Yes there is:

LightWave model (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20360)
(there are tools to convert LW objects to other 3D apps, including Maya)

And you might try contacting the guy from this thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18325) to see what he has.

We run s-video from up to 4 cameras to a video mixer, run S-video from the mixer to a DV Deck, and then firewire to a PC for direct recording to a hard drive. We also run tape in the deck and cameras for emergency backup purposes.

Can someone recommend me a best Accessories Tripod & on camera light with batteries for XL-1s?
Which are the best solutions for event and wedding shooting?

Please recommend based on your experiences…

Both of these topics have been covered extensively. Use the search button and you'll find numerous threads about tripods for XL1s. The names that easily come to mind are Vinten, Sachtler, Miller, Bogen (Manfrotto) and Gitzo.

You find light recommendations also if you search. You can access our archives by using the link in the upper right corner of this window or use the link in my signature.

I understand the image quality is better with the XL1S than the XL1, but, is it a very noticealble difference. Had a chance of buying a XL1 off Ebay for 1,000.00. And i understand they don't manufacture the the XL1 anymore. So I hesitated at the moment. Is it worth the extra 2500.00 or so to invest in the XL1S? Or if I find a good deal on a used XL1, should I go for it. That's the real question. I've rented the XL1 b4, nice results. I am a videographer/filmmaker, and want something in my hands that I can be comfortable in knowing that what I can deliver will be broadcast quality, etc.. in conjunction with Final Cut 4 & my G4 MAC... Of course I know that it takes more than just pointing a camera and shooting in the long run. Anyway, as I said, I'm torn... Any feedback on my dilemma would be greatly appreciated.

Joe

Point number one:
You would not have gotten an XL1 off Ebay for $1000. You would have been scammed, and had your $1000 stolen from you. No one sells a $2500 camera for $1000. Consider yourself very VERY lucky you hesitated. Rule #1 of buying online is "IF IT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS".

Point number two:
You are worrying too much about what camera to buy. To answer your question, there is visualy *almost* no difference in the picture between the XL1 and XL1s. Apparently the XL1s has a slight edge in low light conditions. I've used both, and have edited footage from both together seamlessly. If you need a "broadcast quality" camera, either will suffice. I don't feel the need to point out the improvements in the XL1s over the XL1 because you've already done your homework on that count, right?
Only you can tell if the extra features are worth the extra money. In my case, they weren't, so I bought an XL1. Then I bought another.

Hello,
I need to get a wireless lavalier microphone system. I would prefer a camera mounted system for my canon xl1s. I'm filming weddings so I need something gggrreat:) Do any of you have suggestions for me, I'm going with a uhf for sure but im not sure what brand to go with. As far as budget goes I would like to get something from 200-500. thanks

Read this How not to get scammed... (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6819) thread and the
condensed article (http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/buyersguide/ebay.php)!!!

Try the Sennheiser Evolution series. It works stable and the receiver fits perfectly on the MA-100 plate. I use it now for more than one year and the best is that you can use Sennheiser (and other?) mics just connecting the radio-block to it.

Markus

Yep i'm n the sennheiser camp. I've ot the EV100 with the SKP-100 XLR adapter, it sure is good. Don't get me wrong there are other good makes but for some reason in my view sennheiser just tops them all.

All the best,

Ed

Hi all!

I've been offered to buy a Libec H50 fluid head and wanted to check if anyone here knows how well it would work with an XL1?

In the specs it says the H50 is for cameras between 18 and 22 lbs and as the XL1 is quite a bit lighter I'm worried that balancing isn't going to work. Has anyone got experience on using the XL1 with such an overdimensioned head? Is it a bad idea?

Many thanks,

Ola

Hi, does anyone have any experience of using the OPTEX wide angle adapter on the standard 16x lens.
Is there any loss of quality, light etc.
Regards all
Dave

If you use the rear-mounted 1.6X teleconverter extender lens on the xl1 or xl1s, do you get vignetting when backing the zoom off? What are some of the downfalls of the rear-mounted zoom versus the front-mounted zoom?

