it is with the true progressive cameras nowadays? If not, then Panasonic better implement variable frame rate if they are going to make an AVC-HD version of the DVX attractive to indie filmmakers. I mean, everyone wants the option to shoot slow motion, right?
 
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