This page contains a lot of data displayed in several charts and tables.
It is best viewed on a laptop or desktop display.
Canon’s XF series of professional video camcorders made its debut back in 2010. This page provides an overview of all nine Canon XF series camcorders and is meant to serve as a pre-purchase guide as well as an existing owner’s technical resource. You can jump directly to a particular section of this page with these links:
- Comparison Chart
- Common Features
- XF100 & XF105
- XF200 & XF205
- XF300 & XF305
- XF400 & XF405
- XF705 — recently added (9.2018)
This guide is primarily targeted to the U.S. market and I have listed U.S. prices. The “where to buy” links on this page refer to DV Info Net site sponsors, all of which are U.S. dealers. At this time I do not have a dealer outside of the U.S. as a site sponsor. However, some dealers such as B&H Photo Video, will ship overseas to just about anywhere in the world. Currently there are four companies to whom DV Info Net refers sales enquiries for Canon XF series camcorders:
| Adorama (800) 223-2500 New York, NY |
Amazon see our Associates participant statement |
B&H Photo (866) 521-7381 New York, NY |
Texas Media Systems (512) 440-1400 Austin, TX |
The Difference Between Canon x00 and x05 Model Numbers
SDI and GenLock.
How To Read The Comparison Chart
Sensor resolution is given in effective pixels (not total pixels). In the lens row, the equivalent 35mm focal length range in millimeters is stated in parenthesis, followed by the filter thread diameter. The focal length range is approximate due space constraints in the chart. For example, the range for the XF100 / XF105 is stated as (30-304) when it’s actually 30.4-304mm. I.AF in the focus row stands for Instant Auto-Focus, and the linked brochures for each camcorder go into more detail about the various focusing technologies. The video row gives only the maximum resolution and frame rate for that model; all of these camcorders offer a variety of resolution and frame rate options. The same is true for the format row. The number before the format, such as 50 MXF, indicates the maximum bit rate in megabits per second. In the included and optional battery rows, the figures in parenthesis to the right of the battery model numbers are the approximate endurance in hours and minutes for typical recording with the LCD screen open. The various camcorder user manuals, linked below, will provide more specific details regarding battery endurance in recording and playback modes under various conditions. In the row for the power adapter and battery charger model numbers, a “+” indicates both items are provided whereas a “,” indicates a separately available item. For example, CA-930 + DC-930 refers to the combination of the power / charger unit and the camera connection cable that goes with it. Meanwhile CA-946, CG-800 refers to the included power adapter and the separately available battery charger.
Be advised that the indicated prices shown on this page are at or near the full MSRP (the manufacturer’s suggested retail price) and may not reflect current discounts and promotions offered by dealers. In most cases — that is, for all models except those most recently announced — the actual amount charged by a dealer will most likely be well below the prices given here.
| Canon XF series Camcorders for 2019H2 | ||||
| HD | 4K | |||
| model: date: sensor: |
XF100 XF105 (2.2011) 2.07 Mp 1/3″ |
XF200 XF205 (7.2014) 2.91 Mp 1/2.84″ |
XF400 XF405 (9.2017) 8.29 Mp 1.0″ |
XF705 (9.2018) 8.29 Mp 1.0″ |
| lens: max ap. w-t: focus: im. stab.: |
10x (30-304) ⌀58 f/1.8 – f/2.8 5-mode TTL + I.AF 4-mode SR OIS |
20x (27-576) ⌀58 f/1.8 – f/2.8 5-mode Hybrid + I.AF 7-mode SR OIS |
15x (26-383) ⌀58 f/2.8 – f/4.5 Dual Pixel AF 3-mode OIS+EIS |
15x (26-383) ⌀58 f/2.8 – f/4.5 Dual Pixel AF 3-mode OIS+EIS |
| depth: video: format: |
8-bit 4:2:2 FHD 60i 50 MXF, 25 MP4 |
8-bit 4:2:2 FHD 60i 50 MXF, 35 MP4 |
8-bit 4:2:0 UHD 60p 150 MP4, XF-AVC |
10-bit 4:2:2 UHD 60p 160 XF-HEVC* |
| SDI, GL, TC: EVF & LCD: media: |
no / SDI, GL 0.24″ & 3.5″ 2 x CF + 1 x SD |
no / SDI, GL, TC 0.45″ & 3.5″ 2 x CF + 1 x SD |
no / SDI 0.24″ & 3.5″ touch 2 x SD |
12G-SDI, GL, TC 0.46″ & 4.0″ touch 2 x SD |
| proc: incl. batt: opt. batt: |
DiG!C DV III BP-925 (2:00 / 1:40) BP-970G (6:05 / 4:55) |
DiG!C DV 4 BP-955 (2:30 / 2:30) BP-970G (3:40 / 3:40) |
Dual DiG!C DV 6 BP-828 BP-820 |
Dual DiG!C DV 6 BP-A30 BP-A60 |
| pwr, chrgr: weight: price: |
CA-930 + DC-930 1.24kg / 1.29kg <$2,500 / <$3,000 |
CA-930 + DC-930 1.91kg / 1.96kg <$3,500 / <$4,000 |
CA-946, CG-800 1.66kg / 1.67kg <$3,000 / <$3,500 |
CA-CP200 L, CG-A20 2.66 kg <$7,000 |
| * 160 XF-AVC to be added via future firmware update. | ||||
Features Common to All XF series Camcorders
All Canon XF series camcorders include selectable Neutral Density filters, vectorscope, waveform monitor, focus assist, 2-channel 16-bit 48 kHz audio recording, two XLR audio input jacks, HDMI output, headphone jack, USB Mini-B, LANC remote jack, built-in stereo microphone and a removable external mic clamp. All include two primary flash card slots for dual recording or relay recording purposes.
