I have noticed, I have one for a test, that the zoomcontrol on the xl2 is not as good as on the xl1. It is very difficult to slow start a zoom and then speed up along the way!! This suprises me because you can "control" it much better from the camera. There is the button on the camera self and the menu has a zoom handle...
Could it be just this camera or.....

I didn't know there was one here in Holland already. Hmm, cool!

I think I've heard about this before from somebody else, but
until they hit the shops it seems they are all pre-production
models. So slight things might change.

Have they solved the lens noise problem, ie. the XL-1 and 1s, when you use the camera mike that it is supplied with?

I've never have had a problem with that personally. I don't know
whether the new 20x lens makes less noise. Then again, you
really should record of a boom-pole anyway (for dramatic work).

tell you the truth I have not had the time to test that...But I know for fact that on many pro cam's you can hear the motorzoom. So I would never worry about that...The camera is quite a bit heavier and not as light sensitive as I would like...compared to my old xl1 the difference is not that much... Rob I write articles for a dutch magazine called Video & audioReport (its for pro's not in the shop) and I have a pre-production one from canon themselfs...

Hey I know that magazine! How funny. I was hoping to get a
look at the camera myself for a little report here at DVi, but my
connections here in Holland aren't that great yet.

I assume your review will be in the magazine? Which issues? I'll
try to find one when its out, see what you have to say!