I have been using the Sony DSR range for 5-6 years now mostly for wedding work not much corporate stuff where I come from.
I have been reading a lot about the XL H1 what I would like to know is does anyone who has used a Sony Dsr300-390 have any opinions on how the XL H1 can perform on the road so to speak compared to the DSR range of cameras.

For instance

LOW LIGHT
BALANCE ON THE SHOULDER
PRESSURE ON THE OLD BACK
DOES ANYONE USE LONGER THAN 60 MINUTE TAPES

Or any other views that come to mind that I havent touched on

Thomas Quinn

If low light and balance are major concerns, the 390 is about as good as they get. I found the XLH1 very front heavy. I would rather carry a heavier well balanced camera than a front heavy lighter one. I would test one at a dealer to see for yourself - it may not bother you.

I haven't tried the H1 in low light so I can only report on what I have read, but it seems that it is a few stops slower than a 390. Hopefully someone will step in and report some facts.

Thanks for your input Mike I think the DSR390 will be hard to wack in low light as for balance how does ANYONE that uses the H1 fond it when using the IDX battery pac does this do the front heavy H1 any favours.
I was at video forum last week only one stand had it with the IDX batteries but said they has one stolen the day before and would not let it of the tripod

Thomas Quinn

There are a lot of factors you have to think about besides low light.

First of all no matter how good a camera is in low light you should be using a light.

1. The DSR390 is DVCAM. At the end of the day this is the same 4:1:1 format as DV.

2. DSR390 is a 4x3 camera. Eventually all TV's either SD or HD will be 16x9. It is ok for a letterboxed image on the top and bottom but having it on the left and right really seems odd.

3. DSR390 is an interlaced camera. So in the future when your clients watch their wedding on a digital display they will only get 720x180 due to camera filtering and TV deinterlacing. If their TV scales up the image and crops the top and bottom to fit their TV it will look even worse.

4. 4:1:1 dv converted to mpeg2 ends up being more like 4:1:0.

4. 4:1:1 dv converted to mpeg2 ends up being more like 4:1:0.

If Thomas (Quinn) was at Videoforum, I'm guessing he is in the UK and so the recording would be 4:2:0 on DV.

I agree with Thomas (Smet), the H1 is a far more future proof camera than the 390. The 390 is probably better for low light 4:3 SD though.

[QUOTE=Mike Marriage]If Thomas (Quinn) was at Videoforum, I'm guessing he is in the UK

I am from Ireland Mike I was looking at the Sony XDCAM but as I was hinting at in my 1st post I would like somthing lighter but the balance issue is putting me off I cant belive that NO ONE on this forum using the XL2 or H1 is not using the ANTON BAUR or IDX battery unit to power them an how do these feel on the shoulder
Thomas Quinn

I don't get the whole balance thing that's going on around here.The camera is not that heavy.My friend called me to shoot a concert he was in and I hand held my xl2 for about 2 hours straight and I'm only 143 pounds.

And what age are you and how long have you been doing videos Pete
What I am trying to say is if you shoot weddings for instance you will be there a lot longer than 2 hours an over the years your lower back will suffer then you will GET THE WHOLE BALANCE THING
Thomas Quinn

Well..i'm err...18 and I've don't exactly do videos, this was a favour.I'm used to having a tripod,glidecam or a crane around.
Hmmm...a glidecam for a wedding shoot, now there's something that will take all the attention away for the couple but it'll also probably break your back.

you wouldn't want to shoot a wedding video off of your shoulder.

i've shoulder-shot the xl1s for an hour straight numerous times, it is difficult, but since i got the steady stick, i could shoot all day with the camera on my shoulder.

Well pete i'm err near 30 years older and even a light camera gets heavy after a hour or so
Dan
your steady stick sounds good can you give me a link for it.
Thomas Quinn