Well, for example, the XH-A1 has a "timecode in" port. This would allow you to connect it either to a camera or a studio timer with a "timecode out" function and sync them later in post. But aside from that, there’s really no way to get exactly the same start time on two cameras.
If you want to sync up two or more cameras without timecode syncing capabilities (i.e. about every camera out there under $3000), then your best bet is to sync them using an audio/visual reference. In a studio setting, or for most business and theatrical productions, I have a clapboard that I use. In your NLE, it’s very easy to line up the audio spike from the clap on each track to get precisely synced video. In more formal settings (i.e. Weddings and special events) I usually ue what’s around me. A very popular one is flash photography. Since a camera flash is so rapid that it only takes up at most a couple frames, it’s easy to line up your video by finding a flash in one clip, and then finding that same flash in the next, and dragging them to the same point on the timeline.
There are other tricks I use, but for those, you need to send me $39.95 plus shipping and handling! 😀
