Is the Canon XH-A1 the new DVX?

[Dave Lammey]

When Panasonic introduced the DVX100, it took the indie world by storm and became THE must-have tool for independent filmmakers using DV.

Is the XH-A1 becoming the same for indies shooting HD?

[Chris Hurd]

It's an interesting idea Dave, but honestly I don't think anything will ever match the frenzy of the DVX... except maybe RED.

[Todd Mattson]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

It's an interesting idea Dave, but honestly I don't think anything will ever match the frenzy of the DVX... except maybe RED.

I don't know Chris, I know an AWFUL lot of DVX owners who are selling their DVX to get an XH-A1, myself included.

Seems to me that the buzz among users around this camera is much louder than the HVX release, which was met by many I know, mostly who do docs as well, with "$2000 for a freaking card? As if...."

There aren't a whole lot a producers seeking out the A1 specifically yet, but that kind of thing seems to always lag behind users.

I would have to concur with the notion that the XH-A1 has at the very least surplanted the DVX as THE camera in that price range, at least among owner/operators. It also attracts users myself who were intially excited about the HVX, but for practical considerations based on the type of material I shoot, chose to wait it out for the next big thing, and in my case, and then some. Seems the A1 IS that next big thing I was looking for, and I'm certainly not alone.

I think the Red does not fulfill that same type of "got to own one" feeling for many users, just like other cameras in that price range before. It's still priced at the "got to work on a shoot that's renting one" niche, but to buy? The folks who purchased the SDX-900 instead of the DVX-100 are the audience that will certainly get a Red right away, but DVX users - I just don't see that happening en masse. That's more A1 territory for most folks....

In order to create a feeding frenzy, something really has be priced in the that sub-5K price range, complete, which to be honest pushes the HVX into a next level that is somewhere above the lower priced prosumers and below the "pro" cameras - whatever that means anymore. Superprosumer? As for the Red One - at a minimum of $24,000, for someone who is looking to upgrade their DVX or just get in the game, it really is talking Apples & Orangutans to even have them uttered in the same breath. Now a sub-$5000 Red Three or Four or however long it takes to make it cheaper, whoa Nelly!!!