New Canon XF 300 HD CAMERA

[Lou Bruno]

Had an opportunity to play with the new CANON HD video camera to be released soon. WOW!! Totally different than the XHA1S. Sharp EVF and a wider LCD monitor. Looks like that improved the lowlight capability as well. A little bigger than its predecessor but excellent stabilizer. 25, 35. 50 mps using MPEG-2 in MFX(something like that ) wrapper which I was advised AVID will read. Uses CF cards.

[Jay Bloomfield]

MXF, Material eXchange Format. This is the industry's latest attempt at a standardized container format.

[Kory Leo]

I have been looking over the specs on the Canon website this morning and I must say that this looks like a great camera. I have yet to move to HD and I have been debating over the DSLR 7D but have been concerned over the limited recording times. The XF305 will be a large investment for me but I think it will be the route I go early next year.

[Laurence Janus]

Autofocus, recording time, proper audio, form factor and a zoom range of 29.3- 527.4mm (35mm equivalent) means for those of us filming without a crew the 7D versus XF300 argument is a no brainer win to the video camera.

My heart still wants a 7D and a pile of fast lenses but that will have to wait unfortunately

[Nicholas de Kock]

I currently shoot with the XHA1, I agree the XF300 looks like a great camera but personally I'd rather buy an EX1R the XF300 is over priced for a 1/3 sensor.

[Laurence Janus]

Yes the EX cameras have bigger sensors, but as Yoda said "size matters not".

We are all eagerly awaiting the first comprehensive comparison between the EX1R and the XF300 so we can see if it is worth the asking price.

[Josh Dahlberg]

Originally Posted by Kory Leo

I have been looking over the specs on the Canon website this morning and I must say that this looks like a great camera. I have yet to move to HD and I have been debating over the DSLR 7D but have been concerned over the limited recording times. The XF305 will be a large investment for me but I think it will be the route I go early next year.

I've been shooting a lot with the 7D/5DII and the best glass, but I want this camera... the shots Nick posted are wonderful (take a look at 2101 & 8301 in particular). You simply cannot get that level of detail and delicate colour gradients with current DSLRs. Even though I love many of the images I'm getting from the DSLRs, they're rather heavy handed in their colour processing and lack real resolution. They have a certain look - albeit a punchy, appealing look - but it doesn't fit every situation. After 18 months of wafer thin DOF shots with crunched blacks and artifacts aplenty, I find the early images coming from the XF's quite refreshing.

For me, the only advantage with the DSLRs is greater DOF control... everything else is in the XF's favour. In terms of IQ, it has a massive resolution and codec advantage (of course this may be addressed with the next slew of DSLRs).

I was really taken by the shots Nick posted... a huge leap from the XH cameras. Stunning detail. I can't wait to get my hands on one. I was disappointed at 1/3" sensors until I saw those clips... I'm pretty confident as a package these cameras outgun the EX series. The interesting thing is (with so many changes happening right now, and the whole large sensor movement) these cameras are getting a rather muted response. A couple of years ago people would have been gobsmacked by these new Canons.

[Nick Wilcox-Brown]

Thanks for the comments Josh. This camera seems to get better. I shot a bunch of clips at +6dB gain last week by mistake, did not even notice it when I played them in FCP. I have not even worked with the NR settings, but understand they work well from a colleague (who has a manual!)

Canon have been kind enough to extend the loan for a project this coming week, so myself and a couple of colleagues are going to put it through its paces. One of them has an EX1.

The only real problems I have seen are minor: reflective LCD - needs a hood. Zoom ring or rocker switch, not both at once.

[Nicholas de Kock]

Nick I'm really looking forward to a review from you! On another note is reflective LCD really a camera specific problem? I have not seen a LCD that works well in sunlight, maybe we should just accept that LCD's suck without a hood in general?

[Nick Wilcox-Brown]

Nicholas,

No you are right - they all need hoods. This though is the first LCD that I have used that gives me the confidence to pull focus. The ability to magnify while shooting is nice too.

On a separate note, I have been shooting in woodland today. After 5D MkII (which I love BTW) the dynamic range and highlight roll-off are a real treat to use. I don't have short (small).mxf clips, but may post some 'raw' footage as h.264 shortly.

Anyone contemplating DSLR or XF300/305 - this camera is a no brainer. BUT, it matches well with the DSLR footage, so XF300 + 7D covers every angle?

Nick

[Daniel Caruso]

good to know nick, cause i have been on the fence with that exact thing in mind. but i still think having a video camera will get me more work.

im curious since you have used the XF a bunch of times now, how do you think it i will match up to a 35mm adapter such as the redrock M2e? i have this one and would like to use it on the XF. my primary problem was the noise i got with my XHA1 in the midtones and shadow areas that were underexposed while using the adapter. hoping now that the XF handles color information better, the adapter will give a cleaner image? the EX1 with the M2e looks beautiful, so could be close with the XF. thanks a lot.

dan

[Nick Wilcox-Brown]

Dan,

I was so, so close to buying an adapter, but the 5D2 arrived. My honest opinion? The adapter will make the XF300 very front heavy and cumbersome. Hard to balance on a tripod I suspect.

Sell the adapter and buy 7D or 550D and a couple of cheap (Canon) primes - having seen the results I think you will give yourself another camera, more flexibility and awesome low-light capability without spending any extra money (550D).

Primes - yes, Nikons and Zeiss are brilliant, but the Canon EF35mm f/2, the 50mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.8 are also stunning lenses for very low cost - I have used the 35 and the 85 for many pics on my web site.

Nick.