Canon A-1 User manual

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 1
Quick Guide
The Canon XH A1 Camcorder – Basic Operations
CHARGING THE BATTERY
1.attach plug to charger, plug it into the wall, arrow on battery indicates which
end to put into charger first.
while chugging: one flash = no charge, two flashes = 50% charge, three flashes =
75% charged, light stays on = 100% charged
2. push button under viewfinder and battery door opens, pops open battery case
push battery in with arrow pointing to camera, until it clicks, close battery door
and it's in place
3. to get battery out: open door again, button on left side releases the battery.
4. Plug into the wall -use the charger - hook up plug, and plug connector to
charger. Then open up battery case, and same as with battery, insert the
charger/a/c into the battery case until it clicks.
Close the battery case and run the cord outside the door of the case.
Release in the same manner as with a battery
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OPERATING MODES
XH A1 modes range from fully automatic to completely manual
Using manual gives you complete control over the camera
Operating modes are selected by holding down grey button on side of camera as
you turn the large round dial (on left side of camera)
On right side of camera - standby and lock settings
Keep in lock mode - turns camera off but saves all settings.
Switch to standby - the camera turns on
Switch back to lock mode when your finished shooting particular scene, e.g, and
your settings are saved for the next time you turn on the camers
EASY RECORDING MODE
Easy recording - green box on dial
Camera controls focus, shutter speed, aperture, gain, white balance and AE shift
(auto exposure, determining amt. of light entering the lens).
Automatically varies the exposure while you shoot.
Completely automatic - remember that the camera will re-focus based on what it
thinks you are shooting - what it determines is the main subject in the frame. the
manual functions will not operate

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 2
Quick Guide
AUTO MODE
Auto mode - 'A' on the control dial
Just like easy recording, but you can change the variables.
It will be in easy recording mode by default, but the manual functions will also
operate.
SHUTTER PRIORITYMODE
Shutter Priority mode – Tv setting on the dial
Everything is automatic except the shutter speed. The shutter speed is controlled
by using a dial on the left hand side of the camera near the front, beside the EXP.
LOCK button.
Video shutter speed is different from film shutter speed - video cameras don't
have a shutter! But the result is the same when you change the settings.
In video, shutter speed refers to the speed of the electronic charge, i.e. how long
the camera chip codes an image in electrical current before it records it. The
shutter speed does not affect frame rate.
Higher shutter speeds enable a fast-moving subject to remain sharp.
Higher shutter speeds require more light, so the iris must be opened up to let in
more light
At lower speeds, a fast-moving subject may tend to blur.
The normal shutter speed for video is 1/60 (one sixtieth of a second), or the time
it takes to scan one field of video.
When you change the shutter speed in SHUTTER PRIORITY mode, the camera
adjusts the aperture opening to provide a correct exposure based on your shutter
speed.
CS is the Clear Scan setting, allowing you to shoot a computer screen without
getting scan lines in your image
APERTURE PRIORITY MODE
Aperture priority mode – Av setting on the dial
Camera controls everything except the aperture, i.e. the amount of light you let in.
Iris opening - the first ring on the lens (narrow ring closest to the camera body).
Up and down = more or less light.
Control of aperture gives you the most control over depth of field: narrow or wide
(large)
Depth of field refers to the range of distances from the camera at which sharp
focus can be obtained.
The smaller the aperture opening, the greater the depth of field. This means you
need more light on your subject, so the camera adjusts the aperture accordingly.
In low-light situations, where the iris is open wide, depth of field is significantly
reduced and the focal range is narrow
If you want to reduce DOF, you can close down the aperture or add a neutral
density filter.

