I saw another review where there is a button, or something that you can press to see the real colors/exposure that you are recording like on their DSLR.
i’m gonna get one if i try to put any different lenses what would focus on as this would be my first ever camrea? and the one that i’m buying doesn’t sadly have the camrea handle
10:54 - You said this camera doesn't have a lot of Depth of Field. Actually it does a lot of DOF because of the small sensor. What you meant to say is it doesn't have a lot of "Bokeh" or "Narrow Depth of Field". (Just a little pet peeve of mine.) 🤓
What are the best settings for nighttime shooting? I'm having problems with mine. It tends to look grainy. Also what are the best settings for audio on it as well? Thank you!
There isn't also a best setting especially for the mic since I am not sure what mic you are using. I used an audio technica At897 shotgun mic and have the settings set to manual and I then use the dial on the handle to adjust the volume. In terms of video settings I shoot in manual as well and try to keep my F stop opened, my shutter speed at around 1/60 and my dB as low as possible pending on the light. If you go to high on the dB the image will look grainy
Great review, I was thinking there was quite a lot of purple to the colours and the quality while good wasn't quite anything spectacular. I'll stick with filming on my Canon 700D using 15-85mm EF-s lens and external Zoom H1 mic then edit with Adobe premier elements.
We are looking at this camera to do video blogs using a green screen. Won't be traveling much with it, do you feel like this is the best camera for the price? Also, looking at Audio-Technica AT899 for a mic, have you heard good/bad things about that one?
In your opinion what is the better set up? I have a canon 5D iii with good L lenses 24-70 ii 70-200 ii 100-400 ii I also have the sennheiser g3 & a Rode NTG 2 with a zoom H6. I also have the canon XA 20 that I use for self filming hunts. I have been considering selling the XA 20 and just going to the DSLR set up. Main use is gonna be doing interviews filming boat races and doing weddings. I just added a DJI inspire 1 to my arsenal for getting into real estate.. So I'm just stuck keep the canon or sell it. If you could please give your opinion and some reasons to why you feel that way. That would be great. Thanks a bunch. Have a great night.
+Jeramy Michael You really have to look at what work you do, what work you are going to do, and how you shoot. I am a DSLR shooter. I use my Canon T3i and for any films I make, for my youtube videos, I like the control and the customizability of the T3i as well as being able to adjust the look and feel of my footage with different lenses. With that said the XA20 has its benefits because of its image stabilization and auto focusing. Of course there are cameras that have those features but I know your 5D does not have AF or great imagination stabilization. Looking at what I have done, I like having the XA20, but I have not decided to buy one. It is a nice camera but I prefer DSLR shooting because if the control. With that said DSLRs can be more bulky and not as easy to shoot with so if you are on a really run and gun situation were u don't want to bring around much gear, the XA20 might be better. So what would I do? I would sell the XA20 because although I love having it, I don't use it much. and I know I can put that money to better use. If I had your gear I would sell the 5D and the XA20 and get a sony A7r ii or the Sony a7s. OR just wait it out and see if canon makes a new camera any time soon. (I like canon so I have been waiting for a new DSLR with great video features that shoots in 4k for under $5k)
it would be good for youtube and reviewing like cell phones and stuff like that it all comes down to what kinda videos or movies your making or if your concert or event shooter
So i have 4 of these for a small production we do weekly. I have found several of them start to zoom out by themselves, when someone zooms in it won't stay zoomed in and automatically zooms out. Does anyone know how to fix this.?????
does this happen on all of them? I am assuming you are using the big zoom rocker. Try to use only the small one and see if that helps. I had one XA20 (I use to have 3 of them) and the big zoom rocker got stuck sometimes and made it zoom out always.
Thanks for responding. I don't know if it is just the big one. It is happening on a couple of them. IT pulls out randomly and then unless you press zoom in down all the time it pulls back. I was wondering if it is a setting. Whether it is the big rocker button doing it I will check but it isn't obviously stuck downwards.
If you haven't purchased yet, the XA30, the latest version is more than capable. Audio is absolutely outstanding. The onboard 2 channel preamp is amazing. Other than that, it's up to the quality and the purpose build of microphone itself. There are a tremendous amount of resources available online for choosing the right mic to fit your needs. I do wildlife videography and a side project documentary here in Europe. For that I chose the Sennheiser me66 and the me64 for interviews. But unless you're getting in the bushes, there are a great many much less expensive mics that will still give outstanding audio in most situations.
