Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events?

Don Palomaki · April 15th, 2012, 05:57 PM

Keep in mind, the more different makes/models in your equipment suite, the more things you have to remember how to use, often in a hurry under less than ideal circumstances. There is something to be said for standardization.

Jeff Harper · April 15th, 2012, 10:42 PM

Such a good point Don. It makes a huge difference when I'm using same cameras.

Scott Brooks · April 16th, 2012, 09:19 AM

There was enough difference in button location between my two Sony's that it sometimes drove me nuts. I would imagine cameras with different menu setups would be even harder. If this XA10 works then I'm pretty sure I'll end up with a G10 just to be safe.

Jeff Harper · April 16th, 2012, 09:27 AM

I'm happiest about having a second XA10 because I will now have two sets of matching cameras. I shot last year with 3 different models for 4 and 5 cam shoots, and it was the worst experience of my life. Toss different brands of lenses in the mix, and the fact that three of four cams looked identical but weren't it was tough.

Scott Brooks · April 19th, 2012, 12:20 AM

I am actually in the event that is coming up this weekend and unable to record myself. Sooooo ... tonight I set it on full auto as my wife will record the event just for testing. Set to a wide shot of the stage and no other audio other than built in mics. Totally un-manned, the little guy did quite well.

Big disappointment was withe the Wasabi battery. It only lasted about 2 hours or less. This was my first shot with it, so maybe it gets better the second time around.

Jeff Harper · April 19th, 2012, 12:47 AM

Scott, just checking, did you charge the Wasabi battery before using it? I'm nervous now, I have two of them for Saturday for my new camera.

Damn, I always swore I would never use generics again, this is why. I would rather spend $$$ and have 4 hours from one battery than to keep switching cheap batteries.

Maybe my luck will be better, I hope so.

Scott Brooks · April 19th, 2012, 12:59 AM

Yup ... gave it a full charge. It only got me through the first act. I'm charging the second one to see what happens. I'll need them both to get through the show.

Don Palomaki · April 19th, 2012, 05:54 AM

Worth testing any new battery after the first full charge to see what the run time really is. Put the camcorer on a tripod, pick a fixed scene, maybe a clock face, and select the longest record mode (lowest bit rate) and let it roll until done, see how much you get with that battery. ( Nothing wasted because you can erase the footage from the memory card.) Maybe note the purchase date and run time on a label on the battery.

Of course live recording time will be different (often substantially less) due in large par to power wasted while in record pause mode.

Generic batteries often have lesser quality control, and thus are subject to wider variations from the baseline spec.

Jeff Harper · April 19th, 2012, 09:43 AM

It seemed everyone was praising these Wasabi's, claiming similar run times. I am a firm believe in you get what you pay for, this just reinforced it further.

Don Palomaki · April 19th, 2012, 10:17 AM

What charger was used, and what protocol usde to ensure a full charge. That might make a difference.

Scott Brooks · April 19th, 2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

What charger was used, and what protocol usde to ensure a full charge. That might make a difference.

I used the charger that came with the batteries and left it on the charger for probably two days since I wasn't using it.

I just charged it again ... this time on the camera. I turned it on and it shows 168 minutes.

I charged the second one overnight, put it on the camera and it shows 172 minutes. This is very disappointing, but at least not a lot of money was invested.

Don Palomaki · April 20th, 2012, 05:41 AM

What is the published mahr (or Ahr) rating of the batteries in question?

Andreas Schmidt · April 23rd, 2012, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Brooks

In looking at the clip posted ... I would be extremely happy with that. I have two events that I shoot each year where the stage is set up on one end of a basketball court and the sound board and platform for me to shoot are at the other. That is the furthest I ever have to shoot. Everything else is much closer.

Ciao Scott,

how about you get a small portable recorder like a Zoom H4-N and plug it into the mixer and you sync later in post. Thats at least how I do it. I use 3 cameras for stage events. My Canon XA10 and my Canon HF10 under the roof in a fixed setup, two angles and two different zoom stages. In addition I use a DSLR (Sony A65) with a Glidetrack slider on a Manfrotto Tripod for closeups and slow mo and so forth. All record in AVCHD.

The perfect sound from the mixer board is used and the sound from the cams only to sync.

Cheers
Andreas

Jeff Harper · April 23rd, 2012, 10:02 AM

Happily my Wasabi's seem perfectly fine, so I panicked for no reason.

