Deck options for XHA1?

W

Wano540

Active member
From what I understand the 24f mode on the XHA1 can only be played back on the camera and the HV20/10. Are there any other options out there if I want to shoot to tape and capture without wearing the heads?

At work we have a Sony Z1U along with a Sony HDV deck and the combo works great, especially because we can preview HDV from FCP through the deck and on to the SD Color monitor. I would like to see a similar solution for the Canon cameras. I would like to hear any of your ideas and what you do to capture.
 
Wano540 said:
Are there any other options out there if I want to shoot to tape and capture without wearing the heads?
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I am starting to think that this fear we all have of 'ruining the heads' is keeping us from truly enjoying our cameras. I worried about that on my XL1 and, truth is, I probably could have just used the hell out of my camera and not had any problems by the time it came to upgrade. What kind of use does it take to really get in the realm of damaging the heads? 1000 hours? 5000 hours? I really don't know.

Having said that, if you are considering paying for a deck, how about paying for a firestore? You can shoot simultaneous to tape (Have a back up) and never need to actually digitize. Just a thought.
 
Oynk said:
I am starting to think that this fear we all have of 'ruining the heads' is keeping us from truly enjoying our cameras. I worried about that on my XL1 and, truth is, I probably could have just used the hell out of my camera and not had any problems by the time it came to upgrade. What kind of use does it take to really get in the realm of damaging the heads? 1000 hours? 5000 hours? I really don't know.

Having said that, if you are considering paying for a deck, how about paying for a firestore? You can shoot simultaneous to tape (Have a back up) and never need to actually digitize. Just a thought.
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Well, I have mixed feelings about the Firestore it's great, but limited, and more so than the fear of wearing my heads is, that it is much more convenient to have a deck. Projects I have worked on required a deck because the camera is out shooting and that same day we will be capturing the footage from the day before. It provides much more flexibility and controlling a tape through a deck is much easier than a camera. Also, when I first started shooting I shoot with a GL2 and also captured with it. I had to send it in to get the tape transport replaced after a year, although I do know that was a common problem with the GL2.
 
Oynk said:
I am starting to think that this fear we all have of 'ruining the heads' is keeping us from truly enjoying our cameras. I worried about that on my XL1 and, truth is, I probably could have just used the hell out of my camera and not had any problems by the time it came to upgrade.
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I had an XL-1 for 6 years which I used as a deck also.

I bought an extended warranty when I got the camera and Canon replaced the drum once under warranty.

I never had ANY problems shooting and using the camera as a deck in all that time and I shot hundreds of hours of footage.

I'm currently using my A1 as a deck also.

.
 
Have you looked at the prices of professional video tape decks (and there are no other)?

You can buy a second, and third XH-A1 with that money.

I would rather have 2 or 3 cameras then one cam, one deck...
 
I think Canon took the fact that most indi film makers, don't have alot of money. So they built the A1 to be used as a deck to cut costs down. Most of us also edit so we probly have a Mac book laying around somewhere that can be used to instant capture with the right software. I love my A1 and plan to run it till lens cracks
 
KROOKEDKROWN said:
I think Canon took the fact that most indi film makers, don't have alot of money. So they built the A1 to be used as a deck to cut costs down. Most of us also edit so we probly have a Mac book laying around somewhere that can be used to instant capture with the right software. I love my A1 and plan to run it till lens cracks
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I think it's more likely because 24F mode appears on only the XL-H1, A1 and G1. Those cameras don't really have a long enough shelve life to justify developing a deck. Canon's future cameras might well have natively progressive chip that would make their 24F decks worthless.
 
Why don't you want to record to an HV10? You could capture live to a laptop. But you want instant archive right?

Don't worry about the heads. Even if you record 3 hours every day, it should still be working untill the XH A1 is nearly obsolete. So have fun with your camera!

If the heads fail on you before 2010, send me a PM and I'll see what I can do. Maybe I'll even buy you new ones. :)
 
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