Canon XH-A1s VERSUS Canon DSLR's (60D/7D...)

Canon XH-A1s has been dispatched

Canon XH-A1s has been dispatched

The site I ordered XH-A1s says that the camera has been dispatched. I think it means only one thing - thank you all for your help. Believe me or not you helped me a lot :happy:.
 
I decided to mess around with the xha1 yesterday up the street at a local fishing pier. This is straight xha1, no adapter, A little grading in post. It was super windy out, so tough to get a smooth shot. Anyways it's something to look at from the camera you just bought. I still found it to be a pleasure to shoot with. Love the built in Nd filters the gh2 doesn't have. Make sure to watch it in 1080.:happy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbpp-3nxozU
 
maranfilms said:
I decided to mess around with the xha1 yesterday up the street at a local fishing pier. This is straight xha1, no adapter, A little grading in post. It was super windy out, so tough to get a smooth shot. Anyways it's something to look at from the camera you just bought. I still found it to be a pleasure to shoot with. Love the built in Nd filters the gh2 doesn't have. Make sure to watch it in 1080.:happy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbpp-3nxozU
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Woow... the quality is really great. And it has that cool grainy effects. I think DSLR's wouldn't do that effect by themselves. Thank you VERY MUCH for the video. I would hug you :D ... thanks :)
 
Your welcome, glad I could give you some piece of mind. The xha1 has a nice grainy bokah, As you can see, your easily able to get a shallow dof to. You just need to zoom in the lens, and take a step back.

Duke suggested the ex1, which is a nice camera, but it's more money, and the picture looks very videoish. I prefer more of a film aesthetic the xha1 produces. You may want to look into a citidisk cfr, for your xha1, it gives the ability to record onto a cf card, which makes editing faster. Although if you capture through firewire, it's not a big deal, just takes longer. I usually work on something else if Im capturing footage via firewire. Let me know when you get it.
 
maranfilms said:
Don't let anyone tell you the xha1 cannot produce filmic images. I have the xha1's and a regular xha1, I also have the gh2, and t3i. There's the thing, If you spend some time with the canon xha1, you can create a custom preset with neutral settings, this will help when color grading your footage. I also set up a low light preset that works beautifully with 6 decibel of gain, there's no noise or grain at all. You can also get a shallow dof if you zoom in the lens. You just have to move away from the subject. You can also use a dof adapter, Redrock m2 encore looks beautiful with the xha1. I use a citidisk and firestore to record to cf card, So I don't worry about the time it takes to capture footage from tape. 60D has low resolution, about standard def, but it uses aliasing to create an illusion it has more. You can only record 4 gigs on the canon dslr's which is not a wise choice for doing any type of event footage. I say keep it, give it a chance. even though it's been around for a long time, it still impresses me from time to time.

I can make a short video for you showing the capabilities this camera has.
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I got my XH-A1s today and it's a GREAT CAMERA... very nice and sharp video, only the stabilizing is not great, but 100x better then any DSLR :D

BUT - I was trying to set my framerate to 24 fps, but I couldn't find that option - There was only 50i and 25f. Also when I turn it on the 25f, the picture is not very smooth on the LCD or even in the viewfiender, it's like if I turn the shutter to a very low number, but in PC or on a TV, it goes like 25fps, smoothly.

Q1 - Is there any way I could turn the framerate to 24 fps?
Q2 - Can I overwrite the tape with another footages? And if so, can I do it infinitely many times?
Q3 - Is there any way to solve that not very smooth preview of the video? When I turn it to 50i, it goes smooth on the LCD or viewfinder, but when I set it to 25f, it's not smooth. Even the manual says at the 25F - For playback, the signal is converted to 50i but video output from the HDV/DV terminal will be 25p


BUT IT DOESN'T CONVERT IT!!!


How can I solve these 2 problems? Thanks.
 
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1 - no, PAL countries have only 50i/25f
2 - yes, but it depends on a quality of the tape and this part of camcorder (you got more drops)
3 - XH-A1s is native 50i camcorder. The 25fps is interpolated in the image procesor (canon marks true 25fps with "p", interpolated 25fps with "f" - 25p/25f). It is better shoot at native 50i.
 
Pave1 said:
1 - no, PAL countries have only 50i/25f
2 - yes, but it depends on a quality of the tape and this part of camcorder (you got more drops)
3 - XH-A1s is native 50i camcorder. The 25fps is interpolated in the image procesor (canon marks true 25fps with "p", interpolated 25fps with "f" - 25p/25f). It is better shoot at native 50i.
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Thank you very much :) But I will stay at the 25F, because it has better "film" look. If I would do a soap opera or wedding, or any of these events, I would switch to 50i
 
tom1597530 said:
I got my XH-A1s today and it's a GREAT CAMERA... very nice and sharp video, only the stabilizing is not great, but 100x better then any DSLR :D
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The image, or the stabilizing? Because I owned a XH-A1s and while it was a great camera for a few years... it's absolutely not even in the same league as a DSLR picture. It looks pretty down-right terrible next to my 7D or GH2 footage.

I'm not trying to knock anything here... I'm just trying to help people make the best decisions. And if you need that narrative cinematic look... the XH-A1 can 100% NOT achieve this at all... trust me.

Watch some XH-A1 footage... then watch something from a 5D. If you don't see the difference, then you should probably not be buying any camera at all...
 
First of all, the image stabilization is decent on that cam. I would say avg.

I'm not trying to knock anything here... I'm just trying to help people make the best decisions. And if you need that narrative cinematic look... the XH-A1 can 100% NOT achieve this at all... trust me.
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I certainly wouldn't trust your judgement. or anyone that states that the XHA1 can't achieve a "cinematic" look for that matter. "Cinematic film" starts with lighting, blocking, framing, acting, DIRECTING, location scouting, art direction, wardrobe, makeup, and combine that with good audio and sound design, then if you have a camera that can shoot 24, 25 frames, can get 180 degree shutter or close, it, And with a compotent camera crew (dp, ac,) absolutly can deliver a "cinematic look".

