Note: Review all of the poll options carefully! You may choose up to four (4) poll options when you vote, but you can vote only one time. Choose carefully, because you cannot alter your vote once it has been submitted, nor can you vote again. So, put some thought into it! It's going to be tough to narrow all of these excellent suggestions down to your four favorites.

There is of course absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that Canon will act upon the results of this poll, but at least it will give them some idea of the changes you would most like to see in their XH series camcorders.

This poll was inspired by Michael Mann's "Firmware Upgrade Wishlist" thread located at http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82673

I voted for:

--Magnification works during recording
--Allow Peaking and Zebra together
--Option to flip image to tape and over video outputs
--Soft clipping / limiter in Manual Audio mode

Great poll Chris! I hope some of these changes are actually possible with a firmware upgrade.

Edit: I think I got a little confused on the magnification thing; I want it to only magnify in the LCD and VF, but not affect the actual recording, and have the option of magnifying on the analog output but not affecting the tape recording. This would be great for folks using a Marshall monitor etc. and a 35mm adapter. Ultimate focusing flexibility.

Barlow, I thought I paid you under the table to vote for "OIS mappable to Custom Key." It's not easy to pick just four! In fact I'm still thinking about what my other three will be.

LOL! Some tough choices there, but I guess you can't have everything. :)

I think I got a little confused on the magnification thing; I want it to only magnify in the LCD and VF, but not affect the actual recording, and have the option of magnifying on the analog output but not affecting the tape recording.Good point... the way I worded it was confusing (was: Magnification works during recording). Changed now to: F. Asst. Mag. on displays / analog out during Rec. (assume that the slash means and / or).

Oh, can I have one fantasy wish item that would become a new Canon product?

How about Canon actually making a shallow DOF 35mm adapter. Might make the A1 a nice little poor man's Red. :)

Sorry, back on topic.

Firmware, Barlow, firmware... but that's a great idea for the hardware wishlist!

Question for all, before this gets too far along... do we need this distinction:

Option to flip image (but not displays) in viewfinders
vs.
Option to flip image to tape and over video outputs

...or should they be grouped together as one option? Wouldn't an image flip on the CCD block (for recording to tape) induce an additional and somewhat significant processing delay? Or not.

Nice touch on the use of italics for what selections a forum user's choice was, Chris.

I voted while waiting for a render & had to make a decision for the last 2 choices & flipped a coin 8 times... 4 times for each (knowing full well what was the most important was & what my choice would be) & all 8 tosses ended up being for the least important. It was just for fun & didn't let it govern what the outcome was :)

Bill

I think you're right, Chris. It's more important to just flip the image in the displays if it doesn't induce a signifigant delay penalty.

How can I distribute campaign buttons & bumper stickers for OIS on & off & soft clipping?!

So far, both image flip options have one vote each -- I can combine the options but not the votes. Wonder if it's best just to wait until closing and tally them together as one, or merge them now while it's early? I have no idea.

How can I distribute campaign buttons & bumper stickers for OIS on & off & soft clipping?!

Stu, my address is available on request :D

Thoes are 2 of my top 4 btw.

Bill

How can I distribute campaign buttons & bumper stickers for OIS on & off & soft clipping?!

I'm with you! I can't believe [at this stage] there are more votes for displaying preset names than soft clipping.

Think of the audio folks! Hee! Hee! :-D

Okay, I went ahead and decided to combine the two image flip options into one (now you don't have to choose between them or waste a vote on both of them).

Was:

Option to flip image (but not displays) in viewfinders
vs.
Option to flip image to tape and over video outputs

Now:

Flip image in viewfinders (and maybe to tape, outputs)

Sorry for the ambiguous "maybe," but let's say that the vote is for adding some kind of image flip function, at the very least in the viewfinders, and possibly to tape as well assuming it doesn't result in a processing lag.

And I was able to move Barlow's vote over to the new option after all.

I just voted for the OIS custom key option. I don't want to overwhelm them by redesigning the camera.

I would, however, also have voted for slower focus shift speeds on the focus shift function, had it been on the list. Fast, faster and even faster doesn't cut it.

...slower focus shift speeds on the focus shift functionHow in the world did we miss this during the initial wish list callout? Beats me.

I thought we discussed it way back there.

Well, I hope I'm not crossing the line, but I went ahead and added it to the poll. It appears as the last option, at the bottom. My apologies to the 15 people who voted before this *final* poll update.

Oh, and I put your vote in there for you Bill. That's it -- no more changes!

