Panasonic Pro AG-DVX100BP(S) 3-CCD MiniDV Proline Camcorder wi th 10x Optical Zoom

1/3" 3-CCD 24P/30P/60i DV Cinema Camera with CineSwitchTM Technology CineGammaTM Software and IEEE 1394 Interface

• Allows synchronous setting of time code values among multiple cameras


• 3 CCD image system; 24P/30P cinema mode; manual operation


• Wide-angle zoom lens perfect for small-room shooting close-ups and self-recorded interviews


• High-sensitivity slow shutter (in cumulative) function


• Professional digital video camera

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Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

Includes: XL2 Camcorder Body / Zoom Lens 20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS / Color Viewfinder / Lithium Battery (for Auto-Date) / WL-D4000 Wireless Controller with 2 AAA Batteries (for Wireless Controller) / Lens Cap / Lens Dust Cap / Lens Hood / Lens Soft Case / Camcorder Dust Cap / CA-920 Compact Power Adapter and Adapter Holder / AC Cable / DC-920 DC Coupler / BP-930 Battery Pack (with Terminal Cover) / SS-1000 Shoulder Strap / STV-150 Stereo Video Cable / S-150 S-Video Cable / Microphone / XL2 and Lens Instruction manuals. Canon XL2 allows you to capture images closer to the finished product than ever before. Work that previously was limited to post-production can be simply and effectively accomplished in the field in the camcorder. An Open Architecture philosophy performance found only in much more expensive video cameras Total Image Control and the solid foundation of Genuine Canon Optics interchangeable lens capability and superb Canon image processing quality are united in the XL2. The XL2 brings a host of performance and convenience features to this class of video camcorder- benefits that can't be found in this combination on other high-end video cameras. They include: Canon Super Range Optical Image Stabilization in the standard lens; dual aspect ratios; various frame rate capabilities; image gamma and detail controls; skin detail control and convertible LCD display among others. Flourite Zoom Lens with Optical Image Stabilization SMPTE time code Custom Presets EIA standard (525 lines 60 fields) NTSC color signal Dimensions - 8.9 x 8.7 x 19.5 in. / Weight (not including lens and battery pack) 5.3 lbs.

• Professional 3CCD DV camcorder with open architecture design for cinema attachments


• 20x optical zoom lens XL interchangeable lens system


• Color viewfinder interchangeable with optional professional monochrome viewfinder


• 16:9 widescreen and 4:3 ratio 3 selectable frame rates: 60i 30p and cinema 24p


• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack

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Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder

AVCCAM - the Industry's Next Generation Affordable HD... The AG-HMC150 handheld is Panasonic's exciting new introduction to the AVCCAM series. Representing a major step forward in affordable HD video capture the HMC150 utilizes highly efficient AVCHD recording the industry's new long GOP standard based on MPEG-4 to provide stunning image quality and longer record time. The new handheld incorporates three 1/3-inch progressive CCD imagers to produce stunning 1920 x 1080 resolution picture quality far exceeding older Long GOP formats like HDV. It's equipped with a high-performance wide-angle* Leica Dicomar 13x zoom lens and 24-and 30-frame progressive capture in a full range of HD formats making it well suited for all types of projects. With an excitingrange of professional video and audio features and a compact well-balanced design the HMC150 is a "must have" for video professionals and enthusiasts looking for the best in affordable HD. Extra-Long Solid-State Recording: Forget minutes! With AVCHD technology and high-capacity SD memory cards the HMC150 provides hours of beautiful high definition recordings at professional bitrates up to 21Mbps. And it's as easy to use as a digital still camera with simple playback on many consumer devices and players from computers and video game consoles to Blu-ray players and flat panel displays with SD card slots. AVCHD is currently supported by variety of editing solutio

• Full range of HD formats: 1080/60i 1080/30p 1080/24p (Native); 720/60p 720/30p 720/24p (Native)


