no XL-H1 replacement at NAB?

Canon's upgrade cycle has been historically about three years between models. Three years from XL1 to XL1S, three years from XL1S to XL2. The XLH1 hit sooner than "normal", IIRC it was two to two and a half years from XL2 to XLH1. So by historical pattern (which, just like in stocks, means nothing) they wouldn't be likely to introduce an XLH1 replacement until November 2007 at the earliest, and more likely November 2008. But the way they've been introducing new models recently, anything's possible.
 
Barry is right. The H1 was rushed to market as Canon could not afford to wait 3 years to intoduce an HDV camera to compete. Traditionally they would wait until the formats shake out or at least see what everyone else has success with and then add onto that. That is their track record.

A minor update to the H1 is possible as there are now a few small features that the A1 and the G1 have over it. However it is unlikely.
 
And whatever the introduction date, you can expect another -- what? -- half year to a year for actual availability?

Now I wonder why B&H dropped the price so much.
 
No, Canon is usually very quick from introduction to market. Canon usually doesn't announce products until they're close to shipping them; I think the XLH1 was about four or six weeks from introduction to shipping.
 
If I were to guess, it'd be the XHA1. Basically the same imaging, same recording format, same DSP, same chips, at $5,500 less. The XLH1 hasn't exactly been a sales barnstormer, and I'd guess (and it's only a guess) that many people who might have otherwise been an XLH1 customer are finding that the XHA1 does what they need for soooo much less. So B&H has to adjust the price to make the XLH1 more appealing than it otherwise was.
 
Barry, I'd think that might be the case, but other dealers haven't followed B&H's lead. Maybe B&H also has more margin for discounting than the smaller players.
 
Thing is, B&H is a big dog and can do pretty much whatever they want. There was a lot of talk in the early days that Canon was enforcing a fixed-price policy; if you wanted to be authorized to sell the XLH1, you *had* to sell it at $8999.95, full MSRP, no discounting possible. Canon themselves told me that at their DV Expo booth when the XLH1 was first available.

A few months later B&H dropped the price to $8499 or so, and people asked "so, hey, whassup with that?" and B&H immediately raised it back up. Maybe Canon yelled at 'em, I don't know. And now, they've dropped it again, so that means either a) Canon's one-price policy is now defunct, or b) B&H doesn't care. I'd vote for b), in that B&H is such a huge dealer they can basically dictate terms.

Or, c) Canon has changed their agreement or their MAP, but if that's the case I'd expect to see other dealers following suit.
 
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