HVR-A1 or the FX7E

StayNuts

StayNuts

Active member
Thinking to buy a new cam, don't know which type yet...
anyone a suggestion... ?

was thinking of these models...
- VX2100E ( 3 chips but no HD )
- HVR-A1P/U ( 1 chip)
- FX7E

I know the HVR-V1 is a beauty camera, but far above the budget I want to spend for this camera... next year I will probarly buy a panasonic AJ-SDC615E but then still I need a smaller cam, also easy to film my kids first steps... hahaha... need a new camera for live performances recordings, like bands outside on a stage or in a bar...

Read some reviews that the VX2100E has the best low light performances, nice that is what I need for concert filming... but it's no HD ... & I prefer HD...

Like the HVR-A1 for it's semipro options, the FX7E is more consumer... both have a live histogram, 10.000 shutterspeed, manuals & the same lx rating... the lens of the FX7E is better, it's wider (F1.6/filter 62mm) then the HVR-A1 (F1.8/filter 37mm)... FX7E has minijack inputs for a external mic, the HVR-A1 2xXLR... and I wanna use XLR mics finally as I record a lot of concerts... ( need 2 for cross-stereo ) but yeh, for the FX7E you can buy a external XLR adapter... the A1 is only supplied with that external adapter.... don't know or I can adjust the audio level in the FX7E... in HVR-A1 it can be... FX7E has built in ND filters & the HVR-A1 not but has safety zones, so far I know, the FX7E don't have them...

anyone any suggestion, look for a good HD cam in the price range of a DX7E and HVR-A1... ( 2000-3000 USD )... really don't know what to do & need for this thursday a new cam... ( and get used to it... hahaha )
 
Canon XH-A1 for an extra $500 (rebate $250).

For live performance recording, I'm assuming a low light condition. Then the A1U and the FX7 will both be inferior to the A1 (smaller CMOS chip vs. CCD). Although if you're getting an HD camera then naturally low light isn't going to be one of the best feature (HD cam requires so much more light). The A1 is probably the best of the bunch and I found it struggling during low light scene.
 
The HVR-A1P/U has an 1/3 CMOS chip... 2.97M in one chip... the FX7 3 of the 1/4 CMOS :)

The XH-A1 has 0,4 lux but.... 1/4 seconds shutter speed, F1.6 & 18 dB gain up.... the lux rating is without any dB of gain & a 1/60 shutter, 7 lux.... for the Sony's is that 7 lux also... think when I shoot with 18 dB and a 1/4 second shutter, I also get a 0-something lux rating at the FX7E... like the HV20 has 0.2 lux & the Sony HC7 0 lux... but in real world, its all crap... I follow always the Japanese lux rating ( no grain, 1/60ss ).... just take a simply sunset, in the last 10 minutes my lightmeter measures 3 lux... and a camcorder with a 0 lux rating has already problems, black shadows without any details...

The $$$ difference between a Canon XH-A1 and the Sony HVR-A1 is aprox. $1000... and the difference is not so big... the canon is 3 chips, seperate zoom/focus rings & has a 1.6 lens, but is that for me USD 1000 more worth? Better to spend then a another $1000 more for a real HVR-V1 or a DVX lah... or a few bucks more for an AJ-SDC615E...

VX2100E = US $ 2100.-
HVR-A1 = US $ 2200.-
FX7E = US $ 2800.-
XH-A1 = US $ 3250.-
HVR-V1 = US $ 4000.-

For my videojobs, I still prefer to rent the equipment on location, SDX900E's.... no overhead costs or yearly big investments and always the latest equipment in my hands... also easy when I fly overseas, no big cases to take with, just a local rental agent & the equipment is there... and the client pays... I love it :)))

but I need still a small prosumer camera for some shootings... my wife is a professional musician and she like to have her gigs shooted (2x a week)... to rent each time a SDX900E is to much and a overkill... she has in june a big concert & we gonna coverage that one with a row of SDX's... but that is something else... but I like to have some quality, you never know where we need to footage for, & that is why I was thinking to get the Sony HVR-A1 or FX7E... :)

Like to see some footage of a sunset recorded with the HVR-A1 or the FX7... like to compare them... anyone know where I can see them online?
thx for the help
 
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how more I read about the reviews of some cams & then specially the low light performances... thinking to make the swap & not to get a HD but the DVX100B :)
 
If it's low light you're looking for then HD is the wrong way to go. All these cameras performs extremely poorly in low light. A DVX would definitely serve you better in low light.
 
jade8472 said:
If it's low light you're looking for then HD is the wrong way to go. All these cameras performs extremely poorly in low light. A DVX would definitely serve you better in low light.
Click to expand...
I am afraid too... hahaha... think the DVX can do later always nice as a B cam on the spot when I will get my other Panny...
 
Got yesterday my DVX100B... and start to sleep last night about 5am, just to play with the cam and testing it out... good camera & can understand why a lot of users falled in love with this camera... me too now...

thanks for the help :)
 
Agree with the HD comments.

Sold two DVXs and moved to HDV (one FX7, one HVX coming soon). Both cameras are at least a stop slower than the DVX.

However, I don't mind the noise/grain associated with turning the gain up, since I'm film look processing my FX7 footage afterwards anyway, and my subject matter allows it, so I'm okay with the loss of speed.

If you need something quicker, save your pennies and go for the new XDCam EX when it comes out at the end of the year. I think I will, but my purchases are usually job driven and so I may well make choices differently from most.
 
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