My thoughts on the A1 vs. 5D mkII

[Bill Grant]

Hey All,
I just thought I would share some realizations on my use of the 5D in the weeks that I've had it. I was very surprised after shooting with the 5D for a few days at how well my A1 held up when I went back to it . When I'm shooting a reception, the A1 has only challenged me when the light gets VERY low. And I typically shoot most of the reception without a light. I found that the 5D does really well in these situations except for focus. I have had a real headache with focus in that situation. In general, I dread having to monkey with the camera vs find something to shoot, etc. I guess that will probably get better as time goes on. I still don't trust it enough to rely on it for critical shots. The other thing is uploading the card and converting the footage seems to take alot of effort as far as multiple steps, etc. I appreciate the simplicity of uploading a tape. I just wanted to say with all of the hype around the 5D, it is a specialty tool and definately will not take the place of my A1s any time soon. (btw I don't understand why they named the new camera the A1s because that makes it confusing when you refer to plural A1s) anyway, enjoy your cameras folks. I believe it to be the best handheld HDV camera for the money.
Bill

[Dennis Murphy]

How do you find the 5D with camera flash at receptions etc?

[Bill Grant]

I honestly haven't used it enough to get a good feel for that. I know that CMOS jello is a very real danger, and don't touch the camera while you're shooting. I mean really. But, the flash phenomenon hasn't really come up.

[Joel Peregrine]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for that update. I just finished a long day with the A1 (and the great PFVISION preset). I'm coming up on a year with them and finally feel like I can operate them instinctively. No more looking for buttons - I know without hesitation where they are and how to adjust the focus, iris, shutter, white balance and gain for the best results. I can't imagine starting from scratch again with a new camera, especially when the A1's results can be astounding. Regardless of the benefits of the DSLR, I think there is much more to be gained by being familiar enough with your present camera to get the hundreds of fleeting moments that occur under adverse conditions.

Originally Posted by Bill Grant

Hey All,
I just thought I would share some realizations on my use of the 5D in the weeks that I've had it. I was very surprised after shooting with the 5D for a few days at how well my A1 held up when I went back to it . When I'm shooting a reception, the A1 has only challenged me when the light gets VERY low. And I typically shoot most of the reception without a light. I found that the 5D does really well in these situations except for focus. I have had a real headache with focus in that situation. In general, I dread having to monkey with the camera vs find something to shoot, etc. I guess that will probably get better as time goes on. I still don't trust it enough to rely on it for critical shots. The other thing is uploading the card and converting the footage seems to take alot of effort as far as multiple steps, etc. I appreciate the simplicity of uploading a tape. I just wanted to say with all of the hype around the 5D, it is a specialty tool and definately will not take the place of my A1s any time soon. (btw I don't understand why they named the new camera the A1s because that makes it confusing when you refer to plural A1s) anyway, enjoy your cameras folks. I believe it to be the best handheld HDV camera for the money.
Bill

[Scott Shama]

Hey Joel,

Amen brother... we're just starting on our first new cam in almost 4 years and there is a learning curve. Love what new technology brings though..