AC130 vs Canon XA10

[Jeffrey Fuchs]

I just got a Canon AX10 and I thought I would do a quick comparison to the Panasonic AC130.

This is a very simple comparison so take it as such. Just compared how the cameras performed at a wedding that was very dark.

Quick Observations:
1. The Canon Camera is VERY small, looks like a toy. The AC130 is a very big camera.
2. The 10x zoom was a little limiting on the Canon, 22x on the AC130 was great.
3. The Canon has a better picture in my opinion
4. The Canon looks better to me even at higher gain settings
5. Personal preference: I like the way the Canon looks, less video-looking to me
6. Love the way the AC130 is laid out. Love all the buttons; the Canon touch screen will take some getting use to.

I was really surprised how well the Canon picture looked compared to the AC130. See the picture and video sample below. Both cameras were about the same distance from the alter. The AC130 was set at a gain of 12 and the Canon was somewhere between 12 and 18 of gain.

Below is how the picture profile was set up on the AC130:

Detail level: +2
Vertical detail level: +2
Detail Coring: +3
Chroma level: +3
Chroma phase: +4
Color Temp A: +2
Color Temp B: +2
Master Ped: -1
IRIS Level: -1 (I was shooting manually and it was open all the way)
DRS: I can not remember, if on, it was DRS1
Gamma: HD Norm
Matrix: Cine-Like
Skin Tone DTL: ON

XA10 is on the left, AC130is on the Right.

Vimeo

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Jeffrey. I think the Panasonic zoom makes the 130 a much more valuable and flexible tool.

I would like to see a similar comparison at full wide someday with the two cameras framed identically on the same subject. With zooming you lose f/stops, and that would be increased with the 130, so it would be tricky using the zoom to get an accurate comparison. But the images were great in your case with both cameras.

I think there were advantages and strengths in the images of each camera, but there is no doubt the Canon has amazing lack of grain at up to 18db. I love my XA10s, for the money you just can't beat them.

[Jim Schuchmann]

Thanks for the comparison. I've been on the fence between these two cameras as an upgrade to my XH-A1's and HV-30's. The 130 seems a little red for my taste compared to the XA-10, but easy enough to fix with a little CC.
What do you think of the auto-focus on the 130? Did you use it? Did you notice it searching? I've been following the threads concerning this with the 130 and just wanted your feedback.

Thanks

[Jeff Harper]

Jim setting the white balance on the XA10 is not always a picnic, it tends to run quite warm at times for me, and I would almost bet that the AC130 cannot have a slower autofocus than the XA10. I'm interested to hear Jeffrey's response.

[Jeffrey Fuchs]

Jim, I went from the XH-A1 to the AC130. Similar cameras, the AC130 is better in just about everything except auto-focus. The XH-A1 rules there. I also like the Canon look from the A1, but that is personal pref.

I have the AC130 set to a "warm" color profile, it comes much more of a natural look. You can dial it in the way you like it, much like the XH-A1.

About the auto focus, the XA10 is pretty slow but once it finds it, it is pretty good. The AC130 is a little faster, but for no reason, it seems to get bored and start to hunt again. I do use the AC130 auto-focus on moving objects, however on stationary objects, I switch to manual focus. Most wedding ceremony I use manual focus.

[Glen Vandermolen]

I'm amazed the XA10 can shoot better looking video than the AC130. One chip versus 3. Interesting.

[Mark Goodsell]

Did you manual white balance both cameras before hand?

[Jeffrey Fuchs]

Originally Posted by Mark Goodsell

Did you manual white balance both cameras before hand?

On the Canon, it is on auto white balance, on the AC130 I dialed it in, something like 2700k.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Glen Vandermolen

I'm amazed the XA10 can shoot better looking video than the AC130. One chip versus 3. Interesting.

The same applies for these small sony xr handicams with their exmor sensors, I read several users reporting that in certain conditions they give a better and cleaner image then a sony nx5. I use a xr520/550 reguralry and they also give a better image then my xh-a1, especially in low light where they are a lot cleaner. the image is often over saturated and contrasty loosing detail in very dark areas where my xh-a1 has more balanced color (and seems to have more dynamic range) but the color is much more flatter.

These tiny camera's are very good these day's, I remember buying a small B-SD handicam to film alongside my sony vx2100 about 8 years ago and that small camera produced footage that was not in the same league as my vx2100 and it produced crap images at dark receptions. Glad times have changed :)

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Jim Schuchmann

What do you think of the auto-focus on the 130?

From what I hear it mainly causes issues the further you zoom in, just look at the above video at 01:22 with the singer at the moment the camera zooms in closer. Watch the foot of the golden color candle holder in the background, you see the reflections flicker which I"m sure is the auto-focus that's starting to loose controll.

[Jim Schuchmann]

Thanks Noa, I didn't catch that the first time I watched the video.