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 3
Quick Guide
The camera adjusts the shutter speed automatically to provide a correct
exposure based on your aperture setting.
SPOTLIGHT MODE
Spotlight mode - Icon is triangle with a figure in it
Good for shooting someone in a spotlight. Camera manually adjusts exposure
based on the brightest object or spot in the image rather than exposing for the
entire scene. Dark areas around a highly lit area will not alter the exposure.
NIGHT MODE
Night mode - Moon icon
Camera uses automatic settings adjusted for a very low light situation, such as
nighttime. Automatically adjusts to lower shutter speeds, which will sometimes
give you a trailing afterimage. Picture quality is not as good. White points may
occur on the screen, and auto focus will have difficulty as camera attempts to find
a subject that is well-lit enough for auto focus to function properly.
This is not a Night Vision mode, i.e. your image will not record with a green hue.
MANUAL MODE
Manual mode -M
You set the exposure and shutter sped yourself and have complete control over
your picture. You can control both the iris (amt. of light you let into the camera)
and the shutter speed, as well as the focus. You also have the choice to use
autofocus if needed.
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THE MENU
The menu button is on the bottom corner, left side of the camcorder and is
navigated using the menu wheel on the back of the camcorder. Select a menu
item by sliding the wheel until that item is highlighted and confirm your selection
by pushing the wheel in, i.e. the wheel is also a button.
Use the navigation wheel to go into different menu settings.
To get out of the menu, hit the menu button again.
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The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 4
Quick Guide
THE VIEWFINDER
To adjust the viewfinder focus, lift up the viewfinder and use the button
underneath to make adjustments. This affects only the viewfinder and does not
affect the camcorder focus on your subject.
Be careful to not let direct sunlight into the viewfinder since it could damage the
viewfinder's screen.
Viewfinder settings
Go into menu > display setup > CVF is the viewfinder
Options are for brightness, contrast, color, sharpness, & backlight -- Suggest to
leave at default settings so you can see what your camera is recording
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LCD SCREEN
To lift up the LCD screen use the release button on top of the camcorder, move
LCD screen over (it's under the handle), and it swings out and up.
It's higher than on other camcorders.
Ir can swing it all the way around and adjust the angle based on your own height
LCD menu - adjust LCD setup. Suggest adjust sharpness higher than default
setting to assist with focus
When the LCD is at an angle, the image on the LCD tends to look brighter, so
don't set your picture based on that
CVF + LCD ON - turns both viewfinder and LCD on at the same time, otherwise
when using the LCD, the viewfinder is disabled
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ZOOM OPTIONS
Rocker button indicates T for telephoto, and W for wide angle
The rocker button has a variable zoom, so how hard you press the button
determines the zoom speed.
Zoom ring on the lens is the middle ring. Use this to zoom manually. More
professional than automatic variable zoom.
It is technically a servo zoom rather than manual, but it gives you the option to
control the servo mechanism manually
Constant zoom is available using the rocker zoom button
You can set the zoom speed to a constant speed regardless of how hard you
press the rocker button

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 5
Quick Guide
Zoom (continued):
Go to the switch at the front of the camcorder near the rocker button:
var = variable
c = constant
Zoom speed shows up on the zoom bar on the LCD screen
higher number = higher speed
The zoom ring, on the lens, is always variable and cannot be set to constant
speed
There is an additional smaller zoom button on the handle, and this is always a
constant zoom
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FOCUS OPTIONS
Programmed modes are turned on in EASY and AUTO operating modes.
If auto focus is on, the camera will always be trying to find the focus on its own,
and sometimes it doesn't know what to focus on, so the camera will continually
try to focus. XH A1 has good auto focus in that it focuses very quickly.
The Focus switch is on side of camera - A = auto, F = manual
Manual focus gives you more control over the picture
In manual focus, you can go into a quick auto focus mode by pushing the AF
button. This will give you a quick auto focus but keeps you in the manual mode.
Auto focus will stop when you release the AF button.
The last ring on the lens is your manual focus ring
Tricks to use - Magnify button allows you to digitally zoom (without changing your
zoom settings) so that you can see a close-up of your subject, enabling you to
more easily set manual focus.
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THE ND FILTER – Neutral Density Filter
Daylight shooting in manual mode
ND filter - neutral density filter should be switched on in daylight
1/6 = shady scene
1/32 = direct sunlight
Then go to the iris ring and adjust it according to lighting conditions
Set shutter speed a little higher if you are using the ND filter
An ND filter used outdoors results in a crisper image

