Canon XA10 and HF M52

Jody Arnott · April 29th, 2012, 04:03 AM

Hi guys,

I have a Canon XA10 and i'm looking for a backup camera with to pair it with. The new HF M52 has the same sensor, but I assume the XA10 has a better lens. Does anyone know if the image the M52 produces will be close enough to the XA10s to match it easily in post?

Or can anyone recommend another consumer camera that will do the job nicely?

Thanks for any info.

Mark Chafe · April 29th, 2012, 07:29 AM

I recently have been testing out camcorders for a web project I am starting and had the HF G10 and an HF M400. Under the same lighting conditions and settings, I think they are very comparable. The M400 was a little bit softer but depending on the situation this may or may not be noticeable.

The better match would undoubtably be the HF G10 and if I had the money to spend I would go with that, but for almost half the price of the HF G10 id say the HF M52 would be a close enough match. Also remember the HF M500 and M51 are the same camera basically so if you're look for cost savings you could go that route.

I hear tell that the video has been slightly improved on the HF M500 series over the 400's so it may even be closer to the XA10 than the HF M400 that I tested.

Mark

Jody Arnott · April 30th, 2012, 10:32 PM

Thanks for the info.

I went ahead and purchased the M52, i'll post up some comparisons when it arrives.

Jeff Harper · May 1st, 2012, 03:05 AM

Jody, we will be awaiting your report. I too am thinking about a M52, etc, and I look forward to reading your thoughts after you've compared them.

Jody Arnott · May 1st, 2012, 06:15 PM

XA10 and HF M52 Comparison:

From what I can see they look VERY similar.

Don Palomaki · May 2nd, 2012, 06:10 AM

My observation is that most camcorders (both makes and models) will match reasonably well when they are used under what for that camcorder are "good" lighting and shooting conditions. The differences appear when you try shoot at or near the camcorder's design limits such as under poor light or with high gain. Then the differences appear, sometimes dramatically.

The "B" cam should be selected according to the conditions under which you want to assure a good image match. Two of the same camcorder is the easy solution, but one's needs may be met by a more economical solution.

April 29th, 2012, 04:03 AM	#1
Jody Arnott Major Player Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Posts: 747	Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? Hi guys, I have a Canon XA10 and i'm looking for a backup camera with to pair it with. The new HF M52 has the same sensor, but I assume the XA10 has a better lens. Does anyone know if the image the M52 produces will be close enough to the XA10s to match it easily in post? Or can anyone recommend another consumer camera that will do the job nicely? Thanks for any info.

April 29th, 2012, 07:29 AM	#2
Mark Chafe Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 162	Re: Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? I recently have been testing out camcorders for a web project I am starting and had the HF G10 and an HF M400. Under the same lighting conditions and settings, I think they are very comparable. The M400 was a little bit softer but depending on the situation this may or may not be noticeable. The better match would undoubtably be the HF G10 and if I had the money to spend I would go with that, but for almost half the price of the HF G10 id say the HF M52 would be a close enough match. Also remember the HF M500 and M51 are the same camera basically so if you're look for cost savings you could go that route. I hear tell that the video has been slightly improved on the HF M500 series over the 400's so it may even be closer to the XA10 than the HF M400 that I tested. Mark

April 30th, 2012, 10:32 PM	#3
Jody Arnott Major Player Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Posts: 747	Re: Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? Thanks for the info. I went ahead and purchased the M52, i'll post up some comparisons when it arrives.

May 1st, 2012, 03:05 AM	#4
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? Jody, we will be awaiting your report. I too am thinking about a M52, etc, and I look forward to reading your thoughts after you've compared them.

May 1st, 2012, 06:15 PM	#5
Jody Arnott Major Player Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Hamilton, New Zealand Posts: 747	Re: Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? XA10 and HF M52 Comparison: Canon XA10 and HF M52 Comparison - YouTube From what I can see they look VERY similar.

May 2nd, 2012, 06:10 AM	#6
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,489	Re: Canon XA10 and HF M52 - good pair? My observation is that most camcorders (both makes and models) will match reasonably well when they are used under what for that camcorder are "good" lighting and shooting conditions. The differences appear when you try shoot at or near the camcorder's design limits such as under poor light or with high gain. Then the differences appear, sometimes dramatically. The "B" cam should be selected according to the conditions under which you want to assure a good image match. Two of the same camcorder is the easy solution, but one's needs may be met by a more economical solution. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com