I pre-ordered the XF400 - thoughts?

[Don Palomaki]

So any reports by owners/users of this new camcorder?

[Graham Bernard]

It would appear not, Don. Oh, and BTW, HAPPY NEW YEAR DON!

[Don Palomaki]

Another month later, and still no user reports?

[Graham Bernard]

Yeah, gotta think.

Do you think it’s case of letting go the video camera format and going with a Stills camera?

[Don Palomaki]

Don't know. I've shot some video with still cameras, and was not comfortable with the ergonomics or the audio. And adding the necessary XLR inputs, etc. would make the ergonomics that much worse.

Its attraction is 4K and the large sensor for more DOF control. Perhaps that is too much of a niche market at this time to draw buyers who would post here.

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

Don't know. I've shot some video with still cameras, and was not comfortable with the ergonomics or the audio. And adding the necessary XLR inputs, etc. would make the ergonomics that much worse.

Agreed. I put this forward as being the decision making process for those who hadn’t tried a Video Cammie before. Have you seen the new SONY RX10 Mk4. Single lens with 24mm to 600mm zoom and of course 4k. And it has 3 rings?

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

Its attraction is 4K and the large sensor for more DOF control. Perhaps that is too much of a niche market at this time to draw buyers who would post here.

Agreed. I think people are transitioning more towards the Camera and away from the Video Camera.

[Don Palomaki]

And few ratings posted to vendor sites: e.g., B&H. Looks like Canon may have blown it, at least by giving it the XF name when it really is more of an XA series in terms of features, etc. It is appears to not be meeting many users expectations at its price point.

I was considering one, but the lack of user chatter about it is a turn-off. I do not need 4K at this time, and probably will not for a year or two at least.

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

Looks like Canon may have blown it, at least by giving it the XF name when it really is more of an XA series in terms of features, etc. It is appears to not be meeting many users expectations at its price point.

I'm really at a loss to understand just what Canon's marketing strategy is? It appears they are being lead by the nose by the bean-counters. Well, if they are then somebody needs to get a grip FAST! - But hey Don, they sell stunning lenses at ALL levels. Maybe Canon should just get out of the video market and concentrate on their core business - Lenses twisting onto their or somebody elses Camera Bodies?

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki

I was considering one, but the lack of user chatter about it is a turn-off. I do not need 4K at this time, and probably will not for a year or two at least.

Everybody needs 4k - it's a stunning look and great for post. But yeah - I get yah....

As I said before, if only to reflect/determine a company's strategy, do look at that SONY RX10 Mk4. For £1,800 you get 3 rings; 4k; slomo; tons and tons of user features; massive amounts of focus points; a touch screen allowing for instant shallow DoF activity; 25x Optical . . . the list is enormous - oh yeah: Focal Length (35mm equiv) for Digital Compact Cameras/Lenses24-600mm - eh??!

But here's the thing: It's a Bridge Camera. It's a Point and Shoot and has features that this Canon and the company most be wetting themselves over AND IT IS still a Bridge camera, for the entry level and the Pro user needing that grab-it and run option. Oh yeah, it's also a stills camera - but also does 4k video. Oh, did I say it has 3 Rings?

Why, in all that's innovative and revenue generating, would a purchaser be even contemplating this Canon offering, when there is this SONY? See the list here: https://www.jessops.com/p/sony/cyber...hoCMz8QAvD_BwE

I was once ruefully told by a professional video cameraman: "Canon? Don't they make photocopiers?"

[Mark Watson]

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

I'm really at a loss to understand just what Canon's marketing strategy is? ...

Same type of question came up when they unleashed the 6D MKII.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/digital-...ame-rebel.html

So slow to implement 4K or HFR. And do they even have anything in the action camera area? GoPros have been around for over ten years and now even Polaroid has something out there. Not sure what it is, but it's small, cube-shaped. I gave up trying to reverse engineer their product development decision-making process. Buy the camera that comes closest to ticking all the boxes.

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Mark Watson

Buy the camera that comes closest to ticking all the boxes.

Wasn't that the basis of the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young offering? "Love the one you're with" But I suppose its a case of Canon to tick the oppositions boxes? Mark, have you checked out that SONY?



.

[Mark Watson]

I'm not sure which Sony you're referring to. My latest acquisition was a Sony PXW-Z90. I have been playing around with it, doing a little testing. My first "modern" video camera was a Panasonic. Then I went with Canon. Got the HV30, XL-H1A, XF305. Also got the XTi (400D), 50D, 7D, 6D. Somewhere I got a few GoPros and still have the Hero 3, 4 and 6. Waited for Canon to come out with a 4K video camera with HFR. Gave up, got the Sony FDR-AX100 and loved it. In 2015 I got a PXW-FS7. Then AX33, AX53 (2 each), then a second AX100, then five each of the FDR-X3000, a RX100 MKIV, and last month the Z90. If you're referring to the Sony RM-30BP Lanc Remote, no I didn't get one. I saw one in a camera shop up in Tokyo and had a play with it, didn't like it at all. Button action was like a cheap calculator and buttons too small. I'd have to look down at it to see what I was doing. The Canon version is $2,000 and looks much nicer, probably has nicer buttons, but it doesn't look practical for using as a pan handle mounted remote. Oh, and it's $2,000.

