Various questions Sony HVR-A1

Vincent Sanchis · January 25th, 2006, 06:41 AM

Hi
I'm currently in New York for a documentary work, but I live in Europe. I have found a very good offer for a HVR-A1U. This model is for use in USA. May I find any problem using it in Europe. My main concern is NTSC (in Europe we have PAL), the voltage for charging the batteries, converting NTSC footage to PAL, and maybe other things which I have not realized.
Has anybody tried to use a HVR-A1U in Europe? Which problems did you find?
I find this model very interesting, but in Europe costs 40 per cent more than in USA.
Thanks for your help.

Laurence Kingston · January 25th, 2006, 02:46 PM

The price for the PAL and NTSC models is the same at B&H, but there is a $500 rebate on the NTSC model only. $500 is a lot of money (to me anyway) but if I lived in a PAL area I'd spend the extra money and buy the PAL version anyway. An NTSC camera in a PAL country is a lot worse than a PAL camera in an NTSC country.

Frank Feijen · January 26th, 2006, 05:54 AM

Does anyone know wheter interval recording on tape is available on the A1? And if so, how it can be activated?

Vincent Sanchis · January 28th, 2006, 04:22 AM

IS ANYBODY USING A SHOULDER SUPPORT WITH HVR-A1?

Ok, I know it is a very light camera. However my documentary style of shooting have always been with shoulder support. Sometimes I have to spend hours shooting with the camera, and in the end it makes me feel tired. Besides I feel very comfortable with the shoulder support style of shooting.
I do not use tripods because it is very time consuming and intimidating, unless I am doing an interview.
Has anybody tried to shoot with a shoulder support? Which one fits better with the HVR-A1?
Thanks for your help.

Mark Steele · January 28th, 2006, 08:03 AM

Have you seen Laurence Kingston's setup?
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=59073

Alexander Karol · January 28th, 2006, 01:18 PM

I am not using shoulder support, and looking back at my CES 2006 footage, I realized I should have.

Like mentioned, Laurence has a really sweet setup. He uses the SpiderBrace with his HVR-A1U and has been very happy with it. The really cool thing is that it only costs $59; compared to $500+ that you'll pay for other rigs out there.

Check it out:
www.spiderbrace.com

Dan Chosich · February 16th, 2006, 02:15 PM

I'm planning on buying the A1 next week from B&H. I was just wondering if anyone had some footage of it? I have looked for a while to find some and I haven't found anything. Most footage is of the HC1. I know they are very similar, but I was hoping to see something actually from that camcorder.

Thanks for your time. If you guys have anything I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again.

Dave Ferdinand · February 16th, 2006, 03:55 PM

It's exactly the same, you just have a couple of extra manual controls and XLR audio inputs. Footage won't differ in the slightest.

Stu Holmes · February 16th, 2006, 07:54 PM

well...... almost.

Footage will be SO similar that it's true there's not an awful lot of point in seeing A1 footage as opposed to HC1 footage.
There's a few features on A1 that make the footage a little bit different, especially in shadow areas, such as Black Stretch which plays around with the gamma curve to give more shadow detail.

But honestly it's pretty subtle.

Also i think the EIP (Enhanced Image Processing) works slightly differently on the two cams but again you are unlilely to see anything significantly. One thing - i know someone who had an HC1 and an A1 at the same time (before returning the HC1) and he said that he thought the image stabilisation on the A1 was noticeably better than the HC1 that he had. Just his opinion.

Matthew Kent · March 8th, 2006, 05:42 PM

Ok... so last night I was capturing pretty late, and forgot to shut off my A1 after I shutdown everything.

I got up this morning, and went out to shoot some things, only to discover everything works except record and playback. When I try to record, it says "Dirty video head, please use a tape cleaner". I've done 2 cleanings, and so far it still isn't working.

Did I somehow burn out the head? I had a tape in it last night, and am afraid this is the case. It's new, so I'm hoping the warranty will cover any issues, but this isn't the first time I've left a camera on, but have never had any issue remotely close to this! The camera was pretty hot when I turned it off this morning.

Thanks

Misha Mansoor · March 13th, 2006, 08:23 PM

Hey guys, this is my first post here, i am really glad i joined since you guys all seem to know exactly what you are talking about haha.
I am a complete newbie to the world of hd def camcorders, but i have spent the last week or so researching and learning as much as i can about the cameras. I am looking to film short clips and bits here and there of anything and everything and also i would like to film my band with the same camera. But i want it to look as pro as possible for the least amount of money and i am completely willing to put in the time and effort to become proficient with whichever camera i go with.

I have narrowed it down to the hc1 and a1, the a1 being obviously more attractive because of the xlr inputs, and its ability to capture in cineframe 30 which i am told is a lot more useful than 24 cuz its a lot more smooth. But if i havent misunderstood, i believe you can do the same thing with the hc1 by setting the shutter speed to 30. I am looking for a camera i can grow with and not have to replace in the future, but i am not an elitist when it comes to these things even though i would like it to have that "cinema" feel and look. So which camera do you think would be better for me? The HC1 is now $1349 at bhphoto, and the a1 would be $2000 after rebate but after i inquired sony confirmed that only businesses are eligble.

