mkfotos.com
Well-known member
Which is the better camera (image quality/codec, low light usage, etc.)? Is it even apples to apples? Could someone give me a somewhat objective, and ideally experienced opinion?
EX1 vs. XHA1
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Jay Gladwell
Active member
No, not entirely. The EX cameras are 1/2 inch full raster 1920x1080 CMOS. The XHA1 is 1/3 inch 1440x1080 CCDs, and that's just beginning.
Go online, open the cameras' specs in different browsers and compare.
Insofar as opinions are concerned, they're like noses, everybody's got one. The most important one is yours.
Duke M.
Veteran
I have owned both and both are good to great cameras, but there are differences. Some of the main ones are:
The EX1 was used in District 9 and Public Enemies with Johnny Depp. The A1 was used in Crank2. Both were used in countless indie movies.
Hope that helps.
Duke
- The EX1 has higher resolution, as noted in the specs above.
- The A1 doesn't suffer from CMOS skew and jello because it has CCD sensors. That makes it much easer to use with movement. (However, CCD sensors can suffer from bright light smear, though that's not anywhere near as frequent IMHO.)
- They both have many settings in their picture profile, though the A1 has a few more. Most people don't use half of the settings anyway so that may not make a difference. There is more PP support for built in looks for the A1.
- The A1 uses mini-DV tapes, which are cheap and available anywhere. This makes a difference if you're in the middle of nowhere and find out you don't have enough media with you. Less so with number 9.
- However, HDV on mini-DV is limited to 1440 width because of the codec and 25Mbps data rate. The EX1 goes up to 35Mbps, but then it has to for 1920 width. Again, the EX1 does have higher resolution, but they can be intercut with only the knowledgeable spotting the cuts. The A1 has a 1.33 pixel aspect ratio to stretch the image to 1920.
- The A1 can be edited in almost any NLE. The EX1 takes a little, not a lot, faster computer and reasonabley recent software.
- The EX1 has a little more DOF control because of the 1/2" sensor, but this can be offset by the A1's 20x zoom if you can back up enough. Both have good lenses.
- The biggie though is price. People tend to over spend on their camera and underestimate their other costs. A used A1 can sell for less than $2k. I've seen some as low as $1,750. A used EX1 will run $4.5k-$5k.
- EX1's now have good adapter support for SDHC cards so recording media has become cheaper.
- They are both better at low light than consumer cams like the HV20/30, etc. No camcorder is really good at low light. Better to shoot day for night.
The EX1 was used in District 9 and Public Enemies with Johnny Depp. The A1 was used in Crank2. Both were used in countless indie movies.
Hope that helps.
Duke
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Nicholas_SA
Member
The EX1 is better in all regards (image quality/codec, low light usage, etc.)
I shoot with two XHA1's & bought an EX1 yesterday. The EX1 is a brilliant camera!! I will be selling both my XHA1's as soon as possible. Duke outlined all the specs nicely also the fact that the EX1 shoots on solid state cards is wonderful. Tapes are so annoying. You don't have to buy SxS cards which are overpriced, everyone I know uses SD cards with adapters like the E-Films MxR, extremely affordable.
If you can afford the EX1 buy it! I feel like I've wasted two years of my life filming on the XHA1. Likewise if you can afford the EX1R have a look at the new Canon XF300.
Duke M.
Veteran
All the hand held stuff in District 9 was shot on an EX1. They had to dirty it up so it wasn't so clean. Some of Dexter was shot on the EX1 too.
The EX1 is better in all regards except price, storage media (SDHC cards will fail over time), ease of editing, but most importantly movement.
I sold my A1 to buy my EX1. I love the EX1, but the CMOS just doesn't work on a moving crane shot (I have a crane that goes up 20'.) I'll probably purchase a used A1 for crane and Steadicam shots after I finish this movie and free up some money.
Think of it this way, the A1 has a 1440 wide sensor, so its full raster for the storage medium because the HDV is 1440 wide. The EX1 still has 25% more image data though.
Projecting Crank 2, though its a weird movie, you can' t tell it was shot on an A1. It looks as good as anything on the big screen. I don't think using the A1 was a waste for anyone. It was one of the first afordable, professional cameras and still holds its own. I compared its image quality with my friends HMC150 and its very similar in quality, yet the HMC150 is very recent and costs more.
One more factor, you can use a Nanoflash with the EX1, but not with the A1. (The A1 has no HD-SDI. You'd have to get a G1 for that.) With the Nanoflash the EX1 has twice the color data, but the Nano costs more than an A1.
The EX1 is better in all regards except price, storage media (SDHC cards will fail over time), ease of editing, but most importantly movement.
I sold my A1 to buy my EX1. I love the EX1, but the CMOS just doesn't work on a moving crane shot (I have a crane that goes up 20'.) I'll probably purchase a used A1 for crane and Steadicam shots after I finish this movie and free up some money.
Think of it this way, the A1 has a 1440 wide sensor, so its full raster for the storage medium because the HDV is 1440 wide. The EX1 still has 25% more image data though.
Projecting Crank 2, though its a weird movie, you can' t tell it was shot on an A1. It looks as good as anything on the big screen. I don't think using the A1 was a waste for anyone. It was one of the first afordable, professional cameras and still holds its own. I compared its image quality with my friends HMC150 and its very similar in quality, yet the HMC150 is very recent and costs more.
One more factor, you can use a Nanoflash with the EX1, but not with the A1. (The A1 has no HD-SDI. You'd have to get a G1 for that.) With the Nanoflash the EX1 has twice the color data, but the Nano costs more than an A1.
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