• Higher bit-rate recording than consumer models (21 Mbps PH Mode)


• 13X Wide angle 28 mm lens out of the box (35mm equiv.); 1/3-inch CCD Progressive Imagers


• Waveform Monitor Vectorscope plus two Focus displays for accurate quick focus


• 3.5-inch LCD monitor displays thumbnails for quick non-linear access to clips

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Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III

For the professionals who require a smaller lighter weight HD camcorder but who won't give up capability and performance Canon offers the XH A1S. Our latest in a family of high quality HDV camcorders the XH A1S delivers advanced features and a wide range of image parameter controls to make your vision a reality. Starting with the superb Canon Genuine Canon 20x HD lens with Professional L Series Fluorite the XH A1S adds 3CCDs each of which is at 1440 x 1080 pixels (1080i). It also means you can be sure that your shooting in the field will be the best it can be with Canon's SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization. It corrects for a wide range of camera movement and vibration and combined with Instant AF (Auto Focus) you'll get ultra-quick accurate focus. The DIGIC DV II HD image processor finishes the picture with improved color reproduction and noise reduction - for a final result that delivers excellent image quality. To further ensure that your vision is realized the XH A1S gives you features that let you make manual adjustments to fine-tune your video- the ultimate in total image control. For those situations in which you need to let your camcorder take care of exposure and image controls the automatic settings on the XH A1S will expertly assist you. You'll find flexibility versatility and capability in the extensive array of features and optional accessories of the XH A1S. It is bound to meet and exceed your highest expectations. The XH A1S also comes with Canon's innovative SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) which combines gyro- and image-sensors to give image stabilization through a wider range of camera motions. Some image stabilization systems correct one type of camera motion or vibration better than another. But Canon's SuperRange OIS corrects for a wide range of camcorder motion: the fast vibration you'd experience while recording from a moving car; the medium-speed motion of hand-held

• Genuine Canon 20x HD video zoom lens with Professional L Series Fluorite; Independent manual focus. zoom and iris ring


• Three 1/3-inch native 16:9 CCD with 1.67M pixels (1440 x 1080); 1080 HD resolution with choice of 60i 30F and 24F frame rates


• Canon DIGIC DV II HD Image Processor


• Complete Customization: Iimage adjustments display adjustments custom functions; Nine custom presets and two custom keys


• 2.8-inch Widescreen LCD (207000 Pixels) and 0.57-inch Color Widescreen EVF (269000 Pixels)

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Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

Includes: XL2 Camcorder Body / Zoom Lens 20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS / Color Viewfinder / Lithium Battery (for Auto-Date) / WL-D4000 Wireless Controller with 2 AAA Batteries (for Wireless Controller) / Lens Cap / Lens Dust Cap / Lens Hood / Lens Soft Case / Camcorder Dust Cap / CA-920 Compact Power Adapter and Adapter Holder / AC Cable / DC-920 DC Coupler / BP-930 Battery Pack (with Terminal Cover) / SS-1000 Shoulder Strap / STV-150 Stereo Video Cable / S-150 S-Video Cable / Microphone / XL2 and Lens Instruction manuals. Canon XL2 allows you to capture images closer to the finished product than ever before. Work that previously was limited to post-production can be simply and effectively accomplished in the field in the camcorder. An Open Architecture philosophy performance found only in much more expensive video cameras Total Image Control and the solid foundation of Genuine Canon Optics interchangeable lens capability and superb Canon image processing quality are united in the XL2. The XL2 brings a host of performance and convenience features to this class of video camcorder- benefits that can't be found in this combination on other high-end video cameras. They include: Canon Super Range Optical Image Stabilization in the standard lens; dual aspect ratios; various frame rate capabilities; image gamma and detail controls; skin detail control and convertible LCD display among others. Flourite Zoom Lens with Optical Image Stabilization SMPTE time code Custom Presets EIA standard (525 lines 60 fields) NTSC color signal Dimensions - 8.9 x 8.7 x 19.5 in. / Weight (not including lens and battery pack) 5.3 lbs.