Do you think the a1 is worth the extra money and if you do, then why?

Thanks so much for your help with this!!

Misha

Damien Benoit · March 27th, 2006, 08:37 AM

A1U vs HC1 by Sony!

Whats the actual difference between them? Is it just that the cinema mode on A1U being betting as well as capturing acurate colors and the top mounted mic attachment?

Is there anyway I can get that top mounted mic attachment with the XLR's for my HC1?

Dave F. Nelson · April 3rd, 2006, 03:55 PM

Looks like there's plenty of time to get the HVR-A1U... and now we know the truth. The HDR-HC1 was discontinued so it wouldn't cannabalize sales of the HVR-A1U and was replaced by the HDR-HC3, which definitely won't hurt HVR-A1U sales.

I copied this information from the Sony HVR-A1U Rebate Site:
https://www.rebate-zone.com/default....DirectID=10680

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Promotion Details

Promotion Name Sony HVRA1U HDV Camcorder $500 Rebate
Promotion Description Receive $500.00 mail-in rebate for the purchase of a Sony HVR-A1U HDV product.
Promotion Number 060010A
Start Date 4/1/2006
End Date 9/30/2006
Hardcopy Postmark Date 10/31/2006
Customer Service (866) 881-1114 or Email Customer Service

Click next to confirm your selection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to get the HDR-HC1 you'd better get-a-move-on. There's still one here in San Diego at the Best Buy in Oceanside.

--Dave

Peter Ferling · April 3rd, 2006, 09:14 PM

Well now, that's interesting. What does this say about the rumored HC5? I was wondering if the rebate was to deplete inventories in time for NAB and a new release candidate. I was willing to pass this up in favor of something new to consider at NAB. Now it looks like the A1U will remain on the table. Nice.

Alex Thames · April 10th, 2006, 03:17 PM

I know the Varizoom compact controllers with push auto focus functions don't work with the A1, and that a Manfrotto one does, but what about the Zoe 2005 controller?

January 25th, 2006, 06:41 AM	#16
Vincent Sanchis New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oldenburg, Germany Posts: 23	Using an HVR-A1U in Europe Hi I'm currently in New York for a documentary work, but I live in Europe. I have found a very good offer for a HVR-A1U. This model is for use in USA. May I find any problem using it in Europe. My main concern is NTSC (in Europe we have PAL), the voltage for charging the batteries, converting NTSC footage to PAL, and maybe other things which I have not realized. Has anybody tried to use a HVR-A1U in Europe? Which problems did you find? I find this model very interesting, but in Europe costs 40 per cent more than in USA. Thanks for your help.

January 26th, 2006, 05:54 AM	#18
Frank Feijen Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brussels - Belgium Posts: 36	Interval recording on A1? Does anyone know wheter interval recording on tape is available on the A1? And if so, how it can be activated?

January 28th, 2006, 04:22 AM	#19
Vincent Sanchis New Boot Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oldenburg, Germany Posts: 23	Is Anybody Using A Shoulder Support With Hvr-a1? IS ANYBODY USING A SHOULDER SUPPORT WITH HVR-A1? Ok, I know it is a very light camera. However my documentary style of shooting have always been with shoulder support. Sometimes I have to spend hours shooting with the camera, and in the end it makes me feel tired. Besides I feel very comfortable with the shoulder support style of shooting. I do not use tripods because it is very time consuming and intimidating, unless I am doing an interview. Has anybody tried to shoot with a shoulder support? Which one fits better with the HVR-A1? Thanks for your help.

February 16th, 2006, 02:15 PM	#22
Dan Chosich New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Bellvue, WA Posts: 9	Sony HVR-A1 Footage I'm planning on buying the A1 next week from B&H. I was just wondering if anyone had some footage of it? I have looked for a while to find some and I haven't found anything. Most footage is of the HC1. I know they are very similar, but I was hoping to see something actually from that camcorder. Thanks for your time. If you guys have anything I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again.

February 16th, 2006, 03:55 PM	#23
Dave Ferdinand Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 359	unnecessary It's exactly the same, you just have a couple of extra manual controls and XLR audio inputs. Footage won't differ in the slightest. __________________ Do or do not, there is no try.

January 25th, 2006, 02:46 PM	#17
Laurence Kingston Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Clermont, FL. Posts: 941	The price for the PAL and NTSC models is the same at B&H, but there is a $500 rebate on the NTSC model only. $500 is a lot of money (to me anyway) but if I lived in a PAL area I'd spend the extra money and buy the PAL version anyway. An NTSC camera in a PAL country is a lot worse than a PAL camera in an NTSC country.

