Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Keurig K-Express | 22% off $69.99

Keurig has changed the face of coffee, and snagging one of these for less than $70 is a solid deal. Read Review

BUY NOW
  • Introduction

  • Product Tour

  • Color & Noise Performance

  • Motion & Sharpness Performance

  • Low Light Performance

  • Audio

  • Compression & Media

  • Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling & Use

  • Playback & Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Sony HDR-FX1000 Comparison

  • Canon XL H1A Comparison

  • JVC GY-HM100 Comparison

  • Conclusion

  • Introduction
  • Product Tour
  • Color & Noise Performance
  • Motion & Sharpness Performance
  • Low Light Performance
  • Audio
  • Compression & Media
  • Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling & Use
  • Playback & Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Sony HDR-FX1000 Comparison
  • Canon XL H1A Comparison
  • JVC GY-HM100 Comparison
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Under the hood, the XH A1S is very similar to the Canon XL H1A, its larger sister model. They both have three 1/3-inch CCD sensors and they both record HD video to tape using the HDV codec. The big difference between the two is size and design—the XH A1S is a hand-held model that doesn't have a removable lens system, while the XL H1A is shoulder-mounted and can use any XL series of lens.

Product Tour

 

Lens & Imaging System

 

The lens on the Canon XH A1S is not removable. If you're looking for a similar pro camcorder with an interchangeable lens system, you should check out the Canon XL H1A or seek a higher-end pro model. Still, the lens on the XH A1S is no chump—it offers a 20x zoom, a focal range of 2.5-90mm, and a wide angle of 61 degrees. The camcorder is loaded with three CCD sensors, each 1/3-inch in size. This is the same sensor setup as found on the rest of Canon's professional HD camcorder line.

 

Front

 

Right

 

**Back**


 

Left

 

Lens

 

Top

 

Bottom

 

In The Box


Color & Noise Performance

 

Color (9.85)

The Canon XH A1S managed decent color accuracy in our bright light testing, but we've seen better. The camcorder measured a color error of 4.06 with a saturation level of 84.63%. While these numbers aren't all that impressive, keep in mind that the XH A1S is a pro camcorder and it offers numerous modes and settings for adjusting color. (More on how we test color.)

Looking at the Color Error Map above, you can see the XH A1S was able to produce reds and light blues very faithfully, but it had more trouble with greens, yellows, and browns. This pattern is very similar to what we saw with the Canon XL H1A. If you're planning on using the extensive color control options on the XH A1S, you'll be able to fine tune the camcorder to produce the saturation and color levels you prefer. The sample images below show off a few of the custom presets that are available on the XH A1S. Video C, Cine V, and Cine F each come installed on the camcorder as a preset option, while the other samples were recorded by manually adjusting certain options in the camcorder's Custom Preset menu.

Recording with the Video C preset, the XH A1S actually produced the most accurate colors—with a 3.73 color error and an 85.91% saturation. Video C mode is meant for recording video that is to be played back on a consumer level monitor, Cine V is used to create a film-like aesthetic for video that is played on a television, and Cine F should be used for video that is going to be transferred to film.

Looking at our test images with the naked eye, it is difficult to see any difference between the XH A1S and Canon XL H1A. Since the camcorders have the same sensors and use similar lenses, this shouldn't come as a surprise. The Sony HDR-FX1000's image also looks very similar to the Canon models, although it is a bit darker. The close-up images below give you a better frame with which to compare each camcorder's color reproduction.

 

 

Noise (8.06)

Professional camcorders generally have lower noise levels than consumer camcorders, mainly because the pros usually offer some sort of noise reduction feature. The Canon XH A1S has two noise reduction settings—NR1 and NR2 —and each can be set to low, medium, or high. There's also an option for selective noise reduction, which allows you to pick exactly what part of the image you want to reduce noise in. At best, the XH A1S averaged 0.47% noise in our bright light testing. This low noise level was achieved by using the camcorder's NR1 feature with the gain level set to -3dB. (More on how we test noise.)

In the graph above, we have mapped the noise levels recorded by the XH A1S when using a variety of noise reduction settings. The NR1 line shows the camcorder's noise levels across the gain settings when using the Noise Reduction 1 feature set to medium. NR2 is the same, but with Noise Reduction 2 engaged (also at medium). The third line represents the noise levels without any noise reduction settings turned on. We found the NR2 option to be more effective overall in reducing noise and it didn't distort the image like NR1 did. With NR1 turned on, recorded video has significant blur and trailing (like a slow shutter effect). Both NR1 and NR2 can also be used in conjunction.

In the Noise Comparison graph, we show the XH A1S mapped with the Canon XL H1A and Sony HDR-FX1000. Here, we graphed the XH A1S noise levels when using the NR2 feature turned on (because it was the camcorder's most effective noise reduction system). The XL H1A is also shown with its NR2 setting engaged, while the HDR-FX1000 is graphed using its regular auto mode (since the camcorder doesn't have any manual noise reduction settings).

Since the noise levels are so low in bright light, the crops above don't do a very good job illustrating the amount of noise present in each camcorder's captured image. Instead, the crops are useful for showing off sharpness, which we will discuss in the next section of this review. The Canon XH A1S, like the Canon XL H1A before it, produces a somewhat softer image than the Sony HDR-FX1000. The stronger contrast on the Sony brings out more detail in its image, which you can clearly see by comparing the vertical trumpets in the crops above.

 

Motion & Sharpness Performance

 

Motion (9.3)

The Canon XH A1S has three frame rate options for recording video: 60i, 24p, and 30p. The 24p and 30p modes record natively progressive video to tape, which is a significant difference between the XH A1S and Canon's consumer camcorder line. Read the Compression and Media section of this review for more information about the various frame rates on the camcorder. When viewing the videos below, keep in mind that they have been heavily compressed during their upload to YouTube process. (More on how we test motion.)

Canon XH A1S *Click Here for large HD Version *

Motion captured by the XH A1S looked very good, although there ware some minor problems. There was some artifacting present in the image—a bit more so than we usually see on high-end AVCHD camcorders. There was also a bit of blur on the RGB pinwheel, mainly in the form of color bleeding between the red and blue wedges. These problems, particularly the color bleeding, were more noticeable when using the camcorder's 24p and 30p frame rates.

