In my short tests.....If you shoot the Canon XL-H1 in standard DV 16:9 24f mode at either 2:3 or 2:3:3:2.....it will record 24p footage to tape the same way the XL2 does in 2:3 or 2:3:3:2 mode. The footage, when captured will be treated identical in programs like Sony Vegas or Final Cut Pro, or whatever. Ok...that's no biggie. In this sense the XL-H1 "IS" an XL2. This is not news to us.

HOWEVER

Also in my short tests.....If you shoot the Canon XL-H1 in HDV (HiDef) 24f mode it will be automatically 2:3.....and it will record to tape as 24p footage. Ok...that's no big news either.

THE PROBLEM IS
(and it wouold be nice if someone can confirm this)

If you take that recorded HDV (HiDef) 24f 2:3 footage and use the in-camera DOWNCONVERT function, you will be able to capture it as regular DV no problem.....BUT......it will NOT be the same as if you captured standard DV 16:9 24f 2:3 footage! Theres no pulldown in it. (or at least I don't remember Vegas saying there was)

I am letting my buddy shoot a short film tommorow called "The Surrogate Photographer" (i think i told you guys about it) and we are just having a bit of fun. Only 3 of us for crew and 2 actors. Someting to do on a Saturday afternoon. But I don't know if I should shoot it in DV mode or HDV mode. I am not in the mood to 'capture & convert' the 24p HDV footage to 24p DV footage in Vegas. I would RATHER have 24p DV footage to begin with and still shoot in HDV by doing an in-camera downconversion and go that route. But if the downconverted 24p HDV footage doesn't transform to 24p DV footage, then imma just shoot in DV mode all day.

Anybody else ever tested this with their XL-H1?

- ShannonRawls.com