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Canon Gl2 or XH-A1?

H

Hank Chinaski

I've been seriously debating which camera to purchase. If I get the Gl2, it almost feels like I will be a step behind since HDV is much better quality.

However, given my limited budget, if I get the A1, I will also have to purchase an HD DVD burner and whatever else I'm assuming I'll need for post production (Does Premiere Pro support HDV--specifically Canon HDV cams?)
 
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You don't need an HD DVD burner (BluRay, more specifically, since HD DVD is dead). If you purchase a Canon XH-A1 (or any Prosumer HDV camera), you can record in HDV or DV. You can also have the camera output standard DV, even if the recording is high def. That way you can edit in standard definition if you want to and still go back to the high def when/if you want/need it.

Finally, Premiere Pro does have support for HDV, and you can edit in HD and still output to standard definition DVD.
 
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Hank,
I have an XH-A1 and I absolutely love it. The image is great and there are many features that you will enjoy including 24f recording, skin detail, sky detail, custom presets to tweak your image so that there's less to do in post, xlr inputs, aspect framing guide (16:9, 1.85:1, 2.35:1, etc.), and many other features that give you a lot of creative possibilities.

--swanpond
 
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Oak and Swan...do you guys have an opinion on this: Sony FX-1 or Z1U versus the Canon XH-A1 or XL-H1 or XL-G1? I've been debating the two for about a month now, and can't make up my mind!

Chris
 
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No opinion here. I worked with a Sony HDV camera that did not have XLR inputs once, but I don't remember the model. I prefer the controls on my Canon XH-A1, and I require XLR inputs, but beside that, I think most of the differences are a matter of preference.
 
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Take your time; something better will come along, or they'll drop the price on one of the current models. I wait as long as I can to purchase new camcorders. If I don't have an absolute need that will help pay for the camera, I wait. I had a job lined up, and Canon was offering a $250 rebate on the XH-A1 when I finally bit the bullet.
 
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oakstreetphotovideo said:
Take your time; something better will come along, or they'll drop the price on one of the current models. I wait as long as I can to purchase new camcorders. If I don't have an absolute need that will help pay for the camera, I wait. I had a job lined up, and Canon was offering a $250 rebate on the XH-A1 when I finally bit the bullet.
Click to expand...

You're right about that.

My quest for a HD camera basically went along with the best buy I'll jump on. Having sold my GL-2 on e-bay, I figured that I'd get a good used one. This weekend I saw a great deal on a XH-A1, used in "like new" condition on Amazon. I jumped on it.

By the next day, I got my money refunded by Amazon, as the camera was "placed against an unauthorized listing," however that happened!! So back to my 24/7 search for a camera.

I finally won an e-bay listing for a JVC GY HD110U!! It's in the mail now, and I'm pretty confident that it is as was advertised!! Of course I could be wrong...it happened once before...no, I was right then too!

Anyway, I know Director Rik and SonnyBoo have used this equipment before and say nice things. If you guys see this, I was wondering if you guys have used it for a direct to hard drive shoot. If so, how did it work and is there a cheaper method than the $1,000 fire wire battery operated models?

Thanks for your help Oak. I really have to say that I was really leaning to the Sony, but you got me thinking about the JVC again.

Chris
 
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I think you made a good choice, as the 720p is true progressive (not telecined to 60i) and the image quality is excellent. Hopefully the camera will be in good working order. I know that camera is rugged. I read about a guy who used it to shoot an elephant doc. in Africa and he had to keep throwing the camera out of the way as he hustled to avoid being stepped on. He literally threw the camera aside and he said it held up very well! (that was a JVC HD-100U, but it's the same design).
 
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