HV-20 to compliment my XH-A1? at DVinfo.net

Chris Drage · April 25th, 2007, 06:05 AM

Hi guys and giggles,

Your detailed conversations on this forum are just fantastic....you have all helped me a great deal! Now a little direct advice s'il vous plait....

I recently purchased an XH-A1 as my main camcorder for its HD and manual controls and I planned to sell my XM2 (GL2) which was my main cam. However, I am in two minds. Although the XM2 is SD only, I just love it as prosumer camcorder. But would it not be more sensible too own a second cam which would better compliment the XH-A1 (more mobile, use it as a tape deck etc). My question therefore is: is it better to sell my XM2 (keeping the Canon vid. light and ext. microphone etc) and put the money towards HV-20 which, from all accounts on this forum, seems a great little (portable) cam?

Jim Miller · April 25th, 2007, 07:16 AM

I too have enjoyed these discussions and after everything I have read I have ordered the Canon HV20 and the A1. I just sold my Sony A1U and will be replacing my trusty Panasonic DVX100 with these two cameras.

I'll use the A1 for primary and the HV20 for a back up and deck.

Best of luck to you.

My new toys will be here by the end of he week!

Mark Fry · April 25th, 2007, 07:23 AM

Oh Chris, what a dilema? We could debate this for hours. How much have you used the XH-A1? How often have you wished for a second HDV cam or a smaller, easier one? When was the last time you used the XM2? If you only had the XH-A1 and had an immediate need for a B-cam, then the HV20 would be top of the list of recommendations.

For myself, I have decided to keep my XM1. I have one definite use for it: copying old cine film, which it has been very good at. In truth, it's not a brilliant B-cam for the XH-A1, being 4:3 only, but it is such a nice camera. I think the XM2 can record 16:9, so is a rather better match.

When you need a (second) camera, get the most useful one you can find. Until you need one, put off making the decision because everything will have changed in a few months - except that by Sod's Law, the camera you really want will be launched immediately after you make your purchase!.

Doug Lange · April 25th, 2007, 02:33 PM

Sell your XM2 while the used market is good. If you keep it for 6 months, it will depreciate in value. Sell it now and it will pay for the HV20.

Larry Kamerman · April 25th, 2007, 06:23 PM

Chris, for what it's worth, I recently used the A1 as primary camera on a gig and used the HV20 as b camera, for a few, quick inserts. Footage from the HV20 cut together nicely with the A1.

Brian Brown · April 25th, 2007, 11:56 PM

Is it true that the HV20 adds pulldown into a 60i stream on 24p footage? I read this somewhere... maybe on the HV20 forum. I'm curious if it would also do this on tapes of f-mode footage with an A1.

I toyed around with this little cam in a local Best Buy electronics store today. The thing is so tiny! I'd sure like to buy one someday as a deck and a b-roll cam to compliment my A1... but the pulldown thing concerns me.

Brian Brown

Bill Doyle · April 26th, 2007, 04:48 AM

I, too, have the A1 and recently got the HV20 for B-roll and a deck. I've had a few issues with batch capture in FCP ("unable to locate timecode") which is discussed in the HV10/HV20 forum, but the footage is beautiful and an excellent compliment to the A1.

The 24p on the HV20 is recorded in a 60i stream, so you'll need to do a pulldown (see the HV forum), but it does not change what's shot with the A1.

Bill Doyle

Brian Brown · April 26th, 2007, 08:39 AM

Thanks much for the reply, Bill. Looks like I'll need to budget for the HV20 soon.

Brian

Howard Wilczynski · May 12th, 2007, 07:54 PM

Hi,

I've decided to sell my old camera and get a complimentary recorder for my A1.

The HV20 had dropped $130 on Amazon since last week which made me check Canon's web site. I found a new deck the HR10.

The Canon compare option doesn't show much difference.

Does anyone know what is is and if it is worth waiting for? Or just get the HV20 at $866.

Thanks,
Howard

Chuck Fadely · May 13th, 2007, 09:05 AM

The HR10 is dvd, not tape.

The price adjustment on the HV20 is just dealers lowering it down to regular margins after initial demand wore off. My work purchased them at that price when they first came out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard Wilczynski

Hi,

I've decided to sell my old camera and get a complimentary recorder for my A1.

The HV20 had dropped $130 on Amazon since last week which made me check Canon's web site. I found a new deck the HR10.

The Canon compare option doesn't show much difference.

Does anyone know what is is and if it is worth waiting for? Or just get the HV20 at $866.

Thanks,
Howard

Howard Wilczynski · May 13th, 2007, 10:28 AM

Thanks, that's a bigger difference than I wanted. I'll get the HV20.