Thanks for sharing. I believe this camera was designed and put together by Canon as a "run and gun" camera and not for film making. At the prosumer level at which this camera is at, it is actually one of the best out there. I say that not based on my having ever used an XA20, but based on the XA10 I own, it's predecessor. Looking to try to add another camera so the XA20 is on the top of my list. At $2,000? No. You can find them close to $1500 new now and on a good day, under that price tag. One last thing, if you were to evaluate your DSLR (something I have also used for filming) for shooting video in run and gun situations, hands down, the XA20 would run circles around your DSLR. By the time you moved all the nobs and bells and whistles on your DSLR, you would have already missed your opportunity for some great video. As you say, it depends on what you want your camera to do. Your prejudice towards what you know best came through quite clearly in the video. Thanks again for sharing. All the best.
+Bowhunting RadNek I understand that my prejudice side came out, but should you expect anything different? As a reviewer, opinions vary which is why there are so many reviews for any kind of product. I am sure there are people like me that have a similar mind set of this camera and being maybe biased towards DSLRs, but its hard to step away from something you are familiar with. Regardless thank you for your comment, it is very appreciated. :D
Bowhunting RadNek for anyone that has taken the time to actually go through the manual and truly learn all that this camera has to offer, the majority of the so-so or bad reviews online would simply disappear. I'm one of your subs and have seen the video quality you've been able to pull out of your XA10. Excellent quality. The XA20 is even better. And the latest version, the XA30, which I own, is even better with a larger sensor in it and better IR. But it is absolutely imperative to read the manual and understand what it is capable of. Anyone wanting to shoot a film, this camera is more than capable of doing it. And the XA30 is even better. For true film makers though, they not only need to know where all the features are tucked away in the settings, they need to have a thorough understanding of cinema standards as well. Otherwise all you have is an outstanding home movie. As a run and gun camera, it's near the top of it's category. The only camcorders that run only a little better are the Sony line. And that is primarily due to the larger sensors. But for over $1,000 more, is it really necessary? Depends on what you are asking it to do I guess. As someone that films quite often in lowlight, the new XA30 is really amazing. It would really fit your hunting needs well. And since you are already familiar with the XA10, the learning curve would be extremely short.
Perfect review,I have two of these perfect camera and its work excellent.I have been using it for weddings,party's ,funerals,dedications etc etc,and it is the perfect one for such programms.I have tried lots of camcorders which I don't want to mention names here,but this one works great than all my previous cameras.Talking about manual settings,can you please send or give me your settings since I have been always shooting in auto mode. Thanks for the review.Stay blessed!!
Do you use any special program to edit your videos? I wanted to know the differences between Imovie and Final Cut, or the differences between the Final Cut PRO and X
+Daniel YZF-R1 I use Final Cut Pro X and Adobe premier Pro. I do not recommend iMovie bc its to basic and has bad export settings. the old final cuts are clunky and out dated. The New Final Cut Pro X is a simple program but has a lot of capabilities if you spend time to learn.
***** Eric, Thank you for the info.... So would you recommend Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premier Pro for youtube videos??? Any major difference between these two?
Well first... You need a Mac to use Final Cut Pro X. But also you should take a look at your computers specs. Video editing takes up a lot of resources on a computer. Luckily, FCPX is made for mac and functions well on even lower powered machines. Adobe Premier will for sure require more power from the computer. But even with all that said.. If we are looking strictly at the programs... Final Cut Pro X is a very simple program that has powerful features if you take the time to dig into the settings and presets.... Adobe Premier Pro is a very advanced piece of software that forces you to learn it's complicated controls which forced u to be more unquie but could take more time to learn and might not be efficient
***** Eric, once again thank you... We have gotten the FCPX for our videos and I have just gotten my Xa20 in the mail today... Now I have to learn how to use this beast haha..Thanks
I have not been able to get near the quality out of mine that you are getting. I have been really disappointed with how the videos have turned out from it. I know I should get better as almost everyone else who has this camera has had better results. Any tips or tricks you used to improve the quality of video.
With all due respect it seems you have not researched and/or read the manual on how to operate the camera before doing this review. This is coming from the comments below of the various mistakes that you have made such as the infrared.
Jeremy Ward besides the infrared what else did I miss? I did not read the manual, I simply make my review on my experience with the camera which allows my review to be unique.
what do you mean it isn't true ir ? As far as I am aware it is true ir - it has an ir lamp at the front for night filming...! Needs to be dark to make use of that though...
