Canon introduces XF105 and XF100

[Olakunle Olanrewaju]

Is it possible to use XF100 as a B cam for EX1R 'am just thinking. looking at the form factor it will be perfect for wedding and the likes .

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

I handled these at the Canon Pro Photo event in Islington, London today.

Jealous . . . . paint me green . .

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Superb build quality and design. Canon are onto a winner with this small form factor....

OK, but I'd sworn that the upgrade from my XM2 would be one with 3-rings. How did you get on with the "single" ring?

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

These little cams were not on my agenda until today but now I'm going to be studying all the online reviews and clips as these come in!

Oh yes, oh yes . . .

I notice that one of the accessories would be a tele adaptor. That may just calm me down.

Real World testing is defo for this chappie.

Grazie

[Andy Wilkinson]

Sure, adapting to the single ring and it's controls is something that will take some getting used to as indeed are some of the other compromises/some of the omissions that are inevitable to get it into such a small, highly portable (and hopefully reasonable cost) package.

It's really down to how good the "non L" lens is, or is not (we already know the codec is stella from XF300/305 reviews), and exactly what price it's going to go for. As we here in the UK all know, the mooted $2999 US price is unlikely to just translate into a straight currency conversion to Sterling. I think they just charge what they think the market will stand (bit like our real ale pricing up and down the UK!).

I'm fully expecting low light performance and true resolving power of the sensor to be a little south of the XF300s for technical reasons already well covered on here - but that could still end up being superb for such a small cam/price point. I stress could, we don't know yet.

It's just as well it's not available right now as I'd have been so tempted to have got my business debit card out there and then! I really was all set on just buying a little Canon HF S21 or Panny TM700 for extra coverage early in the new year (and may well still do this if Canon go silly on the UK pricing). However, I've never been a fan of AVCHD.

Once you've seen this XF100, got it in your hands and see/feel just how well it appears to have been designed/put together/fits in the hand (really great LCD too!) then you too could easily "weaken" into dolling out the extra dosh in a heartbeat!

[David Johns]

Stop it Andy, stop it! I can only take so much of this temptation before I whip out my own credit card, and goodness knows that's a dangerous path to tread. Please, please could everyone say this camera is rubbish and should never be bought, and my bank balance can sleep tight at night... :-)

[Mark Fry]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

I handled these at the Canon Pro Photo event in Islington, London today. Jan/Feb availability was mentioned. Superb build quality and design. Canon are onto a winner with this small form factor.... and I'm sure they know it.... so I'd expect the pricing to start a little higher than we might otherwise like it to be and then gradually fall over a few months (as is typical). These little cams were not on my agenda until today but now I'm going to be studying all the online reviews and clips as these come in!

So Andy, to what extent was it a working model? Was it taking pictures? Was it hooked up to a monitor, and if so, what did the images look like? Were you able to try the zoom or the auto-focus, or look into the menus?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Not hooked up to big a monitor (but the XF305 was - that looked great!). Lovely LCD - Peaking looked very good (I find this feature totally essential with my EX3). Regarding the single lens ring, the well placed switch just behind it on the left (controls) side allows choice in what it's doing. Don't forget you've also got the small little wheel thing further back that can be assigned to some functions - this is also well placed, as indeed were all the controls really.

I could n't properly hold it in the palm as they had a cable coming out of the middle of the grip side (which prevented you putting you hand fully in the grip).

We tried the zoom and it was actually really good, slow creep zoom seemed perfectly possible. Auto focus worked but that's about as far as I took that inspection as I shoot full manual 99.9% of the time anyway. Viewfinder was adequate rather than stunning from a quick peek into it. The EX3 spoils me in that area...

I think someone wrote it earlier in this thread, sometimes you just pick up a camera and everything just seems "right" - and that's the feeling I got with this even though I'd essentially previously dismissed it as a possible addition to my current Sony EX3/Canon 7D/Sony HC1 arsenal (the latter ageing, but still going...but rarely comes out now!). This cam would be a replacement for the HC1 so I was originally looking for something of that equivalent size/price area but if this cams pictures are as good as we all hope they might be I'll take a stretch and go for it - but only if the price is sensible!...are you listening Canon?

[Rick Betancourt]

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

I notice that one of the accessories would be a tele adaptor.

I was able to locate the Wide-Angle adaptor on the Canon site, but not a Telephoto adaptor. Can you point us to that information?
The only potential deal-killer on this cam for us might be it's 10x lens, as we are used to the great 20x lens on all our other Canon cams. I already contacted a third party outfit regarding a potential tele adaptor lens, and they had no plans on producing one for this model.
-Thanks!

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Rick Betancourt

I was able to locate the Wide-Angle adaptor on the Canon site, but not a Telephoto adaptor. Can you point us to that information?

I'm not sure your experience would be the same for everybody - your "us", as this info is readily available from within the Official Canon PDF for both XF1xxs and I'm betting that "others" would have read it prior to my posting?

Originally Posted by Rick Betancourt

I already contacted a third party outfit regarding a potential tele adaptor lens, and they had no plans on producing one for this model.