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 6
Quick Guide
ND filter continued:
Low light settings in manual mode:
Turn off the ND filter off
If you are shooting at nighttime, or indoors with available light (lamps, shooting
near windows etc. without additional lighting equipment), lower the shutter speed
- bring the number down to let more light into the picture
If using a shutter speed lower than 24, you may get afterimage trails
Open up the iris using the iris ring to let in more light
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GAIN CONTROL
As a last resort in low-light situations, use the Gain switch.
AGC (automatic gain control)
Turn off the AGC or the gain will be fluctuating all the time,
and set the gain manually.
Manual gain control is indicated by L-M-H settings
Use your viewfinder to judge the amount of gain control acceptable
Gain control allows you to digitally lighten the picture, rather than adjusting the
camera settings. You will get digital artifacting such as pixellation and graininess
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WHITE BALANCE
You tell the camera what ʻwhiteʼis in your shooting/lighting situation so it can
accurately represent color. In video, the white wavelength contains all the colors,
so when you white balance your camera, your are also setting all the colors
correctly based on your shooting situation, or on the desired effect
Two types of light:
daylight - more blue
tungsten - more yellow
The White Balance control is below the power dial
PRE = presets, used for outdoor lighting
presets are located the LCD screen – Sun icon for shooting outside, Lightbulb
icon for indoor lighting
How to white balance - setting a true white balance:
Set switch to A or B, either is ok. Having A and B options allows you to set for 2
lighting situations and white balance ahead of time
Set to A, have your subject hold a white piece of paper, and hit the WB button,
The WB icon will flash on your screen, and once it stops flashing, the camcorder
is white balanced for that particular shooting session

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 7
Quick Guide
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AUDIO BASICS
You have audio recording options using the on-board microphone:
Audio level button - A = automatic, M= manual
A - means the camcorder automatically adjusts the audio record levels
M - means that the channels of audio are controlled by the Ch1 and Ch2 record
levels
You can see the levels in the small viewer inside the larger dial, watching your
levels as you record, or if you are in pause
If you switch to Manual, then it is best to find the loudest sound youʼll be
recording and set your Ch1 and Ch2 levels to that sound
When you connect an external microphone to the camcorder, it will over-ride the
on-board mic.
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READING THE LCD & VIEWFINDER DISPLAYS
On LCD and Viewfinder - same icons and settings
Top left - in Manual mode, there appears a bar at the top of the display that
indicates exposure settings
In Auto mode, this bar disappears since the camera will set your exposure
automatically
The operating mode indicator is under the exposure setting – same letters and
icons as on the selection wheel
Below the operating mode icon is the shutter speed
Below the shutter speed is the F-stop setting, controlled by the iris ring
To the right, the + or – sign indicates gain control. No gain control in use = 0
HDV - video setting, and beside that, fps setting, eg 24F (frames per second)
Timecode on your tape is indicated below that
Beside the timecode, R for recordd
Hand icon shows image stabilization is on
Tape icon
Battery icon
Audio levels, bottom right
To the left the white balance preset is indicated (sun, eg)
CP 1 indicates custom preset
I.AF indicates image auto focus, which can be changed to MF, or manual focus
on the LCD –DISP button - hit it once to get rid of some of the display, hit it again
to get rid of all the display, hit it again to turn all on again
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The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 8
Quick Guide
TAPE INSERTION
Use miniDV tape or HD tape
buy good quality tape
avoid cheap tape; avoid tape lengths longer than 60:00
HD miniDV tape is available - it is thicker than miniDV and it has twice the
recording layers, but HD can be recorded on regular miniDV tape
Insert tape: next to variable zoom rocker button
open/eject - slide the button, tape insert will pop out,
gently insert and gently close and WAIT for tape to go down into tape drive.
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HD OR SD RECORDING
How to set camcorder for HD or SD recording
Setting signal standard:
HD is 1080i
SD is 480i
Hit menu button > signal setup > signal standard > HD, SD 16:9, or SD 4:d
Frame rate -60i - 60 frames interlaced - basic video
30F is 30 frames progressive
24F is 24 frames progressive; film look but does not create smooth pans
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RECORDING
Hit the record button on the right side of the camera
LCD shows R icon and timecode is running
Hit record again and you will be in record/pause mode. Hit record again to go
back into record mode
Button on the left side below the Magnify button - rewinds the tape for a few
seconds to show you the very last thing recorded.
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VIDEO PLAYBACK
Lock the camcorder (record/lock)
Use the power wheel on the left side to VCR/play mode
Playback controls are on the handle hidden behind a flip door
Use controls on the handle to play the video
Below the LCD screen - where screen folds in - press End search function
button and it will automatically find the end of the tape and play back the last few
seconds and stop at the end of the last scene. helps you get back to the end if
you've been looking at what you've shot

