The right camera for me

[yommytacoe]

I've been shooting with an HV20 for over a year, and i'm ready for an upgrade. I used my hv20 for short films, but I'm starting to expand to event videography as well as doing internet newscasting things for my college, while still making short films.

I want to purchase an XL2 or an XHA1.

I know the features of each very well, but I just can't decide between them. I can purchase a used XL2 from BHphoto for ~2500, and brand new, both cameras run around 3300. My main conflict is that i feel buying an SD camcorder is taking a step backwards.

I'm looking for advice on this purchase here because I know many people on this site use their cameras for both events and films.

 

[Gymnut808]

I just purchased the XHA1 from B&H ($3250 with the EDU Advantage) and couldn't be happier. Like you I was upgrading from an HV30 that I had been using in conjunction with a Brevis35 DOF adapter. I also felt that buying an SD camcorder would have been somewhat of a step backwards(didn't look at the XL2, but at the DVX100b) and that would have been fine, as my school is still mired in SD; I just felt that HDV, even downconverted yields a better image. I'm quite pleased with the XHA1 and now I can use my HV30 as a B camera and as a tape deck. The XHA1 gets my vote.

 

[davbeisner]

Yeah, I'm taking the plunge at my school into the HD world. The film department is still SD, but I've just had an XHA1 ordered for me (I do promo work in the Advancement department). HD is not just the future, its the now. Go for the XHA1. You won't be sorry.