As I said, I read the official Canon PDF on these matters. I didn't/wouldn't glean such crucial information as this from making enquiries from a "third party". Added to which, and in regard to such important information, as the option for more reach, I prefer to go to the designers of the machine itself, which is exactly what I did. As a staunch Canon XM2 user, wishing to up my "game", I can't afford to take these matters lightly. Presently I have 20x and with a 2x adaptor it is mighty powerful reach. Not to have this again, would truly be painful for me.

Canon have met me halfway with the 58mm - I can still use my WA58mm (maybe?) - so why then ditch/divert the part of the market-share by then hobbling me with a mean ole 10x? The single chip Bayer Filter system I'd need to see in action to make any "hard-done-by" comments. The single Ring design, again, I'd have to experience too.

Canon will be ready for teeth suckers like myself. They've seen and heard it all before. Maybe it's time to recognise that deaf ears is all I can expect? (But I would be able to buy 2 of these machines and do 3-D!)

Even at this earliest of announcements, I see that this camera has many "market-share" fits, least of which is surveillance; the XF3xxs as a cammie for broadcasters then these offerings are nice lil brothers to those plus that all important "must've" 3-D bleedin' edge yahooo.

Am I a wee bit soured? I sure am.

Regarding the TeleConv, go back to the official Canon site. Try and read it without weeping.

And again, I really need to get my hands on this palm offering to be fair on Canon and myself.

Grazie

[Bill Koehler]

If it is possible to use the WD-H58 0.7x wide angle adapter lens, then it becomes probable that you can use the TL-H58 1.5x tele adapter lens. We can only hope that this possibility pans out. My biggest concern for the wide angle is given the XF-100/105 has a natively wider field of view than the HF-S series cameras the WD-H58 was designed for, does the WD-H58 remain a fully zoom through lens at the wide end? 40mm FOV x 0.7 = 28mm FOV (HF-S series) vs. 30mm FOV x 0.7 = 21mm FOV (XF-10x series), truly very wide. At this point I am in a holding pattern of wait and see. So many cameras, so little time...and money.

[Dom Stevenson]

Andy Wilkinson

I couldn't get conformation on the price for the reasons Chris mentioned no doubt, but the lady i spoke to seemed to think it would come in at around 2 and a half grand in the UK. Not cheap when you consider you can pick up an XHA1 for that, but of course this is the next generation, and i suspect they know they're on to a winner.

BTW, I thought the single lens ring was pretty easy to get used to. In fact after 15 mins playing around i was comfortable with jumping between focus, iris and zoom.

Very excited about this camera.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Thanks for the pricing ball park.

[Michael Murie]

Originally Posted by Dom Stevenson

I couldn't get conformation on the price for the reasons Chris mentioned no doubt, but the lady i spoke to seemed to think it would come in at around 2 and a half grand in the UK. Not cheap when you consider you can pick up an XHA1 for that, but of course this is the next generation, and i suspect they know they're on to a winner.

At current exchange rates, that's almost exactly $4,000 U.S. which agrees with the price a guy at the New York Canon Expo gave for the XF100 (the XF105 being $5,000.)

I'm still hoping it'll be closer to $3,000!

[Edited to correct the model numbers!]

[Rick Betancourt]

Originally Posted by Bill Koehler

If it is possible to use the WD-H58 0.7x wide angle adapter lens, then it becomes probable that you can use the TL-H58 1.5x tele adapter lens. We can only hope that this possibility pans out. My biggest concern for the wide angle is given the XF-100/105 has a natively wider field of view than the HF-S series cameras the WD-H58 was designed for, does the WD-H58 remain a fully zoom through lens at the wide end? 40mm FOV x 0.7 = 28mm FOV (HF-S series) vs. 30mm FOV x 0.7 = 21mm FOV (XF-10x series), truly very wide. At this point I am in a holding pattern of wait and see. So many cameras, so little time...and money.

Excellent info. Thanks for the input. We'll see if the TL-H58 is a viable solution soon.

[Jeremy Dallek]

I'm curious about the variable frame rate "In 1080 mode, fast motion is supported up to 2.5x the normal rate and as slow as 1/2.5x"
So does this mean that if I record in 1080p30 in half speed slow motion mode, that it will actually capture 60 progressive frames per second but play back at half the frame rate? It seems to me that you would be able to drop the file into a 1080p60 timeline, adjust the playback rate if needed, and have yourself 1080p60 footage. I'm sure there must be something I'm missing here, because otherwise they would just spec it as able to shoot 1080p60. How would the audio be handled during fast/slow motion recording? You could always use a separate field recorder for the audio if necessary. Any thoughts or input is welcome!

[Jim Martin]

Hey everyone....I'm excited because later today I'll have my hands on a 105....I'm anxious to see the size, picture, and how the functions work (lens ring). We are going to try and get a video up on you tube if we have it long enough. As Dr. Watson said..."I'll report later with my findings".....

Jim Martin
FilmTools.com