Sony HDR-FX1000
*Click Here for large HD Version *

The Sony HDR-FX1000 surprised us with excellent motion and sharpness performances. Its image had less blur, less color bleeding, and looked sharper than both the Canon XH A1S and XL H1A. The difference in performance could be a result of the fact that Sony uses CMOS sensors in the HDR-FX1000 instead of the CCD sensors found in Canon's pro camcorders.

Canon XL H1A
*Click Here for large HD Version *

The XL H1A showed us very similar motion to the XH A1S. Its image was very smooth, but it had the same difficulty with color blur on the RGB pinwheel. Overall, however, the motion from the two Canon camcorders looked very good—punctuated by smooth, consistent motion. The Sony HDR-FX1000 did do better in this test, however, which is quite an accomplishment.

Video Sharpness (8.62)

The Canon XH A1S measured a horizontal sharpness of 800 lw/ph and a vertical sharpness of 650 lw/ph in our video sharpness test. These scores are nearly identical to what we measured on the Canon XL H1A, although there was a slight difference in vertical sharpness (likely due to the different lenses on the two camcorders). While these scores are very good (particularly the horizontal sharpness), we've seen better from other HD camcorders like the JVC GZ-X900, Canon HF20, and Sony HDR-FX1000. (More on how we test video sharpness.)

 

Low Light Performance

 

Low Light Sensitivity (4.13)

The low light sensitivity for the XH A1S was quite good, although it did put up worse numbers than the Canon XL H1A. Testing the camcorder with absolutely no gain boost (0dB gain setting) the XH A1S required 61 lux of light to register 50 IRE on our waveform monitor. With auto gain engaged (which allows the gain levels to go as high as 18dB) the camcorder needed just 7 lux of light to reach the same level. (More on how we test low light sensitivity.)

The Canon XL H1A did a bit better than the XH A1S in our 0dB gain sensitivity test. Since the camcorders have the same sensors, it is likely that this disparity is a result of the different lenses featured on the two models. The Canon XH A1S only showed minor differences from the Sony HDR-FX1000 in our low light sensitivity test.

We also tested the sensitivity on the XH A1S using its alternate frame rate settings. Recording with the camcorder's 24p and 30p modes, we found the low light sensitivity drastically improved. This makes sense, as the lower frame rates use slower shutter speeds and allow more light to hit the sensor. So, if you know you'll be filming in 24p, you can expect a much better low light performance from the XH A1S compared to its 60i results.

The table below lists the amount of light needed for the camcorder to reach 50 IRE on our waveform monitor using a variety of settings:

 

 

Low Light Color (7.19)

The XH A1S did a good job with our low light color and its results were on par with the Canon XL H1A. It had slightly better color accuracy scores than the Sony HDR-FX1000, but both camcorders had similar numbers as well. (More on how we test low light color.)

With gain set to 0dB, the Canon XH A1S obviously struggled to produce a viable image in our low light testing. This is not unusual, as most camcorders struggle with this test. With 0dB gain, the camcorder measured a color error of 6.98 and a low saturation level of 43.86%. Despite the low saturation level, the camcorder produced some strong colors and retained quite a bit of detail. Below the XH A1S 0dB gain image is compared to its Auto Gain image, as well as the 0dB images from two comparison camcorders.

Obviously, the XH A1S is a lot brighter using its auto gain setting in low light than the 0dB setting. We put that comparison in there to give you a better idea of how underexposed the 0dB gain image is. The Canon XL H1A has a very similar image to the XH A1S in our 0dB test, but the Sony HDR-FX1000 has a slightly more saturated image. The Sony's colors appear deeper and more vivid, but its color accuracy isn't significantly better than the two Canon camcorders.

 

Bumping the gain up to 6dB gives the XH A1S a significant boost in low light. Its color error improves a lot (down to 4.07) and its saturation level goes all the way up to 89.98%. In fact, the 6dB gain image looks almost as bright as the camcorder's image using its auto gain setting (see below).

Neither the Sony HDR-FX1000 nor the Canon XL H1A had much different color errors than the XH A1S in our 6dB gain test. The saturation levels of the three camcorders were slightly different, however, with the XH A1S being the highest. The table below shows that the camcorder's color error improved even more when we boosted the gain to 12dB, although at that point the image actually appeared a bit too bright.

None of the pro camcorders we tested in this set really stand out as the best low light color performer. Each camcorder did a decent job in this test and the Canon XL H1A and XH A1S showed nearly identical results. In our low light noise testing, however, we did run into a few surprises—specifically with the poor performance from the XH A1S.

 

Low Light Noise (3.57)

For low light noise, we tested the XH A1S at three gain settings: 0dB, 6dB, and 12dB. At 0dB, the XH A1S measured 1.81% noise, which isn't a great score. With 0dB gain, a camcorder should produce far less noise. For its credit, the XH A1S does have a -3dB gain setting and its noise reduction options that can be used to bring down the noise levels even further.  (More on how we test low light noise.)

The above images don't do a great job illustrating it, but the Canon XH A1S showed more noise at 0dB gain than either the Sony HDR-FX1000 (1.2175%) or the Canon XL H1A (1.5125%). This high-noise trend with the XH A1S continues as we bring the gain up to 6dB gain.

With 6dB gain, the XH A1S averaged 2.33% noise. This is significantly higher than the noise measured on the images from the Sony HDR-FX1000 and Canon XL H1A's (averaged 1.3425% and 1.5775% respectively).

Interestingly, the noise levels went down slightly when we raised the gain from 6dB to 12dB. The noise levels didn't go up much, however, with the camcorder registering 2.24% noise at 12dB gain. As we saw in the previous tests, this noise level is higher than the other two camcorders we used as comparisons. The Sony HDR-FX1000 had just 1.8525% noise at 12dB gain, while the Canon XL H1A managed 2.18% noise (very similar to the XH A1S).

The XH A1S achieved its lowest noise levels when we tested it using its auto gain setting. With auto gain engaged, the camcorder measured a respectable 1.19% noise. So, if you plan on using the XH A1S in auto mode, it should give you pretty good noise results in low light.

