Canon XL2
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- tenpointtwo
Anyone have this camera? Do you recommend it? Should I wait for HD DV cameras to start rolling out?
- Mimio0
They are a few HD DV cameras out now, and the new Sony HDR-FX1E looks nice.
- theplanet0
sweet camera, the best out right now. I dont own it, but I have shot with it.
Theere is a good article about HDV in DV magazine right now. Sounds like the compression sucks for compositing.
Josh
- kbags0
I've been doing a lot of homework and have similar questions.
Far as I can tell, 24p is the way to go...HD DV is still gonna look like DV at the end of the day. What are you trying to film then? You want to to high tech shit like Sin City with green screens and what-not, or are you trying to make films? If the latter, go 24p and you'll be very happy.
As far as 24p goes, everyone recommends the Panasonic AG-DVX100A because it does the same job and it's cheaper. Doesn't have all the fancy lenses though, but the Panasonic is definitely the better seller. By far, it seems.
Anyone else got something to add? As i said, I'm still doing my homework, planning on buying in a month or two.
- tenpointtwo0
Having a variety of lenses is a a major selling point for me. I mostly want to shoot shorts, possibly transferring from DV to film, so I know 24P is a neccesity, but I don't know much about HD DV.
The Canon XL2 seemed to be the best choice because it can use any Canon camera lens, it doesn't need specialized DV camera lenses.
- kbags0
Was not aware of the ability to use any canon lens, that's badass. too bad i just bought a nikon d70, shit!
- Mimio0
You're right about the Panasonic it's a lot of bang for the buck. I think people are all wet for the Sony because it does 1,080 vertical lines which is amazing.
- handsomeboy0
yea i've been looking into this as well... if you slow down 24p footage, does it look like crap?.. cuz like you can't overcrank like you can 16mm.. the Sin City HD stuff looked terrible in my opinion
anyone have links to cheapest deal on the panasonic 100a?
- theplanet0
Canon is sweet. 24p is cool, though "magic bullet" can do the same thing for you in post. The true 16:9 aspect ratio is the best thing about it. Just about any of the 3 chip cameras in that range are going to give you similar results.
The removable lens is nice when you need it, but I see very few people ever use anything but the lens it comes with. You can use Canon EOS lenses, but you have to buy the adaptor, and because they are lenses made for 35mm they dont translate exactly a 50mm lens on the XL-2 will be something like a 400mm lens. It does work, you can put the lenses on the camera, but it wont be like shooting with your 35mm camera.
- Hym0
the problem with using EF lenses on an XL is that only a very small part of the lens is used compared to a 35mm camera, so if they lens is not of perfect quality it will show easy. So you are kinda stuck with canon EF-L lenses which are mad expensive
- theplanet0
This link was in the NAB thread. I would consider this camera if I was looking to but the XL-2
- tenpointtwo0
You don't slow down the 24P, you do a 3:2 pulldown.
And if Sin City looked like crap to you, just go get a film camera and pretend you can tell the difference.
Sin City was pretty frickin amazing.
- handsomeboy0
thanks for the link planet-
variable progressive shutter speeds crazy
- handsomeboy0
holy...
Another great feature that's possible because of the P2 system is pre-record. The camera can be set to start recording *before* you press the record button! It automatically caches whatever the camera was looking at, so when you press the "record" button, it commits that buffered recording to memory, and continues recording from there -- very handy for times when you're whale-watching, for example, and the whale breaches, catching you unaware. While other shooters are scrambling to press their record button, the HVX will already have captured the shot! Pre-record buffering provides for 3 seconds in high-def mode, and 7 seconds in standard-def. Perhaps even more interesting is the "loop record" mode, which lets you pre-record for the entire duration of a P2 card. It's like pre-record buffering, but it allows you to buffer the entire contents of the card, less the duration of your actual recording. I know that sounds confusing, so let me explain by example: if you had an 8gb card installed, and were recording 720/24p, you'd have a total record time of 20 minutes possible. The loop record mode will record continuously, buffering up to the last 20 minutes. If you then press "record", it will start recording from that moment forward, and will continue to record over the pre-recorded buffer. If you record five minutes of "live" video, on the card you'll have the prior 15 minutes plus the current five. If you instead record for 18 minutes, the card will hold the current 18 minutes plus the two minutes prior to when you pressed "record".