I don't recall ever seeing this in all the previous posts over the past couple of months, but "Allow digital zoom in Standard Definition recording"? There is no digital zoom to begin with, or is there?

Doesn't matter to me, I wouldn't use it anyway, just curious how that got included in the poll.

Bill

Somebody had asked for it in our wish list callout thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=82673

Here's a big one for me: Not only do we need slower focus presets but I really want this--

Remap the actual execution of the focus pull to the AF button! I HATE THE SIDEWAYS PUSH YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET IT TO EXECUTE!! IT IS TOUGH TO DO WITHOUT NOTICEABLY JERKING THE CAMERA!! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE H1's TOO!!

whew, sorry for screaming.

B

I wish there was a way to send that preset position trigger over LANC, so you could toggle it the right way -- that is, without touching the camera at all.

Brilliant! :(

Sheesh, I'd just about buy Console if it added this feature via firewire. Just about...

Well i miss the options for better adjused of timelapse function and will be happy when also insert the slow motion function like hvx200
Please delete all photo function on these cameras this is a video camera

Ok, I voted for:

1. Clients come to my door.
2. Clients approve first round of edits as final piece.
3. Clients pay in cash, on the spot.
4. Clients bring in more clients.

Hmmm, I think that might do it.

How about one not on list. Have zebras only display in close range around set value. Not on everything above set value. Now when using zebras at 70 for face exposure everything in picture above 70 is sprayed with zebras. Impossible to see how rest of picture looks when face has proper exposure. Have to switch zebras on and off and eat up a preset.

Marty Kornfeld
Video Production Services

Too bad I cannot vote 4 times for the XLR custom switch :D

Now let's hope Canon reads this and considers it...

Go! Soft clipping... Come on soft clipping...

After using the camera for the first time in a run-and-gun situation today, I realize how much zebra and peaking at the same time would really help.

What would be the best way to forward our final poll results to Canon. Does anyone know a Canon contact person?

I am more than happy to put the final poll results into the hands of the Canon USA product development manager personally, as I've done before with the XL2 wishlist and other similar Canon-related projects.

Awesome! (as long as you put in a note that the slow focus option SHOULD have more responses:))

Go! Soft clipping... Come on soft clipping...

yea, what he said! :)

edited....

edited ....

Anyone else get the feeling of being at a horse race? :D

*edit* a slowwwwwwww one?

I am more than happy to put the final poll results into the hands of the Canon USA product development manager personally ...
That sounds promising, thank you, Chris.

I find myself using -3db gain when outside all the time, makes for a great picture, but sometimes I will use 6db or 12db in low light, but still need the 0db! It's a pain to go through the menus and change these options all the time.

Since the gain switch has 3 settings, why not make a custom key mappable to a particular gain setting? Or maybe the photo button, or exp. lock button?

Since the gain switch has 3 settings, why not make a custom key mappable to a particular gain setting? Or maybe the photo button, or exp. lock button?

Geez, this is a great one, could've used something like it this week.

Hey Chris, want to add this and give everyone one more vote? :)

Guess it'll have to wait for next time 'round. Or Maybe the A2 should be covered in custom buttons, dozens of 'em.

Something I just thought of, & I realize it's too late poll wise... but the idea of at least having a "shift" function for 2 additional Custom Keys would be nice to have. Such as pushing the 'set on the selection wheel' while selecting a CK button would enable CK's 1 & 2 to act as CK's 3 & 4. This can easily be done with one hand.

Seriously... 2 is NOT enough (Z1 has 6 I believe... right?) & this method makes much more sense than trying to "map" other buttons (photo, etc.) which would be more confusing.

Just my thought of the day.

Bill

Bill, you're absolutely right that 2 custom keys isn't enough - but we're talking firmawere upgrade here:). Besides, without any changes in hardware, I believe those 2 buttons could be getting much better use of, should more important functions be assigneable to them.

Also, unless I'm missing something, there is a button that could easily become the 3rd custom one: the custom preset on/off button. Really, using the custom preset select button would be enough, cycling through all presets INCLUDING the "off" position; whatever is selected with it could simply be activated, without the need for the on/off button!

Well, dreaming is nice - but for all this, we'll probably need to pay for a compeletely new model!

I have voted for:
- Move AE Shift function from menu to iris ring: I use auto modes quite a lot, and going through the menu to adjust this is a pain. I guess the iris ring is the right place for Auto and Tv modes, but it would have to be the shutter dial in Av mode.