I have recently listed my Canon XL1s camera and accessories on several sites to sell. Everything is in excellent condition and is just like brand new. Unfortunately, I don't know how much cameras depreciate so I don't know how much I should expect to get as a fair price? I understand its hard for people to buy something without seeing it. That scares me too. Most the people are so far away its too far to meet them to show them the camera. All I can do is tell them its like brand new with no scratches or dings and has around 10 hours or less of use and they have to take my word for it. Is there a better way to sell the camera. If I took it to a Canon dealer, would they appraise it or critique it and give me a copy of their assessment to send to potential buyers? I paid over $4400 for all my stuff, including the kata bag and extender lense, plus camera and kit. Am I out of line wanting to get around $2800 for a camera, everything in the kit which includes battery, charger, dc coupler, remote control and batteries which were never used, manual, and all the wires, plus a 1.6X extender lense only used a few times that still has the original caps and pouch? If so what should I expect to get as a fair price? Basically, I am asking for help from anyone who can give me advice on the best way to sell my camera. I do truly have a camera in mint condition, I just need a way to prove that so someone buying it knows exactly what they are getting. I would appreciate any help you could give me.

Personally I think your price is dead on. Sooner or later you should find a buyer.

together with my xl1s i have two ew122p lav kits and an me66.
i made an interview using the lav and even though the audio monitor signed good sound level (up to 12db and +) when i heard it after (simply connecting my xl1s to a TV), sound was so low that i had to turn up the volume to the max (having bad quality sound). what was wrong? what audio level should i get in order to have a good ""full" voice ? Or maybe is not only a matter of db on the audio monitor?

p.s.
for me, using the headphone is not such a good way to monitor because i am usually close to the talent and his/her voice covers or influences the voice coming through the headphone

thanks

Hi Gale

I have the no vignetting at the widest zoom setting.

The only minor inconvenience I find is now the whole lens barrel is pushed out further as I always use the 'manual focus' button for focusing (I never use auto-focus), I now have to extend my fingers out a bit further.

First, use the VU meter to check audio record levels. They should peak close to 0 dB, and the average level, depending on program material, should be around -12 dB. Using AGC tends to keep things in line if you do not have time to ride levels and you are not trying to preserve the dynamic range of the original program.

Different monitors and TV receivers may have different input sensitivity levels. Best to fine tune levels in post when editing to ensure they are appropriate for the program material. The voice over level for a used car ad is far different from that used by the commentator at green of a golf match.

Unless you have well calibratd ears, head phones tell you if something is drasticaly wrong; e.g., mic disconnectd o or gross clippng. Apparent head phone level/loudness is a function of the headphone sensitivity as well, and some headphones do not work well with the Canon - they require too much power.

i have no clue about price, but i do know that it's pretty easy to get some free space on the web to post a picture or two for people to check out.

heck, email me two reasonably sized photos and i will host them for you for a week for free. no problem.

then you just edit yer post where you are selling the item and direct people to the link. pretty simple and will definately help sell your camera.

send the photos to:
designteam@unresort.com

(not the yahoo address in my profile)

well, i just bought the H35 and so far, i love it. see this post-->

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22851

this is the head that my dealer recommended so as not to be overkill.
i did not tryout the H50 so i guess i am of not much help. good luck!

Hi Matthew,

Thanks for your reply, unfortunately the tripod has already been sold to someone else for £180... :(

Ola

I use a Canon EF 100-400mm lens with my Xl-1s. My main subject matter is wild life/ Natural History. Does anyone have suggestions for minimising shake. especially at high magnification?

Yesterday, I had to shoot a talking head--simple! It was a one-time deal, no going back.

1.) Person in chair, sat relatively still, no moving forward or backward within depth of field.