The original time indicator was actually larger than the Canon's, which is freaky. The first battery did not display time remaining till I shut off camera and turned it back on, and thereafter it was fine.

They performed about the same as the Canon's.

I'm a happy camper. I pray I will not have issues with them, but they performed fine Saturday night, that's all I can say.

Scott Brooks · April 23rd, 2012, 01:12 PM

That's great to hear. I'm going to ease mine in. Hopefully, there's an initial charge or something that sets them. Hey ... I can always hope. ;-)

April 15th, 2012, 05:57 PM	#31
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Keep in mind, the more different makes/models in your equipment suite, the more things you have to remember how to use, often in a hurry under less than ideal circumstances. There is something to be said for standardization. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

April 15th, 2012, 10:42 PM	#32
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Such a good point Don. It makes a huge difference when I'm using same cameras.

April 16th, 2012, 09:19 AM	#33
Scott Brooks Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charleston, IL Posts: 231	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? There was enough difference in button location between my two Sony's that it sometimes drove me nuts. I would imagine cameras with different menu setups would be even harder. If this XA10 works then I'm pretty sure I'll end up with a G10 just to be safe.

April 16th, 2012, 09:27 AM	#34
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? I'm happiest about having a second XA10 because I will now have two sets of matching cameras. I shot last year with 3 different models for 4 and 5 cam shoots, and it was the worst experience of my life. Toss different brands of lenses in the mix, and the fact that three of four cams looked identical but weren't it was tough.

April 19th, 2012, 12:20 AM	#35
Scott Brooks Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charleston, IL Posts: 231	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? I am actually in the event that is coming up this weekend and unable to record myself. Sooooo ... tonight I set it on full auto as my wife will record the event just for testing. Set to a wide shot of the stage and no other audio other than built in mics. Totally un-manned, the little guy did quite well. Big disappointment was withe the Wasabi battery. It only lasted about 2 hours or less. This was my first shot with it, so maybe it gets better the second time around.

April 19th, 2012, 12:47 AM	#36
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Scott, just checking, did you charge the Wasabi battery before using it? I'm nervous now, I have two of them for Saturday for my new camera. Damn, I always swore I would never use generics again, this is why. I would rather spend $$$ and have 4 hours from one battery than to keep switching cheap batteries. Maybe my luck will be better, I hope so.

April 19th, 2012, 12:59 AM	#37
Scott Brooks Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charleston, IL Posts: 231	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Yup ... gave it a full charge. It only got me through the first act. I'm charging the second one to see what happens. I'll need them both to get through the show.

April 19th, 2012, 05:54 AM	#38
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Worth testing any new battery after the first full charge to see what the run time really is. Put the camcorer on a tripod, pick a fixed scene, maybe a clock face, and select the longest record mode (lowest bit rate) and let it roll until done, see how much you get with that battery. ( Nothing wasted because you can erase the footage from the memory card.) Maybe note the purchase date and run time on a label on the battery. Of course live recording time will be different (often substantially less) due in large par to power wasted while in record pause mode. Generic batteries often have lesser quality control, and thus are subject to wider variations from the baseline spec. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

April 19th, 2012, 09:43 AM	#39
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? It seemed everyone was praising these Wasabi's, claiming similar run times. I am a firm believe in you get what you pay for, this just reinforced it further.

April 19th, 2012, 10:17 AM	#40
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? What charger was used, and what protocol usde to ensure a full charge. That might make a difference. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

April 20th, 2012, 05:41 AM	#42
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,488	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? What is the published mahr (or Ahr) rating of the batteries in question? __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

April 23rd, 2012, 10:02 AM	#44
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? Happily my Wasabi's seem perfectly fine, so I panicked for no reason. The original time indicator was actually larger than the Canon's, which is freaky. The first battery did not display time remaining till I shut off camera and turned it back on, and thereafter it was fine. They performed about the same as the Canon's. I'm a happy camper. I pray I will not have issues with them, but they performed fine Saturday night, that's all I can say.

April 23rd, 2012, 01:12 PM	#45
Scott Brooks Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Charleston, IL Posts: 231	Re: Canon VIXIA XA10 for stage events? That's great to hear. I'm going to ease mine in. Hopefully, there's an initial charge or something that sets them. Hey ... I can always hope. ;-)