Any guesses how long an XL1s might live for? If it was fairly well cared for that is. How many hours does everyone think you might get out of one of these suckers? Also, what's the typical life expectancy for the technology in the camera. I'm talking based upon the class of camera i.e. prosumer class. Say the XL2 is out now, how long before the XL1s becomes completely obsolete?

The XL2 is out now and has been for a while and it offers many things the doesn't and has improved many things. If possible, I would recommend going with an XL2, but I don't really know how long an XL1s would last for, I'd say maybe a couple of years if you aren't shooting in widescreen or 24p.

If not abused, the XL1 or XL1s should last long beyond availability of parts support for things that wear (e.g., heads, tape transport moving parts), which typically runs about 7 years past the manufcturing discontinue date.

So if the XL1s was discontinued in 2005, you can probably expect Canon support it to, say 2012 (but I ahve not verified this date with Canon). As we reach 2012 maintenance/repair support will be spotty and may be difficult to find.

As a point of reference, my Hi-8 Canon A1 Digital from 1991 still work the last time I tried it about 2 years ago.

As for technology, how long will the ability to shoot 4:3 SD TV be useful to you? When will you need to start shooting HD and/or native 9:16 exclusively?

Yeah, I guess the real issue is that eventually the technology is going to overpass the camera. For example, I have a decent EOS series still camera, film! I now use my much less valuable 6 mega pixel camera worth about $500. Oh well.

I recently sold a 35mm Canon A-1 camera built in the 70s. A HUGE mistake...

That was by far my favorite 35mm film camera to date, and I have yet to find one to outperform it, nor can I find an older A-1 of the same quality. Oh well... you live and learn