• Professional 3CCD DV camcorder with open architecture design for cinema attachments


• 20x optical zoom lens XL interchangeable lens system


• Color viewfinder interchangeable with optional professional monochrome viewfinder


• 16:9 widescreen and 4:3 ratio 3 selectable frame rates: 60i 30p and cinema 24p


• Powered by rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack

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Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder

Canon pursued imaging greatness resulting in the ultimate digital camcorder system the XL1S. It starts with a highly intelligent "open architecture" design which allows you to customize your XL1S with the widest variety of optional accessories available. Plus you have extensive control over picture and sound adjustments to tailor the "look and feel" of each recording to your preference or even your clients'. Whether you define yourself as an imaging enthusiast professional videographer or digital filmmaker there is a Canon XL1S digital camcorder configuration that's just right. Which one is right for you?The Canon XL1S is not one but many different cameras. Interchangeable lenses and viewfinders allow the XL1S to be tailored for optimal performance in any shooting condition. Incorporating high-precision optics and features found only previously on top-end professional gear the XL1S raises the standard for others to follow.

• Professional-quality MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 3 CCD lens


• 16x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 320x) and image stabilizer


• Interchangeable lens system--can use Canon EOS lenses with optional adapter


• Three shooting modes: Normal Movie Digital Photo Mode and the cinema-like Frame Movie Mode and shoot in 16:9


• Record for up to 90 minutes on one battery charge

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Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder

WOW :-)

I received my 150 a little over a week ago. Bought it because I wanted to move up to HD and get out of the tape business. It did not come with an SDHC card. Bought an 8 GB to carry me over until my 16 GB cards arrive via Amazon. I am still on the learning curve on it. Especially liked the large comfortable color view eye piece. I was also amazed by the clarity of the video play back on my 48" LCD screen. Used the three cable output first that came with the camera( Video Lt. Rt. Audio )



Very clear video much clearer than my trusty old Canon GL-2 It does not come with an HDMI cable. Bought one locally and tried it. Plugged one end into the HDMI out port on the camera and the other end into the HDMI port of my TV. I was blown away by how clear it was !! The video was clearer than some of the stations I view in HD.



On playback you are given a thumbnail of the first frame of each scene you shot when you turned the camera on. On playback you can skip around the scenes you want to view or delete if needed. The focus assist is another nice feature. When you use it it momentarily zooms in on the middle of your next shot so that you can fine focus if needed.



It has many other features that I have not tried yet. On editing bought the Pinnacle 12 Ultimate because it is set up to handle the AVHCD format and a PC with the AMD quad Phenom processor with 3 GB of RAM. Waiting for a more powerful graphics card to arrive before trying to edit in this new format. The battery that came with it is small. Would recommend buying the larger battery as soon as you can to balance it out. Right now it feels a little out of balance because of the smaller battery. Also liked the solid magnesium body. No plastic anywhere ! Overall I am impressed with this camera.



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Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III

Fabulous. Wonderful. Great!

I love this camera. If you don't have a lot of experience with prosumer cameras (as in my case) the first look may be a bit intimidating (a friend said "It looks like you're filming tv news"). Especially as I added a Rode shotgun mike (not sure it does anything other than make the sound louder but...still checking it out).



You can't rest the camera on your shoulder but the image stabilizer helps and the grip and buttons are all well designed and easy to reach. I struggled through the manual but fortunately bought Dan Curran's dvd about the xh-a1 which appears to be almost identical. This was a -huge- help. I can't recommend it enough if you are at all unsure of what you're looking at. He goes through the simplest things (putting the shoulder strap on) to some very technical settings that you can do. The dvd saved me -so much- learning time and also prevented some careless mistakes (like letting sunlight through the viewfinder).