2.) Camera on tripod, fixed image size--no zooming in or out.

3.) Always shoot in "Manual" mode.

4.) Auto-stabilizer "off."

5.) Auto-focus set to "Manual."

When I got the footage home and looked at it, every minute or so it appeared to go slightly out of focus then come back into focus as if the auto-focus were trying to find itself. I looked at the lens and the focus switch is set on "manual".

Have any of you ever had this happen or known anyone that has?

Thanks!

Jim,

This question has been covered many times on this site. I myself have asked it before.

Les Bosher just across the water from you in Wales sorted me out and I am very satisfied with my lens support for this lens on the XL1.

His web site is www.lesbosher.co.uk/default.htm

I took mine over to him so I have seen his facilities and wildlife camera operators from every corner of the globe send their cameras to him. I admit not many are XL1's more like Arriflex and Aaton and what I had wasn't cheap but at the end of the day over here I couldn't find anyone else with a better solution and Les was very helpfull.

Basically I use a converted Arri Matte Box Interface with extended support bars and obviously you can use this for other lenses and add a matte box etc.

A decent tripod is also a must and a steady hand goes a long way but at extreme telephoto on a windy day, don't expect too much!

Gareth Trezise

Thank Gareth,

I checked out the web site. Its exactly what I have been searching for on the net for some time.

Jim

I had the wonderful opportunity to use an XL1S this weekend as I'm DPing an independent film my friend's shooting in Victoria right now. He indulged and bought an XL1S for the shoot, so I get to use it for the next few weeks.

This will most likely be old news to all of you who already own one, but I can't get over how well this camera seems to be designed. I was comfortable with it within 5 minutes of picking it up; everything is so well placed and convenient. Now I know what all the buzz is about!

Glad you like it! Let us know how the shoot goes <g>

Anyone got idea “WHEN” the canon Xl-1s will be discontinue ?!!!, after the new model XL2 ???? How about the Re-sell value???

No-one knows. Even if a replacement hits the market the XL1S
will still be in stores around the world for some time (due to stock).

Resell value is also unknown, but the "old" XL1 still has a good
resell value over the XL1S to give you an indication.

Hi folks

Which wide angle adapter to use on the XL1 for use on the Glidecam V16? Or should I go with the 3X lens? I understand that the 3X lens has no stabilization. But if I'll be flying the XL1 on the V16, I don't think I need the lens stabilization at all, right?

Thanks

Correct, you won't need the lens stabilization with the Glidecam.

3x lens is great. The Century .7x zoom-through for the 16x lens is also great for its flexibility. The .6x is only partial zoom through so you would have to remove to shoot telephoto.

Without having any idea what you are shooting, it's not an absolute necessity to shoot wide angle with a stabilizer--longer lens stuff can look terrific also.

For those who have used the XL1s for green screen footage...what mode is better to use normal or frame mode...or does it really matter?

Hey guys, here's a question...

I'm using the MA-200 shoulder pack with my XL1S and i tried using an AKG C568 Shotgun mic. Obviously this mic need phantom power and i guess i was mistaken to think that the camera would provide this. How much power can the camera provide through the DC line to the shoulder pac. Also, as i am a novice, how do i get a phantom power mic to work with the camera? Thanks for you help.

- Steve

Disclaimer: I haven't got any experience with this, so these
thoughts are from thinking about it.

I'd say shooting in interlacing is going to be hell with green
screening. You can't do de-interlace before the green screen
removal since it will probably mix green with your subject on
the intersections. After the green screen removal there might
not be enough information to do a very good interlacing removal.

Shooting in interlaced does yield a resolution increase though.
Why not run some tests? But my feeling tells me you should
probably shoot in frame mode at high shutter speeds (to remove
any motion blurring that will trouble your key extraction. And you
can add motion blurring later to only the green screen layer
anway).

