Canon xa10 setting exposure

[Noa Put]

For those xa10 owners, as I understand the ring on the lens is only for setting focus? or is it assignable to setting exposure, shutter etc?

If you assign focus to the ring, is there another "easy" way to change your exposure as well so you have manual control over both functions at the same time?

Thanks for any input.

[Jim Schuchmann]

Yes. There is a small wheel on the back edge of the camera that can adjust the exposure compensation by +/- 3 stops. You can also customize two buttons on the edge of the flip out monitor to preform different tasks, one of those being back-light compensation. It comes in handy in a room full of glass.

[Don Litten]

He said easy Jim...That little wheel doesn't get along well with 60+ year old people with large, work hardened hands.

I can't really feel it or the button over it, so I have to look for the stupid thing.

[Noa Put]

Thanks for the response! So If I get you right, the ring on the lens only controls focus, you can't assign exposure to it? is it then only possible to adjust exposure through the lcd screen?

Also, how does exposure compensation deal with switching between stops, is that gradually or does it jump?

[Jim Schuchmann]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Thanks for the response! So If I get you right, the ring on the lens only controls focus, you can't assign exposure to it?

That is correct.

is it then only possible to adjust exposure through the lcd screen?

If you are wanting to set a specific F-stop, then yes it has to be done on the touch screen. If you need to make an adjustment to the exposure, go to the wheel.

Also, how does exposure compensation deal with switching between stops, is that gradually or does it jump?

To my eye it is gradual, approx. 1 second.

I shoot weddings also and am so impressed with this camera and its images that I am probably retiring my 2 A1's.

[Noa Put]

Thanks Jim, I already asked this question in an ongoing thread about filming with small handicams at weddings (in the wedding section) but the thread got sidetracked a bit and my question got lost. :)

I do own a xh-a1 as well and currently a cx730 that I recently purchased and I"m also amazed about it's image quality, the xa10 sells at a very sharp price here, 1000 dollar cheaper then the sony nx30 and I figured it would be a great second cam, with xlr, so I can finally leave my xh-a1 at home, or even might sell it.

Only 2 things worry me, one is how the xa10 would match together with a sony cx730, I always found That sony has more stronger red in the image and I don"t like to colorcorrect to much.

To my eye it is gradual, approx. 1 second.

You mean that if you turn that small wheel at the backside of the camera up or down it takes about 1 second to adjust between stops? Is it usable to adjust exposure while you are filming? The dial seems very small and in an odd place to reach.

[Jim Schuchmann]

You mean that if you turn that small wheel at the backside of the camera up or down it takes about 1 second to adjust between stops? Is it usable to adjust exposure while you are filming? The dial seems very small and in an odd place to reach.

Yes, it takes a second or less to change the exposure and it is adjustable during recording. I find this to be better than a sudden jump in the exposure, especially if I need to stay with the shot while editing the footage. It is jarring to the viewer to see the sudden jump.
And yes the wheel is small but I have adjusted to it. It is very similar to the menu wheel on the back of the A1. And the button to activate it is similar to the menu button.
On a side note, I never did ride the rings of the A1 lens. Now some may find that appalling, so be it. But with everything else going on at the wedding I need to rely on the auto focus to do its job and I can say from what I see so far that the XA10 does a better job of staying in focus on the subjects instead of going to the back round.

[Jeff Harper]

I use the dial constantly while filming. Yes it's small and fiddly, but it works. It's like anything, you have to get used to it.

[Don Litten]

Originally Posted by Jim Schuchmann

Yes, it takes a second or less to change the exposure and it is adjustable during recording. I find this to be better than a sudden jump in the exposure, especially if I need to stay with the shot while editing the footage. It is jarring to the viewer to see the sudden jump.
And yes the wheel is small but I have adjusted to it. It is very similar to the menu wheel on the back of the A1. And the button to activate it is similar to the menu button.
On a side note, I never did ride the rings of the A1 lens. Now some may find that appalling, so be it. But with everything else going on at the wedding I need to rely on the auto focus to do its job and I can say from what I see so far that the XA10 does a better job of staying in focus on the subjects instead of going to the back round.

I think most of us use auto focus a great deal. There is a lot going on at once.
One of the nice things about the 10's is being able to take it out of focus manually and have it return to focus at a preset speed.

Sure I can do it in post but that's just one less thing to do.

[Noa Put]

Thx for the replies so far, good to know that the exposure can be controlled outside the camera with a physical button, even it is is a bit fiddly. If that was only possible through the lcd menu the camera would have been useless for me, especially in run and gun. Exposure, together with focus are the 2 base ingredients that need to be controlled live easily, you can correct a wrong whitebalance in post, or get away with a too high shutter when filming in glaring sunlight but wrong focus and/or exposure are the worst thing that can happen.

Is anyone owning a xa10 have had to mix exmor r sony's together? I'm particularly interested how they would match in colour.

Some audio questions:
If you need to switch from auto audio to manual audio, is that function assignable to a preset button or do you need to go through the lcd menu?
Can it record to the internal and external mic simultaneously or do you have to choose between internal mic or external in the lcd menu?
I have a AT 897 microphone which is 30 cm long, is that not too long for this camera, maybe it extends too long and appear in the image?

[Jim Schuchmann]

If you need to switch from auto audio to manual audio, is that function assignable to a preset button or do you need to go through the lcd menu?

If you are using the internal mic then the audio levels control can be on the LCD screen.
If you are using an XLR mic the audio levels are controlled by 2 volume wheels on the XLR control area located on the handle.

Can it record to the internal and external mic simultaneously or do you have to choose between internal mic or external in the lcd menu?

You can not do internal and external at the same time. You make the selection on the handle at the XLR controls area.

I have a AT 897 microphone which is 30 cm long, is that not too long for this camera, maybe it extends too long and appear in the image?

I extended my shotgun out 30cm past the front of the lens before it started to appear at the top of the image. If your mic is mounted in the mic holder it should not be in the image.