XF100 / XF105 Support
CUSA product page (XF100) CUSA product page (XF105)
Brochure · Firmware · Press Release · User Manual
XF100: Adorama Amazon
XF105: Adorama Amazon
The compact XF100 and XF105 are the smallest and lightest of the XF series, and also have the shortest zoom range. They record Full HD at 50 Mbps in the MXF file format to two Compact Flash cards. An SD card slot is used for moving image profile settings between cameras. These camcorders have one control ring on the lens barrel which can be assigned to either zoom, focus or iris. There are ten assignable buttons and a customizable control dial. The XF105 adds two jacks, for 3G-SDI and GenLock.
XF200 / XF205 Support
CUSA product page (XF200) CUSA product page (XF205)
Brochure · Firmware · Press Release · User Manual
XF200: Adorama Amazon
XF205: Adorama Amazon
The XF200/205 may well represent “the best of both worlds” by combining some popular features of its big brother, the XF300/305, into a medium-sized body. It is a single-CMOS camcorder like the XF100/105 but it has three control rings on the lens barrel for zoom, focus and iris. The 20x lens is the longest focal length in the XF line and stops down to only f/2.8 at its maximum zoom, which is equivalent to nearly 600mm in 35mm terms. The XF200/205 records Full HD at 50 Mbps in the MXF file format to two Compact Flash cards, and an SD card slot is provided for a third simultaneous MP4 recording. There are thirteen assignable buttons, LAN, WiFi with IP streaming capability, and a rotating hand grip. The XF205 adds four jacks, for 3G-SDI, GenLock, TimeCode and composite analog video output.
XF300 / XF305 Support
CUSA product page (XF300) CUSA product page (XF305)
Brochure · Firmware · Press Release · User Manual
XF300: Adorama Amazon
XF305: Adorama Amazon
The large XF300 and XF305 are the biggest and heaviest of the XF series. The ample body size allows for a three-chip CMOS image sensor array and a larger diameter lens than the other models, providing the fastest maximum aperture of the XF line, at f/1.6, stopping down to only f/2.8 at full telephoto. The XF300/305 records Full HD at 50 Mbps in the MXF file format to two Compact Flash cards. An SD card slot is used for moving image profile settings between cameras. The center-mounted LCD monitor has a unique dual-swing design that allows it to be positioned on either side of the body. These camcorders have three control ring on the lens barrel for zoom, focus and iris. There are thirteen assignable buttons. There is an analog component HD/SD video output. The XF305 adds four jacks, for 3G-SDI, GenLock, TimeCode and composite analog video output.
XF400 / XF405 Support
CUSA product page (XF400) CUSA product page (XF405)
Firmware · Press Release · Spec Sheet · User Manual
XF400: Adorama Amazon
XF405: Adorama Amazon
Equipped with a large one-inch CMOS sensor, the XF400 and XF405 are the first XF series camcorders to offer 4K UHD recording capability. Roughly the size of the XF100/105, these camcorders actually bear greater physical similarity to Canon’s XA series product line, with a removable top handle that allows for a very slim and compact camera configuration. The XF400/405 borrows a substantial amount of technology directly from the Canon Cinema EOS C200 (such as its ND filter turret design, image processors, 4K MP4 recording format, Dual Pixel AutoFocus, Wide DR Gamma and other features), and is in fact well-positioned as a companion camcorder to that particular cinema camera. These camcorders have one control ring on the lens barrel which can be assigned to either zoom, focus or iris. There are five assignable buttons plus an assignable touch-screen area. They are equipped with LAN, WiFi with IP streaming capability, and Bluetooth. The XF405 adds a 3G-SDI jack.
XF705 CUSA product page · Support
Firmware · Press Release · Spec Sheet · User Manual
XF705: Adorama Amazon B&H Photo Texas Media
As Canon’s new flagship of the XF professional camcorder line, the XF705 is substantially larger and heavier than the XF400/405 with the same lens, dual processors and image sensor. However, it uses the larger battery series from the Cinema EOS C200 and offers three separate lens control rings for focus, zoom and iris plus TimeCode, GenLock, and 12-G SDI for moving 4K video over a single cable. The main feature that sets the XF705 apart from the XF400/405 is its 10-bit 4:2:2 H.265 XF-HEVC recording codec, which handles 4K 60p video at 160 megabits per second (or Full HD 120p video at 180 Mbps). A future firmware update will add 8-bit 4:2:0 XF-AVC recording at 160 Mbps a variety of smaller bit rates). HDR video recording is possible via HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) mode for live broadcast or PG (Perceptual Quantization) for color grading and mastering. Dual Pixel AF with touch-focus and face detection, Wide DR Gamma, dual recording and relay recording are a few of the many features carried forward from the XF400/405. A large articulating four-inch LCD touch screen opens to the left or right side of the camera. The XF705 is also equipped with LAN and WiFi with FTP and live streaming capability. Please note that there is no corresponding non-SDI model XF700; there is only the SDI-equipped XF705.
Resources
The following sources were consulted while researching this buyer’s guide:
- “Canon Camera Museum Camera Hall: HD Camcorders” by Canon Inc.
- “Professional Camcorders Product Pages Index” by Canon USA.
- “2018 Professional Camcorders Catalog” by Canon USA.
- “Canon XF Series Camcorders,” a DV Info Net discussion forum.