- Display active C. Preset name (record and playback): I only have two CPs set up at the moment, so I can remember what they are, but if I ever go beyond 4, or start tinkering with them, it will be a bit of a lottery. Also, at the moment I'm "back announcing" the settings I've used at the end of the shot - when I remember. But I don't always...

- Soft clipping / limiter in Manual Audio mode: you never really know how loud a steam engine is going to be, so I normally make do with auto-level. If I knew I could trust a limiter when the saftey valves lift or the whistle is blown, I could manual levels.

- OIS On / Off mappable to Custom Key. This won over "Allow Peaking and Zebra together" and "Preset maximum Gain value for AGC", but only just.

Looking forward to the XH-A2 or XM3-HD...

I spent Saturday before last at the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire. Most of the day, I shot at 0db, and swapped between ND settings, just to see what happened. However, for the last few shots of the day, as dusk was falling, I really needed a dial so that I could pick any gain setting, rather than delving into the menu to reprogram the switch. I was deliberately underexposing, to exagerate the effect of the station lights, but even so...

Bill, you're absolutely right that 2 custom keys isn't enough - but we're talking firmawere upgrade here:)...... Also, unless I'm missing something, there is a button that could easily become the 3rd custom one: the custom preset on/off button.

Piotr, my suggestion would give us TWO more Custom Keys (and mapped to where it makes more logical sense) as opposed to your mere ONE extra :) Think about it. Put your thumb on the menu wheel... press inward, like you would to select something... while holding that in, press Custom Key 1 (in this scenario that would "shift" Custom Key 1 to being a Custom Key 3. Do the same for Custom Key 2... which would shift to become a Custom Key 4.

I would think this would be very easy to implement in firmware, but this idea of mine didn't make the cut, due to my brain not thinking of it from the getgo.

Unless... ummm... Chris wants to ummm... ahemmm... add it to the poll results he hands off to Canon :D

Bill

Bill, I do understand your brilliant idea - but with additional custom key (and the silly cp on/off button could easily become one, with the activating/deactivating a chosen preset moved to the cp select button), it would make 3x2=6 custom keys!

But again, the number of assignable functions would also have to be increased to actually benefit from that many custom keys (OIS on/off, XLR on/off being the most important to include).

And the beauty of this idea is that it could be done in firmware - no additional hardware needed. I bet some brilliant Russian hackers are already working on this:)

I agree with the CP on/off button. It's a silly design being to get rid of the flashing indicator you still have to scroll through presets to the CP OFF icon.

I was never too hip with the XLR on/off suggestion for the poll. I mean, how long does it actually take to dig into the Audio Setup menu & make that change? 10 secs? Also the possibility of accidentally touching the Key button & not knowing it could spell disaster.

Currently I have my 2 CK buttons setup as Key 1=VCR STOP (being in a predominantly run & gun biz, there's a lot of waiting & waiting) & Key2=CP BKWD KEY. OIS if implemented would be my 3rd selection. Not sure what my 4th would be yet.

It's all relative anyway. None of us know if anything will come of this :-\

Bill

Bill, I must tell you that after a couple of iterations, I've also settled with those 2 functions assigned (the CP BKWD KEY I adopted after downloading all 18 presets from Chris). And also like yours, my third favourite would most certainly be the OIS on/off. With the XLR on/off - well I don't quite agree it's not needed, but of course it can depend on the microphone setup you're using, and the specifics of a recorded project. Sometimes you need to catch the ambient sound with on-board stereo, and when suddenly your talent starts speaking again, you'd like to quickly switch to the XLR shotgun or wireless.

What ever happened to the magnification during recording, as an option, in the firmware race? I thought that it was a very good idea.

It's the eighth one down the list: "F. Asst. Mag. on displays / analog out during Rec. "

Thanks, I would have voted for it, but it was more condensed than I realized. Thanks

I was never too hip with the XLR on/off suggestion for the poll. I mean, how long does it actually take to dig into the Audio Setup menu & make that change? 10 secs?

Bill


It doesn't take any longer to switch than the OIS on/off, but like OIS, it also often needs to be toggled back and forth in an instant, and 10 seconds becomes longer than it sounds (pun intended).

Got to get a plug in for one of my four!

Voted for:

-Peaking/zebras at same time
-OIS custom button
-Battery displayed in minutes
-Slower preset focus speed

Would have replaced battery displayed in minutes with an audio limiter had I spent more time reading it.

I really wish the A1 had a rack focus ability. The 1-way rack focus isn't nearly as helpful as a true rack focus would be.