[Al Bergstein]

I’ve been following this thread for a while, waiting for some real world users to comment on it. That we are here in Feb 18 with no chatter is very telling. I sold my XF305 (the best 2k video camera I ever used) last year as well as my C100 and all my Canon still cameras and lenses. I am now all Panasonic GH5. Why? Because all I wanted from Canon was the real 4k upgrade of the xf305. Maybe give us C100 users a reasonable upgrade tradein. What did they do? First, come late to the party. Secondly, produce an XA upgrade rather than an XF upgrade. Then price the C200 out of sight. Sorry, I already owned and sold an XA105 and it was not even close to being a XF300. Watching the videos about the xf400 I can’t imagine buying one. I have XLRs on my GH5 with a simple plug on module. I can actually change lenses, shoot anamorphic, shoot super slow motion, etc. I have about the same bad low light performance, though I can buy a second body called a GH5S and get low light performance. Is the GH5 better? No. But it’s damn good in many ways. You can go view a thousand videos that say why.

It’s sad. I spent many thousands of dollars on Canon gear since 2010. All now sold. Not because my needs changed radically but because Canon did not deliver to those modest changes. Maybe I am not representative of todays shooters, I admit to being old school. But many of the comments here seem to point to others who wanted just simple upgrade paths to both the XF line and 5D.

It’s funny, I started this HD shooting on a Panny HMC150. It was a radical breakthrough product, along with the AF100. They lost the mark too, and I moved to Canon. Somehow Panny decided that their still cameras were the way forward. They listened to their customers and built amazing products for the price point. Now I’m back where I started. And the only guys that got rich were the B&H’s of the world. Same as it ever was. Reminds me of the gold rush. Only Seattle merchants got rich supplying the miners.

I really think Canon is no longer steering their ship towards the mark. They ought to listen to their users. Or maybe I’m no longer representative of their users. Whatever. Best of luck. It’s been fun while it lasted.

[Bob Safay]

I concur. To me the XF400 is a bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for a true upgrade to the XF300. Maybe an XF600. All I want is an XF300 that shoots 4K at 4:2:2 at 50 Mbps. I do not need or want CFAST cards or RAW. Just 4K in a XF300 body. Bob

[Don Palomaki]

Maybe there will be more in time for NAB?

[James Redmond]

Hi! I have a XF405. I've had it for about 2 months. I also own an XF305, XF105 and Sony FS7.

It is a strange camera. Because it is called an XF you would think it would be similar and for a professional market however it is more of a consumer camera.

Things I do not like:
1. I am using the XF405 sometimes through a Blackmagic Design ATEM Television Studio HD switcher. I have Canon XF-105, 305 no problem. With the XF405 the ATEM switcher does not see the camera when I have the program out of the switch to 1920x1080i 59.97 (it's the frame rate I need to see laptops with).

With the 105 and 305, I have the frame rate set to 30p. with the 405 I tried all the options and I cannot see it. It does not have 30p, but 29.97p, 59.94p and 23.98p.

Canon representative response: Regarding the switcher: the XF405 does not output segmented frames (PsF), only progressive frames (no interlacing). As of today, Canon does not plan on changing that with this model.

2. You cannot change the name of the video file plus sometimes it resets back to MVI_0000. On my last shoot, it would start naming the file the same as an earlier one. Very confusing. Plus if I was to get two cameras they will be creating the same file names. Not good.

3. On the bottom of the camera there are no holes to mount the plate for a Canon TA100. My XF105, 305 has them, 405 does not. I have all my camera use the same tripod mount so any camera can easily file onto any tripod (except for this 405!).

4. When you have a tripod mount on, you cannot get to the release lever for the battery. It is on the BOTTOM of the camera. You have to take off the tripod plate to release the battery.

5. You have to get into the menu to adjust iris and gain. Not buttons on the side of the camera.

6. The SDI output seems to have about a 4 frame delay from the audio. Will have to check more into this. I use my 405 through a switcher.

7. If you have a memory card in slot B (and one not in A), it will not start recording. Acts if you have no memory. I am always taking the memory out to copy and then have to remember to move the B into A to get it to work.

The good things about the camera, very good in low light with gain kicked up. No noise. Small. Autofocus for the most part works well (I shoot mainly presentations).

I've been trying to fins someone to create a tripod plate spacer that will give me the 4 screws I need to us it with the TA-100 tripod plate and raise it so you can get to the battery release.

It depends upon your needs whether this camera is right for you. I will probably keep it, even though it is very disappointing with all these little things.