Hi Chris,

Search through our "Support Your Local Camera" forum -- this topic has been discussed fairly heavily in the past.

Hi folks,
I am going to Hangzhou in June with my XL-1. My only issue would be to recharge batteries. What adaptor would I buy?

Thanks!

Eric Gompper

Hi,
I am going to Hangzhou in June by way of Shanghai. Are camera related accesories way cheaper there? Should I be trying to buy wish-list items? I was thinking of the wide-angle lens, a Sennheiser mike etc...I could go on and on of course! : )

Thanks!

Eric

Hi,

I'm fairly new to this camera (and lenses in general), and have a couple of questions.

I have been reading up a lot on the lenses supplied with the canon xl1s. Since I'm renting the XL1s soon I wonder if the broadcast lens is worth the extra price. What I want to create is a lot of very photographic-like shots where the object is focused, but the background (very) blurry. Now, on a reflex camera I can do this perfectly, but since video lenses seem to be quite different, I was wondering if:

1. it can be done with the standaard IS II lens?
2. what can be done more with the 16x manual servo?
3. I'm gonna use a pushcam dolly - do I need an extra person to control the focus while driving with the 16x manual servo or is it better to use the standard lens, which seems to have autofocus?

I have read the dvinfo article on the lens, but I'm still missing the info above. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot!

-- Frank

Both lenses will give you a nice dof at low f numbers and long zoom shots. Forget the autofocus on the white servo lens. The only useful purpose it has is when you hit the push af button to temporarily have the camera find focus in run and gun situations.

The manual lens has precise control and will accept a follow focus device.

You will need a nice monitor for this and preferably, the high contrast black and white viewfinder.

The white 16x auto lens is a handheld lens. The black 16x manual is a tripod lens.

Eric;
Be carefull. I bought a WV-DR7 Tape Deck from Japan, super piece of gear. Needed a repair after about a year. Contacted Sony, they said they would repair the unit in the US for, as I recall, about one hundred sixty dollars. Sent the unit in, got a call later stating this was a hi quality piece of equipment and because it was from Japan the cost of repair would be six hundred fifty dollars plus. Complained to no end, no results. If I didn't want it fixed, they would return it prepaid.
In addition, all the instructions were in Japanese. However, I was provided, by the seller, a limited instruction sheet in English.

I like the unit very much; But I would hesitate to buy that way again.

Ron

Hi folks,
I am going to Hangzhou in June with my XL-1. My only issue would be to recharge batteries. What adaptor would I buy?

Thanks!

Eric Gompper

hello eric,

here is a link

http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/45796.htm

greetings

I've been having some weird experiences with my XL1s and now I need some answers from the pro's here.

1) When you have the Image Stabilization turned on while you are panning, do you notice that the panning isn't really smooth as if the video is trying to keep up with the movement? Also, when you stop panning, do you notice that the image kind of moves up or down slowly and eventually stops?

2) When you are filming an event such as a wedding, do you even use IS?

3) If you use IS or not, when panning using your fluid head tripod, do you crank up the fluid so there's a slight drag for smooth movement? I use to keep it pretty loose and then lock it down when I get to my focusing point. But I've noticed that the video is always shakey when I lock the pan down. Now I think I'm just going to crank up the fluid so when I stop panning, the camera will stay still immediately without having to lock it down. Does anyone use this practice?

Thanks,
Eric

I have had pretty good luck with the OIS handheld.On sticks though it's a different animal.Any changes you make to the head are not going to help.Even a dead stop will result in drifting because the OIS reads your pan and tries to stabilizer when you stop.There are times when subject movement can be read and cause the stabilizer to drift as well.Don't use it when mounted.(page 40 of the manual).And yes adjusting head so there is a little drag seems to work better.Trial and error will determine how muck suits you.

Page 40 of the Manual? Who has time to read the fricken manual? hahaha

Thanks for your comments. :)

Eric

Thank you Karl!

I'll will be using my XL1s tomorrow for the first time. I will be shooting a hockey game. Usually I set my Canon 20d to an ISO 0f 400-800 and my Tv around 250. So I'm assumming that I would set my Gain to 0 and again my Tv to 250 does this sound right?