I'm not saying the xha1 isn't a bit long in the tooth, it is. But for someone that has owned one to say it's not capable of a cinematic image obviously didn't learn to shoot with the camera. Try to remember each camera has it's pros and cons. Their tools, the same as mics. I wouldn't use a shotgun in an auditorium. Nor would I use a 5d if I were shooting a guy with a plaid jacket standing in front of a brick house. These are very different cameras. Both are capable of beautiful results in the right hands and locations.

Enjoy your camera, have fun, learn, shoot, and make some vids.
 
fire on a 35mm adapter sgblade from shoot35 with some good lenses and you have a great organic cinematic effect
 
Baddgsx said:
fire on a 35mm adapter sgblade from shoot35 with some good lenses and you have a great organic cinematic effect
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Yes, I already chose this adapter. I will buy it as soon, as I get more money. But what is the difference betweend Canon EOS mount and Canon FD mount? And also what is the difference between SGBlade Non-Flip Tube and SGBlade FLIPmodule?

Thanks
 
maranfilms said:
I certainly wouldn't trust your judgement. or anyone that states that the XHA1 can't achieve a "cinematic" look for that matter. "Cinematic film" starts with lighting, blocking, framing, acting, DIRECTING, location scouting, art direction, wardrobe, makeup, and combine that with good audio and sound design, then if you have a camera that can shoot 24, 25 frames, can get 180 degree shutter or close, it, And with a compotent camera crew (dp, ac,) absolutly can deliver a "cinematic look".

I'm not saying the xha1 isn't a bit long in the tooth, it is. But for someone that has owned one to say it's not capable of a cinematic image obviously didn't learn to shoot with the camera. Try to remember each camera has it's pros and cons. Their tools, the same as mics. I wouldn't use a shotgun in an auditorium. Nor would I use a 5d if I were shooting a guy with a plaid jacket standing in front of a brick house. These are very different cameras. Both are capable of beautiful results in the right hands and locations.
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I have had many compliments on my work with my XH-A1... in fact it was durring my years with the XH-A1 that some people, professors, ect... suggested that I seriously pursue directing/cinematography. I would, myself though, not consider any of images I shot to be close to the 35mm cinema look, whereas the DSLRs these days finally meet my expectations of what I'm seeing in my head when I think "cinema". It's not user abilities... it just 1/3" sensors look like 1/3" sensors and 35mm looks like 35mm. You can't change this no matter the skill level. (besides a 35mm adapter or something).
 
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You want the fd mount or nikon mount. The eos mount is for the newer style canon lenses. The Redrock, handy35, or sgblade, are all spinning adapters, which is what you want. The vibrators suck for the most part. The flip will flip the image in real time, the non flip will need to be flipped horizontal and verticle in post. The flip eats about a half stop of light. Look on ebay for a redrock encore, or sgblade. make sure you get an achromat lens with your setup.

I did tests with the t3i vs xha1 with redrock encore, same lens. The xha1 was a bit sharper in every shot. Not much but enought to see it by looking.
 
GH2user said:
I have had many compliments on my work with my XH-A1... in fact it was durring my years with the XH-A1 that some people, professors, ect... suggested that I seriously pursue directing/cinematography. I would, myself though, not consider any of images I shot to be close to the 35mm cinema look, whereas the DSLRs these days finally meet my expectations of what I'm seeing in my head when I think "cinema". It's not user abilities... it just 1/3" sensors look like 1/3" sensors and 35mm looks like 35mm. You can't change this no matter the skill level. (besides a 35mm adapter or something).
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Granted a 1/3 inch sensor looks like a 1/3rd in sensor. But there's no reason you cant make a 1/3rd in sensor look cinematic.

I beg to differ, it's prodominetly user ability that enables the camera to look cinematic. And everything I listed above. This is why I get irritated. People have this HUGE misconception that if they buy a dslr, or large sensor camera, their footage magicly becomes cinematic. There's more out of focus, dizzying dslr footage out there that it's sickening. And don't get me wrong. I love my gh2, It's a fabulous camera. But it's not the cam for every type of shooting. Many people need good audio instantly, and without using off board recording. Some people need to do whio pans, which the CCD will always be the clear winer. As I ststed above cameras are tools of the trade. A painter wouldn't use the same brush for every job now would he?
 
maranfilms said:
Granted a 1/3 inch sensor looks like a 1/3rd in sensor. But there's no reason you cant make a 1/3rd in sensor look cinematic.
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Actually there is a very good one. Cinema, by definition, is a 35mm medium. 1/3" sensors are closer to 8mm. They just don't have the same feel.

The clip you posted looks good and shows a degree of talent and potential... but it really doesn't have that big cinema feel. Honestly, it really doesn't. It feels like a high budget student film, even though the blocking and framing ARE all cinematic... it's just the motion/detail/feel is off. It's not cinema. It's also not the operators fault, it just that camcorders look like camcorders...

And I'm not just saying that to say that... I'm just being objective. The same way I've been objective with all my work. People would always say I had a cinematic style of shooting, but I knew, when I was honest with myself, the footage just lacked that "feel"... no matter how well-shot it was. If you want that 35mm cinema look... you just HAVE to shoot onto a 35mm focal plane. Be it DSLR, Letus adapter, or Red. 35mm feels like 35mm, that's just all there is to it. I shoot with EX3's and XF100's all the time side-by-side with DSLRs, same lighting and everything, and they just lack the cinema feel, straight up.
 
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