At last... ¿XH-A1s? What cam to purchase?

[Mikel Arturo]

I'm looking for a new cam similar to my old Sony FX1.
I was waiting for NAB2010 news, tapeless formats.
And now I'm going back again.

My explanation (you can add all you want):

NX5 (1st option): difficult codec, no full raster CMOS, issues with buffer overflow... Rest OK. Price OK.

Panasonic AG-150: difficult codec, no full raster CCD, only one memory slot, short zoom. Rest OK. Price OK. Worse: they have announced Panasonic AG-AF100 4/3" HD Camera. This is an earthquake.

Canon XF300: I was thinking that will be an updated A1s. AVCHD codec, tapeless, etc. But is something better... but price is BAD. Double than A1s. And the cam isn't at the market. We have to wait.

Z5-Z7: I don't like it and the substitute is the NX5.

Sony Ex-1r: all fine, all good... but I don't like SxS (yes, there are SDHC adaptars) and price. I think is the best balanced, but price hurts a little, but affordable.

Canon XH-A1s: optimized version of original A1. Tape based. Not very good in low light but you can custom it with presets a get similar results like a Z1 (more or less).
Price, NOW, is AWESOME (2.800 Euros in Europe).
1.200 less than NX5, 3.200 less than Ex-1r.
- Audio XLR issues ironed.
- HDV codec: not the best, not the worse.
- SD format, DV for fast DVD works.
- Full raster CCD.
- Good optics.
- Flip LCD: the worse of the cam, so far.
- HDMI: no, what a shame.
- Tape. I want to go away from tape but after reading a lot I think is better purchase something like that and get the best of two worlds:

Datavideo Technologies Co. DN-60 - HDV / SD CF Card Video Recorder (450 Euros aprox., not avaible yet, but seems economic and versatile).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/580065-REG/Sony_HVR_MRC1K_HVR_MRC1_Memory_Recording_Unit.html (750 $)

Or this one, but price is out of this world:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/684201-REG/Canon_1751V354_FS_CF_Portable_Compact_Flash.html (1.000 $, but with color screen).

I have a question: this recorders can record tape/compact flash at the same time, for backup?
And, you can change tape without stop compact flash recording (I assume that NO)?

Why I going back to tape? After the last news of Panasonic and Sony about 4/3 video cams, I think all is changing. Purchase NOW an EX-1r or similar is very hard. Tape is old fashioned, but reliable.

Thanks.

[Hameed Aabid]

XH A1s: Not very good in low light

I tend to disagree. I got very good results in low light. I have only taken it out once and it was overcast and the photage came out really well.... then in the reception that night, few times they switched off most of the lights for some performances, the photage came out really well with no camera light.

Datavideo Technologies Co. DN-60 - HDV / SD CF Card Video Recorder (450 Euros aprox., not avaible yet, but seems economic and versatile).

Very handy. You got me interested...

[Mikel Arturo]

OK.
Thanks for the info.
My head is spinnig: Xh-A1s, NX-5 or newest XF300. I'm sold.

By the way, I have a Datavideo mixer and intercom system for 4 years... and they work like a charm. Good brand.
One thing that I want is SDI output, for live mixing. NX-5, you have all I want, but this little issues recording...