 

Audio

Audio Features (8.0)

Canon tends to pack in the audio features on its pro camcorders, but the audio controls on the XH A1S aren't as easy to use as on the XL H1A. There isn't as much space on the body of the XH A1S, so most of the audio controls are relegated to the Audio Setup menu. For high definition recording, the audio transfer rate on the XH A1S is 384 kbps with a sampling frequency of 48 kHz. For standard definition, you can set the camcorder to 16-bit mode (48 kHz sampling frequency) or 12-bit mode (32 kHz sampling). Audio dubbing cannot be performed with the XH A1S.

Onboard Audio

The XH A1S has a front-mounted microphone that isn't nearly as good as the shotgun mic that comes with the XL H1A. For its part, the mic on the XH A1S is placed well, although it does pick up some noise when the zoom motor is in use. Next to the onboard mic is an external mic holder that is attached to the camcorder via a flexible connector. The audio levels for the onboard mic can be set manually using the two small dials on the back of the camcorder. There's also a microphone attenuator switch that will bring down the built-in mic levels by 12dB.

The sensitivity for the built-in mic can be set to normal or high, with high giving the mic a +6dB boost. There's also two Low Cut settings for the built-in mic. LC1 is designed if you're mostly recording voices and LC2 is essentially a wind cut feature for reducing wind noise. If you're using either the built-in mic or an external mic connected to the camcorder, the audio level display can appear on the LCD screen or on the small info box on the side of the mode dial.

Additional Audio Controls

Connecting an external mic via the camcorder's XLR inputs will definitely allow you to capture better audio than with the onboard mic. The 2 XLR inputs are located on the right side of the camcorder (underneath the mic holder) and a series of switches rest above them and to their side. There's a microphone attenuator switch for each XLR channel (each knocks the signal down by 20dB), audio level manual/auto buttons, and two phantom power switches. The phantom power switches, which provide +48V when engaged, are kind of hidden away around the side of the XLR inputs. It's a wonder why Canon didn't make these important switches more visible—especially when leaving them on by accident can result in damaging a connected microphone.

According to Canon, condenser mics with independent power are compatible with the XH A1S. The input impedance is 600 ohms, the sensitivity is -66dBV (manual volume center), and the maximum microphone diameter is 25mm. In addition to the XLR inputs, there's a 3.5mm mini-jack located on the handlebar (behind the mic holder).

While we like the variety of audio features and controls on the XH A1S, we found the button layout to be a bit problematic. Switches are scattered, hidden, and can be hard to get at when the camcorder is in use. The other big nuisance is the fact that many controls are located in the camcorder's menu, which means it isn't possible to adjust them while you are recording. Still, the XH A1S has far more audio options than the Sony HDR-FX1000, which doesn't even have XLR inputs.

 

Compression & Media

 

Compression (8.3)

The Canon XH A1S compresses high definition video using the HDV format, and it uses the DV codec to record standard definition video. HDV has been around for a long time (it was developed in 2003), so it should be very familiar to pros or experienced videographers. The format is also compatible with a wide range of editing programs. HDV has a constant bitrate of 25 Mbps when shooting 1080i video.

As with most pro cams, the XH A1S offers a few alternate frame rates in addition to the regular 1080/60i. The camcorder can shoot progressive 1080/30p and 1080/24p video (also using the HDV codec). These 30p and 24p modes, which are called 30F and 24F by Canon, are different from Canon's consumer line because on the XH A1S they record the footage to tape in their native format (without using a 2:3 pulldown). Recently, however, Canon has also implemented a native 24p mode on its consumer-level HV40 camcorder.

The charts above illustrate how the XH A1S captures video using its alternate frame rates for both HD and SD recording. Note that the camcorder still uses a 2:3 pulldown during playback, which means footage being played from the tape (with the camcorder connected to a television) will be 60i. Video output from the camcorder's FireWire port, however, will be native 30p or 24p (if the footage was shot in those modes). For standard definition recording, the camcorder does not capture the 24p and 30p modes natively and it uses a 2:3 pulldown when recording the footage to tape.

 

 

Media (6.0)

The XH A1S records video to good, old-fashioned MiniDV tape. While most consumer camcorders have done away with tape in favor of internal hard drives and flash memory, tape-based professional camcorders are still quite popular. MiniDV tape is cheap, familiar, and easy to use. Most importantly, you don't have to worry about the headaches involved with finding an editing program that is compatible with your HD footage. The HDV codec used to record video onto MiniDV tape is compatible with a number of widely-available professional and prosumer-level editing programs.

For storing still images, the XH A1S has an SD/SDHC memory card slot located inside the camcorder's battery compartment. Video cannot be recorded to these cards using the XH A1S, so they can only be used to capture photos or store Custom Preset data.

 

Editing (8.0)

Since the HDV codec has been around for so long it is one of the most compatible compression systems available for HD video. Most outdated professional editing software has HDV compatibility, so if you're using an old version of Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere, you shouldn't have to worry about paying for an update or downloading a new plug-in. Of course, editing footage that has been recorded to tape does have its own set of issues. You do have to log and capture all your footage, which can be time consuming and tedious. This phase of the post-production process is made much simpler when you record to non-linear media like memory cards.

Tape has its significant advantages, however. Mainly, it costs a whole lot less than the expensive memory cards used in professional camcorders (like the SxS and P2 card systems). It also provides a good archiving system that isn't easily corruptible (unlike an external hard drive). As long as you keep your tapes in good storage conditions, they should last you quite a long time.

 

Manual Controls

 

Auto Mode (6.5)

With all its exciting control options, the XH A1S definitely works best when it is controlled manually. Still, there are a couple of auto modes that can work quite well in a pinch, and there are a bunch of auto features that are helpful when you don't have time to fine tune everything manually. The camcorder has a dedicated auto mode called Easy Recording mode and it is labeled on the mode dial as a green rectangle. In this mode everything is under automatic control—gain, shutter speed, aperture, white balance, focus, audio levels—everything except zoom. Even if the switches on the side of the camcorder are set to something (like the gain setting or white balance preset), they are still controlled automatically. In Easy Recording mode you cannot access the Camera Setup menu, so even if you wanted to make adjustments, you can't.