January 28th, 2006, 08:03 AM	#20
Mark Steele New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 6	Have you seen Laurence Kingston's setup? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=59073

January 28th, 2006, 01:18 PM	#21
Alexander Karol Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 198	I am not using shoulder support, and looking back at my CES 2006 footage, I realized I should have. Like mentioned, Laurence has a really sweet setup. He uses the SpiderBrace with his HVR-A1U and has been very happy with it. The really cool thing is that it only costs $59; compared to $500+ that you'll pay for other rigs out there. Check it out: www.spiderbrace.com

February 16th, 2006, 07:54 PM	#24
Stu Holmes Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 844	well...... almost. Footage will be SO similar that it's true there's not an awful lot of point in seeing A1 footage as opposed to HC1 footage. There's a few features on A1 that make the footage a little bit different, especially in shadow areas, such as Black Stretch which plays around with the gamma curve to give more shadow detail. But honestly it's pretty subtle. Also i think the EIP (Enhanced Image Processing) works slightly differently on the two cams but again you are unlilely to see anything significantly. One thing - i know someone who had an HC1 and an A1 at the same time (before returning the HC1) and he said that he thought the image stabilisation on the A1 was noticeably better than the HC1 that he had. Just his opinion.

March 8th, 2006, 05:42 PM	#25
Matthew Kent Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Berkeley, Ca Posts: 75	A1U Dirty Video Head? Broken? Ok... so last night I was capturing pretty late, and forgot to shut off my A1 after I shutdown everything. I got up this morning, and went out to shoot some things, only to discover everything works except record and playback. When I try to record, it says "Dirty video head, please use a tape cleaner". I've done 2 cleanings, and so far it still isn't working. Did I somehow burn out the head? I had a tape in it last night, and am afraid this is the case. It's new, so I'm hoping the warranty will cover any issues, but this isn't the first time I've left a camera on, but have never had any issue remotely close to this! The camera was pretty hot when I turned it off this morning. Thanks __________________ The tall unorthodox Asian Tackling life one day at a time. Camera: Canon XH A1 (once it's out!!) Lens: Canon FD 50mm f/1.4, 35mm-70mm f/2.8-3.5, 70mm-140mm f/3.8 Adapter: Micro35 DIY Ghetto style!

March 13th, 2006, 08:23 PM	#26
Misha Mansoor Tourist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 1	First Post: HC1 or A1? Hey guys, this is my first post here, i am really glad i joined since you guys all seem to know exactly what you are talking about haha. I am a complete newbie to the world of hd def camcorders, but i have spent the last week or so researching and learning as much as i can about the cameras. I am looking to film short clips and bits here and there of anything and everything and also i would like to film my band with the same camera. But i want it to look as pro as possible for the least amount of money and i am completely willing to put in the time and effort to become proficient with whichever camera i go with. I have narrowed it down to the hc1 and a1, the a1 being obviously more attractive because of the xlr inputs, and its ability to capture in cineframe 30 which i am told is a lot more useful than 24 cuz its a lot more smooth. But if i havent misunderstood, i believe you can do the same thing with the hc1 by setting the shutter speed to 30. I am looking for a camera i can grow with and not have to replace in the future, but i am not an elitist when it comes to these things even though i would like it to have that "cinema" feel and look. So which camera do you think would be better for me? The HC1 is now $1349 at bhphoto, and the a1 would be $2000 after rebate but after i inquired sony confirmed that only businesses are eligble. Do you think the a1 is worth the extra money and if you do, then why? Thanks so much for your help with this!! Misha

March 27th, 2006, 08:37 AM	#27
Damien Benoit New Boot Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Abilene, TX Posts: 16	A1U vs HC1 A1U vs HC1 by Sony! Whats the actual difference between them? Is it just that the cinema mode on A1U being betting as well as capturing acurate colors and the top mounted mic attachment? Is there anyway I can get that top mounted mic attachment with the XLR's for my HC1?

April 3rd, 2006, 03:55 PM	#28
Dave F. Nelson Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 129	HVR-A1U Rebate Extended to 9/30/2006 Looks like there's plenty of time to get the HVR-A1U... and now we know the truth. The HDR-HC1 was discontinued so it wouldn't cannabalize sales of the HVR-A1U and was replaced by the HDR-HC3, which definitely won't hurt HVR-A1U sales. I copied this information from the Sony HVR-A1U Rebate Site: https://www.rebate-zone.com/default....DirectID=10680 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Promotion Details Promotion Name Sony HVRA1U HDV Camcorder $500 Rebate Promotion Description Receive $500.00 mail-in rebate for the purchase of a Sony HVR-A1U HDV product. Promotion Number 060010A Start Date 4/1/2006 End Date 9/30/2006 Hardcopy Postmark Date 10/31/2006 Customer Service (866) 881-1114 or Email Customer Service Click next to confirm your selection. --------------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to get the HDR-HC1 you'd better get-a-move-on. There's still one here in San Diego at the Best Buy in Oceanside. --Dave

April 3rd, 2006, 09:14 PM	#29
Peter Ferling Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wyomissing, PA Posts: 1,141 Images: 57	Well now, that's interesting. What does this say about the rumored HC5? I was wondering if the rebate was to deplete inventories in time for NAB and a new release candidate. I was willing to pass this up in favor of something new to consider at NAB. Now it looks like the A1U will remain on the table. Nice.

April 10th, 2006, 03:17 PM	#30
Alex Thames Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 508	Zoe 2005 Lanc controller Push Auto Focus work with A1? I know the Varizoom compact controllers with push auto focus functions don't work with the A1, and that a Manfrotto one does, but what about the Zoe 2005 controller?