LanguagesThe XH G1S and XH A1S are a step up from the highly acclaimed XHG1 and XH A1 hand-held high definition cameras, with a newly designed lens, improved audio features, enhanced customisation and even better handling. Both camcorders offer 1080i HDV recording at 50i or 25F to give a cinematic look to your footage. Optional 24F/30F/60i shooting is also available.
The XH G1S and XH A1S use a 1/3-inch, 1.67 megapixel, 3CCD system, plus a DIGIC DV II processor for high speed HD image processing. These highly affordable camcorders bring professional HD performance to a wide range of users including, professional videographers, high-end enthusiasts and those working in the creative industries.
The XH G1S model offers additional studio connectivity and features an HD-SDI output connection, providing uncompressed full HD at 1920x1080 resolution with 4:2:2 colour space. Gen lock in and Time code in/out allow the camera to be co-ordinated with other compatible cameras, as master or slave, in a multi-camera shoot.
A re-designed 20x HD optical zoom lens has separate focus, zoom and iris rings, offering users simultaneous three-finger control. The 4.5-90mm (equivalent to 32.5-650mm on a 35mm camera) L lens includes an integrated shift-type Super Range Optical Image Stabiliser which helps to keep hand-held shots rock steady, while two built-in Neutral Density filters enable the iris to be fully opened, even when shooting in bright conditions. In addition to three-finger control, the new lens offers a high degree of customisation, with selectable Focus Limit and Iris Limit, as well as four Focus preset speeds and thee Zoom preset speeds.
Users requiring studio connectivity should look no further than the XH G1S, which has an HD-SDI output that provides uncompressed Full HD at 1920x1080 resolution with 4:2:2 colour space, plus embedded audio and time code. Genlock input and Time Code in/out are also available for when the XH G1S is part of a multi-camera set-up.
Audio functionality has been enhanced with the addition of twin XLR audio inputs, whose sensitivity levels can be set independently to match every kind of microphone. Both audio channels have independent limiters in manual mode to avoid distortion from sudden peaks, or they can be switched separately to auto level control. The front-mounted stereo microphone can also be used as a mono source, recording to one of the XLR channels, for even greater audio recording flexibility.
The XH G1S and XH A1S are both fully customisable, with a range of advanced image control functions that includes a wider white balance adjustment (from 2000k to 15,000k), selective RGB noise reduction option, Auto Gain Control with increased Gain levels and fine tuning, plus an Iris Limit function, which limits the increased range of available aperture values to less than f/9.5, helping to avoid diffraction.
With a total of 23 custom presets, 21 custom functions and 23 custom display options, users have a high degree of control over the camcorder’s operations. What is more, up to nine presets can be stored in-camera, and custom presets can be saved on SD/MMC memory cards and shared with other XL and XH series camcorders.
The XH A1S with LCD panel flipped open.
Both camcorders offer improved handling and ease of use. For instance, the operation and layout of exterior buttons has been altered in order to reduce the chance of accidental operation. In addition, there is a tripod screw thread adaptor and even more robust connectors (including a 6-pin Firewire port) are provided.
Purchasers of the XH G1S and XH A1S can benefit from Canon Europe’s CPS Video service. CPS Video membership offers priority repair service with a six-day turnaround, free loan equipment for repairs that will take longer than six days (subject to availability) and email and phone support from a dedicated local representative. For more information, click here.
To find out more about the Canon video products mentioned in this article or to try out or purchase Canon video products, contact your nearest Canon video dealer. For contact details just click here.
