Having worked with many 'prosumer' 3CCD cameras, this is a great choice for an aspiring filmmaker of any sort. I use it for films, video journalism, blogging, anything.

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R3806EH8COQTFY">Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3806EH8COQTFY</a> Thinking of moving to HD? It's probably a good time to do it!

Canon XH A1 1.67MP 3CCD High-Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

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So with pretty much a whole year in research and reading forums,reviews, watching test footage, and more I was stuck on every question any film or video enthusiast comes across. "What camera do i buy?" To be honest...i was sold on the HVX200. I couldn't believe how good it looked and all the frame rates and recording on cards! Kicked the crap out of minidv tapes right?!

Well, i got my hands on the hvx200 and found out the hype didn't live to my expectations. Too much grain, expensive P2, too bulky (personally), the menus were like a labyrinth, and i just didn't like it. It's a good cam don't get me wrong but not my choice. Now i was previously a HV20 owner (still am) and am very pleased with Canon. I've been eying the XH-A1 for a while too and read so many reviews and watched some much footage that made it look absolutely amazing! I love Canon and trusted my extinct...Just received this monster today! Seriously a gorgeous design, sleek black, amazing footage, not a consumer camera but when your familiar with pro cameras this was very easy going to me but still had some curves to learn. The footage looked just as good as the HVX, i think. To my eye i like the look of the XH-A1 100X better with color adjustments in camera of course. Overall, this camera was probably the best investment for my budget. I would highly highly recommend this to any indie filmmaker, documentarian, videographer, or any serious film person. This camera lived beyond it's expectation from me. I mean a camera half the price of one of the best camera's on the market (HVX200) and looks just as good as it does, why wouldn't you choose it?! This is my personal view on it. I could go on about the features about the camera but there is too many good things about this camera. Only negative is i wish it had more shutter speeds. But all in all, best camera i have ever used and the only camera i will need for the next 5 years until Red develops the Scarlet to truly be $3k and under.

While the XH A1 does have its drawbacks (4:2:0 color space of HDV, etc), the price, light sensitivity, great picture quality, and light weight more than make up for them.

I use the camera on a daily basis filming run and gun "man on the street" style interviews and sequences and I couldn't be happier with the choice. While a tapeless workflow is being touted as the future, and no doubt is, there's something nice about being able to label and file away your original tapes and rest assured that your footage is backed up regardless of what happens on the workstation.

Highly recommend this camera over the competition in this relative price arena, especially for individuals who do a lot of run and gun with only available light.

Since the purchase of this excellent camera We have been able to capture some of the greatest hunting footage my team has ever experienced. Camera has performed flawlessly in 30 degree weather and up. Beginners can pick this camera and be filming in no time at all! Some of the highly detailed settings are complicated but the auto mode eliminates the guess work on them. Fitting it in my budget to purchase TWO more of these by september. Will never use anything but a canon. Got an eight year old XL1 that performs just like a new one! What are you waiting for? ORDER ONE NOW!!!!!

I chose this camera for the HD function and the manual rings around the lens, not to mention it seems to be the best deal for the money. For the record this is my first serious camcorder, and I am currently in film school so I already have a good understanding of how a camera (film or digital) works.

For the HD remember that it's not "true" HD it's Canon's answer to it. I haven't finished a project in the HD function so I can't rate how close it comes to true HD, although I bet I won't find a difference with my naked eyes.

The manual focus/iris/and zoom rings are great for small and precise control, but lag quite a bit when you really want a fast and smooth transition. You just loose that feeling of complete control when you really want to crank it for a quick zoom or focus change.

Still the great amount of control built into the camera is great and fairly intuitive to use, and being able to save multiple presets with almost every option is great.

Also for those looking for a camera that works with multiple lenses(like a fisheye maybe???), keep looking.

End of the day, I'm very happy with my purchase.

I've worked with a Panasonic AG-DVX100B and several consumer cameras both HD and SD. I can without any doubt in my mind say that if you are willing to commit several weeks to learning the ins and outs of this camera; you will not get better visual images from anything under 8k.

The customization feature of the A1 are worth 3k alone. You can match this camera to anything out there, including film.

The A1 carries Cannon's L series lens which gives sharp images even at the end of its 20x range. The images produced are crisp, clear, HD and completely stunning. Watching random footage from the A1 on a 67" HDTV is pure eye-candy!

Unless you are looking for a camera with the more expensive flash media capabilities, or dozens of variable frame-rates, this is the camera for you!

I have used this camera for close to a year now. Here are several things you must know before you buy:

1. "True HD" is something to discuss for those who study lines and pixels. Those of us who make stunning visual images worry about such things as lighting, composition, movement, audio, etc.

