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SD recording: Canon A1 vs. XL2

P

polyethyleneguy

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 7, 2005
79
0
Florida
I will be filming at 24fps 2:3:3:2 pulldown in SD along side another XL2. For the footage to match, should I get another XL2 or would an A1 look as good in SD? I would like to have the flexability to use HD later down the road, but it is currently more important for the footage from the current XL2 and whatever new camera I get to match almost perfectly. Thanks ahead for any help.:)
 
polyethyleneguy said:
I will be filming at 24fps 2:3:3:2 pulldown in SD along side another XL2. For the footage to match, should I get another XL2 or would an A1 look as good in SD? I would like to have the flexability to use HD later down the road, but it is currently more important for the footage from the current XL2 and whatever new camera I get to match almost perfectly. Thanks ahead for any help.:)
Click to expand...

If footage matching is priority #1 get another XL2.


Lethal
 
Well, I guess the better question would be: can the A1 get close enough to what the XL2 can do in SD at 24p/f and 2:3:3:2 pulldown, so that the common viewer could not see a difference? I can't find much information on the A1's SD quality, other than "it's good". I can't find sample footage in SD anywhere :(
 
polyethyleneguy said:
Well, I guess the better question would be: can the A1 get close enough to what the XL2 can do in SD at 24p/f and 2:3:3:2 pulldown, so that the common viewer could not see a difference? I can't find much information on the A1's SD quality, other than "it's good". I can't find sample footage in SD anywhere :(
Click to expand...

It's not image quality, per se, that you have to worry about it's image characteristics. Different cameras handle light differently. Some might look less saturated while some might look a little red. Also in extreme lighting conditions (very light or very dark) different cameras will react in different ways. If you use a calibrated external monitor and adjust each camera so they look as close as possible that'll make your life much easier in post when you make the final adjustments.

It can be done it just takes knowledge and elbow grease (assuming the images aren't too far off of course). If you are going to be doing it a lot then it may be too much of a hassle. But if this is just a one off thing that's another story.

If you can find a camera store near you w/an A1 in stock you should take it for a test drive (even if it's just shooting in the camera store) w/your XL2 and do a little test to see how hard it is to make them match.


Lethal
 
Thank you for the advice. I was wondering if any of the readers out there have acutally used both of these cameras in SD 16:9 24fps and what they thought of the two.
Sorry about being so inquisitive:eek:
 
As far as quality goes, a lot of people have mentioned that you can get much better SD footage from the A1 if you shoot in HD first and then down convert later in post. I believe so as well as I have an A1.

P-Worm
 
Having to downcovert from HD to SD seems like it would slow down your whole post-production work flow. If you are talking about downconverting straight out of the camera, I would not be able to do that because I have a separate deck in which I import the DV footage.
Since you have the A1 already, how is the SD quality straight out of the camera? I was originally going to get a GL2 to compliment the XL2 because I was only going to record in SD 16:9 ratio. But after using the camera and bringing footage back from the store and comparing to the XL2, it looked terrible.
There are no stores in my city that have the A1 on demo. Does anyone know where I can download SD footage from the A1?
 
I could get some for you, but I can't at the moment as I have some work to do. I might post some tomorrow. Is there anything you would like in particular? I'm not sure if I have much time to set up my lights or anything like that, but I could get some general stuff for you.

P-Worm
 
polyethyleneguy said:
Having to downcovert from HD to SD seems like it would slow down your whole post-production work flow. If you are talking about downconverting straight out of the camera, I would not be able to do that because I have a separate deck in which I import the DV footage.
Since you have the A1 already, how is the SD quality straight out of the camera? I was originally going to get a GL2 to compliment the XL2 because I was only going to record in SD 16:9 ratio. But after using the camera and bringing footage back from the store and comparing to the XL2, it looked terrible.
There are no stores in my city that have the A1 on demo. Does anyone know where I can download SD footage from the A1?
Click to expand...

Why don't you download HD footage and downconvert to SD? That's essentially what's happening both inside the camera and in post.
 
P-Worm said:
I could get some for you, but I can't at the moment as I have some work to do. I might post some tomorrow. Is there anything you would like in particular? I'm not sure if I have much time to set up my lights or anything like that, but I could get some general stuff for you.

P-Worm
Click to expand...

That would be great! Any kind of indoor shots would be nice, especially if you can show off the DOF. 16:9 ratio and 24f would be super too. Thanks if you are able to get around to it :)
 
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