Any suggestions would be awesome.

Thanks

Assuming your shooting video with XL1S, I've always used manual exposure at shutter of 60 and exposed to let the ice go slightly high.using 250 you may experience some"stuttering" of the video although it would depend on your angles.Even the fast action of hockey looks good at 60

Hi,

well I am new to this forum, but am currently working with a Canon XL1.
I am searching for a solution to calculate the depth of field - well, found
the formulas, and all the data.... - so it's not 'yet-another-discussion
about DoF ;)...

The problem is the circle of confusion - I do not know the paramenter
for the Canon XL1s. Could someone help me out? As soon as I have
the parameter I will post a nice piece of Software for a PocketPC
onto this forum ;)

All the best, and thanks for the help!

Artur

The problem is the circle of confusion - I do not know the paramenter for the Canon XL1s.

Artur,
Chris Hurd posted a link to a DOF Plotter (http://www.dof.pcraft.com/dof.cgi) in another DOF thread here. The text describing the circle of confusion indicates a value of 0.033 mm can be used for "typical eyesight".

I use a Pocket PC and might use a DOF plotter on it if available.

Thanks for the answer,

the formulas in the articles are correct - as also the calculator is. But
there is one big problem with this article. It only considers the eye
with a CoC of 0.0333.

as the CoC can vary completely between different camera types
(seeing the eye as 'camera' it would have a CoC of 0.0333) the
CoC can vary completely.

e.g. for 16mm usually between 1/2'' and 1/1000'' and for 35mm e.g.
1/700'' to 1/500''. The problem is now to find the parameter for
the Canon XL1s. I did not find any accurate information anywhere,
altghough tons of calculation formulas. The only parameter that is
missing for my PocketPC software is the CoC of the Canon XL1s...

;) Maybe someone did already some more successful background
research...

All the best!

Artur

I've been using the Canon XL1s for over two years now and I've always been pleased with the visual image quality, but slightly annoyed by the camera's shortcomings when it came to using the lense, and having to rely on the push "AF" button to obtain quick focus of a shot, etc.

Even though I've had the camera for such a long duration of time, it's only now that I've ordered and recieved a 16x manual servo lense for the XL1s...and I am so pleased with it! I've worked with beta, and mainly DVCPro on a daily basis at my day job for the last three years, and now when I pick up my XL1s it feels and behave like I expect a pro camera to feel and behave like.

The XL1s combined with the MA-200 carrying a wireless reciever on the backend, and the 16x manual servo on the front end of the camera adds a bit of heft to the package, but really balances the camera out nicely.

Most people would definately suggest changing out the FU-500 color viewfinder for the FU-1000 B/W CRT, and they're reasoning is valid. I however will probably continue to use the FU-500 until I retire the XL1S, unless the coming XL3-HD camera will make use of the FU-1000 in which case I'll buy the FU-1000 with the comforting knowledge that it will carry over to the new generation of cameras as it did with the XL2.

HDV is here and HDV cameras are all around us with new ones just a month away, but operating my XL1s is now such a joy to use I will be putting it to rigorous use until the 2nd wave of HDV cameras arrive and the world validates the HDV format as generally accepted for a variety of uses.

I'm fairly new at this. I have had a XL1s for about 2 years and love it. I have found a used XL1 and could be great for a back up. First the camera seems to be pretty dusty, strap is dirty, but no scratches. Video & audio seems to be fine. Besides physical appearance, video & audio- are there any other things to look for to determine wear, head cond., etc. Also, what would be a fair price? Also there was a tape in the case and the video work was terrible- guessing the guy bought the camera somewhere else and couldn't handle it. Evident he's not the original owner. No extras except hard case. Investigate further or pass? Thanks

What lens is on it? At this point, the lens probably has a higher resale value than the body. If I were considering buying it, I would plan on sending the body in to Canon for a thorough cleaning and service, so thats going to be three hundred or more.

What's it worth to you? A grand? Eight hundred? Do a search on E-Bay for similar cams in the 'past' auctions, and see what they've gone for.

Does anyone experience on Azden WLX-PRO VHF Wireless Lavalier System with XL1s? Is the audio capture in broadcast quality ? Any suggestion?