Easy Recording is probably too simple for most users, so Canon includes an additional Auto mode on the XL H1A. The Auto mode is labeled with an 'A' inside a rectangle on the mode dial and it essentially allows the user to adjust most settings, while maintaining automatic control over shutter speed and aperture. This Auto mode is far more useful for most shooting situations as you can specifically control what features you want to control manually and what you want the camcorder to take care of automatically. There are little switches for gain, white balance, audio levels, and focus that allow you to switch between automatic and manual control for each individually (in Easy Recording mode this switches are irrelevant).

The XH A1S has an Instant Autofocus (I.AF) feature, which is also found on Canon's consumer line. The I.AF produces a quicker, snap-like autofocus that may or may not be desirable depending on what you are shooting. You can also set the autofocus to normal and the camcorder has 4 speed options for setting how quickly focus is achieved. Auto exposure works well on the XH A1S and its response can be set to low, middle, or high. There's also a Push AE button located on the left side of the camcorder that allows you to set an auto exposure while in manual mode. A similar Push AF button is located in the same vicinity and does the same thing only for focus instead.

Low Light Modes

On the camcorder's mode dial are a couple of special record modes, including Night mode. Night mode boosts performance in low light by allowing the shutter speed to drop to as low as 1/4 of a second. The fastest shutter speed available in Night mode is 1/500 of a second.

Scene Modes

The only other scene mode on the XH A1S is Spotlight, which allows you to effectively record a subject illuminated by a spotlight. It is somewhat unclear as to what Spotlight actually does, but it appears to limit the gain setting in an effort to reduce noise.

Zoom (12.8)

There are three ways to control zoom on the XH A1S—via the middle lens ring, a large rocker on the camcorder's right side, and a smaller, top-mounted rocker on the handlebar. The large rocker is designed just like the one featured on the Canon XL H1A and it works just as well. It can be set to variable or fixed speed control with the flick of a switch and it offers 16 increments of constant speed control. A tiny dial allows for zoom speed to be set, with 16 being the fastest and 1 being an absolute crawl. You can also set the overall zoom speed to slow, normal or fast in the camcorder's custom function menu.

We like the placement of the zoom speed dial very much, as you can access it easily with your index finger when you grip the camcorder. This speed control dial is also used to set the speed for the smaller, handle-bar-mounted zoom rocker. This rocker is always set to a constant speed and it isn't quite as comfortable or easy to use as the right-side zoom rocker. Also, its zoom speed cannot be set independently from the right-side rocker. We also must note that we could hear the zoom motor on the camcorder quite loudly when we adjusted the zoom—no matter what zoom method we used.

The final zoom method on the XH A1S, the zoom ring, will likely be a popular method for traditional videographers. The middle lens ring can be set to three speeds (slow, normal, or fast) and it offers precise control over zoom. We did find the zoom ring a bit harder to use than on the Canon XL H1A, mainly because the XH A1S has a shorter body and the ring doesn't fall as naturally into your left hand. Behind the zoom ring, on the camcorder's left side is a switch for setting Focus/Zoom Presets. We discuss this feature in more detail in the Other Manual Controls section of this review.

Whatever way you choose to zoom on the XH A1S, the camcorder will always show a zoom display on the LCD. This display can be set to the traditional bar display that is found on most consumer camcorders, or it can set to a number display. With numeric display, the camcorder lists the zoom as a number from 0 - 99 (not the actual zoom multiplier). This allows you to precisely recreate particular zoom lengths. Unfortunately, the camcorder cannot display both numeric and bar zoom displays at the same time.

 

Zoom Ratio (15.0)

One of the significant drawbacks of the XH A1S as a professional camcorder is the fact that it does not have a removable lens system. This means you're stuck with the provided 20x zoom lens (although there are a variety of filters, converters, and adapters available). The 20x zoom lens is quite good for an HD camcorder, however, as Canon's top-line consumer camcorders only offer a 10x zoom.

 

Focus (10.5)

Focus can be adjusted manually on the XH A1S by rotating the largest lens ring on the front of the camcorder. The lens ring is thick, smooth, and works perfectly for getting a precise focus adjustment. The ring is covered in a series of rubber ribs that provides it with good traction and makes it easy to use on the fly. The focus assist tools on the XH A1S, however, aren't all that extravagant. The camcorder's peaking options allow you to set a gain level (from 1 - 15) and a frequency (from 1 - 4) in an effort to assist you with manual focus. Besides being confusing to set, these peaking options are actually worse than what is found on many high-end consumer camcorders. The Canon HF S100 and JVC GZ-X900, for example, offer colored specks that make for a much better peaking system than on the XH A1S.

There's also a 2x digital zoom magnification that is available to help you focus. This works quite well and it allows you to see a closer version of your subject while you focus (the zoom is for viewing purposes only). Both the peaking and digital zoom can be set to black and white if you find the absence of color allows you to adjust focus better (again, the B/W is simply an assist feature and won't alter your recorded image). What we really like about the peaking and digital magnification is the fact that you can easily engage them by pressing the dedicated buttons on the left side of the camcorder. This is where the larger size of a pro camcorder gives you more versatility and quick access to important features.

 

Exposure (5.15)

Simple exposure adjustment is available on the XH A1S in the form of an AE Shift. The camcorder offers 15 increments of exposure adjustment from values of -2.0 to +2.0 (available in all modes except the scene modes and dedicated auto mode). Unfortunately, accessing the AE shift options requires you to go into the camcorder's main menu system. There is no easy-to-reach exposure dial as is found on the Canon XL H1A. This also means you can't do a simple exposure adjustment while you are recording.

Aperture (10.2)

Aperture can be set in full manual mode or in the Aperture Priority mode (Av). In both modes you can set aperture from f/1.6 to f/22 (you can also fully close the aperture). There are a ton of aperture settings available on the XH A1S, which is good for playing around with depth of field and other aperture-related effects. An aperture limiter feature can also be engaged that won't allow the camcorder to close any farther than f/9.5.

 

In either aperture priority or manual mode, adjusting the aperture is done by rotating the smallest lens ring (the one that is closest to the camcorder body). This ring is smooth and easy to use, but it doesn't offer the same precise adjustment as the larger manual focus ring.