| Camera | |
|---|---|
| Image size | 1/3-inch CCD |
| System | 3CCD horizontal pixel shift |
| Total pixels | 1.67 megapixels per CCD |
| Number of effective pixels (per CCD) |
HD: Approx. 1.56 megapixels
SD/4:3: Approx. 1.17 megapixels SD/16:9: Approx. 1.56 megapixels |
| Optical zoom magnification |
20x HD Video Lens supplied
Independent Zoom, Iris and Focus rings |
| Focal length | 4.5 - 90mm (35mm eqv: 32.5-650mm) |
| f-number | f/1.6 - 3.5 |
| Aperture leaves (Number of leaves) | 6 leaves, iris diaphragm |
| Zoom speed |
Handle zoom: Fixed speed
(16 speed level settings available) Grip zoom: Variable speed/Fixed speed (16 speed level settings available) |
| Filter diameter | 72mm |
| Auto mode | Approx. 5 lux (shutter speed 1/50, Gain 18dB, 50i) |
| Manual mode | Approx. 0.3 lux (shutter speed 1/3, Gain 18 dB, 50i) |
| Image stabilization system | Super Range Optical Image Stabilizer (lens shift system) |
| Sensing method | Angle detection and movement vector detection |
| Shooting functions | |
|---|---|
| AE mode | 7 modes: Auto, Tv, Av, Manual, Spotlight, Night, Full Auto |
| Center weighted average | Full Auto mode, Auto mode, Night mode, Tv mode, Av mode and Manual mode |
| Evaluative photometry (128-segments) | Spotlight mode |
| AE lock |
YES.
EXP. LOCK button (Auto mode, TV mode, AV mode only) |
| AE shift |
YES.
AE SHIFT dial (±2 levels; Auto mode, TV mode, AV mode only) |
| Push AE function | YES |
| Gain setting |
Auto/Gain select (-3, 0, +3, +6, +12, +18, +36 dB). Set to Auto in Full Auto and Night mode, Spotlight mode is fixed at 0 dB.
Gain fine tuning supported (0.5 dB increments). |
| Frame rate setting | 50i, 25F |
| Shutter speed setting (at Tv priority) | 13 levels (1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/25, 1/50, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000, 1/16000 sec) |
| In auto mode |
50i: 1/50 to 1/500 sec
25F: 1/25 to 1/500 sec |
| In night mode |
50i: 1/3 to 1/500 sec
25F: 1/3 to 1/500 sec |
| Aperture value (HD 20x zoom) | f/1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 4.0, 4.4, 4.8, 5.2, 5.6, 6.2, 6.7, 7.3, 8.0, 8.7, 9.5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, CLOSE |
| Skin setting |
YES.
The skin detail setting can be made after making appropriate hue, chroma, area and Y level adjustments. |
| Selective Noise Reduction | YES. Independent RGB control. |
| Custom preset |
YES (store up to 9 presets in-camera).
Adjustable parameters: Gamma, knee, black, master pedestal, setup level, sharpness, H detail, H/V balance, coring, NR (1/2), colour matrix, colour gain, hue, independent RGB gain, colour matrix (6-axis adjustment) |
| Auto | YES |
| Preset/Set | Outdoor (5600 K), Indoor (3200 K), Set (2 available), colour temperature (2000 K to 15000 K, 100 K increments) |
| System | TTL, 128 segments |
| Mode | Instant AF, Normal AF, MF, One-push AF, Preset focus |
| MF operation |
Using Focus ring
Manual focus while zooming possible |
| Countup system | Rec Run, Free Run, Rec Run Preset, Hold |
| Start value setting | “00:00:00:00”, Set/Reset selectable |
| Digital fade | NO |
| Still image recording | YES (1920 x 1080) |
| Zebra pattern | YES (Level adjustment: selectable from 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, and 100%) |
| Colour bar | YES - 2 types (selectable) |
| Clear scan | YES |
| Memory card | YES (SD / SDHC / MMC) |
| REC review | YES |
| Standby switch | NO |
| Power safe | YES |
| DV recording | 16-bit 2ch (48 kHz), 12-bit 2ch (32 kHz) |
| HDV recording | 2ch recording/MPEG1 Audio layer II |
| Control | Independent limiters and auto/manual settings |
| Wind screen | YES (ON/OFF) |
| Size | 2.8 inch widescreen |
| Pixels | 207,000 dots |
| Image quality adjustments | YES (Brightness, Contrast, Colour, Sharpness, Backlight, Black and White supported) |
| Movable | YES |
| VCR | |
|---|---|
| Frame playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward only |
| Slow playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward only |
| 2x speed playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward/Reverse (1x speed) |
| 1x speed playback | DV/HDV recording: Forward/Reverse |
| Cue/Review |
DV recording: 11.5x speed
HDV recording: 8x speed |
| Date search | YES |
| Index search | YES |
| End search | YES |
| Data code display | Date and time display, Shooting data |
| Zero set memory | YES |
| System | |
|---|---|
| Microphone inputs | Front microphone jack (5V DC jack), 2x XLR inputs with 48V phantom power supplies |
| Headphone output | 3.5mm mini jack |
| HDV/DV terminals | Input/Output |
| Video jacks | AV mini-terminal (input/output), BNC jack (output), component jack (output), viewfinder component jack, HD/SD-SDI jack |
| AV terminal | 3.5mm 4-pin mini jack (V: input/output, A: input/output) |
| Editing jack |
YES:
LANC control jack IEEE1394 - 6 pin |
| HD/SD-SDI jack | YES (video output with embedded audio and TC) |
| Time code jack | YES (Input/Output, switchable) |
| GENLOCK terminal | YES (Input only) |
| Memory card terminal | YES (SD/SDHC/MMC) |
| EVF jack |
D-terminal component jack (SD output only, including EVF symbols and display).
