THE CANON XH-A1 High Definition camcorder.

The Canon XH-A1 is a high definition minidv camcorder, which justifiably boasts its position within the independent film-makers bracket, that is, it is an entry level professional device.

My criteria for choosing a new camcorder.

1 HIGH DEFINITION. Because I tend to film wildlife in the main I need to capture detail, this is the difference between actually seeing the feathers on the swan, rather than a vague suggestion of plumage, this is where standard definition falls short.

2 GOOD OPTICAL ZOOM CAPABILITIES. To be able to get in on the wildlife action without spooking the subject, to capture natural behavior without the subject being aware of my intrusion into their habitat.

3 HIGH ON SPEC, LOW ON BULK. A video camera attracts attention to itself almost by default. A professional camcorder will proclaim its presence with much visual verbosity. When filming in crowd situations the does my bum look big in this' syndrome becomes evident in the captured footage.

My dilemma. I am a committed Canon customer, so I had to be sure that my decision was based on my criteria, not just on my manufacturer preference. This made my task difficult, I deliberated for over three months before committing to purchase. I narrowed my choice between two devices from two manufacturers. I studied specifications and reviews from many sources, and was finally convinced that the Canon XH series offered me the best choice of features for my needs. When it came to the financial crunch the XH-A1 came out way ahead of the competition.

For anyone considering purchasing a serious camcorder, high definition has to be the first requirement as this is the way of the future in terms of viewing trends. Even if the finances do not extend to optical writing devices capable of coping with this medium, footage can be displayed directly from the camcorder to the TV in both standard and high definition formats, so any captured shots are available for viewing without further expense. No doubt, blue ray writing equipment will soon come down to an affordable level, when the best of your efforts will be viewable by a wider audience.

With a true 20X optical zoom lens, the videographer can get right up close and personal with their subject, minimizing the posed' expression, a more realistic representation of character will be captured, rather than a false and inhibited portrayal. This way it will be possible to film your children

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