Canon XA10 HD or canon 7D???

[carolm]

Hi please help

which will better to buy and use for video ? advantages and disadvantages ...

thx

[DCM]

Hi please help

which will better to buy and use for video ? advantages and disadvantages ...

thx

As a 7D user and having done commercial work with it, if you're looking to get into HD corporate and maybe even some commercial work and without knowing your end objective i.e primarily video and some stills or primarily photographs and maybe some video then assuming you need a video tool mostly

Canon 7D

Pros

• Cinematic picture style beautiful looking almost traditional 35mm movie film type of feel.
• Huge variety of interchangeable equipment to suite your shooting style, project etc (careful as this can be a huge con as well)
• interchangeable lenses and focal length advantages
• very tweak-able picture settings but will take plenty of testing trail and error
• cheap fast media to shoot onto CF cards - don't be fooled into buying the fastest most expensive cards anything over 40mb/s read write is a waste after that
• Can be less bulky and easier to move around with than traditional bigger dedicated video cameras
• variable HD frame rate and ability to shoot PAL or NTSC and all the rates 24/25/29.7/30fps so west to east no problems with format, slow motion via 720p 60fps or fps also available.

Cons

• Rubbish built in audio, plan on another R5k minimum to get good quality audio (at least one mic and a good digital recording system) - some headaches exist if you've not done video work before where audio is dropped in in post
• 12 minute /4 GB per clip limit, so you cannot shoot 20-30 minutes continuously, so you need to plan your work flow around this limit - I'll spare you the technical reasons these exist, but hey do on the 60D/7D/5DMkII/1DmkIV and I think the 1D X as well
• lots of extras required to use it as a video system comfortably, like a mounting rig for run-and-gun type documentary shooting,
• No reliable autofocus without it looking terrible, you need to manual focus and practice the art of pulling focus to get dead crisp infocus shots - there are electronic focus pullers but you'll need to import it at between R3500 and R8000 depending on make and model, still a bit experimental
• 7D has no in camera audio levelling or ability to turn off AGC (auto gain control) search Google on the matter, there are lots of cheap fixes but they're just that, cheap fixes
• Total up front cost of getting ready to actually shoot of about R40K i know many might disagree with this but once you got all the bits you need then trust me it adds up - alot

XA10

Pros

• bespoke video system, can do basic stills if needed but not an SLR
• while rated as prosumer it can cut it incorporate professional shoots and docu/interview shooting
• Very good in camera audio with XLR inputs via the (removable) top handle with level control and phantom power meaning a shootgun mic and lapel mic can both be run into camera, audio monitored and mixed
• Very good lens
• Pretty good low light ability for its category
• very good in-camera autofocus while shooting zooming etc
• amazing storage capacity for it's range as well, 64GB built, in plus 2 x 64GB expansion via SDHC/XC cards for 192GB Which equals plenty of shooting time...
• No 12 minute / 4GB clip limit as on the current Canon Video Capable DSLRs

Cons

• Lens is not interchangeable so you need to work keeping in mind the range you lens gives you, not a major con, but to some a deal breaker, screw on wide angle adapters etc are available but not a substitute for dedicated glass (lenses)
• Some models have had the top handle (which can be removed - very handy feature to have) to create i smaller shooting package if XLR isn't needed, some have been found to rattle/creak for no apparent reason and the sound can be heard in recordings so make sure you test this out and buy form a reputable dealer cause if it happens i'd demand a replacement - not sure if Canon has sorted this out all together.
• Normally region locked so if you're shooting PAL you have to get a PAL model ( PAL is native to SA and some other countries), NTSC needs an NTSC camera so if you plan on doing international work, you'll need to get two of them. ( again footage can be converted from PAL to NTSC and Vice versa, but its beyond the scope of most users, feel free if you need more info to ask)

All in cost to get shooting right away about R25K...

Hope that helps somewhat.

cheers

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Carol,

I own both and use both for very different reasons... DCM gave you a bunch of information that should push you in a direction already.

Two things I would add on the XA10 is that you can shoot MXP (so you can get extra metadata in the file wrapper) as well as the XA has the 64gb built in memory with 2 extra card slots (64gb gives you about 5hours shooting at the MXP settings of 24mbps)

Low light shooting better on the 7D and 5D mkII but the XA10 has a pretty decent IR shooting mode (never tried or needed that part, though)

[DCM]

Yeah there Sean ---cool so you have an XA10...wanting to add one to my collection i assume your model is one without a creaking top handle, do you know if Canon has fessed up and fixed it or can you still get stuck with one?

I'm i right is saying Canon / REputable dealer would be obliged to get it swapped out...it's really the last thing you want to get turning up in recordings.

cheers

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

I understand how it can happen (creaking handle) but you have to be pretty rough to have it happen... or maybe I have just been lucky so far... no complaints!

[carolm]

Hi Thanks so much for all the info ,just one more question..

I one decides to go for the canon XA10 , the only extra stuff i need is only a microphone and stand ??

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Hi Thanks so much for all the info ,just one more question..

I one decides to go for the canon XA10 , the only extra stuff i need is only a microphone and stand ??

Bit confused?

Stand as in tripod?

Also, no... the XA10 has built in mic's but a nice shotgun wouldn't be a bad idea. I just use my mke400

[carolm]

Bit confused?

Stand as in tripod?

Also, no... the XA10 has built in mic's but a nice shotgun wouldn't be a bad idea. I just use my mke400

sorry Sean ,yes meant tripod! so this means if i buy the camera i can therefor start shooting away ?

tried lookingfor it here at outdoor website ,do you guys stock it ?

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

sorry Sean ,yes meant tripod! so this means if i buy the camera i can therefor start shooting away ?

tried lookingfor it here at outdoor website ,do you guys stock it ?

No, we have it on special order. Usually takes two days or so if Canon has stock, and yes... if the battery is charged, you can literally shoot it out of the box.

[carolm]

Thx Sean ,plz inbox me all pricing details.

Thx

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Thx Sean ,plz inbox me all pricing details.

Thx

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