"Azden WLX-PRO Camera Mountable VHF Wireless Lavalier System with WR-PRO Receiver and WLT-PRO Body Pack Transmitter/Lavalier Microphone"

Thanks
Andrew

i don't have any experience with this setup, but i've listened to a few of the azden shotguns and, while cheap, the sound quality is a little thin and wanting. if you can afford it, i'd get the mid-priced sennheiser g2 uhf 100 series instead. from a pure pricepoint to performance ratio, it's a solid buy. i've been using the senns for a few months now, and i'm totally into them.

as an aside, you should also post these non-camera specific audio qestions in the "now hear this" forum. there are some seriously knowledgeable audio folk in there.

OK, I know my XL1s has to go in for servicing (i've got the transport mechanism blues), but it really bothers me when I can't come up with a plausable explanation for odd behavior in my equipment. Has anyone experienced the following?:

Upon playback of a tape recorded by my XL1s I hear high pitched momentary beeps. There doesn't appear to be any regularity. If I hear them once, I know I will be hearing them throughout the tape. Those same beeps are heard when I play the tape back on my ever reliable GL1. Those beeps, when the video is imported into iMovie, play back as momentary static. I haven't tried to import into Final Cut Pro yet. I had headphones on during the entire 12 hours of recording video, and didn't hear anything like these beeps.

Any ideas as to why these beeps are occuring during playback?

I know that the XL1 lens is a IS lens, where the XL1-S lens is a IS II lens, but would the XL1 lens be compatible with the XL1-S body?
Thankye

I'm almost sure that's a yes, but I'm not completely sure.
I mean, you can use the 16x ISII from the XL1s on the XL2 too, so why wouldn't it work with the XL1, right?
Like I said, I'm not 100 procent sure, but I'm pretty confident the answer is yes.
Good luck!

EDIT: I looked it up for you at the dvinfo XL1s skinny, and it says there, so now I'm completely sure ;-)
Best regards.

It may be a tape dropout. Ie, it could not read/write from a certain frame and
audio blocks have been lost. That, besides a camer malfunction, is the only
thing I can think of. Head cleaning might be needed. However, do mention
this to Canon. It may be time that the tape assembly gets replaced in the
camera for example (which is likely since you've got problems with it already).

Sounds like this is another problem caused by your transport. However, that is
just a guess on my part.

Good luck, hopefully everything gets sorted out quickly!

All XL series lenses are compatible with all XL series camera bodies.

Hello everybody. Am I right or wrong here? The canon manual lenses (14x/16x) DO NOT have optical image stabilization, right? #2: ALL canon XL series lenses (even those for XL2) are compatible with ALL XL cameras? (would xl2 20x auto lens work on xlis/xl1?) Thanks, Clint Grant

The black manual 14x / 16x lenses do not have autofocus or image stabilisation. All XL-series lenses are fully compatible with all XL-series camcorders. Hope this helps,

Hello all,
Just joined up and really like the quality of the posts I've been reading. Well done on a good site. Something I've been wondering for ages (and I hope this doesn't count as a cross post or is too far off topic), is if anyone has any lens measurements from the 16X lens that you could enter as the virtual cameras properties in a 3D package in order to match the live and CGI elements? (I'm using Cinema 4D) How does one go about measuring this type of thing? Suppose I used a third party 35mm type lens with my XL1s and wanted to match that up, I'd have to account for the original lens measurements, plus whatever effect the adapter has upon the focal length etc. I'm sure there would be some tricky maths in there too somewhere...
It would be great to find out, punch in the numbers and feel that instant gratification!

http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/articles/article58.php

Perhaps this might be of some use?

Can the Xl1 be setup for time lapse shooting? I want to shoot a fixed scenic shot from sunrise to sunset....

Thanks for any help with this....

You mean the original 1998 XL1 and not the XL1S? There is no intervalometer function in the XL1, sorry. However you can use an external portable FireWire hard disk recorder such as the FireStore FS-4. It has its own intervalometer function. Connect it to the XL1 and you're good to go.

