Your Vision in High Definition

– The excellence of the XH A1 begins with its Genuine Canon 20x HD zoom lens with Professional L Series Fluorite. Super-Range Optical Image Stabilization corrects for a wide range of camera movement and vibration, and Instant AF (Auto Focus) ensures ultra-quick, accurate focus. The DIGIC DV II HD image processor then ensures improved color reproduction and noise reduction - for a final result that is the zenith of image quality.

– If you need advanced image control, the XH A1 gives you features that let you make manual adjustments to fine-tune your video. If you prefer to concentrate on your subject and let your camcorder take care of exposure and image controls, the XH A1 let you do that as well.

– With a wide range of features and optional accessories, the XH A1 is a versatile, flexible and powerful performer that is sure to meet your uncompromising standards.

Genuine Canon HD Zoom Lens

– The XH A1 comes with a Genuine Canon 20x HD zoom lens that shows why the name Canon is synonymous with optical excellence.

– Canon reserves the L-Series designation for its highest quality photographic lenses. The Professional L Series Fluorite lens of the XH A1 ensures outstanding resolution, contrast and color reproduction, and delivers clarity and image quality you won't see with conventional optical glass lenses. And, because it's an ultra-low dispersion (UD) lens, chromatic aberration is reduced for brilliant results.

– The XH A1's design gives you equally impressive operational performance. The design lets you operate the zoom using the lens barrel ring, the control on the camera's grip, or the control on the camera's handle. When using the zoom ring on the lens, you can control the speed of your zoom by varying the angle of the ring, or by varying the speed at which you rotate the ring. When using the grip control, you can zoom at 16 different speeds; or you can use the control to operate at a single zoom speed which you preset. When using the handle zoom control, you can operate the zoom at a single speed which you preset. You can also select high-speed zoom to increase the zoom speed when using either the grip or handle control. And, because the lens is designed with a zoom ring, you can operate zoom, focus and aperture using a single hand.

– This f1.6 - 3.5, 4.5 - 90mm lens gives you a wide view that is equivalent -- at its widest -- to a 32.5mm focal length lens on a 35mm camera. It also comes with 2 built-in ND filters, and can be enhanced with an optional WD-72 wide converter (.75x) to meet all your needs.

3 CCD Performance
The XH A1 is equipped with three 1/3" Native 16:9 CCDs (1440 x 1080 each) -- the same image sensor that is at the heart of Canon's exceptional XL H1. They deliver outstanding picture quality, highly accurate color reproduction, and a wide dynamic range with virtually no color noise.

Super-Range Optical Image Stabilizer

– The XH A1 also comes with Canon's innovative Super-Range Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), which combines gyro- and image-sensors to give image stabilization through a wider range of camera motions.Super-Range Optical Image Stabilizer Some image stabilization systems correct one type of camera motion or vibration better than another. But Canon's Super-Range OIS corrects for a wide range of camcorder motion: the fast vibration you'd experience while recording from a moving car; the medium-speed motion of hand-held recording; and the slower motion of body sway. No matter what you're recording and how you're recording it, the XH A1's stabilization design corrects camcorder shake instantly.

– In addition, optical stabilization keeps your shot steady without a loss in image quality -- something that can't be said for electronic image stabilization.

Instant AF

– With HD, focus is more critical than ever. It demands Instant AF: the next generation of auto focus, designed with HD resolution in mind. Because HD resolution is higher, focusing time is longer -- it's harder to find perfect focus. Canon's Instant AF combines an external AF sensor with Canon's legendary auto focus system for fast and accurate focus. Together, the two sensors reduce focusing time -- even in low-light, low contrast, or high brightness situations -- and improve focusing performance on difficult subjects.

The XH A1 gives you a choice of 3 AF modes for different shooting applications

– Natural AF changes focus at a speed that appears natural and doesn't distract the viewer
– Super Quick AF changes focus as rapidly as possible and is designed for applications in which quick focus is more important than other considerations -- for example, in new gathering or documentary work
– Stable AF ensures smooth, stable focusing when speed isn't the highest priority

DIGIC DV ll HD Image Processor

– DIGIC DV II is the next generation of Canon's exclusive DIGIC DV signal processing technology. DIGIC DV II processes the HD signal at 1440 x 1080 with 4:2:2 color sampling. Designed specifically for processing the immense volume of information in 1080 HD signals, DIGIC DV II ensures optimal image quality for HD video.

– Tonal reproducibility has been increased for high image quality. Color reproducibility has also been enhanced for improved color image quality -- especially in skin tones, and dark and light scenes. The DIGIC DV ll processor also employs a new, hybrid noise reduction system that integrates two types of noise reduction. This, along with a new gamma system reduces noise in monotone and shadow areas especially, for high definition images that are crystal clear.

Complete Customization

– Image, display and the functionality of the camera can be customized to suit your preference or application. This customization ensures that your XH A1 fits your creative, production and personal needs and preferences exactly. Settings can be saved to memory for easy retrieval or downloaded into other XH G1 and XH A1 cameras via an SD memory card or Canon's CONSOLE version 1.1.

Image Control

– A variety of image control functions give you as much or as little exposure control as you want, and let you fine-tune your exposures for outstanding video. You get Total Image Control, Exposure Lock for re-composing your shot after setting your exposure, AE shift (+/- 2 levels), Gain Setting, 2 Custom Keys, as well as:

7 Program AE Modes - A variety of AE modes allow you to take as much or as little control of exposure as you need. Auto and Full Auto modes let you concentrate on your subject and the composition of your shot rather than exposure, or make it easy maintain exposure during shots with lighting conditions that change. Manual lets you control every aspect of your exposure manually. With Tv priority, you select the shutter to match your subject; for example, you might select a shorter shutter speed for a fast moving subject. With Av priority, you select your aperture; for example, you might want more control over your depth of field. Spotlight gives you the optimal exposure for a brightly light subject against a darker background. Night mode automatically adjusts exposure parameters to give you the best image possible of video recorded at night.

9 Custom Presets - With the XH A1, you can make set a variety of image quality adjustments and store them for later use or for exporting to other camcorders. The adjustments include: hue, color gain, sharpness, setup level, color matrix (Normal/CINE1/CINE2), gamma (Normal/CINE1/CINE2), auto knee/knee, black (normal/stretch/press), G gain, B gain, R gain, NR1, NR2, coring, master pedestal, horizontal frequency adjustment, H/V balance, and matrix settings (R-G/R-B/G-R/G-B/B-R/G-B).