XL1 Gear from NAB, April 6th, Las Vegas

The images below are various frame-grabs from video I shot at NAB. The quality isn't too hot, which leads me to believe I might need to replace the battery in my Snappy. So, as soon as I can, I'll do these all over. For now, I hope you've got a napkin, because you might drool as much as I did over this cool stuff.

We'll start with a quick teaser... an XL1 flying on a Steadicam DV, the much-anticipated replacement of the Steadicam Jr. The EVF assembly has been removed to conserve weight. The OB mike is attached to the zoom grip with Velcro. I'll get some more shots of this winning combination up soon.

Portabrace showed off a very stylish custom-tailored rain slicker for the XL1. If I heard right, it's going to cost a lot but it looks like it's worth it. Their Traveller soft bag is ideal for transporting this weather-ready XL1.

The other side reveals the lower access flap for handheld use with the slicker on. The lack of clear plastic on this side should help to tone down the XL1's garish appearance for those who are trying to shoot discretely.

Anton Bauer joins the XL1 fray with an external battery rig which attaches to the MA-100 mike adaptor. Although effective and impressive looking, I can't help but think the high mounting method isn't going to help handheld balance much.

Here's a view with the battery removed, showing the mounting plate. In addition to supplying 7.2 volts to the camera, there's a pair of output jacks which simultaneously provide another 14.4 volts of power for OB lights, etc.

I saved the best for last... that honkin' fisheye on the business end of this XL1 is the wide angle lens adaptor from Optex, UK. The Canon 3x won't be ready until the end of summer but you might get your hands on this beauty in the meantime. It's a two-element lens, one is a .5x and the other is a .7x -- I framed a big poster on a wall from about six feet and saw nothing but straight lines. Felt like I was halfway across the room!

Maybe I'm just partial to big, beautiful pieces of glass and XL1's, especially when they're put together. This could be the best thing I saw at NAB. Canon's 3x is supposed have a 72mm thread and this lens should fit on the end of it... can you imagine the possibilities?

 

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Thrown together by Chris Hurd