Which will produce better video quality? Canon XL1 or Sony TRV33?

[Harvinder Singh]

Hi,

This may be a silly question, but I dont know enough about these things to work it out myself.

I have a Sony TRV33, acording to the specs it has 690kCCD 1/4.7"

I have been offered at a very resonable price a Canon XL1, I think it has 3 x CCD 270k 1/3"

what I would like to know is which would produce better picture quality? The Canon is an old model but will it be better than the Sony camera I already have? Is there any advantage in getting the XL1?

As for the size of the camera and the fact that it is shoulder mount shouldnt matter to much, as the camera will be in a fixed position on a tripod.

It wil be used to record, Sikh Religious Divans (services), the light in the Darbar (Worship) Hall is variable, the Diwans are usually in the evening so the light is not the best. Also I do not have an external video lights so the natural light and ceiling tungsten lights are all there is.

For an example of the hall see photos on my flickr and also the video link below,

Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa - Guru Teg Bahadur Shaheedi Diwas - a set on Flickr

http://www.sikhroots.net/video/Profe...ka%20Singh.wmv

Thanks in advance

[Chris Soucy]

Well, the XL1 has the advantage of those big sensors and generous lens size when it comes to light gathering.

I'd have to say tho' that if your current Sony can cope with the lighting (I can't be bothered with an 80meg download to see) the XL1 would seem a pretty big backwards step.

I have the XL1s and compared to my Panasonic SD "dinky cam" camcorder it's very, very soft.

If you wanted to buy anything to improve on your current camera, I'd be looking forward, not back.

Without knowing under what circumstances this footage is to be shown and what budget, if any, has been allocated, it's useless me making any suggestions, tho' the logical progression from the XL1 series is the XL2, which is an infinately better camera.


CS

[Don Palomaki]

The XL1 is a 1997 camcorder.
The TRV33 is a 2003 vintage camcorder.
Both are obsolete, but still can produce good video under the right conditions.

I have not shot with a TRV33, but my estimate is that the XL1 can produce noticeably better video, (put probably not a sharper image), and will give you substantiallymore control over your shooting.

However, best would be to give the XL1 a test if you can. And the price shoudl be very attractive. Factory maintenance support has ended for the original XL1.

[Shaun Roemich]

Harvinder: Sat sri akal je.

The XL1 with 3 CCD's will have a very different look than the TRV33 with it's one CCD.

3 CCD cameras typically have poorer light response due to their splitting available light into 3, instead of 1 imager. However, the XL1 uses pixel shift technology to increase it's low light performance.

I think that an A-B comparison is probably the only way to tell what will work for you, under your circumstances. What would likely improve with the XL1 would be your ability to white balance more easily. The photos you linked to have a very pronounced colour cast due to lighting. I assume this is due to auto white balancing on the TRV33. You should get much more pleasing colour by manually white balancing using the XL1.

[Harvinder Singh]

Thanks for all the replies.

Sat Sri Akal Shaun,
good point about the manual white balance, I usually have to correct in Vegas when editing.

I ended up buying the XL1, the price was very good (based on what I seen 3 different used XL1 selling for on Ebay UK in the last week).

I have not had a chance to try it yet but even if the video quality is not that different from the TRV333, the RCA audio inputs on the XL1 are going to be very useful, previously I would have to record audio and video separately and then sync them later on a computer. This will save a lot of time.

Wanted to ask, has anyone used 83min Panasonic tapes with there XL1? are they compatible? are they any good? any problems experienced?

AY-DVM83SQ 83min MiniDV Tape - Studio Quality [AY-DVM83SQ] - Panasonic Australia

[Don Palomaki]

The 83 minute tapes should work, I have use Panasonic AY-DVM80EJ in a XL1 without problem. Note that 80 minute tape may not be quite as durable for reuse.