Exactly! That was the very first tip off that he was just another DSLR shooter picking up a specialized camcorder and not reading the manual. That whole thing about not being able to blur out the background... more hogwash. I do it all the time.
Ghost Unity. No it isn't. Not anymore. The XA20 if you can find it, is more expensive than the XA30. The XA25 and XA35 are the same exact camera but with the addition of another jack for hooking into a news van or in studio board. If you don't plan to hook up to a news van, save the extra $500. get the 20 or 30. Another option, if you don't need the XLR inputs for sound, or the IR capabilities is the G30 or G40 cameras. G30 is the same as the XA20 minus the top handle and everything that comes on it, and the G40 is the same as the XA30 without the top handle. The G series can still run an external mic but it's in unbalanced 1/8" mini plug instead of XLR balanced mono. It all depends on your needs. If you want a high grade home video camera, the G series is fine. If you want something more professional and IR, then the XA is your ticket. If you want to plug into a news van or real studio, then the XA25 or newer version 35 is your camera. But for one very specialized connector plug, expect a much bigger price tag...
+TechInside thank you! Also have you gotten any new cameras since the XA20? I'm looking to get the XA20 to add to my gear, have the 5D mark ii and the t5i. Thinking about getting the XA20.
I saw another review where there is a button, or something that you can press to see the real colors/exposure that you are recording like on their DSLR.
It is infrared... Of you use the IR lamp you'll notice there no actual visible light projected, but its picked up.
Thanks a lot, it was very helpful! Just a question: what kind of mic did you use to record this particular video?
i’m gonna get one if i try to put any different lenses what would focus on as this would be my first ever camrea? and the one that i’m buying doesn’t sadly have the camrea handle
I just found your channel, and the quality is amazing! New Subscriber!
10:54 - You said this camera doesn't have a lot of Depth of Field. Actually it does a lot of DOF because of the small sensor. What you meant to say is it doesn't have a lot of "Bokeh" or "Narrow Depth of Field".
(Just a little pet peeve of mine.) 🤓
I see a picture option there. Can you take pictures on this camera
What are the best settings for nighttime shooting? I'm having problems with mine. It tends to look grainy. Also what are the best settings for audio on it as well? Thank you!
There isn't also a best setting especially for the mic since I am not sure what mic you are using. I used an audio technica At897 shotgun mic and have the settings set to manual and I then use the dial on the handle to adjust the volume. In terms of video settings I shoot in manual as well and try to keep my F stop opened, my shutter speed at around 1/60 and my dB as low as possible pending on the light. If you go to high on the dB the image will look grainy
Excellent review! The most helpful one I've seen and I'm definitely gonna reconsider saving up for a different camera.
Great review, I was thinking there was quite a lot of purple to the colours and the quality while good wasn't quite anything spectacular.
I'll stick with filming on my Canon 700D using 15-85mm EF-s lens and external Zoom H1 mic then edit with Adobe premier elements.
Same set up as me 😊
We are looking at this camera to do video blogs using a green screen. Won't be traveling much with it, do you feel like this is the best camera for the price? Also, looking at Audio-Technica AT899 for a mic, have you heard good/bad things about that one?
The infrared allows you to use it in the dark without any light
Great rewiu, do You think the Sony pxw-x70 its better???
In your opinion what is the better set up? I have a canon 5D iii with good L lenses 24-70 ii 70-200 ii 100-400 ii I also have the sennheiser g3 & a Rode NTG 2 with a zoom H6.
I also have the canon XA 20 that I use for self filming hunts. I have been considering selling the XA 20 and just going to the DSLR set up. Main use is gonna be doing interviews filming boat races and doing weddings. I just added a DJI inspire 1 to my arsenal for getting into real estate.. So I'm just stuck keep the canon or sell it. If you could please give your opinion and some reasons to why you feel that way. That would be great. Thanks a bunch. Have a great night.
+Jeramy Michael You really have to look at what work you do, what work you are going to do, and how you shoot. I am a DSLR shooter. I use my Canon T3i and for any films I make, for my youtube videos, I like the control and the customizability of the T3i as well as being able to adjust the look and feel of my footage with different lenses.
With that said the XA20 has its benefits because of its image stabilization and auto focusing. Of course there are cameras that have those features but I know your 5D does not have AF or great imagination stabilization.
Looking at what I have done, I like having the XA20, but I have not decided to buy one. It is a nice camera but I prefer DSLR shooting because if the control. With that said DSLRs can be more bulky and not as easy to shoot with so if you are on a really run and gun situation were u don't want to bring around much gear, the XA20 might be better.
