Canon GL2 the best addition for an XL-1S User? at DVinfo.net

John C Heid · February 22nd, 2004, 01:59 PM

I have come to really enjoy my XL-1S. Having a Sony TRV-900 previously, I appreciate the tremendous flexibility, improved optics quality, etc. of the Canon. The only drawback of the XL-1S (with MA200, shotgun mic, etc in PortaBrace) is its substantial size for packing on vacation. Now I'd like to buy a great quality, smaller camera for shooting travel. I like the 20X lens on the GL2. Also, I would think switching between the XL-1S and GL2 should be fairly easy; surely Canon standardized on features of both cameras.

I know many participants regularly shoot with both of these cameras. Am I heading a good direction, or do you have another suggestion? The $250 rebate off of $2299 at B&H makes the GL2 hard to resist!

Last year I bought the Sony MicroMV IP55. It is SMALL! Editing software for it is very limited; it is not in the same league. It's a very nice TOY.

I'd appreciate suggestions. I want a 3CCD top quality camera for filming zoos, Vegas scenes, Navy Pier in Chicago, etc. I want a camera that I can carry all day in addition to my Nikon D100 SLR outfit. So all suggestions about travel cases are also appreciated!!

Ken Tanaka · February 22nd, 2004, 02:13 PM

John,
I have both cameras and can confirrm that they are good playmates. The basic menus and controls of the GL2 and XL1s are identical. The GL2 has 1/4" CCD's as compared to the XL1s' 1/3" CCD's. Nevertheless, the GL2's default image is a bit sharper and somewhat more neutral than the XL1s. If need be, however, their images can be matched very closely.

The GL2 is a good traveller although certainly not as compact as the typical family vacation video camera.

John C Heid · February 22nd, 2004, 02:22 PM

Just what I had hoped! The common menus will make switching off easier. The 3CCD GL2 should be head and shoulders above the quality of the mom & pop cameras. I was surprised to learn that the GL2 was actually sharper.

Thank you for sharing your experiences!

Andrew Hogan · February 23rd, 2004, 07:46 PM

Hi John,

I have both cameras too and I also have another little Canon camera called an MVX10i (here in Australia). I recently took it on vacation to Fiji and I think it is awesome. Great video and great 2.2MP stills. I took it everywhere in a tiny Lowepro bag mostly but when I wanted to be discrete and not a target for theft (or out to dinner) it would fit in an Oakley Ski goggles bag and then into the pocket of my Cargo pants. So depending on where i was going for holidays and whether I was collecting stock footage for the future I would have to decide between taking the XM2 or the MVX10i. (new model to be released next month BTW)

John C Heid · February 23rd, 2004, 08:05 PM

The MVX10i sounds awesome. Have you ever considerd the IP55 MicroMV? It hit the market in 2003, and is extremely small. Unfortunately, most software made to work with miniDV will NOT interface with MicroMV. Also, forget pans! Lateral movement appears jerky even at the slowest motions on a tripod.

I would like the GL2 due to its similarity to the XL-1S, including its 3CCD design, and awesome 20X lens. Perhaps I should consider a smaller Canon like the one you mentioned. Is optical image stabilization available on any camera smaller than the GL2?

Andrew Hogan · February 23rd, 2004, 08:42 PM

Yes, you can get other Canon cameras with Optical Image Stabiliser but the MVX10i has only digital Imag Stab. I don't think they can make OIS on very small lenses, yet.

The MVX10i has a manually adjustable audio mode too.

I wouldn't buy one of the Micro cams that are not Mini DV. With the MVX10i footage I can edit in FCP along with my other cameras to do multi camera shoots of live bands. I set up the MVX10i on a tripod beside the drummer to always have a steady shot to cut to if the other roaming cameras are "on-the-moove" and a useable audio track to mix in with the other cameras audio.

John C Heid · February 23rd, 2004, 10:25 PM

I made the mistake and bought the IP55 MicroMV when it first hit the market. Now that I'm hooked on my XL-1S, I want to carry a camera that will enable more manual control. I appreciate your insight. I'm also shopping for the smallest video bag I can find to fit the GL2 - I'd like a bag as close to the camera size as possible; I don't need to carry accessories in it, and would like belt loops sewn in.

Ming Dong · February 24th, 2004, 10:48 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by John C Heid : ... I'm also shopping for the smallest video bag I can find to fit the GL2 - I'd like a bag as close to the camera size as possible; I don't need to carry accessories in it, and would like belt loops sewn in. -->>>

John,

I too have been searching for a small bag for my GL2. The GL2 is no small camera at 12"L x 4.5"W x 5"H, add to that a padded bag and you have a mass that is rather ungainly to be carried on the hip. Still, here are the smallest bags I could find.

Lowepro Sideline (belt bag) http://www.lowepro.com/pages/series/...g/sideline.htm

Tamrac 974 (belt bag) http://www.tamrac.com/974.htm.