This camera feels like a terrific tool that can do whatever you need and the picture quality--even on Auto--is beautiful. Having the two XLR terminals will make a big difference too. The versatility and design really meets such a variety of needs--way too much machine/expense for "home video" (it's not the kind of camera people forget is pointing at them) but great if you want to shoot training films web videos independent films.



Technology has changed so much in the 20 years since I was in film school--and it's still hard for me to believe that such a great camera capable of such a quality product is available for under $4000.



Very impressed. Highly recommended.More detail ...

Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization

Optically Superior to Sony

This is one incredible camera. Here are some of the best features about it:

-3CCDs

-L Series Fluorite Lens

-All Manual Controls

-Progressive Scan

-Optical Stabilization

-Large Manual Focus Ring

Of course we all know that 3CCDs are far better than one... I need not go into more depth there. As far as the lens goes some have argued that they see no difference of quality over that of Sony's. This may be due in part to the fact that they are looking for a difference in resolution. When compared in numbers to some of the 3CCD models of Sony you may think that this is a lower resolution camera (which can be a very deceiving thing). It is recognized that a camera with a high resolution in numbers does not equal a pleasing or sharper image. When you compare the color of a Sony and this GL1 (or any other Canon against a Sony for that matter) there will be no comparison. The Sony will inevitably lean towards the blues giving a very cold unnatural feeling which can often result in having to waste time in post by adding color corrections. The Canon will have a much warmer more natural coloring. With deeper richer blacks.

The Progressive Scan (or frame mode) is beautiful. It gives the footage a much more film like jitteriness instead of the liquid smooth interlaced footage that is usually the only option you have on most Sony camera models. It is called "frame mode" because it captures 30 FULL frames per second instead of 60 FIELDS per second (top field and bottom field) being joined together to make the 30 frames which when slowed down will show interlaced lines. Some say ...that Progressive Scan is only meant for a "digital motor drive" where you capture 30 frames per second with the intent of getting still pictures from it. Yes this is a possibility... but no video is not really high resolution enough to use this for any real purpose other than having a somewhat grainy image for a home web site. I have not heard of ANY professional using it for anything other than to shoot a real project as true video footage. Video to film transfer locations prefer people to use progressive scan to shoot on their GL1 or XL1 for film transfer. It loses much less quality in the process. There are many commercials and documentaries (as well as independent films) which have started shooting in progressive scan on the GL1 and XL1 in order to get the higher budget film look.

The manual controls on this camera give you such control that you can achieve truly professional results. You have control over - Shutter Speed Aperture Gain White Balance Focus exposure etc. If you want the choppy effect of Saving Private Ryan or Gladiator's battle scenes just up the shutter speed to 250 or higher. Or if you want a lot of background blur open the lens way up.

Ah yes... the image stabilization. You won't get anything close to it on other brands. They all have a slight shake and jitter never truly stabilizing it especially when zoomed. This one has none. It only floats. And of course if you want that jittery handheld look of some of the new films and such just turn it off. But when you want smooth non jittery handheld shots it's always there.

If you are trying to decide what camera to get always go down the Canon road. Almost all of them have features that Sony only tries to make up for with home userish built effects and such cheesy non-professional effects that one can achieve if they have a computer to edit on (and still want the effects by then. Why record it permanently when you might change your mind later). Some Sony users complain about how Canon does not have good still picture resolution. I say "who needs still pictures on a camcorder??" That should be left to 35mm or a digital camera devoted to that form of media alone. I have yet to see a printable good looking still even from a Sony. Both the video format and the small included memory cards cannot handle the resolution required of this. With all the manual controls the far superior color and the incredible look of progressive scan one must have only the choice to go Canon. If you are an aspiring documentary or commercial maker trying to decide between a GL1 and an XL1 (not likely) the advantage of the GL1 (besides the price) is that it is small. This allows you to be in crowds shooting without stares from everybody. Or shoot where you would otherwise be unable. This can also be a downfall. It may look wimpy to the client (of course once they see the footage they will probably buy one themselves). ....