 

Shutter Speed (5.65)

Shutter speed can be set manually in Shutter Priority (Tv) or manual mode. It is set by sliding the small dial on the left side of the camcorder. This dial is much more difficult to access than the aperture lens ring and it is nowhere near as precise. It is also easy to accidentally bump or nudge the tiny dial as it is located in the vicinity of a number of other controls.

 

We wish the XH A1S would have an option to set shutter speed control to one of the lens rings (like the ring that is dedicated for aperture control). This way, if you want to adjust shutter speed often, you can access the control easily. In its defense, the XH A1S offers a lot of shutter speed options, and it particularly has quite a few slow shutter options. The shutter can be set to as low as 1/4 of a second in manual mode (when recording in 60i) and it can go as high as 1/150000 of a second.

 

White Balance (9.5)

The XH A1S has a good amount of white balance options, but the controls can be difficult to find and adjust. Instead of the large, pop-out dials featured on the Canon XL H1A, the XH A1S utilizes a tiny silver switch that is similar to the design found on the Sony HDR-FX1000. For its part, manually setting white balance on the camcorder is easy—it's simply a one-push system that is similar to what is found on most consumer camcorders.

Things get annoying when you want to adjust Kelvin color temperature or switch between the Daylight and Outdoor presets. To choose between these options you need to flick another White Balance Preset switch that is located on top of the camcorder in the area where the LCD screen rests. This is a horrible placement for two reasons: one, it is located nowhere near the other white balance switch, and two, it cannot be accessed when the LCD panel is closed.

Once you choose one of the preset options, you can fine tune them by going back to the other white balance switch and pressing the manual white balance button. This then allows you to use the shutter speed dial to adjust the color temperature from -9 to +9 with the Outdoor or Indoor presets selected. This is a ridiculous amount of jumping around required for your fingertips and it demonstrates how cluttered and unorganized the XH A1S can be at times. You can also fine tune the Kelvin color temperature in the same manner (with a range of 2000K to 15000K in 100K increments).

 

Gain (12.25)

The XH A1S has a manual gain range from 0dB to 18dB (in 0.5dB increments). You can also set the gain to -3dB and 36dB. Unfortunately, like white balance, the a gain adjustment system requires some tinkering. There's a small silver switch on the left side of the camcorder (just like the white balance switch) that allows you to switch between low, medium, and high gain. These settings, however, must be programmed in the camcorders menu. So, you can set whatever gain value you want for the low gain setting (or the medium and high setting for that matter). This switch design is very good, as it allows you to quickly access the three gain settings you use most often.

The problem is, you have to go into the menu each time you want to use a gain setting that is not set as your low, medium, or high presets. This can be annoying if you're filming in a variety of different lighting conditions.

Color & Image Controls (14.6)


The XH A1S has loads of color and image controls and it basically has the same options as the Canon XL H1A. A lot of the controls will be redundant for people who like to do lots of post-production color processing and image adjustment, but it there's no use in criticizing the camcorder for having *too many *controls. Most (but not all) of these controls are part of the camcorder's Custom Preset menu, which allows you to create save a set of adjustments made to 23 separate features.

 

Other Manual Controls (7.75)


The XH A1S has a number of extra manual controls, most of which are found in the camcorder's menu system. This list does not include any audio controls the camcorder may have, all of which are discussed in our Audio Features section.

 

Still Features

 

Still Features (9.15)

Being a $4000 professional camcorder, most people probably aren't all that interested in the still features on the XH A1S. There are four still image size options on the camcorder—1920 x 1080 being the largest and 640 x 480 being the smallest—so don't expect wonderful high-megapixel photos from the XH A1S. Still, the camcorder does have a few useful photo options that should cater to the pro crowd.

Photos are captured to SD/SDHC memory cards (the card slot is located inside the battery compartment) and photos are saved as JPEG images. The XH A1S comes with a 32MB SD card, which won't hold many photos, but is large enough to play around with most of the camcorder's still features.

 

The most useful still feature on the camcorder is the ability to save Custom Preset data along with a still photo. This allows you to use the photograph as a reference file when determining what color and image settings you want to manipulate. Custom Presets that are saved onto an SD/SDHC memory card can then be transferred and used on other Canon pro camcorders—saving you the tedious step of recreating Custom Presets by hand.

There's a drive mode on the camcorder that can take 3 photos per second (normal speed) or 5 photos per second (high speed) in succession. Up to 60 shots can be taken continuously using these drive modes. Auto exposure bracketing, which will take 3 shots with varying exposure controls, is also available as a drive mode.

Viewing still images in playback mode is very similar to using a consumer camcorder. You simply rotate the mode dial to Playback mode and switch the camcorder over to Card recording. In playback, photos can be arranged as thumbnails or viewed as full-screen images, and the camcorder's VCR controls can be used to shuffle through photos or start a slide show. Plenty of info (like aperture, shutter speed, exposure, etc.) is displayed about each photo when viewed on the LCD screen.

 

Still Color (9.8)

The XH A1S did a good job in our still color testing, earning a 3.57 color error according to Imatest. This is a better score than the camcorder achieved in our video color testing and its still image colors were also more saturated (98.02%). This is a good sign, as it means photos that are used as reference files will have accurate colors and good saturation. This is exactly the kind of still color performance you want to see from a pro camcorder. (More on how we test still color.)

The chart above shows the XH A1S was very accurate with most colors. The yellow tone at the top of the chart, as well as the pink and red colors gave the camcorder the most trouble. Below, you can see a sample still image comparison between the Canon XH A1S and the Sony HDR-FX1000. Both camcorders reproduced colors quite faithfully in our test, although the Sony underexposed the image a bit.

 

Still Noise (9.05)

We measured 0.52% noise on the still images from the XH A1S. This is a good score and it is similar to the numbers we got from our bright light video testing. This is exactly what you want to see from a pro camcorder's still image testing—good color accuracy and low noise levels. This way, you can be confident that photos being used for reference are accurate. The Sony HDR-FX1000, while having better still color accuracy than the XH A1S, measured much higher noise levels (1.59%). (More on how we test still noise.)