The 5 volt output is spcifically intended for a few Canon accessories such as the MA-100, MA-200, a RFU (channel 3/4 output adapter) and some of the Canon mics. Most third party mics looking for phantom power expect 48 volts. Conecting another load to the 5-volt jack may cause problems if the load is excessive.

Does anyone used VITAN VL-80 VIDEO LIGHT (NEW 100W VIDEOLIGHT ) before? Campatible with Xl-1s on Camera light shoe?
Does it share with same camera batt?


Here the links:
http://www.michaels.com.au/video/videoacc.htm

I have ordered a Power2000 ACD625 Battery for my XL1 on 9 February from Bugeyedigital.com (got the address somewhere on this site's forum). The service I received from these guys was not great.

I got confirmation from them that the order was received and that was it! I have e-mailed them about 4 times - I only got a reply once. I phoned them three times from South Africa and got some excuses: problem with suppliers,etc. but with the promise: shipment will arrive in 5 days and then the battery will be shipped to me..... That never happened. Today is 7 April 2003 and I have officially cancelled the order telephonically. NOW suddenly I get an e-mail confirming my cancellation. At least, they did not charge my credit card! These guys price and shipment charge was very good - that's why I have chosen them. A pity they could not deliver the service I expected. If you want a good price, use these guys but I don't think you will ever get the equipment! Perhaps I was just unfortunate!

Well, I still do not have the Power2000 Battery and I am still looking for one. I have read good reviews about these batteries on this forum. I have been looking on Internet for suppliers that are willing to ship internationally (to me in South Africa) but most suppliers do not do that and those who do, charge an arm and a leg for the delivery!

Any ideas??

Best regards
Danie
South Africa

I'm thinking of getting a xl1 (not necessarily s) pal. How much would these go for now since they've been out a while?
Nathan

about 2000.
i have one. wanna buy it?
pal kicks butt, lemme tell ya. i use dvfilmmaker's "atlantis" software to create ntsc footage (so you can put it on dvds, watch it on a tv, put it back to regular tape, etc). the resolution beats ntsc, and so does the color, and oh yeah the 25 fps frame rate!
there really is a noticeable difference. and if you're thinking of shooting for a film look, or to transfer something to a film print, pal is the only way to go.
...but you probably know all this already, since you're looking for a pal camera.

one of the best /stylish audio adapter for canonxl1s fixes beneath. An affordable product.watch the link
http://beachtek.com/dxa4c.html

cheers

vamshi

While filming a funk/jazz concert, on tripod on a stage next to the sounddesk, everything on manual, i discovered with every bassvibration the image goes out of focus.
I had forgotten to turn off the stabiliser however. Could this be the cause for this problem?? thanx for your help!

According to a press release we received from Canon Broadcast, laying out what they will show at NAB2004, it seems unlikely we will see such an announcement at NAB2004.

See the full story at www.abcdv.com

Yippee !!! At least I won't have to suffer the pain of knowing I bought my XL1S weeks before it was officially made obsolete !

Direct links to the various Canon press releases are in my post here (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24454). Remember, Canon's Broadcast Lens division has *nothing* to do with Canon consumer camcorders.

You could draw the conclusion that there won't be an XL1S replacement from Canon at NAB from the fact that the current XL1S rebate hasn't expired yet. Typically, new models aren't announced until the rebates on current models go away.

However, you can't draw the same conclusion from the broadcast lens division announcements, because that division isn't related to the XL1S or any other Canon camcorder. Canon's broadcast lenses division and consumer camcorder division are totally unrelated. Hope this helps,

Is the Light Wave mini mount the only alternative to the mic mount supplied with the XL1?

I have an AT 835 shotgun and need to get an on-board mic mount. Thanks.

I've renamed the thread to make it a bit more clear what you
are looking for.

Thanks for the help, Rob.

I'll probably spring for the Light Wave if I need to do so. I'm curious if others have found any other mounts worth considering.

