With much fanfare, Canon introduced a new HDV camcorder, the XL H1,
that offers 1080i recording, a healthy supply of useful features and a
familiar body design to keep the Canon faithful happy. Its $9,000 price
tag, however, could make it a challenging sell, considering you could
buy two Sony Z1 HDV camcorders for about the same price.
Like the increasingly popular Sony entry, the H1 camera captures images
at 1080/60i resolution at 25 Mbps, although it can also record DV
images as well as high-quality (1920 x 1080) stills at up to five
frames per second. Camcorder settings can be stored on the memory card
and transferred to another camcorder so setup can be replicated.
Unlike the Z1, the H1 comes with a removable 20x lens and Canon's XL
mount. Joseph Bogacz, director of product development and support for
Canon's video division, said other lenses, including a wide-angle lens,
would be available in the future.
With three 1/3-inch interlaced native 16:9 CCD chips producing 1440 x
1080 output, the XL H1 can be operated at a number of frame rates: 60i,
30i and 24i frames per second. It records video and still images to an
HDV tape drive or an SD memory card (a 16 GB card is provided with the
camera). The H1 camcorder is the first model to include Canon's
proprietary DIGIC DV II image processor, which can process HD and SD
video signals as well as still photos, while maintaining the correct
color space for each mode.
The HDV camera's interlaced 24-frame mode is processed using
proprietary algorithms that make the output (via Firewire) look like 24
progressive frames to editors working with Apple's Final Cut Pro or any
Avid NLE. The camera also features a stereo microphone with a
selectable mono mode and an isolator mount to reduce vibration; four
channels of MPEG-1 compressed audio; two professional XLR connectors;
phantom power; and mic/line inputs.
A "professional jackpack" at the back of the camcorder provides an
uncompressed digital HD-SDI data transfer output (at 1.5 Gbps), SD-SDI
output, genlock capability to link and match multiple cameras through a
production switcher for a consistent look, and the all-important SMPTE
time code in and out. The HD-SDI output allows professionals to plug
the H1 into any system with an HD-SDI input and work with live,
unfiltered HD content. With JVC's and Sony's HDV cameras, users must
feed the HD signal into an A/D signal converter box, adding an extra
step in their workflow and extra cost.
That's in addition to 23 preset or user-selectable features on the H1,
such as Gamma controls, image stabilization, and white-balance
parameters that offer a range of outdoor, indoor and studio settings to
help shooters get the warmth and depth they seek when trying to
replicate the look of film. The H1 also offers three color matrices for
color-correction and two cine gammas for adjustment of dynamic range,
customizable knee, black stretch, horizontal detail, coring, sharpness,
noise reduction, color gain, hue and master color adjustments. Each
setting can be modified independently.
Available at the end of this year, according to Canon, the H1 will be
sold in either 60i (for U.S.) or 50i (for Europeans) versions, although
customers can buy a 601 version and, for a $500 factory upgrade, add
50i capability. This allows the camera to work anywhere in the world
with a flip of a switch.
In addition, the H1 can serve as a high-quality still camera, capturing
the exact image the operator is seeing in the viewfinder. It provides
1920x1080 pictures for reference or location scouting. It has two
on-board processors (one for the solid-state memory card and the other
for the tape drive) so the stills can be grabbed while the camera is
recording video. These full-color pictures can include (or not) all of
the user-defined camera settings printed on the photo for reference and
camera matching. The camera also features a powerful flash borrowed
from Canon's EOS line of digital still cameras.
The camera includes a new color electronic viewfinder and 2.4-inch 16:9
LCD monitor with safe-area marking built-in; a black-and-white mode;
zebra pattern (70-100 IRE); horizontal and vertical flip and a distance
readout, leveraging the 20X lens. This distance-to-subject feature can
reduce the need for talent markings and saves time when setting up
shots.
Addressing a variety of applications, the H1 seems to be well suited to
sports and newsgathering (30 fps), independent filmmaking (24i fps) and
even reality TV shoots (60i). Canon's Bogacz said Canon feels it is not
late to the HDV party, as the market for HD content has matured since
the first HDV cameras were released.
Canon also introduced new PC software ($500) called Console, which
externally controls the H1's features, either manually or
automatically, via remote control. It includes waveform and vectorscope
readouts for camera setup and diagnosis. A Mac version is in
development.
A trial version of the Console software can be found at www.canondv.com.
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