So what would I do? I would sell the XA20 because although I love having it, I don't use it much. and I know I can put that money to better use. If I had your gear I would sell the 5D and the XA20 and get a sony A7r ii or the Sony a7s. OR just wait it out and see if canon makes a new camera any time soon. (I like canon so I have been waiting for a new DSLR with great video features that shoots in 4k for under $5k)
Great review! Why am I only discovering you now?!
Which camcorder do you think is superior in image quality, functionality, etc? The Canon XA20 or the new Sony FDR-AX53?
it would be good for youtube and reviewing like cell phones and stuff like that it all comes down to what kinda videos or movies your making or if your concert or event shooter
can you hook a light on there?
So i have 4 of these for a small production we do weekly. I have found several of them start to zoom out by themselves, when someone zooms in it won't stay zoomed in and automatically zooms out. Does anyone know how to fix this.?????
does this happen on all of them? I am assuming you are using the big zoom rocker. Try to use only the small one and see if that helps. I had one XA20 (I use to have 3 of them) and the big zoom rocker got stuck sometimes and made it zoom out always.
Thanks for responding. I don't know if it is just the big one. It is happening on a couple of them. IT pulls out randomly and then unless you press zoom in down all the time it pulls back. I was wondering if it is a setting. Whether it is the big rocker button doing it I will check but it isn't obviously stuck downwards.
Ate you using the remote? It's IR... It might be picking up stray Or signals. Maybe tape over the IR if you're not using the remote.
Thank You. I will try this
would you use this for documenting or the Canon XF100 High Definition Camcorder? audio is very important too me.
If you haven't purchased yet, the XA30, the latest version is more than capable. Audio is absolutely outstanding. The onboard 2 channel preamp is amazing. Other than that, it's up to the quality and the purpose build of microphone itself. There are a tremendous amount of resources available online for choosing the right mic to fit your needs. I do wildlife videography and a side project documentary here in Europe. For that I chose the Sennheiser me66 and the me64 for interviews. But unless you're getting in the bushes, there are a great many much less expensive mics that will still give outstanding audio in most situations.
Thanks for sharing. I believe this camera was designed and put together by Canon as a "run and gun" camera and not for film making. At the prosumer level at which this camera is at, it is actually one of the best out there. I say that not based on my having ever used an XA20, but based on the XA10 I own, it's predecessor. Looking to try to add another camera so the XA20 is on the top of my list. At $2,000? No. You can find them close to $1500 new now and on a good day, under that price tag. One last thing, if you were to evaluate your DSLR (something I have also used for filming) for shooting video in run and gun situations, hands down, the XA20 would run circles around your DSLR. By the time you moved all the nobs and bells and whistles on your DSLR, you would have already missed your opportunity for some great video. As you say, it depends on what you want your camera to do. Your prejudice towards what you know best came through quite clearly in the video. Thanks again for sharing. All the best.
+Bowhunting RadNek I understand that my prejudice side came out, but should you expect anything different? As a reviewer, opinions vary which is why there are so many reviews for any kind of product. I am sure there are people like me that have a similar mind set of this camera and being maybe biased towards DSLRs, but its hard to step away from something you are familiar with. Regardless thank you for your comment, it is very appreciated. :D
+TechInside agreed, all the best. Thanks for sharing your opinion.
+Bowhunting RadNek excellent points and you're right.
Bowhunting RadNek for anyone that has taken the time to actually go through the manual and truly learn all that this camera has to offer, the majority of the so-so or bad reviews online would simply disappear. I'm one of your subs and have seen the video quality you've been able to pull out of your XA10. Excellent quality. The XA20 is even better. And the latest version, the XA30, which I own, is even better with a larger sensor in it and better IR. But it is absolutely imperative to read the manual and understand what it is capable of. Anyone wanting to shoot a film, this camera is more than capable of doing it. And the XA30 is even better. For true film makers though, they not only need to know where all the features are tucked away in the settings, they need to have a thorough understanding of cinema standards as well. Otherwise all you have is an outstanding home movie. As a run and gun camera, it's near the top of it's category. The only camcorders that run only a little better are the Sony line. And that is primarily due to the larger sensors. But for over $1,000 more, is it really necessary? Depends on what you are asking it to do I guess. As someone that films quite often in lowlight, the new XA30 is really amazing. It would really fit your hunting needs well. And since you are already familiar with the XA10, the learning curve would be extremely short.