I wonder if any fellow XL1-cammers have experience/feedback on the following Reinhardt windshield. See link:

http://www.reinhardt-film.com/Windshields.html

The price seems to be very reasonable - claims 12dB noise reduction (??)

See also http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3319&item=3809117756&rd=1

Any comments?

Regards
Danie

I was wondering/hoping if any experienced XL1s users could give me some advice as to whether this camera is suitable for my requirements.

I have been shooting fireworks with consumer camcorders (mostly Sony, single CCD ones) for the last five years and have been very pleased with the results, but want to make the next step to a better quality camera.

In this time I have identified a number of things that I would consider critical to getting good results with fireworks and wonder if the XL1s can cope with or meet these:

Focus:

As most fireworks shooting requires manual focus and in most cases also focus to infinity, how easy is the XL1s to focus to infinity - bear in mind I would have to do this in the dark, often with no frame of reference? Consumer camcorders have the luxury of a focus to infinity button, which I have to say, is very useful.

I know I would be able to autofocus then switch to manual to lock it, but sometimes there is nothing to focus on (until the fireworks start)

Does the XL1s (stock lens) have a position for infinity marked (or if I marked it myself, would it be consistently in the same spot regardless of how much I was zoomed in?).

Are there any alternative lenses that physically stop rotating when they get to infinity that I can get in the UK for this camera?

CCD Smear:

Searching through this forum is seems vertical smearing is something we all have to live with, but I have noticed that the amount of smearing is not reduced the more money you spend on a camera. The problem here is, another critical issue for me, I produce a lot of material for the web and rely on still image grabs (these show the actual firework effects as perceived by the naked eye better than a long exposure digital camera or SLR shots). Fireworks when they explode, produce a huge flash of light, on a dark sky, and this is a major cause of vertical smear.

I would expect some of course, but how is the XL1s compared to other brands?

Other posts in this forum about green vertical lines are a bit worrying.

Here is an example of extremely bad smear from a Sony which ruins both the footage and the still image:
http://www.firework-review.org.uk/exampleofverticalsmear.JPG

Viewfinder & Panning up/down:

Fireworks shooting is a mix of having the camera horizontal then right up to almost vertical. Is the XL1s physically easy to handle in this way? Consumer camcorders have a useful LCD screen which means you can just move the thing around in front of you as you like without hurting your back, with the XL1s I am going to have to film in a completely new way. I guess this would be the same challenge as anyone filming an air show, so, are there any problems here?

In the opinion of people who have also perhaps made the move from cheaper consumer camcorders to something better, is the viewfinder a better way to film than using an LCD screen?

I really like the look and specs of the XL1s but as I am filming a subject that is quite extreme in terms of its technical demands I thought I had better do a bit more research first.

Many thanks in advance for any input anyone can give.

Pete

Pete,

I recorded fireworks last year with my then brand new 953. You are indeed correct about manual focus to infinity. The 953 and the standard IS II lens on the XL1s have servo controlled focus rings. A manual/servo barrel marked focus 16x zoom lens is available for the XL1s which might suit your requirements.

As for getting the focus correct before the show starts, try to get set-up during daylight hours. Poijnt the camera at a distant object and manually focus. Now your are set for infinity. It's much harder IMO to pre-guess the aperture/shutter combo that will be needed.

Both the 953 and XL1s shoot in frame mode which will create nice frame grabs for your web work.

As for tilting and panning, you can buy external LCD monitors for the XL1s that mount on the shoe atop the viewfinder. Highly recommended for trying to follow fast action. I hope you are going to shoot from a tripod. If so, be sure to disable the image stabilization on the XL1s cause it will lag with quick movements.

As you mentioned Pete, some vertical smear is inevitable due to the high contrast ratio of the subject material. DV doesn't handle high contrast ratios very well.

I can pretty much assure you that with proper technique and accessories, the XL1s will deliver the goods for you.

Hope this helps.