Canon XA10 Low-Light vs Panasonic GH2

[Dan Carter]

I'm impressed by the Canon XA10 low-light reports, and am looking for it to possibly replace a Panasonic TM700. My current low-light performer is the Panasonic GH2, and would be interested to know what f stop, shutter speed, and ISO is required to compete with the XA10 at its best in low-light, and still produce usable video?

For example: The GH2 can just best the TM700 at f2.5, 1/30, 2500ISO.

Also, do you find the XA10 as sharp as the GH2 in good light?

Kind Regards, Dan

[Jeff Harper]

Dan, I do not know the answer to your questions, but in good lighting, if you run in 24p mode, the images from the cameras are comparable and match very very well.

In low light I choose to run two XA10s or 2 GH2s but I don't mix much anymore, so I can't tell you what you want to know, but overall I feel that the XA10 is a really good match fior the GH2, particularly for the money.

[Dan Carter]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Dan, I do not know the answer to your questions, but in good lighting, if you run in 24p mode, the images from the cameras are comparable and match very very well.

In low light I choose to run two XA10s or 2 GH2s but I don't mix much anymore, so I can't tell you what you want to know, but overall I feel that the XA10 is a really good match fior the GH2, particularly for the money.

Thanks for your input Jeff. Your wedding experience may make you one of the most low-light challenged here. I remember your struggle to find fast low-light GH2 lenses for your weddings.

May I ask what f stop your GH2s require for good low-light wedding video? Then, if your XA10s are handling these same low-light conditions successfully, that might give me a good baseline for XA10 low-light capabilitiy.

Like you, I won't be mixing clips, I'm just interested in the XA10s low-light performance.

Thanks again for your feedback Jeff.

[Dave Mercer]

Hey Jeff. I'd love to hear how the Canon stacks up next to the GH2 in low light as well. If the GH2 was at say 640iso and f2.8, how would the Canon XA10 compare?

And how do you think they compare in terms of latitude, sharpness, etc.

Thanks a million!
Dave

[Jeff Harper]

Dave, at your settings as descibed, I don't know, but probably comparable.

Realistically, for price of the camera, unless something new has come out, there is nothing I know of that will match the GH2 as well as the XA10. The look of the footage is really comparable in 24p mode, and probably in 1080 60i and 30p as well.

I don't really run them in tandem in low light anymore.

BTW, I do suggest you stick with even # like 800, 1000, etc. on ISO with the GH2 though. I seem to remember seeing tests with certain more odd numbers like 640 seeming to give poor results. You might google it. It seemed pretty cut and dried that certain ISO settings produced obviously inferior results. You might do a search on that topic.

[Dave Mercer]

Thanks Jeff. Yes I remember something about ISO settings too ... and how if you want say 800 then you have to go to the row above and come back down. I never seem to remember when I need it though.

[Jeff Harper]

I know what you mean, Dave.

[Don Palomaki]

Not a critical test, but these two give some idea what the XA10 and TM700 do with the same Macbeth color chart in a poor light situation. Both camcorders in Auto exposure mode.

The XA10 was recording in a higher bit rate mode at the time.

[Jeff Hinson]

@ DAN....and others.

I have 2 "like new" XA10s. I want to sell one of them. Both cams were used on one shoot ( 2 hours for a recital.)plus a few hours experimenting.
I purchased two for wedding work, but have decided weddings are NOT for me. Im too damn old to handle the stress. ha

Id rather sell to a forum member than place on ebay. Will consider trade for a Canon 5Dmkii

Please spread the word for me.

Jeff downsouthstudio@yahoo.com