Lastly I just want to say that I would highly recommend this camera but if you can afford it go with the XL1 (...) it is even better!More detail ...

Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

The real story from someone who uses the camera

O.K. I have been taking a beating from camera rental houses this past year so when I needed to finish a project that was dragging on and forcing me too shoot on many different days I said "what the heck" and put down the money for the XL2. I was a reluctant buyer not excited at all about buying a DV camera. I was ready to be disappointed by another crappy and expensive DV camera.



Two months later I'm glad I bought it and I'd say that it is the best prosumer DV camera out there period.



Here are some of the positives and negatives about the camera based on experience.



Positives:



1) Clean signal: While not as good as something like the Sony DSR 500 its a cleaner signal than the VX2000 PD150 and the Panasonic DVX100a. Of all the DV cameras I've shot on I like the XL2's signal the best.



2) Interlacing: I've shot a great deal on Sony cameras. Especially the DSR 500 and The Sony image is always funky the interlacing is always visible specifically in details like hair and what not. Even with all the menus set properly by a great DP the Sony cameras always have a very hard and interlaced look. Even When shooting in 60i mode The XL2 does not have this and it handles fine details better than the Sony cameras I am used to.



3) Buttons and menus: The design of the button lay out and menus is very good. If you have shot on the Panasonic DVX100a you will really enjoy how the canon is laid out you don't have to go deep into the menus for every shot on the XL2. The one really bad decision was putting the film grain and color bars on the same button. THAT was a mistake. Why they hell does this camera have a film grain button anyway?



4) BNC output: A small but really helpful addition to the XL2 is that it has a BNC out. For anyone who knows how those BNC to RCA adopters tend to fall off or get lost its about time that a pro-sumer camera included this simple thing for people who use an external monitor.



5) The custom menus:

For professionals: If you have shot on pro cameras you will naturally look at the custom menus as a joke a pro-sumer "toy". I won't try to tell you that they aren't a "toy" But they do actually work! Which is a great surprise. I have used the camera on sets and on outdoor documentary sports shoots. I find than things like the black stretch and the knee work and are helpful they are not like what you find on a Beta camera for example but they are a lot better than what else you can find for the money.



For Consumers: This camera comes with a lot of features that you won't use if you are a point and shoot "Let the camera do it for me" kind of person. However if you are willing to learn or interested in videography you will find these features interesting and with a little practice down right useful.



6) Color features:

To the professionals: These work too you don't get very deep control of the color gain and the RGB settings but you get some and they work pretty well which is saying a lot for a camera under $5000! I am developing a preference for shooting with the color gain and RGB settings set pretty high and then pulling them down in color correction if necessary. Desaturating in post using after effects gives great results but it has not been necessary all that often and I'd rather take the color out rather than trying to put it back in.



For the consumers: The color controls are better than on any other camera you are thinking about most of which will have none. The XL2 gives you noticable control over the saturation of the colors as well as how much red green and blue you see in the image.





7) Sound: I don't know what it is if its the mic or the signal processing but the XL2 has better quality sound than you would expect from a DV camera out of the box. Use a real mic and the results are great.



Negatives:



too many rip off artists trying to sell this camera. Purchase the camera only from a trusted and well known retailer no exceptions you will get ripped off.



1) The lens:

For Pros: You don't want this lens since it has no witness marks etc. Buy the body without the lens and put on the 16X manual servo zoom. It will cost a bit more but it will be worth it if you need any percision in your shooting.



For consumers: The standard lens is better than any other lens out there I think you'll find shooting with it a good experience .



2) The eyepiece:

For consumers: If you are a consumer don't worry about it its fine. Its only an issue in specific cases that pros encounter because of they way they shoot.