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder 9
Quick Guide
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CONNECTING CAMCORDER to TV or computer
Standard RCA to mini cable: yellow, red and white cable plays SD only
If you want to see true HD use the component cable - each cable handles video
colors separately, red, blue and green
Use a firewire cable to connect to a computer
Connectors are plugged in next to battery door - HDV/DV is the firewire
connection going out to computer
Yellow RCA connector goes out to tv
Below the RCA connector is the component cable connector that goes out to HD
TV
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ONBOARD MIC
The onboard mic is an omni-directional mic that records by default in stereo
Picks up not only sounds that you want, but camera sounds, tripod sounds,
handling sounds, etc as well
Use headphones to monitor your levels - so you can hear what the mic is
recording. Get over-the-ear headphones, not earbuds
Connect headphones - open panel next to battery case and plug in mini
connector into jack where headphone icon is
Open up LCD screen and scroll wheel will act as headphone volume contol.
Set headphones as high as is comfortable so you can hear what is recording
onto tape.
SD options
menu > scroll to audio setup
DV audio - 16 bit/48kHz and 12 bit/32kH. 16 bit is a better quality sound
If you switch to HD audio recording, your setup will always be 16 bit/48kHz
3 record modes using onboard mic: normal, voice, windscreen
Menu > audio setup > mic mode
Normal - is the default setting - for recording background noise, mixed voices, or
if you're not sure what's going to happen
Voice setting - is to pick up voices over background noise. The mic tries to get rid
of background noise
WS, or wind screen - reduces background noise esp sound of wind when
recording outdoors under windy conditions
Set mic sensitivity:

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder
10
Quick Guide
Menu > audio setup > mic sensitivity > Normal or High
Normal setting is for typical conditions
High setting records at +6 decibels. Don't use unless you have to. Best to set
levels higher by using the record level dials on the camcorder.
Audio Auto Levels
Auto levels vs. Manual levels
Look at levels on the Power Dial and also on the LCD screen or viewfinder
Audio levels to A for auto or M for manual
Set to A and camcorder will adjust mic levels based on audio being recorded
Set Audio levels manually
Recommended to get best audio
Audio levels at side of camera. Set to M for manual settings and use the dials
above to set your audio record levels
Set levels to a little bit above -12db. - 6db is a good audio record setting. Digital
audio will distort above 0db.
Set levels according to proper levels for the loudest thing you are recording
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EXTERNAL MICS
Lavalier mic – a clip-on mic for interview situations
Shotgun -uni-directional and picks up what is directly in front of it, good for field
recording
Cardiod - also uni-directional but picks up some of what is to the side of the mic,
good for voices, field recordings
Omni -omni-directional picks up in a 360 pick-up pattern
Dynamic mic - for recording bands and instruments
Hooking up an external mic to the mic terminal
1/8" mini plugged into mic terminal on the handle, under the mic holder. Uses
only a mini plug
If connecting external mic using a mini connector, you will need a battery-
powered mic
Turn on the mic
Record levels appear in the LCD viewfinder and on the display on the Power
wheel
Using XLR inputs rather than 1/8" mic terminal

