Canon XH-A1 or Sony HDR-FX7?

JARiffe wrote on 5/24/2007, 1:32 PM
Hey, gang.......

I know from reading some of the past postings that a few of you are using the Canon XH-A1 or the Sony HDR-FX7. I'm getting ready to plop down a pile of money to replace my GL-1, which I just sold a week ago. I've actually lost sleep on this decsion, since there are some many good things about each camera. So, I'm turing to the best forum board in the industry...you guys.

Tell me what you like best and what you hate worst about each camera. Don't be shy. Be honest. Most of my freelance work involves local and regional commercial production, corporate, and industrial production. But I also want to be able to use this camera on occasion for family stuff as well (holidays, ball games, kids programs).

Also, I'd like to know how well it integrates with Vegas 6.0d, which is what I'm editing with now. My CPU is running P4, 3.0GHz with 1 GB RAM, but I'm also budgeting a RAM and CPU upgrade if necessary.

Any guidance you can provide would be appreciated.

Thank you!

James in Virginia

Comments

winrockpost wrote on 5/24/2007, 2:47 PM
Canon fan here,,
if shooting hdv an update to vegas 7 is more important than more ram or new cpu,, of course all three would be ideal.
good luck
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 5/24/2007, 4:10 PM
IMHO, Canon if it's that choice, now do it against a V1U and I have to think, but for that one, i say go canon (mind you that's with very VERY minimal experience with either camera).

Dave
24Peter wrote on 5/24/2007, 5:08 PM
Get an HV20 and buy a new computer and Vegas 7 with all the money you'll save. :-)
Spot|DSE wrote on 5/25/2007, 6:59 AM
Canon XH A1 vs FX7? Not a reasonable comparison.
Canon XH A1 vs V1U? A reasonable comparison.

XH A1 vs V1U buys you a lot of comparables. FX7 isn't progressive, isn't 24p, doesn't have balanced inputs, and missing a lot of menu features among other things. Canon is all that, as is the V1.
XH A1 is a very fine camera. So is the V1. V1 has better tele/reach, A1 has better wide. Both have unique form factors. We have the luxury of both, each has its advantages but if forced to choose only one, it would come down to form factor and LCD panel.
farss wrote on 5/25/2007, 7:17 AM
Both take great images but am I the only one who feels the build quality on the A1 just isn't upto Canon's past standard?
Or is it all this Pb free plastics, recently almost everything made of plastic feels plastic.

Bob.
Grazie wrote on 5/25/2007, 9:14 AM
I want the Canon.

BUT, it has the same size LCD as my XM2 - go figure! - It doesn't have a snap protect on the front lens - as per the XM2? - I still wanna hear a Snap Focus option from the new Canon LANC - anybody wanna put me right? - BUT!!! That aperture ring .. AND those presets option AND that glass?!?? Anybody getting a "snap focus" with a Matt box on it?

Canon!! Put a LARGER LCD on, and a lens protector that isn't an apology? Sony has!

UlfLaursen wrote on 5/25/2007, 10:00 AM
Hi, I have the FX7, and love it. I actually looked at the Canon when it was totally new, but since I was new to HDV, and canon in Denmark could not tell me much reg. capturing, I went with FX7, because I assumed Sony Cam to Vegas would be ok.
If I had to choose today, I might have taken the Canon, you get XLR f.ex. What I love reg. my FX7 is the quite big LCD, but I would f.ex. like a separate button for backlight as my PD-170 have, might be able to program one to du that though.

What I always do to my cams, video and still is to put a clear glass filter infront of the lense to protect against all kind of things. It's a good investment, and you have to do it when you first get the cam, else you ill forget it later on (at least I would) ;-)

/Ulf
DJPadre wrote on 5/25/2007, 10:06 AM
canon any day without question.. BUT.. i AM seriously looking at holding off until the XDCamEX is released...

I made a HUGE booboo with the Z1 when they were launched.....
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 5/25/2007, 12:09 PM
for 8 G's I'm all over that XDCamEX. More than I've spent on a camera to date, but the quality I'm expecting from it will quite likely more than make up for the hole in my bank account.

Dave
Dach wrote on 5/26/2007, 10:08 AM
I am a fan of the Canon camera. I myself am in the process of retiring my GL1s. I have both the A1 and HV20. The A1 has its obvious features and if your can afford it, get it.

HV20 while has limitations is a very good camera and would allow you to spend money else where per comments already made.

My two cents... Canon

Chad
ushere wrote on 5/26/2007, 7:48 PM
agree wholeheartedly with bob (i usually do, sycophant that i am).

i seriously looked at the a1 vs v1, and came away with the impression i was holding a plastic brick, designed for a person with LARGE hands.

pic quality was exceptional (but all the 3chip hdv's seem to be good anyway), but i could put my hand in the strap and rock the zoom with any degree of comfort no matter how i adjusted the strap. it also smelt plasticky (?) i mean, eye in viewfinder it actually smelt....

and as a final coup de grace, the lens hood was so flimsy... not that that accounts for much, but at these prices i want something a little more robust.

that said, am very happy with v1, but not with the sony wa lens.

leslie
farss wrote on 5/26/2007, 9:56 PM
but not with the sony wa lens

Well maybe one sycophant to another here but while I agree about that Sony WA lens, I mean it does what it says it does very well. My problem with the dang thing is what it says it does isn't very much.
From memory ALL of Sony's WA adaptors have been the same, why I don't know. Do Sony just think of WA adaptors as expensive bling?

Bob.
ushere wrote on 5/27/2007, 12:31 AM
agreed. told you i was a sycophant!

i just wanted a wee bit more on the wa....

leslie