Advice solicited - should i buy this camcorder?

I think I am going to buy a Canon XH A1S camcorder, but before I do I wonder if any Forumista is using it and can tell me how it relates to Final Cut Express?
There are a number of posts about it, but they relate to specific problems, not a general view of the camcorder itself.
I have read a multitude of reviews and they all seem favorable (in some groupings with suspiciously similar effulgent comments) save for one gentleman who said the camcorder was "shoddy" and the front mic holder "wobbly." Too, one reviewer talked about the A1S but referred to working with mini DV tapes, so I am hoping that he is confused and means the XH A1.
How is working with SD tapes and FCE? Good? Should I look elsewhere?
Any comments would be appreciated as I will soon be putting pen to check and submitting a claim for some of that stimulus money that is floating around.
As always, thank you in advance.

Nowhere in this camera's specs does it mention tape. Only an SD card. Am I missing something?
As for AVCHD I remember reading that it must be laboriously converted to the FCE format before it can be edited. Another step!
I m spending more time on research than Sloan-Kettering.
Thanks for the reply, Sasha, and reminding me that you ARE Sasha. I felt uncomfortable calling you Skalicki.
Can anybody out there recommend an AVCHD professional camcorder that works well with FCE and which they use that won't require me to go back to stick-ups?
Thanks,Sasha.
Alllosaurus

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Should I buy this?

Joined: 20 Dec 2008
Posts: 99
I am in the market for a laptop and want a Mac of some sort, and will probably be getting a used one. I will be using it for Logic/Final Cut, but not as my main machine. Other than that it will be used for other everyday computing.
I had been set on getting a used black macbook, but recently saw this one advertised locally for $550.
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP13 it is the 2.2ghz Core 2 Duo 15 inch. on the left.
Would you recommend this laptop? I am not familiar with the older MBP's and any issues they may have had that I need to be aware of.
There is also a mint condition Black Macbook for sale locally for $625 with these specs: 2.0 Core 2 duo, 2 GB RAM, 160GB Hard Drive.
Which would you recommend? I like the black, but could used the extra screen size.

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maty_poo,
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2 GB RAM
250 GB hard drive
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Thanks!!

Sounds exactly like mine, Same basic specs and with MS Office 2008,
Is it the White MacBook 13 inch ?
Mine is a MacBook 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo: (13-inch, Late 2009) – Model A1342 Polycarbonate Unibody ( MC207LL/A ), I upgraded the memory to 4GB and the Hard Drive to a 500GB 7200 RPM pretty much the day after I bought it. With the Microsoft Office 2008 installed I probably wouldn't get $625 for mine.
The one you're asking about I wouldn't pay more than $500 at the most for, Give your local area CraigsList a try. I've seen more Mac's on there lately than you can imagine.

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OK I'm in Singapore on holiday right now.
I went to Chinatown and I saw an incredibly cheap iPad 2 (16GB wifi only). The guy is selling it at SGD 400 which is about USD 310. AT&T is selling iPad 2 (16GB wifi 3G) USD 629.99.
My worry now is that it might be fake (I didn't look at the back of it to spot the apple logo).
I don't want it to explode mid-air on my way back or blow up Orlando airport.
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I have to be skillful with my discretionary spending, so I never spend more than $10 without having recourse against the seller if I'm dissatisfied. And I like warranties.
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You will find that the relative performance of the two units will be very similar. see the attached bench test scores:
http://browser.primatelabs.com/mac-benchmarks
Note that with the retina, your storage will be significantly less. Whether the resolution of the retina is worth the premium you have to decide.
Though I an not an Adobe user, I would think that the retina with SSD as well as 16 GB RAM should handle those applications without any difficulty.
Ciao.

Advice solicited - should i buy this camcorder?

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