This camera is a monster!

[Phil Taylor]

Well, I give up! This camera is simply not for me! It just does not do good work, the quality is lacking including a propensity to have focus problems. In fact, I'm not thrilled with HDV either. I guess I was spoiled by my first and second cameras, the JVC GYX2B and then the JVC DV500. Both of then remain in my arsenal and both put out far superior video than this XH series camera. I don't believe its operator difficulty as I have shot a lot of video over the years, most of it very well received. But this Canon camera makes me believe we the consumers, have been duped! Just this week I am finishing up a documantary practically all outdoors, and the footage from this XH camera was just not good. I loaded up the JVC DV500, shot about 2 hours and the footage was what I would call great! But that's the way of the industry now, make any claims you wish.........just sell the cameras! It really is a clunky camera and deserves to be put in the junk bin!

[Michael Hutson]

If you are tossing it in the trash, I'll take it. What mode are you shooting in?

[Michael Ojjeh]

Originally Posted by Phil Taylor

Well, Just this week I am finishing up a documantary practically all outdoors, and the footage from this XH camera was just not good. !

Phil, I have to disagree with you, this camera rocks when shooting outside, I used own the JVC DV5000 and the XH series cameras blows it away with the image, now shooting inside with very low light the JVC DV5000 have the better edge.

[Kevin Lewis]

Hmm, i'm going to suggest you check both your camera and nle settings. This camera produces a great picture and its hdv is fantastic. Make sure that your not using some sort of preset. I would also suggest you make sure that your camera is at its default settings and then start from there.

[Allan Black]

It doesn't sound like Phil is using any custom presets, just shooting with an A1 straight out of the box.

A lot of folk were disappointed with the A1 at first, that's why custom presets were born.

Cheers.

[Bill Grant]

Yeah, I just have to say wow. And shake my head. This camera bites the head off of my Sony VX2100. Give it time Phil. You're right it is a monster, and it has a monster learning curve. But, after that, it's honestly the best cam of its era (2006) and price range. Good luck.
Bill

[Phil Taylor]

Well, you all have your opinions and I respect that. However I still find this camera terrible to operate and the end result either HDV or SP, is generally far inferior than that produced by SP DV cameras such as the JVC DV500.........and to add to this, the quality of the video is terribly unpredictable. I may not be a great operator but I have been producing since 1992 and I believe I know my way around most cameras. This one is deplorable in my opinion. I was truly excited when I purchased it, I loaded it up with all the accessories............I worked hard at mastering the camera operation and I have shot some decent video with it. But that's not good enough for me! Predictability and quality are of the utmost importance for me and this camera does not give me that! Get the light just right and little if any motion and at times this camera produces ok video. But that's not the norm for me. So just keep shooting while I take a pleasant step backward and once again enjoy shooting with a predictable camera. You know, to be perfectly frank my older JVC GYX2B SVHS camera records better video then even the JVC DV500 even though the supposed difference in the two is the recording media. I always could live with the very few drop outs on SVHS and my productions with that camera were wonderful. Perhaps I'll take two steps back!
The name of the game is "get the consumer to purchase" and use any tactic available. The quality of video has not been worth the ride and expanse to DV and/or HDV. Proof? Take a look at older Pro football video or other athletic events. Not much if any discernable difference. If you do see a difference, is it worth the difference in expense? You and I and all the other Forum members of all Forums are simply pawns in the game of corporate expansion. Think about it, the average cost for Satellite TV is now about $80.00 per month. Remember not too long ago when it was free? Remember when our publically owned Frequencies were just that? Anyway, enough of my ranting...................this camera is truly a monster!!!!

[Don Xaliman]

You are probably shooting with Auto Gain Control at 24fps and not using any presets.

This produces lack luster quality with a variable lot of grain.
People here would help you if you were specific of your settings. This camera is very good the way I use it and others seem to get excellent results. So, let's stop talking consumerism and politics and talk camera tech talk.
Would you like help optimizing your images?

[David Seguin]

You're right, we all are entitled to our opinions, yours included. But I must say that even though I have little experience with other cams, I've read a lot of comments/reviews from people who have decades of experience, and you are the first person I've seen that dislikes this camera so much. I think the others are right, maybe you should go over your settings with us, because if thats not the problem then there must be something physically wrong with your camera. I've had my A1 for just a little under a year now, and every time I use it I'm even more satisfied with the results. The reason I bought the thing is because all the research I did on it seemed to point towards it being one of the best cameras in it's price range.

[Michael Galvan]

Yeah, the XH cams produce a fantastic image. Perfectly suitable for many types of productions from television broadcast to narrative applications. I've used them in my NBC doc work before, along with my XL H1S and people have been extremely pleased with the results.

I think there just needs to be more understanding into how the camera works... settings, etc.

What is your cam set to when you shoot?

[Chris Hurd]

Phil, if you're not happy with this camera, do yourself a favor and get rid of it. The good news is that since it's so new, it's going to hold its value very well. You could easily get back 90% of its cost if not more. You should sell it immediately; plenty of folks on this site would want to buy it from you
through our classifieds.

The worst thing you can do is continue to hang on to something that disappoints you.

Hope this helps,

[Panagiotis Raris]

the capabilities of any camera really dont matter if it confuses you, irritates you, intimidates you, or bores you, or heck even if you dont like the feel of it.

If i were you, i would go out, check out a few competitors, sell the XH, and buy what works best WITH you.

when friends and family ask me what equipment to buy, i ALWAYS tell them to favor what feels most logical and ergonomic as long as the feature sets are similar. Years ago, i switched from Canon DLSR's to Nikons just because the menu systems and buttons didnt make any sense to me; on the XH A1 i have the zoom/focus directions reversed, among other settings changed, but i STILL wish it had a custom menu or a menu set up by Nikon.

I have many times considered a few Panasonics and JVC units, but the lack of focus rings or other misc items has always done them in (plus price difference...)

[Coral Cook]

Phil,

I have both the GY-DV500 and XHA1, and I can that as nice as the image is on the DV500, the XHA1 blows it out of the water. Maybe you can post a clip from your XHA1 and tell us what settings you used.

[Stuart Brontman]

Phil, with all due respect, there are a tremendous amount of people (myself included) that have obtained terrific footage from this camera time and time again. You are entitled to your opinion, but your obvious anger and frustration with this camera and its image does not match up with the vast majority of people on this forum. I came to the XH-A1 from the original XL-1 and the Panasonic DVC200 - both fine cameras. While my clients liked the SD footage from those cameras, they have been blown away by the SD (and of course the HDV/Cineform HD) footage from the A1.

I agree with Chris - sell the camera and move on. No camera is worth such anger and frustration. Either that or tell us what settings you are using. Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised by what advice you might get here. Properly used, this camera has been used for untold numbers of professionally shot projects. If it were as bad as you say, do you really think we'd all swear by it instead of at it?

[Bill Grant]

And, let me add additionally that just because you know cameras because of your SD equipment doesn't mean you know a thing about this one. This is a whole new animal that just hasn't been around. I am confident, I think with everyone else on this thread, that though there may be better cameras out there, this one is still a supreme bada$$ camera. And, I think we would pretty much all stick by that.
Bill