Still Sharpness (2.98)

 

Since the largest still image setting on the XH A1S is 1920 x 1080 (just over 2 megapixels) we didn't expect great things with our still sharpness test. The camcorder managed a horizontal sharpness of 1024 lw/ph with 12% oversharpening and a vertical sharpness of 1183 with 5.6% oversharpening. These are decent scores for a 2-megapixel image and they are in the same ballpark as the Canon XL H1A's results. (More on how we test still sharpness.)

Handling & Use

 

Ease of Use (7.25)

With an Easy Recording mode and a separate Auto mode, Canon does a pretty good job at making the XH A1S accessible to newbies. If you're already an accomplished videographer, the XH A1S can be a bit annoying due to its cluttered button design, but it should be pretty easy to figure everything out. Another big plus is the quality of Canon's instruction manual, which is top-notch.

We found the Canon XL H1A to be a bit easier to use than the XH A1S, even though it is larger and looks more daunting. The XL H1A was more spacious and had easier to reach dials and knobs for quick adjustment. It also felt more comfortable and was easier to carry around due to its shoulder-mount design—something we'll go into in more detail in the next section of our review.

Handling (7.0)

The XH A1S is a hand-held camcorder, which sets it apart from the shoulder-mounted XL H1A. Determining what camcorder is a better handler is mostly a matter of personal preference. If you're used to lugging around large camcorders on your shoulder, the XL H1A will probably feel better. If you have shot mostly with consumer camcorders, however, the hand-held design of the XH A1S will probably match your shooting needs better. Still, if we had to choose one over the other, we'd say the shoulder-mounted XL H1A offers a more comfortable shooting experience.

The XH A1S has many of the same problems we found on the Sony HDR-FX1000. Since it has a relatively small body there isn't enough surface area to house the endless amount of buttons, knobs, switches, and dials. The left side of the camcorder feels especially cluttered, with controls packed in tight like sardines. While shooting with the XH A1S, we yearned for the spacious body and easy-to-reach dials featured on the XL H1A.

Of course, the XH A1S does have three lovely lens rings that each work splendidly for adjusting focus, zoom, and aperture. We are a bit disappointed that the third ring cannot be set to control other features (like shutter speed or exposure), but they work well nonetheless. We also found the camcorder's hand strap to be quite comfortable, strong, and easily adjustable to your hand size. The camcorder is heavy for a hand-held device, though, and you'll definitely want to invest in some sort of brace or mount if you plan on doing lots of mobile shooting. The Sony HDR-FX1000 definitely feels lighter in your hand than the XH A1S, as it weighs roughly 300g less.

 

The XH A1S felt very durable and strong for the most part, but the port covers on the back of the camcorder are terribly designed. In our experience with the camcorder, the port covers fell off numerous times—mainly because they are barely attached to the camcorder. The covers connect via a small plastic hinge that can just pop out when you tug on the covers. It is almost a certainty that these port covers will fall off and get lost during your travels with the XH A1S.

 

If you don't like using the camcorder in the traditional hand-held manner, you can always use the XH A1S holding it by the handlebar. This method is definitely less taxing on your wrist, but it also makes it much more difficult to frame your image, set controls, and use the electronic viewfinder. Holding the camcorder by its handlebar, however, did feel sturdy and it offers an excellent grip. There's also a zoom rocker and start/stop record button up there that can easily be accessed with your thumb.

Stabilization (4.94)

The Canon XH A1S didn't do very well in our stabilization test, which comes as a surprise considering the XL H1A was a star performer in this category. The XH A1S managed to reduce 48% of the shake in our low shake test, but when we cranked things up to high shake the camcorder's image stabilization system couldn't do anything to reduce the shakiness of the image. The camcorder is equipped with an Optical Image Stabilization system (OIS). (More on how we test stabilization.)

 

The XH A1S does have a different stabilization mechanism than the Canon XL H1A, which might explain some of the disparity between the scores from the two camcorders. The XH A1S is also significantly lighter than the XL H1A (by over three pound), which definitely plays a part in stabilization. Still, the similarly-sized Sony HDR-FX1000 did far better in this test. It offers three stabilization settings—Hard, Standard, and Soft—so you can manually set how much stabilization control you want the camcorder to provide. Strangely, the Sony did the best in our testing when using the Soft setting, although all three options did a adequate job.

  • Canon XH A1S Stabilization Examples *
    *Click Here for large HD Version *

The above clip shows the camcorder's stabilization system in use. In our real-world experience with the camcorder, we found the stabilization didn't work all that well, particularly when we were zoomed in quite far. For the video above we shot the image using low shake.

 

Portability (7.25)

When choosing between pro camcorders, one of the most significant decisions is whether to go with a hand held or shoulder-mounted model. The XH A1S is, of course, a hand held model, and its design offers a number of benefits. It is portable, easy to take with you one limited-space shoots, and it doesn't put any strain on your shoulder while you record. Still, the camcorder weighs 2400g (5.3 lbs.) fully loaded, and that is a lot of weight to hold up with your wrist alone. Shoulder-mounted camcorders offer the benefit of more even weight distribution and spacious bodies that allow for better button layout and control.

The XH A1S is a little more than half a pound heavier than the Sony HDR-FX1000 (also a hand held camcorder). This extra half pound can be significant, especially if you're not used to lugging around large, professional equipment. There are numerous shoulder braces, mounts, and attachments available for the XH A1S, however, so you can tweak the camcorder to fit your needs. The Canon XL H1A, which uses a shoulder-mount design, is much heavier than the XH A1S. It weighs 3935g (8.7 lbs), roughly 1500g more than the XH A1S.

LCD Battery Life (16.0)

The Canon XH A1S offered exceptionally good battery life with its provided BP-950G battery pack. In our LCD battery life test, the battery lasted for 5 hours and 20 minutes (320 minutes). This isn't just exceptionally good, it is incredibly good. The XH A1S battery lasted roughly an hour and twenty minutes longer than the Canon XL H1A (236 minutes), and it went for more than double the battery life on the Sony HDR-FX1000 (152 minutes). With a battery life like this, you really don't need to upgrade to a larger, longer-lasting battery pack—although it is definitely still an option. (More on how we test battery life.)