Howard

April 25th, 2007, 06:05 AM	#1
Chris Drage Tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London UK Posts: 4	HV-20 to compliment my XH-A1? Hi guys and giggles, Your detailed conversations on this forum are just fantastic....you have all helped me a great deal! Now a little direct advice s'il vous plait.... I recently purchased an XH-A1 as my main camcorder for its HD and manual controls and I planned to sell my XM2 (GL2) which was my main cam. However, I am in two minds. Although the XM2 is SD only, I just love it as prosumer camcorder. But would it not be more sensible too own a second cam which would better compliment the XH-A1 (more mobile, use it as a tape deck etc). My question therefore is: is it better to sell my XM2 (keeping the Canon vid. light and ext. microphone etc) and put the money towards HV-20 which, from all accounts on this forum, seems a great little (portable) cam?

April 25th, 2007, 07:23 AM	#3
Mark Fry Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 425	Oh Chris, what a dilema? We could debate this for hours. How much have you used the XH-A1? How often have you wished for a second HDV cam or a smaller, easier one? When was the last time you used the XM2? If you only had the XH-A1 and had an immediate need for a B-cam, then the HV20 would be top of the list of recommendations. For myself, I have decided to keep my XM1. I have one definite use for it: copying old cine film, which it has been very good at. In truth, it's not a brilliant B-cam for the XH-A1, being 4:3 only, but it is such a nice camera. I think the XM2 can record 16:9, so is a rather better match. When you need a (second) camera, get the most useful one you can find. Until you need one, put off making the decision because everything will have changed in a few months - except that by Sod's Law, the camera you really want will be launched immediately after you make your purchase!. __________________ Steam Age Pictures - videos in aid of railway preservation societies.

April 25th, 2007, 02:33 PM	#4
Doug Lange Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska Posts: 138	Sell Sell your XM2 while the used market is good. If you keep it for 6 months, it will depreciate in value. Sell it now and it will pay for the HV20. __________________ After years of lurking, I finally made the mistake of opening my mouth.

April 25th, 2007, 06:23 PM	#5
Larry Kamerman Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New York,NY Posts: 100	Chris, for what it's worth, I recently used the A1 as primary camera on a gig and used the HV20 as b camera, for a few, quick inserts. Footage from the HV20 cut together nicely with the A1. __________________ www.gencofilms.com

May 12th, 2007, 07:54 PM	#9
Howard Wilczynski Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon Country, CA Posts: 71	HV20 or New HR10 Hi, I've decided to sell my old camera and get a complimentary recorder for my A1. The HV20 had dropped $130 on Amazon since last week which made me check Canon's web site. I found a new deck the HR10. The Canon compare option doesn't show much difference. Does anyone know what is is and if it is worth waiting for? Or just get the HV20 at $866. Thanks, Howard

April 25th, 2007, 07:16 AM	#2
Jim Miller Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tampa,Florida Posts: 236	I too have enjoyed these discussions and after everything I have read I have ordered the Canon HV20 and the A1. I just sold my Sony A1U and will be replacing my trusty Panasonic DVX100 with these two cameras. I'll use the A1 for primary and the HV20 for a back up and deck. Best of luck to you. My new toys will be here by the end of he week!

April 25th, 2007, 11:56 PM	#6
Brian Brown Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Estes Park, CO USA Posts: 426	Is it true that the HV20 adds pulldown into a 60i stream on 24p footage? I read this somewhere... maybe on the HV20 forum. I'm curious if it would also do this on tapes of f-mode footage with an A1. I toyed around with this little cam in a local Best Buy electronics store today. The thing is so tiny! I'd sure like to buy one someday as a deck and a b-roll cam to compliment my A1... but the pulldown thing concerns me. Brian Brown

April 26th, 2007, 04:48 AM	#7
Bill Doyle Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Worcester, MA Posts: 40	I, too, have the A1 and recently got the HV20 for B-roll and a deck. I've had a few issues with batch capture in FCP ("unable to locate timecode") which is discussed in the HV10/HV20 forum, but the footage is beautiful and an excellent compliment to the A1. The 24p on the HV20 is recorded in a 60i stream, so you'll need to do a pulldown (see the HV forum), but it does not change what's shot with the A1. Bill Doyle

April 26th, 2007, 08:39 AM	#8
Brian Brown Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Estes Park, CO USA Posts: 426	Thanks much for the reply, Bill. Looks like I'll need to budget for the HV20 soon. Brian

May 13th, 2007, 10:28 AM	#11
Howard Wilczynski Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon Country, CA Posts: 71	Thanks, that's a bigger difference than I wanted. I'll get the HV20. Howard