DVX100B vs. XH-A1

salils

salils

Well-known member
Does anyone know of a comparison between the DVX100B and Canon's XH-A1 in DV mode? I don't need HD at the moment, but I could sell my DVX for a decent amount, and if the A1 isn't worse in DV mode than the DVX, then I might consider it.
 
Shoot in HDV, edit in HDV and output as DV widescreen. This preserves your HDV for archive but gives you great SD for now. You can't distribute HD at reasonable price yet and very few people own HD DVD's.

You can put HD WMV files on a CD or DVD for display via a laptop and projector if necessary but you can master SD DVD's for distribution or SD for web.

S Cannon
 
Stuff that I have shot in HD and then output to SD-DVD looks far beyond anything I could produce on the DVX, to my eyes anyway.
 
If you're producing 16:9 content, the XHA1 will definitely be sharper. It won't have the Panasonic gamma and color though, so whether you prefer the footage or not is a question for you to answer.

XHA1 downconverted is going to look an awful lot like XL2 footage. If you like the look of XL2 footage you'll probably like the XHA1 just fine.
 
Barry_Green said:
If you're producing 16:9 content, the XHA1 will definitely be sharper. It won't have the Panasonic gamma and color though, so whether you prefer the footage or not is a question for you to answer.

XHA1 downconverted is going to look an awful lot like XL2 footage. If you like the look of XL2 footage you'll probably like the XHA1 just fine.
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Yep it looks just like XL2 footage, shot in DV or HDV downconvert. I had an XL2 before it and when I shot DV it looked exactly like my XL2 did.

- Kyle
 
I'm just worried that I won't get the low-light performance in the A1 that I get in the DVX. (shooting in DV, I know in HDV you lose a lot of light) Also, does anyone happen to have a DVX and an A1 that could compare the two directly? I really like my DVX's colors, if they are anything like the HVX's colors then I'll stick with my DVX. (based on the comparison A1 vs HVX)
The main thing I'm afraid of is being stuck with an SD camera worth next to nothing when I need to go HD.
 
salils said:
I'm just worried that I won't get the low-light performance in the A1 that I get in the DVX. (shooting in DV, I know in HDV you lose a lot of light) Also, does anyone happen to have a DVX and an A1 that could compare the two directly? I really like my DVX's colors, if they are anything like the HVX's colors then I'll stick with my DVX. (based on the comparison A1 vs HVX)
The main thing I'm afraid of is being stuck with an SD camera worth next to nothing when I need to go HD.
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Salils:

You have virtually answered the question with the above. The A-1 offers the ability to customize the look through presets. This site and DVINFO.net offer alist of 18 custom presets one is PRESET18.CPF "PANALOOK" is Steven Dempsey's prefered setting which accurately emulates the DVX100.

There are differences yes but the A1 is highly customizable. If you can make money now with the DVX then use it until it pays for itself and study HD alternatives in the future.

I will say though that you sound like you are influenced by what you read from some posts or other articles but have not used the A1.

I have the A1 and two DVX 100b's we use all of them. All have paid for themselves. I will use the DVX's until they won't work anymore but I am using the A1 more for new projects. I continue to look at new technology and I am sure NAB will introduce a load of new products. But I can make money now with these tools and no doubt will acquire new toys in the future.

S Cannon
 
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i've owned both cams and even downconverted i prefer the look of my a1 over my panasonic.i guess it comes down to what works for you.
 
I've used both-- no doubt the A1 will be sharper, even in SD. But your point about low-light is very legitimate. The DVX is EXCELLENT in low light. The A1 doesn't come close. So if you're shooting exclusively for standard def, and frequently in very-low-light, the DVX would be the way to go. Otherwise the tack-sharp hi def future-proof-ness of the A1 would take my vote.

The HVX is similarly not nearly as good in low-light as the DVX. As far as I understand it has a lot to do with pixel density on the CCDs, cramming more pixels into the same area to get high def, means tinier area to grab those oh so valuable photons. That's obviously not the whole story, but the point being that the HD cameras in this price bracket are going to be less sensitive than their SD counterparts.

-Kevin
 
salils said:
I'm just worried that I won't get the low-light performance in the A1 that I get in the DVX.
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You won't. DVX can be 4x as light-sensitive as the A1, if you're shooting in 60i.

I really like my DVX's colors, if they are anything like the HVX's colors then I'll stick with my DVX. (based on the comparison A1 vs HVX)
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DVX and HVX can produce identical color. A1 doesn't produce color anything like the DVX/HVX.

The main thing I'm afraid of is being stuck with an SD camera worth next to nothing when I need to go HD.
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If that's a serious concern, then yes you should have your eye on the next cam. If you're getting requests for HD, go HD. But don't go there before you need to, and when you need to, get the best that you can afford at that time. New cams come out all the time.
 
Barry_Green said:
You won't. DVX can be 4x as light-sensitive as the A1, if you're shooting in 60i.


DVX and HVX can produce identical color. A1 doesn't produce color anything like the DVX/HVX.


If that's a serious concern, then yes you should have your eye on the next cam. If you're getting requests for HD, go HD. But don't go there before you need to, and when you need to, get the best that you can afford at that time. New cams come out all the time.
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ick..I'll stick with my dvx
 
For the record, the Canon produces a more natural colour out of the box compared to the almost 'oversaturated' tone of the DVX/HVX.

When I started shooting, I thought the DVX was THE camera because of the colour tone. It's so filmlike (or so I thought) to me back then. I only used the XL1s before and in comparison, the Canon looks 'bland'.

Fast forward to today, I realized the DVX colour is way too saturated to be like film. The canon more 'bland' or natural tone looks more filmlike to me.

I always have to desaturate in post when I shoot with the DVX. The Cinegamma is always too saturated to produce a natural looking skintone.

Orange looking skin is nothing pleasent and looks even more video.
 
Correct me if I am wrong but when downconverted in camera to SD doesn't FCP read the 'F' stuff like the usual DV stuff as in the data being carried in the 60i stream for NTSC and 50i stream for PAL.
 
There's no such thing as DV 24F/25F/30F though. When in DV mode it's all recorded as regular 30P/25P or as 24P/24PA.

"24F/25F/30F" only applies to HDV.
 
salils said:
ick..I'll stick with my dvx
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I think you should try to get your hands on the A1 and then make up your mind. There's a zillion different articles and opinions out there...some of them are correct, some too personal, some too biased, many too influenced by other opinions and articles. I'm sure it's not that difficult to find someone near you to make some tests of your own and make your OWN conclusions for your OWN personal needs...You might be passing on a good deal. Good luck.
 
Not to argue with you Barry, but I think you are greatly undershooting the color of the A1. If you have seen Disjecta's presets, it would be safe (IMO) to say that the A1 can come remarkably close to HVX/DVX's color.
 
It can come remarkably close to the DVX's middle colors, yes. But that's the middle settings; the HVX and DVX can produce way more saturated colors than the XHA1 can.
 
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