Canon XH-A1 HD Work Flow

[Jan Bliddal]

I found the following on Apples website
HDV Workflow Improvements
The following HDV Easy Setups should be used specifically for capturing footage in Canon HDV 1080F24, 1080F25, and 1080F30 formats:

HDV – 1080p24 FireWire Basic
HDV – 1080p25 FireWire Basic
HDV – 1080p30 FireWire BasicHDV Workflow Improvements

it seems like 1080p24 FireWire Basic is the way to go acording to the release note.

I have the european version of the same camcorder, but haven´t filmed in 1080F yet only 1080i But I am planing on testing 1080F to see how it looks compared to 1080i on a LCD display.

Let the machine work for you. Not you for the machine

[Randy Lee]

I just worked with a Canon camera this weekend, and you need to sit down and make sure that you’ve got every setting correct before you start plugging things in. With Final Cut off, and no firewire cable plugged into the camera, switch it to VCR mode, so you can watch the tape with the controls on the camera. Then go into the menu, make sure that you’re not set to down-convert to DV. Get out of the menu. Shut the camera off, plug in the firewire cable to both the camera and computer, and turn the camera back to VCR mode. Open up Final Cut, and go to Easy Setups > HDV > 1080P24 Firewire Basic. (this should be the correct setup, but it really depends on how you shot. Cmd-8 to open up the log and capture window, and you should be good to go.

I had to digitize from the Canon camera with Firewire Basic, but when laying back to tape, it wanted a standard firewire, not basic, but this could be because I laid back NTSC DV material.

If this doesn’t work for you, post back and we can see where we have to go from there.

[Chris Borjis]

[Will griffith] “That’s not really the issue if you read the first post.
He has already shot the footage and just needs to capture it.

24f looses some resolution and you MUST use a Canon 24f playback device to even
read the tape. No Sony deck, or anything else for that matter, will read it.

If you want to be safe then use 60i/50i”

yep, just pointing it out to him.

[Chris Borjis]

another thing someone mentioned and I’ve experienced myself
is to set it for HDV mode as it defaults to DV. I can’t remember if it has an auto mode like the sony decks but that doesn’t work either.

[David Berrent]

I got some bad advice from Canon helpline. Following their advice I set the camera to playback in Down Convert mode. Once I switched back to HDV Final Cut had no problem recognizing the camera.

The advice from this board has been amazing helpful. Thank you everyone for all you input.

[Chris Poisson]

Chris,

I believe it defaults to Auto.

Have a wonderful day.

[Javier Montufar]

Hi everyone,

I have been reading your postings and trying to figure this out for two days and up to now nothing has worked for me. I have tried everything you have posted and nothing yet. I have a Canon XH A1 camera and trying to import some footage to FCP but the software just won’t recognize the camera and says it is either offline or that the settings are wrong. I would really appreciate any help I can get with specific settings in either the camera or FCP.

Thank you all

[Will Griffith]

can you give us a few clues as to what kind of system, fcp version, and A1 settings you shot in?

Will Griffith
Producer

[Javier Montufar]

I have final cut 6 and about the the settings for the shooting I really don’t know because I didn’t shoot it. I’m just trying to digitize it. But I know it was HD 1080.

[Will Griffith]

Play back the tape on the A1 in VTR mode. Does it say “24f” on the screen?

Will Griffith
Producer