Canon SX-1 IS

Laurence wrote on 3/5/2010, 6:21 AM
While everyone has become so interested as of late in the Canon SLRs with movie mode, I decided to check on their offerings in more of the point and shoot category. The Canon SX-1 IS is the one that particularly grabbed my attention. Check out http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=18301#ModelTechSpecsActthese specifications[/link].

What you get is true 1920x1080x30 progressive image. A sensor that is almost as big as that in the EX1 and EX3. A zoom lens that goes from very wide to 40x (20 times optical and twice that with a digital mode that still gives full video resolution). Uncompressed stereo audio (albeit without an external audio in jack). A big articulatable 16:9 fold out screen. On top of this, it also doubles as a high quality 10 megapixel camera. ;-) Anyway, http://www.adorama.com/ICASX1R.html$399 refurbished[/link] at Adorama.com. I just ordered one yesterday. I love my Sony HVR-Z7, but for $399 (as compared to about six grand), I expect this camera will give it quite a run for the money.

Check out some Youtube videos to see why I am so excited about this camera. Don't forget to view them 1080p):

Here's a great review with some awesome video footage:



Here is the 40x zoom in action:



Here's a pan to show off how little rolling shutter there is with the CMOS chip:



Here's a night shot at 80x of the moon:



Check out the depth of field on this cat shot:



Here's a moving night city shot (talk about challenging):

Comments

Jay Gladwell wrote on 3/5/2010, 6:33 AM

"... but for $399 (as compared to about six grand), I expect this camera will give it quite a run for the money."

How can I say this without sounding rude or offensive...?

You get what you pay for. As you use the camera, you will certainly find this to be true. At then end of the day, it will still be a SLR camera. And that's fine!

You have every right to be excited about the camera. However, suggesting that $400 SLR can compete with a $6,000 or $8,000 video camera is not accurate.



Laurence wrote on 3/5/2010, 7:28 AM
Well it's not an SLR. It has an electronic viewfinder. IMHO this is one of it's strengths in that it has a camcorder style viewing screen that doesn't force you to use akward photographer angles when you shoot.

As far as replacing my $6000 goes, well not quite yet. I still need somewhere to plug in my mics. I like my phantom power and having a limiter. I like that I can shoot 24p (the SX-1 only shoots 30p which I prefer, but I'm more often asked for 24p). I like that I can pop the Z7 footage directly on the timeline without having to convert it to some other format. When I show up for a job with my Z7 and lights, I truly look like a professional (even if some may argue that that's a stretch).

Having said that, I know I am going to like the SX-1. Unlike the DSLRs like the 7D and 5D, this one should do well in full auto mode. It has things like facial recognition for setting the focus and exposure. I will be able to hold it in comfortable camcorder positions and still see the screen. I'll be able to hold it over my head with a tall monopod for shots over crowds. It shoots in 30p progressive which is my favorite mode. I often go back and forth between video and still cameras. This will be much easier for B-Roll shoots. Batch converting to Cineform or .mxf is no big deal. I like working with SD cards and double A batteries. On remote shoots, you can have extra cards and Lithium batteries ready to go for emergencies without spending a fortune.

The biggest thing though is that I expect that the footage will be really great looking. How will it stack up against my HDV camera? My expectation is that it will be as good in many ways and in some ways better! Yes there's a huge difference in price. Does that mean that there is an equal difference in quality? No. Are the movie modes in some of these still cameras as good as they are in dedicated video cameras? I don't know for sure. I haven't got mine yet. Ask Vic Milt or Phillip Bloom instead.
Glenn_G wrote on 3/27/2010, 11:33 AM
I have a question re the correct settings for burning a blue ray disk from video from this camera.

When I open th project properties and try to "match the Media Settings", the result is

Custom 1920x1080 29.97 fps
Frame Rate 30
Field Order is Blank

The properties of the video clip are
30.000 fps, 1920x1080x24, H.264

Questions:
1. Why is the field order blank?
2. What Should I set it to?
3. When rendering for Blue Ray, what are some good choices for
frame rate and progressive/interlaced
Laurence wrote on 3/27/2010, 1:49 PM
The raw footage from this camera is very much like that from the Canon DSLRs: 1920x1080 with cRGB color and at 30fps.

Converting it from Cineform Neo Scene or Neo HD will slow the 30fps down 1% to 29.97 and rescale the color from cRGB of 0-255 to sRGB 16-235. Both of these help match the proper Bluray template settings. Without a Cineform conversion you are going to need to insert a cRGB to sRGB color conversion filter and go into the media properties of each clip and check the "Disable resample" tab so as not to get doubled frames as Vegas tries to justify the frame-rate.

Neo Scene is a very good investment if you want to use footage from this camera.