 

 

Viewfinder Battery Life (16.1)

Using only the viewfinder instead of the LCD on the XH A1S won't get you any extra battery life. The camcorder lasted 322 minutes (5 hours, 22 minutes) in our viewfinder battery life test—a mere two minutes longer than our LCD battery test. This is really a moot point, however, as the camcorder's battery life is impeccably good no matter how you shoot. If you're looking for ways to conserve battery life you can always lower the screen brightness or decrease the backlight on the LCD or viewfinder.

Interestingly, the Sony HDR-FX1000 also didn't offer much of a battery life boost when we recorded only using its viewfinder. It appears that LCDs are becoming just as power-saving as viewfinders these days.

 

LCD & Viewfinder (4.6)

The Canon XH A1S includes both an LCD screen and an electronic viewfinder (EVF). Unfortunately, the LCD is only 2.8 inches in size, which is a bit smaller than we'd like to see on a pro camcorder. Often, there is so much information being shown on the screen that the 2.8-inches just doesn't cut it. To top it all off, the LCD has a low resolution of only 207,000 pixels. This resolution is lower than what you'll find on many consumer camcorders, and it makes using the LCD to focus, set sharpness, or finely-tune your image far more difficult. In comparison, the Sony HDR-FX1000 has a 3.2-inch LCD with 921,000 pixels—far better specs than the Canon XH A1S.

The viewfinder on the XH A1S doesn't offer the most comfortable or useful shooting experience. The EVF is 0.57 inches in size, and has a resolution of only 269,000 pixels. Again, as with the camcorder's LCD, we would have much preferred a higher resolution EVF as that would make focusing and adjusting the image much easier. The EVF's arm can pivot to about 70-degrees, but it cannot rotate or extend. The EVF probably would feel more comfortable if it extended away from the camcorder just a little bit more. The provided eyecup isn't anything special, but you can always purchase a larger or differently-shaped cup to fit your viewfinder needs. A small diopter adjustment slider is conveniently located beneath the viewfinder.

Since both the viewfinder and LCD have such dismal resolutions on the XH A1S, you may be better off connecting the camcorder to an external viewing monitor. One of the Component-out ports on the back of the camcorder is designed for use with an external viewfinder. So, if you have another EVF or monitor you prefer using with your equipment, we recommend doing so with the XH A1S.

We must say, after using the LCD on the XH A1S, we appreciate the large panel and high-resolution screen offered on the Sony HDR-FX1000. Like the XH A1S, the FX1000 also has a poorly-designed EVF, but its resolution is a whopping 1,227,000 pixels. The Canon XL H1A, which uses a 2-in-1 LCD/EVF combo, has a far more comfortable viewfinder setup. The position of the EVF can also be adjusted and repositioned in a variety of different ways on the XL H1A.

Menus (7.5)

The menu setup on the XH A1S is rather simple, but it has a few features that are oddly placed. Everything is organized under one menu screen—the Camera Menu—that is accessed by pressing the tiny Menu button near the back of the camcorder. Inside the Camera Menu are 7 submenus: Signal Setup, Camera Setup, Recording Setup, Audio Setup, Display Setup, System Setup, and Customize.

The Customize menu is the most important and the most interesting. Here you can create Custom Presets, Custom Functions, and Custom Displays, each of which can be saved and stored on the camcorder (or via SD/SDHC memory cards). The three Custom options allow you to precisely fine-tune the way the XH A1S functions. We've talked about Custom Presets in some detail, as it houses most of the camcorder's color and image controls. Custom Function allows you to specify how the mechanisms on the camcorder work (like zoom speed, AE response, ring control, and button operation). Custom Display lets you control what information is shown on the LCD screen.

The rest of the submenus are fairly normal and don't offer anything special. Recording Setup is a bit confusing—and strangely named—as it mostly deals with still photo options (why not name it Photo Setup?). Camera Setup is probably densest submenu, as it houses controls and features that are to be used during shooting (like image stabilization, Skin Detail, Gain Setting, etc.). Since the camcorder has so many places for features to live it can get very confusing as to where a certain setting is located. Is LCD brightness control located in the Custom Display or the Display Setup Menu? Is noise reduction part of the Camera Setup Menu or is it part of the Custom Presets? To answer these questions you need to get to know the XH A1S intimately, so make sure you learn the camcorder well before you take it into the field.

During playback, the menu options change slightly on the XH A1S. This is mainly noticed in the Signal Setup menu, as it has various conversion options during playback. There are also different options in the Audio Setup menu that deal with audio output. For the most part, however, the VCR menu is the same as the Camera Menu only with fewer options.

Playback & Connectivity

 

Playback (6.5)

Since the XH A1S is a tape-based camcorder, the playback controls are very simple. There's a good set of dedicated VCR controls located on the handlebar and using them is just like controlling any VCR system. If you want more playback controls, the provided remote allows for slow motion and frame-by-frame playback. The camcorder also has a few advanced playback options, like Index Search, Date Search, and the ability to return to a pre-marked spot on the tape.

 

We love the dedicated VCR controls on the XH A1S. They're easy to read, comfortable to use, and are well protected with their plastic, flip-open door. The VCR control buttons are also used to filter through photos in still image playback mode. Located on the left side of the XH A1S is a small record review button that allows you to watch the last couple of seconds of video you've most recently shot. Pressing the button automatically rewinds the tape, plays back the footage, and pauses the tape again after the footage ends.

 

Connectivity (9.0)

The Canon XH A1S falls into the category of pro cams that lack numerous professional connectivity options. The camcorder doesn't have HD/SD-SDI, GENLOCK, or TC (timecode) terminals—all of which are found on Canon's higher end pro models (the XH G1S and the XL H1S). While these connection options can be incredibly useful (particularly the HD-SDI, which allows for uncompressed video output), they can also increase a camcorder's price by roughly $2000 - $3000. So, if you have no use for the aforementioned terminals, the Canon XH A1S should be able to suit your connectivity needs.