Can be used simultaneously with HD component output. |
| Analogue signal - DV signal conversion | YES |
| Microphone attenuation | YES |
| Microphone level meter | YES |
| World clock | YES |
| Tally lamp | YES |
| Remote control sensor | YES |
| Accessory shoe | YES (EOS Flash units supported) |
| Custom key | YES (2 available) |
| DV control | YES |
| Backup power supply | Lithium coin battery (built-in) |
| Battery pack power | BP-930, BP-945, BP-950G, BP-970G lithium-ion battery |
| Support | |
|---|---|
| CPS Video service | YES |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| W x H x D | Approx 163 x 192 x 394 mm |
| Weight (camera only) | Approx 2200g |
| Weight (fully equipped) | Approx 2465g |
| Camera | |
|---|---|
| Image size | 1/3-inch CCD |
| System | 3CCD horizontal pixel shift |
| Total pixels | 1.67 megapixels per CCD |
| Number of effective pixels (per CCD) |
HD: Approx. 1.56 megapixels
SD/4:3: Approx. 1.17 megapixels SD/16:9: Approx. 1.56 megapixels |
| Optical zoom magnification |
20x HD Video Lens supplied
Independent Zoom, Iris and Focus rings |
| Focal length | 4.5 - 90mm (35mm eqv: 32.5-650mm) |
| f-number | f/1.6 - 3.5 |
| Aperture leaves (Number of leaves) | 6 leaves, iris diaphragm |
| Zoom speed |
Handle zoom: Fixed speed
(16 speed level settings available) Grip zoom: Variable speed/Fixed speed (16 speed level settings available) |
| Filter diameter | 72mm |
| Auto mode | Approx. 5 lux (shutter speed 1/50, Gain 18dB, 50i) |
| Manual mode | Approx. 0.3 lux (shutter speed 1/3, Gain 18 dB, 50i) |
| Image stabilization system | Super Range Optical Image Stabilizer (lens shift system) |
| Sensing method | Angle detection and movement vector detection |
| Shooting functions | |
|---|---|
| AE mode | 7 modes: Auto, Tv, Av, Manual, Spotlight, Night, Full Auto |
| Center weighted average | Full Auto mode, Auto mode, Night mode, Tv mode, Av mode and Manual mode |
| Evaluative photometry (128-segments) | Spotlight mode |
| AE lock |
YES.
EXP. LOCK button (Auto mode, TV mode, AV mode only) |
| AE shift |
YES.
AE SHIFT dial (±2 levels; Auto mode, TV mode, AV mode only) |
| Push AE function | YES |
| Gain setting |
Auto/Gain select (-3, 0, +3, +6, +12, +18, +36 dB). Set to Auto in Full Auto and Night mode, Spotlight mode is fixed at 0 dB.
Gain fine tuning supported (0.5 dB increments). |
| Frame rate setting | 50i, 25F |
| Shutter speed setting (at Tv priority) | 13 levels (1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/25, 1/50, 1/120, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000, 1/16000 sec) |
| In auto mode |
50i: 1/50 to 1/500 sec
25F: 1/25 to 1/500 sec |
| In night mode |
50i: 1/3 to 1/500 sec
25F: 1/3 to 1/500 sec |
| Aperture value (HD 20x zoom) | f/1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.2, 3.4, 3.7, 4.0, 4.4, 4.8, 5.2, 5.6, 6.2, 6.7, 7.3, 8.0, 8.7, 9.5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, CLOSE |
| Skin setting |
YES.
