New Sony´s HDV Toy...

Fernando Kurezyn Jr.

Fernando Kurezyn Jr.

Active member
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Well, if you don't like "fake stuff" you're really not going to like their SLOW REC function!

Other than that, it looks pretty darn good from the specs and the first reviews. Not released yet so we can't put our hands on it, but if someone wanted HDV, the new Canon and Sony are looking much better than the first generation of HDV cams.
 
Barry_Green said:
Well, if you don't like "fake stuff" you're really not going to like their SLOW REC function!

Other than that, it looks pretty darn good from the specs and the first reviews. Not released yet so we can't put our hands on it, but if someone wanted HDV, the new Canon and Sony are looking much better than the first generation of HDV cams.
Click to expand...

Why many many users like HDV?... i dont get it!!!...
is about NO information?... is about.. no hands on cameras (i mean a bunch of models to compare) or what?...

here in Mexico MANY video producers SCREEM and PROCLAM that they use HDV as the best and the ultimate greatest thing in the world... is kind of sad =(
i feel so lonely hereeeeee... lol

thanks Barry!

fer
 
LOL... lot of fun!!!.. yeah!!... the thing is... Sony´s engineers are sooo busy with Play Station 3... and stuff like that.. as Microsoft with XBox... i hope Apple´s and Panasonic´s do not decide to develope an iPod GAME BOX or some thing LOL... that would be the end of decent video and professional stuffs.

PLEASEEEEE... APPLE... PANASONIC.. KEEP DOING GOOD STUFF...

THANKS!!!

Fer
 
Did you say "Barry's shootout" - that would be sweet. I noticed Barry asking questions about the A1 (and then he locked the thread). When do we get the first impressions Barry?
 
It'd go so much easier if it wasn't raining all day yesterday; I've only been able to do test charts and indoors stuff so far.

My initial impression is the A1 is the best HDV camera yet; certainly for the price. If someone doesn't mind the tape/HDV thing, the A1 is better than the FX1 and HD100, and operationally I like it better than the XLH1. There's plenty of things about it that bug me too, but hey -- it's thousands less than the JVC or H1 or Z1, it delivers a nice sharp picture, and while it's as noisy as all the others (other than the Z1/FX1), that can't really be viewed as a drawback because, hey, they're all equivalently noisy... Biggest/most pleasant surprise for me is: the focus ring is usable! It's not the despicable wet-cabbage style that has characterized prior Canon products (although the zoom ring still is). The zoom range is sweet though; very nice to have 20x and retain the wide angle FOV. It's also thinner and lighter than the HVX, which is a bonus for handheld.

It's all a matter of perspective. If I was coming from the HVX perspective I'd think the Canon is limited in a lot of ways -- no VFR, no 720 mode, no 4:2:2, no DV50, only one zebra, no spotmeter function, compressed audio, only two channels, audio control is limited as compared to HVX, it's tape-based, the tapes only play back on Canon products, etc. If I was coming from the DVX perspective (and thereby meaning I still felt the tape workflow was just fine) then I'd probably think I'd struck gold here -- more image control, HD images, native 16:9, and lots of telephoto. In short, I think it's priced about right -- it's so interesting because of its price point; if it was $7000 I'd say pass, but at $3999 it's priced right. But then there's Sony too, also with a 20x lens, but with CMOS instead of CCD and claiming better latitude. So I'll have to get ahold of one of those and see how it fares.

So: would I buy an XHA1 instead of an HVX? Oh hell no. Not a chance on this earth or any other -- I think the HVX is easily the better tool for the professional. Unless I absolutely had to record an hour on a tape, and I was comfortable with the idea that no camera other than a Canon could play that tape. But using the A1 makes me feel like I'm locked in a smaller box, as compared to the HVX (even though the image is somewhat sharper than the HVX). The HVX is the better tool, and more flexible, and the one I'd reach for first, no doubt, as long as the job could be done with the P2 workflow.

Would I buy an XHA1 instead of an HD100 or HD110 or XLH1 or FX1? Absolutely yes, no question. It may not be able to interchange its lens like the others, but with the 20x zoom range you probably don't need to. If I was content with the HDV format and tape workflow, the XHA1 is, so far, in all ways I can think of to care about, a better choice than the other HDV cams (unless you absolutely have a need to exchange lenses.)

Would I buy an XHA1 instead of a Z1? Hmmm, interesting question. If I need clean noise-free imagery, no. A1's a noise monster as compared to the almost-noiseless Z1. But if I need sharper imagery and true 24fps cadence, then absolutely yes the A1 is better. And cheaper. With a better zoom range, but the Z1 has a better zoom ring. So, this one's not so clear-cut; as a 60i-only, noiseless camera the Z1 still has some things going for it.

I have to take the A1 outdoors though. Hopefully the weather will be clear today and I'll get a chance to do that. All these impressions you just read about are based on lab testing and reading the manual and playing with the features, not real-world working with it out in the field.

(but hey, you asked for first impressions!)
 
Six of one, half-dozen of the other. The HVX's looks like it's swimming under the surface of the image, the XHA1's looks like a layer of grit on top of the image. A1's grain does look rather 16mm-ish, but then again the HVX's grain looks filmish too but in a different way. Neither looks like a Z1, which has that slick "looking through a window" look.
 
Color is so paintable on the A1 that it's hard to judge. You can boost saturation or shift the phase or change the individual channel color gain or switch among a few different matrices. To do a comprehensive test of its capabilities and how they compare against the other cameras would require a lot more people and a lot more time than I've got. I mean, just because you can adjust it, does that mean you can dial it in to look really good? I don't know. I can really only do a cursory exam of this camera in the allotted timeframe; there's no way I could dig into it deep enough in just a couple of days to really explore all that it's capable of.

And, again, this is all just lab stuff so far, I've got to take it in the field to get some representative shots. Hopefully later today.
 
Thanks Barry. I am looking to replace my DVX-100 and still need to shoot tape (international work) and the zoom for corporate events. Waiting to hear more from ya...
 
Yes, thanks Barry. I really apreciate your posts. I suppose it's way to premature to ask about film-out abilities between all these cameras.
 
I saw some v-1 footage last week at the miami expo. It was being played back on a sony hdv deck. The camera appears to be the real deal. It had a very nice 24p look and I saw no motion artifacts. The blacks looked a little milky but I think this camera is going to be a major hit for sony.
 
Barry_Green said:
Six of one, half-dozen of the other. The HVX's looks like it's swimming under the surface of the image, the XHA1's looks like a layer of grit on top of the image. A1's grain does look rather 16mm-ish, but then again the HVX's grain looks filmish too but in a different way. Neither looks like a Z1, which has that slick "looking through a window" look.
Click to expand...

Its true that the Z1 has an almost noisefree image, but the noise in the A1 seems to be better handled in the NR settings. I've never seen any grain in video, or it is artificial, grain is film only.
 
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