The XH A1S offers most of the same ports found on the Canon XL H1A, but they layout is very different. It has 2 XLR inputs, located on the right-front side of the camcorder, and it has an additional collection of ports on the back of the camcorder (next to the battery compartment). Here you'll find two Component outputs—one for a viewfinder and one for HD or SD video. You also get a headphone jack, a FireWire terminal, an AV port (works as input and output), and a LANC connector. Right around the corner from these ports is a small BNC port that outputs video only.

Also on the back of the camcorder, inside the battery compartment, is the memory card slot that fits SD/SDHC memory cards. More connections are located near the front of the camcorder. On the handlebar is a hot accessory shoe (located just behind the onboard mic) and a a 3.5mm mic jack that is placed right behind the external mic holder (see images below).

The XH A1S does not have a USB, S-Video, or HDMI port. It also doesn't have any dedicated RCA inputs for audio only (something that is found on the XL H1A). Still, its collection of ports is quite good and their placement is decent. Even though most of the ports are located on the back of the camcorder, they don't feel too cluttered. Our only major complaint is with the flimsy port covers that easily fall off when you tug on them.

 

Other Features

 

Other Features (1.0)

Most of the special features on the XH A1S have been covered elsewhere in our review. Take a look at the Color and Image Controls section and the Other Manual Controls section if you're looking for a specific feature or option. There is, however, an AV-DV conversion feature which we discuss in this section.

AV to DV conversion

Analog devices (such as a VCR or another camcorder) can be connected to the AV input on the XH A1S and converted to digital using the FireWire output. To do so, you just go into the Camera Signal menu and turn on AV-DV conversion.

Sony HDR-FX1000 Comparison

The XH A1S and the HDR-FX1000 are similarly-sized camcorders that share many of the same features and controls. Their biggest difference is audio. The Canon XH A1S offers 2 XLR inputs in addition to its onboard microphone and 3.5mm external mic jack. Are these inputs worth the extra $800 that the Canon costs? Maybe. It all depends on how much you value professional audio. If you already have a separate audio recorder, or if you have some sort of XLR adapter that can work with the Sony HDR-FX1000... well, then we think you should save yourself some money and go with the Sony.

The Canon does have its benefits, however. It has more controls, better organization, and much better battery life than the HDR-FX1000. Performance wise these two camcorders are similar, but we like the Sony better due to its higher video sharpness score and better motion. Of course, those who demand a 24p and 30p mode that record natively to tape will be disappointed with the HDR-FX1000. It's 24p and 30p modes use a 2:3 pulldown when recording to tape, just like most consumer camcorders.

 

 

 

 

Canon XL H1A Comparison

The Canon XL H1A put up nearly identical performance numbers to the XH A1S. This make sense, as the two camcorders share the same internal specs—both have three 1/3-inch CCD sensors, both offer an effective pixel count of 1.56 megapixels, and both record HD video to MiniDV tape using the HDV codec. The difference between the two, however, is their entirely different body design. Also, the XL H1A uses an interchangeable lens system (its lens mount is compatible with any XL series lens).

Because the XL H1A is larger and can use a variety of lenses, it also comes with a much higher price tag ($2000 more than the XH A1S). The connectivity options on the two camcorders are similar, although the XL H1A has dedicated RCA jacks for audio in and audio out. If you're used to using a shoulder-mount camcorder, the XL H1A will definitely feel more comfortable than the XH A1S, even though it weighs a lot more. Both camcorders had some problems with balance (the XL H1A tilted to the right, while the XH A1S was quite heavy on the wrist), but each offered good control options with their three manual lens rings.

So, deciding between these camcorders is really about how much you want to spend and whether you prefer hand-held or a shoulder-mount design. If you have a stash of XL lenses, it would probably be a good idea to spend the extra cash and go with the XL H1A. We feel that it offered an easier shooting experience do to its more spacious design and better button implementation. The XH A1S, however, gets you the same performance and the same features for $2000 less. It is definitely a better value if you're not concerned with having an interchangeable lens system.

 

 

 

 

 

JVC GY-HM100 Comparison

The JVC GY-HM100 is one of the smallest professional camcorders on the market. It weighs roughly two pounds less than the XH A1S and its dimensions are significantly smaller. So, if you're checking out the Canon because of its hand-held design, you may also want to look into the GY-HM100 as well. One of the big reasons for its compact size is the fact that the GY-HM100 records HD video to SDHC memory cards and does not use any tape-based media. Both camcorders are just under $4000.

The GY-HM100 doesn't have the amount of manual controls that are found on the XH A1S, but it still has much more than any high-end consumer camcorder. The problem with the camcorder is that its compact design means there isn't much space for buttons or dials, so many controls are relegated to the menu system. The GY-HM100 only has one lens ring, compared to the three found on Canon's pro models.

We haven't tested the GY-HM100, but once we do we'll surely compare it to the Canon XH A1S and the Sony HDR-FX1000. It is definitely a fascinating addition to the pro camcorder market, as its proportions are only slightly larger than some of the high-end consumer models currently available. If you're looking for another compact pro model, there's also the Panasonic AG-HMC40.

 

 

Conclusion

We like the Canon XH A1S, but its tape-based recording system is a bit outdated in our increasingly non-linear world. Many pro camcorders are beginning to include the ability to record video to memory cards—just like the bulk of the consumer camcorder market. Of course, the tape-based media on the XH A1S does have its charm, and it definitely helps keep the costs of production down.

The perks of the XH A1S are in its abundance of manual controls. Few pro camcorders offer the amount of adjustable features found on the Canon XH A1S. We weren't all that impressed with the design of the camcorder, however, as its right side felt a bit cluttered and its LCD and viewfinder offered limited resolutions.

The $3999 price tag of the XH A1S isn't bad, but if you don't need XLR inputs, we think the Sony HDR-FX1000 is a better value. It is roughly $800 cheaper and did just as well or better in most of our performance tests. If you like what the XH A1S has to offer but are concerned about its design, the XL H1A has a much smoother interface and handles better due to its more spacious body.

Meet the tester

Jeremy Stamas

Jeremy Stamas

Managing Editor, Video

@nematode9

Jeremy is the video expert of our imaging team and Reviewed.com's head of video production. Originally from Pennsylvania and upstate NY, he graduated from Bard college with a degree in film and electronic media. He has been living and working in New England since 2005.

See all of Jeremy Stamas's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next