This camera has enough resolution to produce amazing results even in not-so-stunning situations.

2. HDV is the most practical "HD" codec out there. It allows you to record to cheap tapes and when you wish to edit, you are able to do so on your computer. No need for fancy editing consoles, tape decks, and expensive flash media.

3. Stop reading reviews and go look at some of the work that's been done with the A1.

- Search for "Steven Dempsey" on vimeo.com

All of his recent work is done with the A1

- http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?f=143

is a community of filmmakers who use the A1.

Ok may not be the best camera out there, but anything better will set you back a few extra grand. This will give you the best image out of any HDV or 1/3 inch ccd out there - you can step up to the advanced Canon HD models, but those are mostly the same image with more control features and an 8K price tag.

By far the best bang for buck that ever existed LOL - even Canon's HV20 held up pretty well to other HD 3 chip cameras.

For the cons, main sticking point is that the zoom/focus rings are a tad slow, but for some people this is an advantage - frankly I loved the lightning fast rings on the DVX/HVXs by Panasonic which were great for developing multi shot action for documentaries. Another con is the focus distance is longer than your standard camera - you'll have to stand 5-10 feet further from the subject than normal if your indoors.

But overall, as annoying as these gripes are personally, you still can't find a better image from any other HDV camera. And you can't find a better price either - sure there's cheaper HD 3 chip cameras out there made by Sony mostly, but the quality is a HUGE drop off, so this is the lowest price you'll get for a truly top notch product.

I've shot stuff side by side for events with a Sony Z1U, which is at least 1000 more and the Canon had deeper and more accurate color, very noticeably sharper image, and less color drop off in low light.

Plus having an iris ring vs. a tiny scroll wheel that other camera's have is a big plus.

Don't worry about the 24F (some are worried over the difference between 24f and 24P) - you cannot TELL a difference at all - I zoomed into a frame to see if I could pick up on any differences - nada. Just a razor sharp image. The difference is the algorithms Canon uses to compress the footage onto tape vs. 24p - to make a long story short, hence the F and not P in descriptions, but it is certainly not a drop off.

And to clarify something, this does up to -36 db of grain - I saw a few articles / reviews on the net saying it can only do -12. By default the gain settings are -6,-12, but you can change that in the menu to go higher if you need. Even though grain is never wanted, if you're stuck in that situation, the grain on this camera actually does resemble film grain moreso than video grain, so if you do get caught in low light, it's not that big of a deal so long as you're not in pitch darkness, it kind of adds to the film look in 24F mode.

This is a top of the line Broadcast Quality Camcorder. It records on tape or chip, and has a bewildering array of buttons and switches. But with enough study, you can turn out professional HI-DEF videos; including wide-screen 16X9. My main complaint, and this is a BIG one, is it is VERY hard to setup the Firewire feed to a computer. For some reason your Video editing program can't see this camera unless ALL other imaging equipment is either deleted or disabled. That includes any other Video feeds, such as TV Tuners, Scanners, etc. I have spent over a week trying, and STILL do not have it feeding the Firewire line. But I am working on it, and welcome any suggestions from ANYBODY!

The canon is not your average point and shoot video camera. Although your results will likely be great if you're outside shooting your child's sports event, the camera requires patience and frequent use to get a feel for it's abilities.

The best recommendation I can make to folks looking to purchase this camera is to shoot often, shoot in low light, bright light, get a feel for what the built-in Neutral Density filter does for you, and how to use the audio controls.

It's taken me about 6-8 hours of filming in 15 minute intervals to get my comfort level up to a point where I'm happy and excited to shoot important events. This is a fantastic professional camera and while the average user won't need to worry about customizing all the color settings (although there programs to help you), the professional will love the control settings, the user defined program buttons, and the timecoding found in the sister camera, the XH-G1.

Have fun, this is a great camera.

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Why I chose this camera over it's rivals:

1. 3CCD means (at the time I purchased) a better low light film quality.

2. External XLR audio. I tend to prefer the audio from a shotgun mic, or the wind filtering fuzzies on a shure mic.

3. Flip out LCD. This is a must for comfortable shooting / tripod shooting.

4. Handle controls. Shoot those low shots aiming up with comfort without getting off the stage.

5. Tapes. SD cards are great, but I tend to shoot once and keep the tapes forever, so SD cards were an expensive option for shoot once storage (they're cheaper now, but i still feel kinda silly not re-using memory cards).

Importing onto my mac is a piece of cake. PC users may need some special software.

Have fun and happy shooting!