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Re: What camera do you use?
Previously Tyler Gibb wrote:
Well, I've been doing my homework and the Canon XH A1 does look like the camera to beat. If anybody's got any criticisms of it, by all means I'd love to hear them before I drop next year's rent money on one. Thanks.
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T
Careful, Tyler! The XH A1 is a beast for its price, but it still shoots on HDV, which is the exact same tapes as Mini DV. That means that beautiful HD Canon imagery is being heavily compressed SD tape quality, and Mini DV is crummy even for SD! We've played with the Canon XL-H1 and viewed the HDV quality and it's superb... to the naked eye! As soon as you start trying to do greenscreen, you may have trouble producing a clean matte. HDV compression really starts to show up on those big HD screens.
Also, you'll have to upgrade to the latest Final Cut Studio 2 to import HDV footage. Plus, their chips aren't progressive, meaning their "24F" isn't REALLY 24P - it's kinda like de-interlacing to get a progressive still frame, which reduces quality.
In my opinion, the Panasonic HVX 200 beats the Canon HD series... at least for now. The panasonic records completely tapeless on P2 cards, which means almost no visual compression at all. It holds up marvelously on big HD monitors and is a DREAM for greenscreen work.
SOON, Canon will go tapeless. When that happens, they'll be the best pro-sumer line of HD camcorders HANDS DOWN! Though Canon is always one step behind in adapting new technology like tapeless recording, their image quality just can't be beat. As you probably know, their gorgeous color reproduction, incredible swappable lens system, lattitude, minimal purple-fringing, and great handling of over-exposure will be incredible when it's finally tapeless.
If it's HD you're looking to produce, avoid HDV for now. Canon's lower-end HD camcorders already have NATIVE 24P chips, so it's only a matter of time before they release the Canon XL-H2 or A2 when it's REALLY 24P, REALLY TAPELESS, and REALLY UNCOMPRESSED HD. Rent for now and patiently await the glorious future.
-Dave
P.S. - That being said, if you get the XH-A1, can I borrow it?