Hello I am a new user of a Canon XL1s and I've turned the Remote Control sensor of now I cannot turn it back on again. I tried pressing the menu button on the camcorder but it doesn't seen to respond or display the menu. Is there any reset button or something? I've tried the Instruction Manual, It tells you how to turn it off but not back on again (I tried doing the reverse, didn't work).

How can I turn the wireless remote control sensor back on again?

Need a quick response please!

Not sure about the wireless sensor setting of the XL1s, but if you remove both the main battery and the back-up (button) battery for a while (not sure how long it takes, have not needed to try it) the camcorder might reset ALL menu settings to factory defaults.

Hey guys, i tried posting this earlier but for some reason it never showed up on the forum. Anyways ive been looking for some accessories for my XL1 and found out that some of the stuff i need for good shoots is rediculously expensive (i.e. Matte Box, rail support system, follow focus setup etc) I am fairly mechanincally inclined and have friends in the machinist business so i would like to pursue building some of this stuff myself. I would like to know from the members of this board 2 things

1) what features would you add or have on some of these build your own accessories?

2) post or email any technical drawings, info, CAD files etc so that i can build these things

I will probably have a run of about 5 or 10 of each item made, because its cheaper in the long run, then i will sell them cheap, if they sell well, who knows, maybe ill have more made and sell them too for little or no profit, just to help the fellow filmmaker out, because 1000 bucks for a plastic mattebox setup is STUPID!

Hello Xl1ers,
I ahve been looking forward to a discussion room like this for a while. Ok i am off to film a documentary of a camel expedition from Leh
( Ladahk) to Pushkar in Rajasthan india. We are taking Two humped
(Bactrian) Camels to the one humped ( Dromedary) camel fair in Pushkar. I have filmed witht he canon in Pushkar last year and as you know the lens caught some beautiful light. www.camelodyssey.com is the website of the trip if you are interested. I have a few questions that i would love to have some answers for from people who have shot on the cheap in wild conditions.
i have notice there are people on here who shoot wildlife docos.

(1) has anyone shot with a canon xl1 in the himalaya's in ladahk? what should i take as precautions.
(2) what altitude can a canon xl1 handle, what pressure, does anything blow out?
(3) i have an insulated bag for storage of my gear at night so it remains a constant temp. outside shouldn't go below 0 C.
(4) anyone heard of canon bateries freezing?
(5) seeing we will be on the back of camels for 7 days at a time in between civilisations, recharging will be an issue. i come up with some solutions i was wondering if you have any more. We take some car batteries, i hook them up to my inverter and charge my canon batteries. I take a solar cell and it trickle feed the car batteries or we change them at each town along the way.
(6) Has anyone used a moter bike battery set up. where you have a motor bike battery ( 12 volts) on your body and you run it through a regulater down to 7.5 volts and run it straight into your camera? does anyone know of a device to do this. I have a regulater but have to do some tricky wiring. wilol the camera by fine on 7.5 volts even thought the batteries are 7.2?

please if you have any ideas on this subject to help me out i would be more than appreciative. this is going to be a big trip and shot on the fly and i want to make sure i get it without killing my gear.
cheers

Hey
You may be interested in reading the following thread which is about me shooting in the arctic with an XL1 and XL2:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=44994&highlight=arctic

It might answer a few of your questions as to operation of the camera in the cold. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me (but place them in the other thread, please).

All of the things you have mentioned have been homebuilt in the past. See the
following book (the author also frequents these boards):

http://www.dvcamerarigs.com/

There are also sites like:

http://homebuiltstabilizers.com/

Which have forums on a variaty of homebuilt equipment.

Good luck!

hai...i'm new member and 1 have 2 unit xl1s for wedding and company profile production. And now we want to expand our product to new indie film. Then we have a problem for buying or forum or organization for dv in my country (indonesia). oh ya...how can i see used or new item for 35 mm lens with that mounting adaptor? thx guy for the help

On my Canon XL1 I have this problem when I play back a tape...but I don't have it when I play these tapes on another XL1 or any other kind of camera...

At the end of the tape (lets say the last 5-10 min) I always get jumping frames, blocks in the frame and creeping sound.
Jumping frames : the bottom 1/3 part of the frames comes on top of the frame. So it sames that the frames scrols up 1/3
Blocks in the frame : The frames shows square block
Creeping sound : sometimes no sound at all, and sometimes noise

The XL1 has had a cleaning tape, it has been to the repearshop in the Netherlands (etbass.nl Canon repair shop).

