Canon XL-H1

[Bob Zelin]

this camera has an inherent delay between the analog audio output and the HD-SDI video output, and there ain’t no embedded audio on this camera. Canon is aware of this, and the “next gen” camera has embedded audio in the HD-SDI stream, but there are no plans on fixing this problem with this camera. As for VTR control, plug in your FW cable, and control it that way – but this ain’t no Sony or Panasonic VTR, so don’t expect it to act like one.

bob Zelin

[Aaron Neitz]

FCP 5.1.2 has an update to deal with this camera…. apparently. I haven’t used it.

Bob seems to have a bad taste in his mouth about this camera. I do too. I had one job involving footage from it, and it was a nightmare. Had to rent the camera because our Sony HDV deck won’t read the tapes… no audio over SDI. No AES…. No support for the 24F mode. And while FW deck controls works, I’d never plan on batch conforming from HDV. I’d just take it in native and never go back.

also wasn’t terribly impressed with image quality. It wasn’t bad, but I much prefer Panasonic.

[John Ladle]

the camera has SDI, which has everyone hypnotized. use the analog, yes it has analog. it is in sync!

[Alex Udell]

Hi Guys…

This all good info. Thank you.

How about using an intermediate device like the Miranda HDV > HDSDI converter?

this also allows 422 control.

The I could pair this with the Sony HDV as opposed to the Canon?

Thanks for the help…

Alex

[Kevin Wild]

Anyone who has a bad taste about the H1 should use it (if they haven’t). It’s a fantastic camera. We’ve been using it since day one. I agree there are some workflow problems, but the picture is amazing.

We take it in from the camera via HD SDI and analog audio. No sync issues here. We have unfortunately done this without timecode, so that’s not good. The Convergent Devices HD-ConnectLE is in our future soon. This will enable us to keep the timecode and control over the camera.

All this said, where the heck is the deck for this camera? It’s is absolutely nuts that it’s been out for a year and it’s not supported.

KW

[Kevin Wild]

Anyone who has a bad taste about the H1 should use it (if they haven’t). It’s a fantastic camera. We’ve been using it since day one. I agree there are some workflow problems, but the picture is amazing.

We take it in from the camera via HD SDI and analog audio. No sync issues here. We have unfortunately done this without timecode, so that’s not good. The Convergent Devices HD-ConnectLE is in our future soon. This will enable us to keep the timecode and control over the camera.

All this said, where the heck is the deck for this camera? It’s is absolutely nuts that it’s been out for a year and it’s not supported.

KW

[Aaron Neitz]

Yeah… unbalanced RCA.

It’s kinda a sad joke. Like the Avid Mojo.

[Bob Zelin]

no audio sync issues – this is documented in every review of this camera, and this is now admitted by Canon, who has stated that they have resolved this issue with the new camera.
I don’t know how you don’t have a 3-4 frame audio delay issue, unless you are not that critical about this.

Bob Zelin

[Kevin Wild]

I’ll have to do some tests…maybe this weekend. I don’t know if we are correcting it somehow in our audio chain, but I don’t remember things being out of sync. I would notice 3 frames…

KW

[Thomas Lee]

HI,

nice to see someon adressing these issues with XL-H1.

Can I control the camera (since there is no deck supporting 24f!!) with firewire and still get HD SDI out, with frame accuracy?

We have digitized to our offline through firewire sd, but it turned out to be 3-4 frames off.

Anyway on thursday we have to online it in our Avid Symphony Nitris which has hd sdi in. So I’m kind of anxious if it will work.

Does anyone know if firewire deck control is reliable enough?

Riviera Music, Sound & Post