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  • Introduction

  • Design & Usability

  • Features

  • Performance

  • Conclusion

  • Science Introduction

  • Low Light Sensitivity

  • Color & Noise

  • Motion & Sharpness

  • Battery Life

  • Image Stabilization

  • Introduction
  • Design & Usability
  • Features
  • Performance
  • Conclusion
  • Science Introduction
  • Low Light Sensitivity
  • Color & Noise
  • Motion & Sharpness
  • Battery Life
  • Image Stabilization

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 camcorder with an XL interchangeable lens mount.

Design & Usability

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Very customizable, yet the LCD and viewfinder have limited resolutions, and some buttons are hard to reach or find

With its 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 shouldn't be hard to figure everything out. Another big plus is the quality of Canon's instruction manual, which covers everything you'd ever want to know about the camcorder.

The left side feels especially cluttered, with controls packed in tight like sardines.

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. And the LCD on the A1S was also disappointing, thanks to its small size (just under 3-inches) and very low resolution (207,000 pixels). We've seen better LCDs on consumer camcorders.

As for handling, 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 shoot mostly with consumer camcorders, however, the hand-held design of the XH A1S will probably better match your shooting needs. Still, if we had to choose one over the other, we'd say the shoulder-mounted XL H1A offers a more comfortable shooting experience.

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Features

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The tape-based XH A1S records to MiniDV tape with the HDV codec.

The XH A1S is clearly part of a dying breed. In a few years, it's likely that few camcorders that record to tape will continue to exist, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of people who love them. The HDV codec, which allows HD video to be stored on MiniDV tape, is a very easy codec for computers to handle—even though you must endure the long process of capturing video from the tape and onto a computer. The files produced by HDV clips are smaller and have less information than other video codecs (like AVCHD), so you don't necessarily need a brand-new computer to handle them.

There is a full suite of focus and exposure controls, including control over aperture, shutter speed, and gain—using lens rings, no less.

Aside from the fact that it records to tape, the XH A1S has plenty of other noteworthy features. There are multiple frame rate options (24p and 30p), and the camcorder can shoot standard definition video if needed. There is a full suite of focus and exposure controls, including control over aperture, shutter speed, and gain—using lens rings, no less. And Canon equipped the XH A1S with its complete set of Custom Preset options; this includes more professional controls like gamma curve adjustment, knee point control, black level, setup level, master pedestal, sharpness, detail frequency, coring, noise reduction, and color correction. We could go on and on here, but the fact of the matter is that the XH A1S is loaded with features. It's got practically every control you'd want on a professional camcorder.

Performance

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Video performance was very good, but the cheaper Sony HDR-FX1000 put up better numbers in our tests.

The Canon XH A1S excelled in certain tests—like battery life and motion—but in some aspects it failed to deliver the performance that we look for from a professional model. This camcorder struggled in low light compared to other professional models, and it also had some difficulties with color accuracy. The XH A1S produced video that looked fairly sharp, but we saw sharper content from the Sony HDR-FX1000. Not to mention the fact that some of the consumer models we've tested, especially ones that use AVCHD compression instead of HDV, have put up better numbers than the XH A1S in our sharpness test as well.

Battery life was simply crazy-good, with the camcorder managing to record for over five hours on a continuous charge.

Even with these disappointing results, the Canon XH A1S never downright flunked any of our tests. Its results were always adequate, and the camcorder always recorded a decent image (even in very low light). Battery life was simply crazy-good, with the camcorder managing to record for over five hours on a continuous charge. That awesome performance is a rather important one for many pros who could be lugging the XH A1S around for a full day of shooting.

Conclusion

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Not as good as its big sister, the Canon XL H1A, and not as strong as the competition from Sony either.

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, thus making it much easier to get footage onto a computer for editing. Of course, the tape-based media on the XH A1S does have its charm, and it definitely helps keep the costs of production down, too.

The XH A1S's $3999 price tag isn't bad, but if you don't need XLR inputs, we think the Sony HDR-FX1000 is a better value. It's roughly $800 cheaper and it 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 larger XL H1A has a much smoother interface and handles better too, due to its more spacious body. Of course, it's also a lot more expensive, thanks to its interchangeable lens system.

Science Introduction

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The XH A1S does a ton of things well, but it is rarely capable of kicking things up to the next level. Results from our performance tests show a camcorder that captures colors accurately, handles its own in low light, and produces a decently-sharp image. But some of the best HD consumer camcorders we reviewed this year are actually a bit better in certain categories. This may all stem from Canon's use of the HDV codec on the XH A1S, which is outdone by the newer AVCHD codec featured on HD camcorders that don't record to tape.

Either way, the XH A1S is still a solid performer, and its videos never looked bad; but for all that, it's not the elite camcorder that it should be either.

Low Light Sensitivity

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Good low light sensitivity, especially when using the camcorder's 24p and 30p frame rate options.

The low light sensitivity for the XH A1S was quite good, although it did put up worse numbers than the Canon XL H1A. When 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.

Recording with the camcorder's 24p and 30p modes, we found the low light sensitivity drastically improved.

The Canon XL H1A did a bit better than the XH A1S in our 0dB gain sensitivity test, too. Since the camcorders have the same sensors, it is likely that this disparity is a result of the difference in lenses. Note too that the Canon XH A1S only showed minor deviations in test numbers compared to the Sony HDR-FX1000 for the low light sensitivity trial.

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.

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Color & Noise

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Noise levels were a bit higher than expected in low light.

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.

Bumping the gain up to 6dB lends a significant boost in low light.

In low light, the camcorder had slightly better color accuracy than the Sony HDR-FX1000, and its numbers were on par with the Canon XL H1A. 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—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. 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 auto gain setting image.

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. To its credit, the XH A1S does have a -3dB gain setting and its noise reduction options can be used to bring down the noise levels even further. 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—significantly higher than what we measured on images from the Sony HDR-FX1000 and the Canon XL H1A's (which averaged 1.3425% and 1.5775%, respectively).

The XH A1S showed more noise at 0dB gain than either the Sony HDR-FX1000 or the Canon XL H1A.

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.

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Motion & Sharpness

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The multiple native frame rate options on the XH A1S are probably the camcorder's best features.

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. Motion captured by the XH A1S looked very good, although there were some minor problems. There was some artifacting present in the image, for example—a bit more than we usually see on high-end AVCHD camcorders. There was also some blur on our 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.

These sharpness scores are very good, but we've seen better.

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, the Canon HF20, and the professional Sony HDR-FX1000.

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Battery Life

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You can practically shoot all day with the XH A1S without needing to recharge.

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 five hours and 20 minutes (320 minutes). This isn't just exceptionally good, it's practically off the charts. The XH A1S battery lasted roughly an hour and 20 minutes longer than the Canon XL H1A (236 minutes), and it went for more than double the battery life of 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.

The battery lasted five hours and 20 minutes. This isn't just exceptional, it's practically off the charts.

Using only the viewfinder instead of the LCD on the XH A1S won't get you any extra battery life, though. 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, because 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.

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Image Stabilization

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Canon's optical image stabilizer does help steady your image, but it delivered worse results than the competition.

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).

When we cranked things up to high shake, the camcorder's image stabilization system couldn't do anything to reduce the shakiness.

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 an adequate job.

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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

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