Trying to get A1 to look like my XL1s at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders
Register FAQ Today's Posts Buyer's Guides

Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders
Canon XH G1S / G1 (with SDI), Canon XH A1S / A1 (without SDI).

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 15th, 2008, 10:22 PM   #1
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Posts: 3,014
Trying to get A1 to look like my XL1s

I've been searching and reading to absorb as much as I can but I have a week to move over to an A1 from my XL1s. I love the XL1s and it has been a workhorse. Starting with some basics to learn the new camera, I took some A/B footage (below) and see the two cameras are giving different results with the same exposure settings. The clip below is using the A1 out of the box in terms of presets versus the XL1s with a custom preset got from this site eons ago and use for everything. With some effort, I was able to locate and set the same settings in the A1 that I could set for the XL1s but it had only a slight effect. Some, but only slight.

I assume that 1/30 f2.0 on both cameras should result in the same exposure. It doesn't appear that way so I'm wondering if that assumption is true.

I'm stabbing in the dark here, can someone point me as to what direction to go to get the richer color from the A1? Exposure, preset tweaking or what?

TIA
Attached Thumbnails
Trying to get A1 to look like my XL1s-xh-a1-vs-xl1s.jpg  
Les Wilson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 16th, 2008, 12:15 AM   #2
Trustee
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Canton, Ohio
Posts: 1,771
The A1 isn't as good in low light as the XL1s was. It is close, but the smaller pixels are more dense on a chip that is about the same size, so it gathers less light. So you will ned to compensate for this. So at the same exact settings they will not look the same.

In the world of HD cameras the A1 is a good low light camera. When I first switched to HD I was shocked at the loss of light that was required to get the higher resolution. But Canon pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the H1 and then the A1/G1 and got us some good res and good low light too....relative to other HD cams at the time. The only one in this class that should be better is the Sony EX1 since it has a 1/2" CMOS sensor.
Marty Hudzik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 16th, 2008, 08:38 AM   #3
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Boca Raton, FL
Posts: 3,014
Got it. Pixel density explains it. Thanks. Another realization I had is that the scale of the custom presets are different. The XL1s scale is +- 6 while the XH-A1 is +- 15. Below is where I'm declaring "close enough" and moving on. Increasing the exposure by going to a 0db gain and f1.6 combined with increasing the Color Gain to 6 is giving me results I like. The A1 is also giving more accurate colors as the XL1s makes my lighting dummy look kind of sickly with a green cast on his face.

Thanks again.
Attached Thumbnails
Trying to get A1 to look like my XL1s-xh-a1-vs-xl1s-2.jpg  
Les Wilson is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XH Series HDV Camcorders


 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:32 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network