Perfect review,I have two of these perfect camera and its work excellent.I have been using it for weddings,party's ,funerals,dedications etc etc,and it is the perfect one for such programms.I have tried lots of camcorders which I don't want to mention names here,but this one works great than all my previous cameras.Talking about manual settings,can you please send or give me your settings since I have been always shooting in auto mode.
Thanks for the review.Stay blessed!!
Do you use any special program to edit your videos? I wanted to know the differences between Imovie and Final Cut, or the differences between the Final Cut PRO and X
+Daniel YZF-R1 I use Final Cut Pro X and Adobe premier Pro. I do not recommend iMovie bc its to basic and has bad export settings. the old final cuts are clunky and out dated. The New Final Cut Pro X is a simple program but has a lot of capabilities if you spend time to learn.
***** Eric, Thank you for the info.... So would you recommend Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premier Pro for youtube videos??? Any major difference between these two?
Well first... You need a Mac to use Final Cut Pro X. But also you should take a look at your computers specs. Video editing takes up a lot of resources on a computer. Luckily, FCPX is made for mac and functions well on even lower powered machines. Adobe Premier will for sure require more power from the computer.
But even with all that said.. If we are looking strictly at the programs... Final Cut Pro X is a very simple program that has powerful features if you take the time to dig into the settings and presets.... Adobe Premier Pro is a very advanced piece of software that forces you to learn it's complicated controls which forced u to be more unquie but could take more time to learn and might not be efficient
***** Eric, once again thank you... We have gotten the FCPX for our videos and I have just gotten my Xa20 in the mail today... Now I have to learn how to use this beast haha..Thanks
Awesome and really helpful video
Does it have a steady shot off and on feature?
@apeturealley
Yes it does. It has 2 different image stabilization programs or it can be turned off completely for use on a tripod.
Thanks
I have not been able to get near the quality out of mine that you are getting. I have been really disappointed with how the videos have turned out from it. I know I should get better as almost everyone else who has this camera has had better results. Any tips or tricks you used to improve the quality of video.
can you tell me your shooting environments and your settings? I will watch any test footage if you want to send it to me.
techEtiquette
What mic do you use???
+Andrew Kunkel Audio Technica AT897
Can I have that camera lol I really need it for my channel.
I want a camera similar to this but better for filmmaker. I'm making a movie and need a better camera.
Well you might want to look into the DSLR realm because camcorders are hard for film making because the good filmmaking camcorders cost a lot of money
With all due respect it seems you have not researched and/or read the manual on how to operate the camera before doing this review. This is coming from the comments below of the various mistakes that you have made such as the infrared.
Jeremy Ward besides the infrared what else did I miss? I did not read the manual, I simply make my review on my experience with the camera which allows my review to be unique.
what do you mean it isn't true ir ? As far as I am aware it is true ir - it has an ir lamp at the front for night filming...! Needs to be dark to make use of that though...
+Pro-Vision Video & Advertising yeah. he has no idea what hes talking about..
Exactly! That was the very first tip off that he was just another DSLR shooter picking up a specialized camcorder and not reading the manual. That whole thing about not being able to blur out the background... more hogwash. I do it all the time.
can this record 1080P 60 FPS?
+Ghast Unity Sure can! Check out the new xa30 that just got released as well :)
thanks because i wan to buy XA25 but this cheaper right?
Ghost Unity. No it isn't. Not anymore. The XA20 if you can find it, is more expensive than the XA30. The XA25 and XA35 are the same exact camera but with the addition of another jack for hooking into a news van or in studio board. If you don't plan to hook up to a news van, save the extra $500. get the 20 or 30. Another option, if you don't need the XLR inputs for sound, or the IR capabilities is the G30 or G40 cameras. G30 is the same as the XA20 minus the top handle and everything that comes on it, and the G40 is the same as the XA30 without the top handle. The G series can still run an external mic but it's in unbalanced 1/8" mini plug instead of XLR balanced mono. It all depends on your needs. If you want a high grade home video camera, the G series is fine. If you want something more professional and IR, then the XA is your ticket. If you want to plug into a news van or real studio, then the XA25 or newer version 35 is your camera. But for one very specialized connector plug, expect a much bigger price tag...
low quality camera lol
what microphone are you using?
+CCRkunk88 Audio Technica AT897
+TechInside thank you! Also have you gotten any new cameras since the XA20? I'm looking to get the XA20 to add to my gear, have the 5D mark ii and the t5i. Thinking about getting the XA20.