Optics and DV Rock, But HDV is Missed

Canon takes a great leap forward in DV cameras with its new XL2,
offering redesigned features and the promise of a new shooting
experience. As a DP, I’ve had the opportunity to shoot with cameras of
all kinds and prices, but I’ve never had much use for, or desire to use
a smaller, "prosumer" piece of acquisition gear. The XL2, however, has
swayed me in a whole new direction I never thought I’d go. For a nicely
equipped unit, street priced at under $5,000, you get a very big bang
for the buck.
Additionally, the almost cult-like following of the older XL1s alone
should help to ensure the sales success of the XL2. The fact that this
new unit is probably better and more capable than many other offerings
out there should guarantee a big hit for Canon.
What’s This Thing Made Of?
Three 680k, progressive scan CCDs pump out an impressive resolution of
525 lines, with a rich and almost touchable color saturation. The
picture elements are native 16 x 9, something I was ecstatic about
because there was no fake squeeze, or distorted look to the picture,
and it was sharp all the way to the edges of the frame. Independent
"film" shooters will love this. (Speaking of film, they will probably
be thrilled with the variable frame rates, with 2:3 and 2:3:3:2
pull-down for transfers to film and editing systems, interlaced or
progressive scan options, and the 12-bit DSP that offers a wide array
of customizable picture enhancements including a film grain effect that
adds just the right amount of "texture".)
The CCD block is, of course, still only 1 / 3 -inch chips, a feature
that limits the available lenses one could stick on the camera.
Surprisingly, though, it did not limit the picture as much as I
expected.
To test this out, I brought the camera down to a local beach where a
rail line runs along the water. Since I happen to enjoy shooting trains
and other large machines, I thought this would be a great way to see
what the camera could do with the headlights of a locomotive, most of
which pump out about 2 million candle powers of intensity. That’s a lot
of scented candles from Linens-n-Things, you hear me?
I shot telephoto close-ups of the headlights on a few trains. I zoomed
and panned but no matter how hard I tried, I could not add any defects
to the image. I finally turned the camera on the sun for a moment to
see if that would do it-no smear, no distortion, no nothing! The only
thing I did get was a perfect picture. (Please note: Shooting the sun
for more than a few moments aside from sunrise or sunset can damage the
sensitive electronics in a camera head, so this is not recommended by
most camera manufacturers!)
Most CCD blocks don’t handle this very well so it’s a good camera test.
Until recently, unless you paid the premium price for FIT (Frame
Interline Transfer) type chips, which are not available on small
mid-range cameras, bright light sources would warp the frame and
usually have ugly greenish "vertical smear" defects in the picture.
Most of you have probably seen this problem. Current Pro CCD blocks are
handling this fairly well or even perfectly, but until the XL2, I had
never seen a camera with 1 / 3 -inch chips pull it off.
So It Makes Good Pictures-What About The Features?
Canon has, for the most part, redesigned the chassis of the camera. It
still has the funky, tilted-up recorder section, but it also reminds me
of a film camera with a reel cartridge saddled on its back. It has a
great handle that, when properly cradled, balances the camera
perfectly. The unit also still has the ability to interchange lenses.
With the available EF adapter, one can attach glass from the line of
good-quality Canon 35 mm EOS lenses. The advantages of this are not for
everyone, but if you need long telephoto reach and clarity, this is
awesome! An EOS 300 mm would be killer for wildlife shots. (Heavy
lenses that have their own tripod mounts are better, because the
smaller bayonet mount on the XL2 could be stressed if the long lens
hangs forward.)
The camera comes standard with a 20x, image stabilized, automatic zoom.
The lens has built-in ND filters and other controls nicely placed on
the barrel. The glass is very sharp, and not likely to produce
chromatic aberration, due to its fluorite coating and the fact that
Canon is one of the best element manufacturers in the world. Devout XL
users will probably like this lens. I did not. And it’s not because the
images didn’t look good, but because I like a direct focus ring and an
aperture ring, which is the norm on broadcast zooms. It’s what I know.
I just could not get used to the motorized focus and zoom rings that
continue to spin, even when you’re past the infinity point in focus or
zoom. That said, Canon was kind enough to send me the camera’s primary
alternate lens, a 16x ENG type zoom that worked very well and also had
the ND filters built right in.
The function buttons are all well placed too, so a shooter could work
the camera without looking away from the viewfinder. Oh yeah, function
buttons, not menu-driven functions. Hooray! In a world of menu driven
electronics, actual switches and buttons are a very nice change.
On The Downside
As a professional shooter, however, I’m disappointed in a few areas.
For one, there’s still no direct IRIS (aperture) ring on the lens.
Instead, there’s a small electronic, stepped roller-type controller on
the camera.
Also, there’s been tons of buzz about HDV and it’s surprising that there isn’t an option for the new format here.
Another feature I wasn’t thrilled with was the replacement of the
out-shoulder pad with a permanent, under-chassis pad. I’m used to big
cameras that put the center of balance directly on the shoulder. The
XL2 sits out in front and your hands bear the weight. I found this
stressful, as it tends to encourage muscle support instead of skeletal.
When using the camera with my tripod or Steadicam, though, the camera
was great and very light.
As this issue goes to print, I’m mid-way through my first shooting
project using the XL2. My reactions so far are causing a paradigm shift
in my approach to my future in production. I could see using this
camcorder for a lot of the work I do instead of a bigger and heavier
unit. I wish it had a few of the features I mentioned earlier, but
overall, it completely blows away my expectations of a small, budget
camera system. Canon added SMPTE time code, 12-bit digital signal
processing, XLR balanced audio inputs and a host of other pro-level
features to attract shooters to this new workhorse.
At this point, let’s consider this article a midterm exam. Canon gets an A- grade or, according to our grading system here, a Sweet to Hot.
We’ll see how the grade point averages by finals. After I finish a few
projects I’m working on with the XL2, I’ll be sure to follow-up with
you and report back on the gobs of features this unit packs, like
variable frame rates and pull-downs. I’ll also detail the XL2’s audio
features. More to come, folks, so stay tuned!
SMART ADVICE
  • If you need long telephoto reach and clarity, use the EF
  • Adaptor to attach one of Canon’s awesome 35 mm EOS lenses.
  • No menu-driven functions here: The function buttons are well placed, so
  • a shooter could work the camera without looking away from the
  • viewfinder.