{"id":246,"date":"2014-05-02T10:17:43","date_gmt":"2014-05-02T14:17:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/?p=246"},"modified":"2014-05-02T10:55:13","modified_gmt":"2014-05-02T14:55:13","slug":"canon-xh-a1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/canon-xh-a1\/","title":{"rendered":"Canon XH-A1"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Canon XHA1 is the oldest professional or semi-professional gear that I own. The kit itself was built in early 2008 using the Rode NTG2 shotgun mic, Sennheiser EW100 ENG lavaliere and hand mic kit plus numerous lights \/ hot shoe kits, braces etc.<\/p>\n<p>At the time this was a $7000 kit that I used extensively for freelance work. I could have saved $4000 and gone down the DV path but high definition was just coming into the mainstream markets and SD was going the way of the dinosaur.<\/p>\n<p>My commercial Sony Betacam SX was a superior camera in terms of low light abilities and had better chroma depth but the XH-A1 blew it clean out of the water with resolution and detail. Anything shot in HD on the A1 which was down sampled to DV\/480i killed any video shot in SD.<\/p>\n<p>So at the time (circa 2008), it was well worth it to make the jump and this camera is still a wonderful tool!<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, it remains a tape driven system predating mobile SD\/CF SSD recording. The resulting tape driven HDV video is far less robust than DV and frame\/video dropout is a real risk.<\/p>\n<p>Since the Canon XH-A1 (first gen) remains a good versatile camera which I still use, breathing new life into the old tape driven system was a necessary function to avoid dropout and magnetic head wear.<\/p>\n<p>The solution was to introduce a DTE firewire recorder. This solved the risk of tape dropout with blazing fast CF transfers, so no more real-time slow capturing or magnetic head wear.<\/p>\n<p>The camera is now paired up with the Canon FS-CF Pro by Vitec for solid state recording and a Manfrotto MVH500A fluid head with the MVT502AM tripod body.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #444444;\"><!-- Awesome Flickr Gallery Start --><!-- - Version - 3.5.6 - User ID - 65051383@N05 - Photoset ID - 72157644055907998 - Gallery ID -  - Group ID -  - Tags -  - Popular -  - Per Page - 10 - Sort Order - flickr - Photo Size - _m - Custom Size - 0 - Square - false - Captions - off - Description - on - Columns - 3 - Credit Note - off - Background Color - Transparent - Width - auto - Pagination - on - Slideshow - colorbox - Disable slideshow? - --><div class='afg-gallery custom-gallery-48' id='afg-48' style='background-color:Transparent; width:100%; color:; border-color:Transparent;'><div class='afg-table' style='width:100%'><div class='afg-row'><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5561\/14081512641_efbdd03b51_b.jpg' title='Canon XHA1'><img class='afg-img' title='Canon XHA1' src='https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5561\/14081512641_efbdd03b51_m.jpg' alt='Canon XHA1 \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/14081512641\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>The Canon XHA1 is the oldest professional or semi-professional gear that I own. <\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5571\/14104769843_609d74b6e2_b.jpg' title='HDV\/DV firewire connection'><img class='afg-img' title='HDV\/DV firewire connection' src='https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5571\/14104769843_609d74b6e2_m.jpg' alt='HDV\/DV firewire connection \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/14104769843\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>The DV\/HDV port on the back of the camera that video is fed out from to the DTE recorder or computer for capture.<\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2932\/13898102309_a88a9f33d3_b.jpg' title='FS-CF Pro Strapped'><img class='afg-img' title='FS-CF Pro Strapped' src='https:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2932\/13898102309_a88a9f33d3_m.jpg' alt='FS-CF Pro Strapped \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/13898102309\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Mounting the FS-CF Pro is no easy task and I really don't want to introduce additional plates, boxes or anything.\n\nIronically velcro straps work perfectly on the grip arm to secure it to the recorder.\n\nThis also places the screen in view so I can make sure it is recording and working properly.\n\nThe rain cover can also protect everything easily which a substantial bonus.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='afg-row'><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7369\/14104776283_2db7fb3c32_b.jpg' title='Wide Shot'><img class='afg-img' title='Wide Shot' src='https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7369\/14104776283_2db7fb3c32_m.jpg' alt='Wide Shot \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/14104776283\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Here's the whole system working together. The camcorder can trigger the DTE system to record or vice versa through built in fire-wire commands.<\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7419\/13898121900_02040aa9f6_b.jpg' title='XHA1 Facing'><img class='afg-img' title='XHA1 Facing' src='https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7419\/13898121900_02040aa9f6_m.jpg' alt='XHA1 Facing \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/13898121900\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Looking straight at the Canon XH-A1.<\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2901\/13898133568_8aa8a04831_b.jpg' title='Profile View'><img class='afg-img' title='Profile View' src='https:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2901\/13898133568_8aa8a04831_m.jpg' alt='Profile View \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/13898133568\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>The windsock fur cover is a must with any camera you'll be using outside, especially in any environment with wind!\n\nIt removes that buffeting sound, so if you want to hear the roar of a tornado, this is what you'll need.\n\nThe cover also provides additional protection from bumps and impacts.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='afg-row'><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7429\/14061617836_0eb51a62a1_b.jpg' title='Tripod System'><img class='afg-img' title='Tripod System' src='https:\/\/farm8.static.flickr.com\/7429\/14061617836_0eb51a62a1_m.jpg' alt='Tripod System \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/14061617836\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Manfrotto MVH500A Fluid Drag Video Head with MVT502AM Tripod and Carry.\n\nThe tripod is Manfrotto's most basic video tripod system. It is nice except you cannot set the drag or fluidity of the head. So your basically stuck with what you get out of the box.\n\nThe system is also not as &quot;beefy&quot; or heavy as I would have liked and the head is little too lose when setting level.<\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5548\/13898114257_1c3cdabd3a_b.jpg' title='Complete System'><img class='afg-img' title='Complete System' src='https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5548\/13898114257_1c3cdabd3a_m.jpg' alt='Complete System \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/13898114257\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Another profile shot<\/div><\/div><div class='afg-cell' style='width:33%;'><a class='afgcolorbox' rel='example448'  href='https:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2937\/14061624786_1607b13448_b.jpg' title='Above View'><img class='afg-img' title='Above View' src='https:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2937\/14061624786_1607b13448_m.jpg' alt='Above View \u2022 &lt;a style=&quot;font-size:0.8em;&quot; href=&quot;http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/65051383@N05\/14061624786\/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;View on Flickr&lt;\/a&gt;'\/><\/a><div class='afg-description'>Finally, this is the view that I see when operating the entire system.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- Awesome Flickr Gallery End --><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Demo video showing the system in use<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-left:30px\"><iframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v9OBJHqI9gg\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Canon XHA1 is the oldest professional or semi-professional gear that I own. The kit itself was built in early 2008 using the Rode NTG2 shotgun mic, Sennheiser EW100 ENG lavaliere and hand mic kit plus numerous lights \/ hot shoe kits, braces etc. At the time this was a $7000 kit that I used [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-246","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chase-tools","category-xha1"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4sMpj-3Y","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=246"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":252,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/246\/revisions\/252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=246"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=246"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vaughanweather.com\/chase\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=246"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}