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder
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Quick Guide
Switches above the XLR inputs allow switching between Line and Mic - switch to
Mic if using a mic
Ch1, if you are only recording on one channel only
or
Ch1 Ch2, if you are using 1 mic and you want to record in stereo - it will put same
audio on both channels
Mic attenuator – switch this on if you are in a really loud situation and levels are
peaking, it will reduce audio levels by 20 db
To use XLR connected mic, you have to turn on the XLR input on the camcorder:
menu > audio setup > XLR input > on
Display indicates XLR is on
You must turn it off again when you switch back to onboard mic
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Mics and Phantom Power:
2 types of mics:
Condenser - require power such as a battery or from the camcorder
If they don't have a battery, they need to draw power from the connection called
phantom power), e.g. from the camcorder
Dynamic mics - don't require power, don't need batteries
Turn on the Phantom Power if needed:
in front of XLR jacks, 1 switch for each jack
plug mic in first, then turn on phantom power
when finished, turn off phantom power first, and then unplug the mic
Lavalier mics
Wireless mic, picks up good sound from your subject
Mostly for interviews
Operates on radio frequencies. Attach the transmitter and the mic to the subject
Shoe mountable - mount receiver on shoe on top of camera, or attach to camera
operator's belt
XLR or mini cable out from the receiver into the camcorder, Ch1 if you're only
using one mic
Set up the transmitter, which is the mic itself
The person speaking should run the mic and cable under their shirt and clip the
mic to the front of their shirt
Hide the transmitter behind the subject
Turn on XLR input if you are using and XLR cable
Set your levels and start shooting

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder
12
Quick Guide
Setting levels
Wear headphones so you can hear what the mic is actually picking up and
putting on tape
Use the levels indicators to set levels
Plug in
Switch to mic setting
Set XLR input thru menu
Switch Channel input to Ch1 Ch2 if you want to record on both channels
Set audio record levels on the side of the camera, watch levels on LCD monitor
or Viewfinder to make sure levels are correct - not too low and not too loud
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MOUNTING SHOTGUN MICS
Cardioid - smaller shotgun, blocking out sounds behind the mic. Good for
everyday situations.
Supercardioid – aka hyper-cardioid, shotgun mic has a pickup pattern directly in
front of the mic. A narrow pickup pattern means you're not getting a lot of
extraneous noise. Great for dialogue, voices
How to Mount a Shotgun Mic on the Camera
Mount is on top of the camcorder next to the onboard mic
Place mic in the mount and screw it in. Make sure mic is in good and tight
Take XLR cable - use a shorter cable - and run it from the back of the mic into
Ch1, set option to Mic, and set channel to Ch1 or Ch1 Ch2 - this setting tells the
camcorder where to put the signal from Ch1 audio only
Menu - indicate that you are using XLR input so camera records external mic
rather than onboard mic
Setting levels on Shotgun/Cardioid mics
Power on mic, power on camcorder, use headphones to set your levels
Set Audio Level selection switch to M
Turn up Audio levels on Ch1 and Ch2 to set levels
Use the LCD screen to check levels
Using a Mic Stand or Boom Pole
Mic stand is good if you are working alone
Boom Pole is better, and use this if you are working with a sound person.
You'll need a shock mount, which is absorbs all sounds coming from handling, or
from the mic stand, etc.
You'll need a long XLR cable as well, depending on where your subject is and the
range you need for your sound person

The Canon XH A1 HD camcorder
13
Quick Guide
Troubleshooting Shotgun Mic Problems
Most basic problem is noise from the mic, mic holder, someone's hands, etc. Mic
will pick up those vibrations.
Use a shock mount, if possible - it absorbs all vibrations
Other main problem is wind noise - use a windscreen - made of foam, not
expensive, or use a tube sock.
Dynamic Microphone
Doesn't require power, either battery or phantom power
Not as sensitive as the condenser mics we've been looking at, and not as
expensive
Singers or news reporters may use this and get great results, however.
Hand-held is the way to go with dynamic mics and should be held close to the
subject's mouth
Will need longer XLR - plug into the mic and into the camera
Set Line/Mic to Mic
Run to Ch1 or Ch1Ch2
Using Multiple Mics
You have 2 XLR inputs so you can run 2 separate mics
This enables you to record different audio in the same situation, such as a person
talking and background sound, room sound, environment etc.
You can then double up each channel of audio recorded in post-production and
have 2 channels of sound for each mic
Set your primary mic into Ch1
Remember to set Line/Mic to Mic
Use headphones to monitor audio
Switch to just Ch1. You will still be getting 2 channels of audio.
Power up the camera
Test levels and set individually using Ch1 and Ch2 dials on side of camcorder
Set menu to XLR