For pros: Its REALLY hard to make focusing decisions with the eyepiece that comes in the box. Its not so bad for run and gun doc work but if you are doing dramatic work or pulling focus you'll want to Upgrade or always use a monitor.



3) Its still DV: This is a really great camera for what it is but you are still shooting DV and you can run but you can't hide from all the inherent problems of the format.



4) Using the FIRE WIRE: WARNING!!!!! if you use Lacie external firewire drives among others the XL2 does not place nice with other devices in the fire wire chain. To log footage from the camera onto your computer you may have to turn off your external drives to do it. This is a for sure with Lacie drives. For many users this will mean either buying larger internal drives or capturing footage to an internal drive with the externals turned off and then transferring the footage later.



The professional should keep in mind:

1) The 24 and 30p frame rates: Naturally the XL2 does not output a true 24 or 30 frame rate. The camera gives you the choice of pull-down you want and then you can remove it in post. If you are going to true 24p output you have the option of 2:3:3:2 pull down which seems to work without problems with Cinema Tools.



2) All the weight of the camera is at the front so its having a shoulder pad is not that helpful since most of the weight is on your hand anyway.



3) It may be user error but on the last shoot I directed that used the XL2 there were some strange time code things happening. The DP (who I trust completely) was pre-setting the TC as is usually done but on some tapes the TC changed from the pre-set hour back to hour 0 at some point in the tape. Was this due to battery changes or something else? Who knows? The TC should never do this so I have no Idea why it happened but it obviously effects postproduction and makes generating an EDL impossible.



4) Assuming that you don't have the cash for an Anton Bauer upgrade The BP-945 batteries are good they last a long time. So with two of them the battery that comes with the camera and the 910 charge you are in great shape and will be able to shoot continuously no problem. If you are shooting in the field you will get 10+ hours of camera time out of these three batteries before you need to recharge.



5) The Pelican 1600 case is a little small if you want to break the camera down all the way. A bigger case is not a bad idea.More detail ...

Panasonic Pro AG-DVX100BP(S) 3-CCD MiniDV Proline Camcorder wi th 10x Optical Zoom

great video camera

I was torn between Sony and Panasonic (the Canons seemed to have many recurring complaints especially with the decks) and after reading several reviews became gradually partial to the Panasonic before ever having used one based on customer loyalty and consistently glowing testimonials.



Well I've never used the comparable Sony's JVC's or the Canon XL2 (some limited experience with the GL2) but as best I can tell without personal comparison this camera does in fact deserve all the great reviews.



The image quality is excellent and in many cases looks about as good as broadcast TV video (nonHD) and the camera allows a tremendous amount of image control--manual focus ring aperture (iris) gain adjustment shutter speed zebra control for overexposure white AND black balance adjusting daylight filters etc. The electronic viewfinder can even be focused via simple diopter. There are six preprogrammed but customizable settings for image control so the user can simply dial in whatever setting they need based on the shooting/lighting conditions. So for example you shoot occasionally under weak flourescents lights--you adjust the white balance and the gain and the detail level accordingly save it as a particular "scene file"; whenever you return to that same location or a similar shooting environment you can click over to the saved settings in an instant and start recording. The first four are factory set for video 60 frames; the last two are 24 fps for a more film-like quality which this camera handles beautifully.



What actually sold me on the camera in terms of hardware were the two XLR jacks--comparably priced models didn't seem to offer this. The XLR jacks allow the user to attach professional shotgun mics and bypass the mediocre factory one taking fuller advantage of 16bit 48khz stereo recording. I use a fairly inexpensive AZDEN mic and the improvement in sound quality is tremendous. If you were willing to invest in finer mics the audio quality would be better still. Having two XLR inputs means that in addition to recording live audio (like a mic) you can also mix in input from another pre-recorded source--all in the camera!



The lens by Leica is also impressive--it is a bit wide and is not interchangeable (although I believe there is an adaptive telephoto for $$$). I prefer shooting wide but if you have need a wide selection of lenses or don't enjoy the look of wide angle look to Canon.