But I still have the problem...
Any ideas...

Hi Ferry;
Take a look at my website for the various lenses and mounts. You can purchase 35mm still camera lens adapters from ZGC. They also have a system available for the 35mm film type lenses. chris@zgc.com
Best;
Ron

hello
everyone on here seems to be very knowlegable with there cameras...
im wanting to buy a second hand XL1 or XL 1-S system and after reading for the past 4 days about both of them im left a little confused...

can some one please help out with...

why go with XL1 or XL1 -S are there reasons to get one or the other... any advice would be much apreachiated. it seems you can buy both at more or less the same price and i just would like to know a little more before i buy one and then wish i had gotten the other...

long and short of it if you were me looking to buy an XL set up would you buy XL1 or XL1 -S ?

thank you for any help...

I'm currently building a micro35 adapter, but I'm not sure I'll have enough time to finish it before I start shooting a music video. I have the possibility to rent the broadcast lens for the XL1 and was told that this has a very good DOF already. It won't be 35mm like, but you can do some nice shoots already. So here are a couple of questions:

* Did any of you use the broadcast lens already? How is the DOF?
* What if I slap on another ND Filter, that will improve the blurriness of the backgrounds already
* Why can't I just put on one of the EF Lenses of out photo kit? We have a couple of lenses that would just be perfect. They work great with the Canon Rebel, so what prevents us to do the same with the XL1?

The questions I ask are because I don't own an XL1 ...

Thanks in advance for the help!

-- Frank

Broadcast lens? You mean the manual lens? The DOF on any 1/3" camera is limited but you can achieve nice results with some skill. You need to shoot longer, and avoid wider shots, also keep the iris open and use ND filters to control the light.

With a micro 35 adapter you will be adding a 7X magnification to any 35mm lens, just a matter of physics. This is only good for wildlife, sports, etc, where you are VERY far away from your subject.



ash =o)

"With a micro 35 adapter you will be adding a 7X magnification to any 35mm lens, just a matter of physics. This is only good for wildlife, sports, etc, where you are VERY far away from your subject."

You are talking about the adapter canon sells, right? Or really about the RedRock Micro35 DIY Adapter?

Thanks for the info so far!

-- Frank

Hi Erwin,

It may be wise to send the camera to Canon themselves (I have no real idea
how to do this here in NL since I never had to do that myself). That being
said, a couple of questions:

1. are you perhaps recording in LP mode?

2. what tape brand are you using? You may want to try some different brands (do USE a tape CLEANER before switching to the new brand [and if you switch back as well]!!!!)

3. are you seeing this effect on both a TV and when you capture to a computer?

It sounds like something is not 100% okay inside your tape mechanism.

Good luck!

Personally I would go for the XL1S. It has a couple of extra or different things
that can help greatly. Like you can instruct it not to turn of the camera after
not using it for a couple of minutes (on the XL1S it will just disconnect the tape
transport which is no problem). One thing I really found handy was the variable
zebra stripes.

For all the extra/changed features on the XL1S take a look at the following page:

http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/xl1s-skinny.php (clickable)

for all the reasons rob mentioned, plus it's greatly enhanced low-light performance (this actually blew me away when i first got the camera), and increased image control (sharpness, black level, etc.). check this article out:

http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/xl1s-skinny.php

i still love the images from the xl-1, and it's a flat-out bargain right now, but if you can find an xl-1s at a good price (i think there's one in the classifieds section now), i'd definitely go with the xl-1s.

It may be wise to send the camera to Canon themselves

Canon Belgium doesn't do repairs themself. They send it to the Nederlands

Are you perhaps recording in LP mode?

No only in SP.

What tape brand are you using?

Sony and TDK tapes. Just the cheap one. But after the cleaning, I'm now using the Panasonic Pro tapes, and they are better.

Are you seeing this effect on both a TV and when you capture to a computer?

Both on TV, camera and when I capture it on computer.

But when I play the tapes on an other XL1, the tapes are fine ??!!