The skin detail setting can be made after making appropriate hue, chroma, area and Y level adjustments. |
| Selective Noise Reduction | YES. Independent RGB control. |
| Custom preset |
YES (store up to 9 presets in-camera).
Adjustable parameters: Gamma, knee, black, master pedestal, setup level, sharpness, H detail, H/V balance, coring, NR (1/2), colour matrix, colour gain, hue, independent RGB gain, colour matrix (6-axis adjustment) |
| Auto | YES |
| Preset/Set | Outdoor (5600 K), Indoor (3200 K), Set (2 available), colour temperature (2000 K to 15000 K, 100 K increments) |
| System | TTL, 128 segments |
| Mode | Instant AF, Normal AF, MF, One-push AF, Preset focus |
| MF operation |
Using Focus ring
Manual focus while zooming possible |
| Countup system | Rec Run, Free Run, Rec Run Preset, Hold |
| Start value setting | “00:00:00:00”, Set/Reset selectable |
| Digital fade | NO |
| Still image recording | YES (1920 x 1080) |
| Zebra pattern | YES (Level adjustment: selectable from 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, and 100%) |
| Colour bar | YES - 2 types (selectable) |
| Clear scan | YES |
| Memory card | YES (SD / SDHC / MMC) |
| REC review | YES |
| Standby switch | NO |
| Power safe | YES |
| DV recording | 16-bit 2ch (48 kHz), 12-bit 2ch (32 kHz) |
| HDV recording | 2ch recording/MPEG1 Audio layer II |
| Control | Independent limiters and auto/manual settings |
| Wind screen | YES (ON/OFF) |
| Size | 2.8 inch widescreen |
| Pixels | 207,000 dots |
| Image quality adjustments | YES (Brightness, Contrast, Colour, Sharpness, Backlight, Black and White supported) |
| Movable | YES |
| VCR | |
|---|---|
| Frame playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward only |
| Slow playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward only |
| 2x speed playback |
DV recording: Forward/Reverse
HDV recording: Forward/Reverse (1x speed) |
| 1x speed playback | DV/HDV recording: Forward/Reverse |
| Cue/Review |
DV recording: 11.5x speed
HDV recording: 8x speed |
| Date search | YES |
| Index search | YES |
| End search | YES |
| Data code display | Date and time display, Shooting data |
| Zero set memory | YES |
| System | |
|---|---|
| Microphone inputs | Front microphone jack (5V DC jack), 2x XLR inputs with 48V phantom power supplies |
| Headphone output | 3.5mm mini jack |
| HDV/DV terminals | Input/Output |
| Video jacks | AV mini-terminal (input/output), BNC jack (output), component jack (output), viewfinder component jack |
| AV terminal | 3.5mm 4-pin mini jack (V: input/output, A: input/output) |
| Editing jack |
YES:
LANC control jack IEEE1394 - 6 pin |
| HD/SD-SDI jack | No |
| Time code jack | No |
| GENLOCK terminal | No |
| Memory card terminal | YES (SD/SDHC/MMC) |
| EVF jack |
D-terminal component jack (SD output only, including EVF symbols and display).
Can be used simultaneously with HD component output. |
| Analogue signal - DV signal conversion | YES |
| Microphone attenuation | YES |
| Microphone level meter | YES |
| World clock | YES |
| Tally lamp | YES |
| Remote control sensor | YES |
| Accessory shoe | YES (EOS Flash units supported) |
| Custom key | YES (2 available) |
| DV control | YES |
| Backup power supply | Lithium coin battery (built-in) |
| Battery pack power | BP-930, BP-945, BP-950G, BP-970G lithium-ion battery |
| Support | |
|---|---|
| CPS Video service | YES |
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| W x H x D | Approx 163 x 192 x 394 mm |
| Weight (camera only) | Approx 2135g |
| Weight (fully equipped) | Approx 2400g |
- Related links
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Technical
Custom Presets -
Technical
HD-SDI explained -
Camcorders
Canon XH G1 and XH A1 -
Camcorders
Canon XL H1S and Canon XL H1A
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Technical
High definition -
Video Accessories
Video Accessories
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