The drawbacks are minor--the camera is rather cumbersome--and would certainly be tiresome for handheld use as it isn't designed for shoulder-mounted use. I shoot almost exclusively indoors with a tripod and so neither of these issues are relevant for me. Also irrelevant for me are reviews I've read which have indicated lackluster battery performance--again shooting indoors I always have it plugged in and thus haven't noticed any battery problems. The little menu joystick control button used to toggle the menu screens as well as the VCR playback options can be frustrating when you're tired but that is an extremely trivial concern really.



This camera is expensive even in the $1500+ prosumer class it tends more to professional range but I feel it is a great value considering what a fine piece of equipment it is and the wealth of features it offers. It is much much more than enough camera for the consumer and probably a little more than I need actually--I've used mine for a few months and I'm still learning how to wring better and better shooting from it. Once you've used it for a while it becomes clear why this particular model maintains a devoted following. If I have to replace this camera--provided I can afford to--the next camera would definitely be a Panasonic and probably be its big HD brother the HVX.More detail ...

Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder

WOW :-)

I received my 150 a little over a week ago. Bought it because I wanted to move up to HD and get out of the tape business. It did not come with an SDHC card. Bought an 8 GB to carry me over until my 16 GB cards arrive via Amazon. I am still on the learning curve on it. Especially liked the large comfortable color view eye piece. I was also amazed by the clarity of the video play back on my 48" LCD screen. Used the three cable output first that came with the camera( Video Lt. Rt. Audio )



Very clear video much clearer than my trusty old Canon GL-2 It does not come with an HDMI cable. Bought one locally and tried it. Plugged one end into the HDMI out port on the camera and the other end into the HDMI port of my TV. I was blown away by how clear it was !! The video was clearer than some of the stations I view in HD.



On playback you are given a thumbnail of the first frame of each scene you shot when you turned the camera on. On playback you can skip around the scenes you want to view or delete if needed. The focus assist is another nice feature. When you use it it momentarily zooms in on the middle of your next shot so that you can fine focus if needed.



It has many other features that I have not tried yet. On editing bought the Pinnacle 12 Ultimate because it is set up to handle the AVHCD format and a PC with the AMD quad Phenom processor with 3 GB of RAM. Waiting for a more powerful graphics card to arrive before trying to edit in this new format. The battery that came with it is small. Would recommend buying the larger battery as soon as you can to balance it out. Right now it feels a little out of balance because of the smaller battery. Also liked the solid magnesium body. No plastic anywhere ! Overall I am impressed with this camera.



More detail ...

Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III

Fabulous. Wonderful. Great!

I love this camera. If you don't have a lot of experience with prosumer cameras (as in my case) the first look may be a bit intimidating (a friend said "It looks like you're filming tv news"). Especially as I added a Rode shotgun mike (not sure it does anything other than make the sound louder but...still checking it out).



You can't rest the camera on your shoulder but the image stabilizer helps and the grip and buttons are all well designed and easy to reach. I struggled through the manual but fortunately bought Dan Curran's dvd about the xh-a1 which appears to be almost identical. This was a -huge- help. I can't recommend it enough if you are at all unsure of what you're looking at. He goes through the simplest things (putting the shoulder strap on) to some very technical settings that you can do. The dvd saved me -so much- learning time and also prevented some careless mistakes (like letting sunlight through the viewfinder).



This camera feels like a terrific tool that can do whatever you need and the picture quality--even on Auto--is beautiful. Having the two XLR terminals will make a big difference too. The versatility and design really meets such a variety of needs--way too much machine/expense for "home video" (it's not the kind of camera people forget is pointing at them) but great if you want to shoot training films web videos independent films.



Technology has changed so much in the 20 years since I was in film school--and it's still hard for me to believe that such a great camera capable of such a quality product is available for under $4000.



Very impressed. Highly recommended.More detail ...