AC130: Let's try another comparison, how about the Canon XF100 versus the Panny AC130

djkoz said:
Under $2,400 for the Canon XF100 on this site:
http://www.buyherephoto.com/default/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=xf100&x=0&y=0
Click to expand...


Definitely stay away from that website. Lots and lots of complaints have been posting online about buyherephoto.com Just Google the company's name and you will find links to all manner of nightmarish reports of bait and switch.

Whenever looking at a website, one should always be concerned if:

1) The website is new. In many cases, one finds that it is just a company that has changed its name, because its reputation has become so bad under its old name.
2) They do not provide an actual physical address on their website. A legitimate business will generally always have that information available.

The recommendation to simply buy from a vendor that sponsors this website is probably the very best advice of all.
 
one issue that has not been brought up is that Canon repair center is awesome to deal with , as Panisonic is one of the worst, I have heard of people sending in their can and it taking monthes to get it back from pani, I also just read a post here about a week ago about a guy that had his camera lost by panisonic, he had to jump through all kinds of loops to get a replacement, which was a refurb.

The panisonic has a terrible autofocus, the 5 yr old xha1 is much faster, the canon codec, 4:2:2 seals the deal, It's odd the hvx 200 had 422 and the newer can does not. hmmm, wonder why.
 
The new replacment cam for the hvx 200/hpx 170 is the hpx 250 and it has 10 bit 4:2:2. So comparing the 130/160 to the 200 is invalid.
 
I've never had a problem with Panasonic repair centers. I live in a major metropolitan area of course, so I have easier access than someone who lives in North Dakota. But I would argue against any statement that says Panasonic is the worst. I've never dealt with Canon repair, so perhaps they ARE better. I do know that the 3 Canon repair centers here in Atlanta deal exclusively with broadcast gear and lenses. So if I had an XHA1, it would end up being shipped somewhere else.

I didn't see the post you're referencing about the guy jumping through hoops. Can you give me a link? I'm curious what sort of problems he was having.
 
...Remember that you should rent or borrow the actual cameras before you buy. Sometimes camera specs look great on paper, but turn into bullsh*t when you look at the footage in your editor.

I have noticed a few XF100 videos that showed very prominent lens flare ( not the good kind ) when ever the sun was in the frame, and I have seen one AC160 video where flare was very well controlled when the sun was in the frame.
 
XF100 is amazing. I just got one for some lower-ambition shoots (I have an SLOG F3 also). In my opinion, this footage is better than EX (due to the wonderful codec) and will fit in nicely as a B-cam/crash-cam with my F3 stuff. The ergonomics make it a little strange since it's so small, but the powered-IS is just grand and makes it very usable hand-held.

LIKES:
50Mbps 4:2:2 CODEC
Screen/Displays (packed with features...looks great)
Scopes
XLS's (on something this size)
CF slots (curse Sony/Panasonic/Red for their stupid media pricing!)
Did I say CODEC? This grades VERY well.
Battery life
Profiles
Size

DISLIKES:
Canon's file system (it works, but really? Why so archaic?)
IRIS/GAIN/SHUTTER (a bit clunky and slow to get changed. But they don't have a lot of real-estate for these)
Headphone jack (it's in the back, under the battery, under a cover--hard to get to, bad location)
Electronic ND. ( Really? Take a cam with pro features and do this? FAIL! Going to see if my matte-box will work on it. For now, will do Vari-ND screw-in)
Size (yes, this is both a plus and minus--for some things, size counts--for me, not sure THIS much!)
Waveform and guides do not live on screen at same time (I assume this is a processing power thing, but what if you have to keep an eye on safe AND watch exposures at the same time? FAIL)

I'm going to hook-up my KiPro to it and see how the on-board CODEC holds up to ProRes at a higher bit-rate. I suspect the color will be better. We'll see.
 
I've been debating the choice between these 2 cameras for event videography. On paper it appears to be a hard choice, however, once I saw the xf100 in person I have realized that the short zoom will NOT work for me.

Since I mostly film events and sometimes from a great distant away, the zoom is a great concern for me. I would hate to drop 3k on the xf100 to be disappointed when filming on location.

Guess I'll be picking up the Panasonic, and I don't feel like I'm compromising either, feels more like an upgrade :love4: I was so SOLD on the xf100 for a long time......until I went hands on with one.
 
I found the lens on the XF100 very flare prone compared to the AC130 lens. Try shooting with the sun in the frame and you will see a huge difference between these two cameras.
 
A little off track but I will have to agree that Panasonic warranty service is not so good. Their main problem is lack of communication and camera tracking in the repair process for the customer to view online. Panasonic's idea of communication is for you to use a call center that only relays information. You never know when your camera will be returned and when it does there is no paperwork that explains what work was completed. Instead, you receive a statement from Panasonic several weeks later. About the only way you can get someone at the repair center to talk to is to contact Jan and she will try to hook you up with a technician which is not her job in the first place.
 
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Well, so far the opposite for me. I am dealing with the west coast Panasonic service center on a issue and they have been extremely helpful. They have communicated to me and are very helpful in resolving my issues. This goes along ways when choosing a company to do business with.

So far they have earned my business for future purchases......
 
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