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

I just can't read these posts without laughing. I agree, that DSLR's have the 35mm sensor and that they perform better in what we call the cinematic look. But that I think isn't a huge reason to buy a DSLR. I've been testing my XH-A1s for 2 days now and I can say it's a great camera.

Next thing is, that I can whenever buy a lens adaptor and get very close to DSLR's. But the ergonomy is just great. I know, that DSLR's are better in many ways. But there are also huge problems with them, when it comes to overheating, huge files, H.264 compression I think, stabilization, rolling shutter and it is - and always be - a PHOTO CAMERA... It's not built to record movies, it's just a great feature.

That's why professional filmmakers DON'T use DLSR's. They rather buy excessively expensive professional camera, rather then buying a cheap photomachine.

Back to the lens adapters - is the flip one better although it eats some light? Or should I rather buy the non-flip one and do it in post-process?
 
Pave1 said:
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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BBC did a resolution test with an XH G1 using the SDI out. They got around 1015 lines in 50i and 940 lines in 25F. So not much of a difference in resolution, and I've never seen any sort of field blending white footage is playing back in real time. Occasionally if I'm paused on a frame, I can see what looks like the two fields being blended together on certain objects, but it's always obscured by motion blur during playback.

If you want the 25P look, it's better to shoot in 25F.
tom1597530 said:
Back to the lens adapters - is the flip one better although it eats some light? Or should I rather buy the non-flip one and do it in post-process?
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Depends on if you think you can handle framing a shot upside-down. I know I wouldn't want to deal with it. If you're getting an external monitor (which you probably should if you're getting a 35mm adapter), you could probably rig it up so that it's upside-down as well, giving you a normal image for framing. You can flip and flop it in post easily.
 
Yes, but what can I do now, when I already got my camera and I CAN'T RETURN IT! I made a mistake, but I think it's too late right now, unless I wait few years :(
 
tom1597530 said:
That's why professional filmmakers DON'T use DLSR's. They rather buy excessively expensive professional camera, rather then buying a cheap photomachine.
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Try telling this to Shane Hurlbut or Rodney Charters... or both (narrative and documentary) 2011 Sundance winners... or the 2009 SXSW winner "Tiny Furniture" DP... or Gale Tattersall. I think you're heads in the right place... but you need to do more research.


And people are not buying DSLRs because "they're cheap photomachines". They're buying them because they're 35mm format and produce a film/professional looking result. What a camera was "intended" to do is completely irrelevant. All that matters is the image they put up on the screen. 90% of "professional video cameras" still don't produce a professional-LOOKING image. You want something to look like a professional commercial? Use a DSLR... a XH-A1 or HVX cannot do this, even if they are "intended" to be professional. The proof is in the pudding. Look at the footage, not the camera.

BTW, DSLR footage has much better compression than HDV. 50mb/s H.264(DSLR)>25mb/s HDV(XH-A1). HDV is terrible.

tom1597530 said:
I agree, that DSLR's have the 35mm sensor and that they perform better in what we call the cinematic look. But that I think isn't a huge reason to buy a DSLR.
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Uhhh... it is if you want the 35mm cinema look. lol. Are you trying to be a cinematographer or videographer?
 
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Cinematographer - but like I said. I already got my camera, so it's too late. I will keep it for few weeks and if I won 't be satisfied with it, I will try to sell it and buy a DSLR. But what freaks me out at DSLR's is the stabilization. I was thinking about the SS-302 shoulder rig with handles from Dynamic Motion Video http://www.dynamicmotionvideo.com/index2.php#/fgallery1/1/ I heard it's good at stabilizing, I was asking that question on this forum already, but I haven't found any videos about it. What do you think guys? Does anyone have any experience with SS-302? Or do you know any other shoulder rig, which performs well at stabilizing?
 
Any shoulder rig with a proper counter-balance should do a good job at stabilizing. Tripods are 100% stable also. :cheesy:

For myself... I use the Glidecam HD 1000 myself for almost everything. With DSLRs, it's light enough that you don't need the vest/arm, and you can just "float" the camera around anywhere you want in the scene. It's my favorite way to shoot!
 
tom1597530 said:
Yes, but what can I do now, when I already got my camera and I CAN'T RETURN IT! I made a mistake, but I think it's too late right now, unless I wait few years :(
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I don't think you made a mistake. You won't learn how to use a high end video camera by using a DSLR. A DSLR just doesn't have all the controls you need.

Also, you would need to do a lot of work arounds to get a DSLR to produce good results, wild sound and what not. The A1 will let you move faster with less equipment.

Finally, you will have DOF control in the longer half of the zoom range on the A1, but more important is that its a CCD camera. You won't have jello cam on the A1 from panning, hand held, etc. DSLRs are really bad at skewing, presenting another problem that must be planned around. A professional can get great looking results from a DSLR, but most people don't when they try to shoot a narrative piece.

Use the A1, learn from it. They've been used in actual feature films. Crank2 comes to mind. There's a thread around somewhere that lists them.
 
tom1597530 said:
Yes, but what can I do now, when I already got my camera and I CAN'T RETURN IT! I made a mistake, but I think it's too late right now, unless I wait few years :(
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check out 35mm adapters for the xh-a1. it will open up a whole new world for your xh-a1. i have the shoot35 sgblade on mine and love it.
 
Yes I know. But can I do something with the weak low-light performance? Is there any way to solve it (I don't mean the half stop loss at the SGBlade slip tube, but generally the camera)? Or must I just buy some lights and lighten the setup up?
 
You need to light your scenes regardless if your using a dof adapter, or just naked camera. The only time the light loss is an issue, is when your shooting indoors, night. Outside daytime is no issue.
 
i agree with Maranfilms. in manual mode youll need extra light indoors to get good images. I dont like to touch gain over 0 since it introduces more noise than i can handle.


the adapter bokeh has a more organic look to it than any dslr that ive seen. the positives on owning a good 35mm adapter out weight the cons.
 
OK thank you. And I was also wondering. What shutter speed should I use? I am doing movies, and I realized that 1/100 is best for action scenes and 1/50 is good for everything all. But does it look more "filmy" to leave it on 1/100 at any time (of course without being limited by light)?
 
i capture in 24p with the xh-a1 with a shutter speed at 1/48th which is the recommended amount of blurr for the "film look" for 25p its probably 1/50th
 
the xh-a1 is still a strong contender. its a great 8bit camera with lots of protential in the right hands. Going 10bit from camera to post product with no bottle necks is more expensive done right
 
I read the thread b/c I use a 7D to shoot HD video in addition to stills. OP has some weird "opinions" about DSLRs (example: claiming pro filmmakers don't use DSLRs), but in the end I think OP just needs some comfort from others, for not making a better/best choice. For that matter, I'll repeat what's already said many times here: you did get a GREAT camcorder, which even comes with a pro L lens too!

tom1597530 said:
Yeah, thanks. :) I hope I will be satisfied with the camcorder :)
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I wish you would. But I strongly doubt you actually will. A video DSLR, such as 7D, is also GREAT, and it opens up numerous new opportunities hardly possible with an inexpensive conventional camcorder.... (No need to repeat anything here now, as you must already know most, if not all, of them...)
 
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