Canon XL1s & Canon HV20 Cinematography tests.

XL1s. But then I'm biased since that's what I use.

It is hard to give a good assessment because the lighting scenarios were different. It would be easier to tell by comparing the same scenes with each camera. But my initial judgement goes with the XL-1.

No, it really isn't a fair comparison, because the HV20 obviously doesn't have the same light intensity to work with! And YouTube compression can't help! It's nice to SEE them side by side, that the HV20 would almost seem to hold its own against a pricey 3 ccd ... if it had the light BOTH cameras could use alot of!

The dog broke my heart.
The old guy at the window broke my heart.
The mournful piano music broke my heart.

The lack of a freakin' tripod ... broke my heart.

Thanks for the comparison though. I'm starting to think I needn't hang my heavy head and cry with shame ... if all i can afford now might be a HV30 with the proper DYI lights!

Can I ask which camera recorded the AUDIO? And was it an onboard mic or external?

SoulCinema said:

Can I ask which camera recorded the AUDIO? And was it an onboard mic or external?

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What audio? All I heard was the music track, which was almost certainly put in during the edit...


As for the comparison, it's not really easy to give a good answer when the subjects are different on each. Most likely the XL1 has a bit more sensitivity with it's slightly larger sensor size. But what may be lacking in light sensitivity is more than made up for with resolution and picture sharpness on an HV20.

Of course I'm biased as the HV20 is what I use, but ideally I'd much rather have to throw a bit more light on the scene and have six times the image information to work with.

Um ... I guess I got swept up by the thing and assumed someone was actually playing a piano somewhere.

Yeah, a'ight, I may be a dupe.

cheers for the relpy,

I'm going to set up a more fair test by using the same subject lighting and capture the light on both cameras.

As for SoulCinema's comment i dont believe that a tripod should be used in every shot.

One of my faviroute films is Children of men and there isn't one shot which is taken on a tripod.
I just think because alot of my films are about social realism i will rather enhance the realism with steadicam and hand held shots. And yeah the sad piano music was edited in, was a bit cheesey but i wanted to try the montage editing: 1+1= 1.

Cheers for all your comments.
James.

JamesChegwynMedia said:

As for SoulCinema's comment i dont believe that a tripod should be used in every shot.

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Neither do I.
I was about half riffing with you on that, I appreciate a nice handheld too, in it's place.
And deciding its place ... that's your artistic judgement, I'm not disputing it much.

The thing is (and I'm just offering personal taste and opinion here, it's cool if we disagree) a sure sign of a rank amateur CAN BE imo (but needn't be) nothing BUT handhelds.

But if we have some rock steady TRIPOD shots, if that's the norm we establish ... then when we DO USE HANDHELD they're that much more effective.

It's like how amateurs start off by swinging (ok, ok, panning) the camera back and forth between two people speaking. Why? Because they don't have the ability to EDIT and cut between them, shot/reaction shot.

Then, we get to edit and cut, so we edit and cut. Clean. Instant. THAT becomes the norm.

THEN, once we have that level of sophistication, and we CHOOSE to go back to "swinging the camera like a fire hose" ... that "amateurish" technique takes on new artistic INTENTION and SOPHISTICATION.

Yak yak yak, says I, all Cashiers du cinema or whatever! This from the guy who was asking how they taught the dog to play piano in the background!

JamesChegwynMedia said:

One of my faviroute films is Children of men and there isn't one shot which is taken on a tripod.
I just think because alot of my films are about social realism i will rather enhance the realism with steadicam and hand held shots. And yeah the sad piano music was edited in, was a bit cheesey but i wanted to try the montage editing: 1+1= 1.

Click to expand...

Well, Steadicam ... it might as well BE on a tripod, for all the smooth motion you get! And crane shots beat the hell out of having your cameraguy climb a ladder while he's shooting, too!

As for CHILDREN OF MEN ... I loved that movie. The scene where the baby starts crying in the middle of the firefight ... and everyone's reaction ...
That's a scene I'll remember forever. Amazing.