Kata ccc-101 (shoulder bag) http://www.tiffen.com/kata_ccc101.htm

Here is a recent thread on the subject http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=5752

Happy hunting,
Ming

February 22nd, 2004, 01:59 PM	#1
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	Canon GL2 the best addition for an XL-1S User? I have come to really enjoy my XL-1S. Having a Sony TRV-900 previously, I appreciate the tremendous flexibility, improved optics quality, etc. of the Canon. The only drawback of the XL-1S (with MA200, shotgun mic, etc in PortaBrace) is its substantial size for packing on vacation. Now I'd like to buy a great quality, smaller camera for shooting travel. I like the 20X lens on the GL2. Also, I would think switching between the XL-1S and GL2 should be fairly easy; surely Canon standardized on features of both cameras. I know many participants regularly shoot with both of these cameras. Am I heading a good direction, or do you have another suggestion? The $250 rebate off of $2299 at B&H makes the GL2 hard to resist! Last year I bought the Sony MicroMV IP55. It is SMALL! Editing software for it is very limited; it is not in the same league. It's a very nice TOY. I'd appreciate suggestions. I want a 3CCD top quality camera for filming zoos, Vegas scenes, Navy Pier in Chicago, etc. I want a camera that I can carry all day in addition to my Nikon D100 SLR outfit. So all suggestions about travel cases are also appreciated!!

February 22nd, 2004, 02:13 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	John, I have both cameras and can confirrm that they are good playmates. The basic menus and controls of the GL2 and XL1s are identical. The GL2 has 1/4" CCD's as compared to the XL1s' 1/3" CCD's. Nevertheless, the GL2's default image is a bit sharper and somewhat more neutral than the XL1s. If need be, however, their images can be matched very closely. The GL2 is a good traveller although certainly not as compact as the typical family vacation video camera. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 22nd, 2004, 02:22 PM	#3
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	Just what I had hoped! The common menus will make switching off easier. The 3CCD GL2 should be head and shoulders above the quality of the mom & pop cameras. I was surprised to learn that the GL2 was actually sharper. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

February 23rd, 2004, 07:46 PM	#4
Andrew Hogan Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Canberra AUSTRALIA Posts: 169	Hi John, I have both cameras too and I also have another little Canon camera called an MVX10i (here in Australia). I recently took it on vacation to Fiji and I think it is awesome. Great video and great 2.2MP stills. I took it everywhere in a tiny Lowepro bag mostly but when I wanted to be discrete and not a target for theft (or out to dinner) it would fit in an Oakley Ski goggles bag and then into the pocket of my Cargo pants. So depending on where i was going for holidays and whether I was collecting stock footage for the future I would have to decide between taking the XM2 or the MVX10i. (new model to be released next month BTW)

February 23rd, 2004, 08:05 PM	#5
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	The MVX10i sounds awesome. Have you ever considerd the IP55 MicroMV? It hit the market in 2003, and is extremely small. Unfortunately, most software made to work with miniDV will NOT interface with MicroMV. Also, forget pans! Lateral movement appears jerky even at the slowest motions on a tripod. I would like the GL2 due to its similarity to the XL-1S, including its 3CCD design, and awesome 20X lens. Perhaps I should consider a smaller Canon like the one you mentioned. Is optical image stabilization available on any camera smaller than the GL2?

February 23rd, 2004, 08:42 PM	#6
Andrew Hogan Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Canberra AUSTRALIA Posts: 169	Yes, you can get other Canon cameras with Optical Image Stabiliser but the MVX10i has only digital Imag Stab. I don't think they can make OIS on very small lenses, yet. The MVX10i has a manually adjustable audio mode too. I wouldn't buy one of the Micro cams that are not Mini DV. With the MVX10i footage I can edit in FCP along with my other cameras to do multi camera shoots of live bands. I set up the MVX10i on a tripod beside the drummer to always have a steady shot to cut to if the other roaming cameras are "on-the-moove" and a useable audio track to mix in with the other cameras audio.

February 23rd, 2004, 10:25 PM	#7
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	I made the mistake and bought the IP55 MicroMV when it first hit the market. Now that I'm hooked on my XL-1S, I want to carry a camera that will enable more manual control. I appreciate your insight. I'm also shopping for the smallest video bag I can find to fit the GL2 - I'd like a bag as close to the camera size as possible; I don't need to carry accessories in it, and would like belt loops sewn in.

February 24th, 2004, 10:48 AM	#8
Ming Dong Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 92	<<<-- Originally posted by John C Heid : ... I'm also shopping for the smallest video bag I can find to fit the GL2 - I'd like a bag as close to the camera size as possible; I don't need to carry accessories in it, and would like belt loops sewn in. -->>> John, I too have been searching for a small bag for my GL2. The GL2 is no small camera at 12"L x 4.5"W x 5"H, add to that a padded bag and you have a mass that is rather ungainly to be carried on the hip. Still, here are the smallest bags I could find. Lowepro Sideline (belt bag) http://www.lowepro.com/pages/series/...g/sideline.htm Tamrac 974 (belt bag) http://www.tamrac.com/974.htm. Kata ccc-101 (shoulder bag) http://www.tiffen.com/kata_ccc101.htm Here is a recent thread on the subject http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=5752 Happy hunting, Ming