XL2 resolution vs XL1s at DVinfo.net

Daniel Stone · May 3rd, 2006, 11:07 AM

Since the XL1s cuts the resolution in half in progressive mode, does the XL2 have twice the resolution in progressive mode?

I have an XL1s now and am a bit disappointed at the resolution in progressive mode.

Chris Hurd · May 3rd, 2006, 11:31 AM

There's been some disagreement on the exact amount of resolution loss with Frame mode in an XL1 or XL1S. I've heard it expressed as being as little as 10% to as much as 50%. It's probably somewhere in the middle of that range. I doubt it's anywhere near 50%. At any rate the answer to your question is yes, the XL2 has higher resolution when shooting in progressive, compared to the XL1 or XL1S in Frame mode.

Ash Greyson · May 3rd, 2006, 01:50 PM

The rez loss on the XL1s is marginal to the naked eye and must be A/Bed to tell in most cases, just ignore the guys who decide to blow up frames to 10000% in photoshop! That being said... the XL2 is indeed MUCH sharper and MUCH more detailed across all ranges...

ash =o)

Jeff McElroy · May 3rd, 2006, 02:17 PM

Keep in mind that you are also using more ccd space in 16:9 mode on the XL2 (as opposed to less on the xl1), further enhancing the resolution divide between the two cameras.

Daniel Stone · May 3rd, 2006, 11:22 PM

Great. Thanks a lot, guys.

I'm filming footage with an SDX900 in DVCPRO50 and mixing XL2 footage in with it. I'm using the XL2 because I have a Mini35. The Pro35 is $800 to rent. I knew the XL1s's resolution is nowhere near good enough to match.

Josh Bass · May 17th, 2006, 01:31 PM

Does anyone know how the res in 4:3 on the XL2 compares to the XL1s' 4:3?

Tony Davies-Patrick · May 18th, 2006, 02:34 AM

I have been mixing some XL1s & XL2 4:3 footage in a recent DVD project. The XL2 clips are cleaner and sharper than the XL1s, although the XL2 has cooler colour settings straight out of the box. When the XL2 is adjusted internally with Preset settings, the colours are easily raised to match the XL1s, except that the XL2 provides far more information and colour density across the image.

Back in the days when I only used the XL1s, I used to kid myself that the XL2 was not improvement enough to make the upgrade. My pocket was ruling my head in that respect, and my main reason for eventually buying the XL2 was to be able to obtain quality 16:9 footage instead of downgrading or stretching the XL1s image. I later realised that the XL2 is in fact a far better DV camera than the XL1s in every way - better built, more internal user options, and when the same lenses are used on either the XL2 or Xl1s body.... the XL2 shines.

I like most of what I've seen with the XL-H1 (and my pocket is probably ruling my head yet again!), but I've eventually decided to stick with the XL2 for at least another year or two - because it provides more than enough quality when shown on a large wide-screen TV...and should continue to be enough for continued sales of future projects for a long time to come.

Bruce S. Yarock · May 18th, 2006, 06:06 AM

I shot a wedding two weeks ago with my XL2. The guy who hired me has an XL1s 9or it might be an XL1), and we shot in 4:3. I noticed that his footage (we're doing the edit) has much more pronounced color right out of the box.Maybe it's more saturation?...I'm not sure how to describe it.
I have another wedding this Sunday.
Anybody have a preset for matching the Xl2 to it's theXL1s?
Bruce Yarock

Tony Davies-Patrick · May 18th, 2006, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce S. Yarock

I shot a wedding two weeks ago with my XL2. The guy who hired me has an XL1s 9or it might be an XL1), and we shot in 4:3. I noticed that his footage (we're doing the edit) has much more pronounced color right out of the box.Maybe it's more saturation?...I'm not sure how to describe it.
I have another wedding this Sunday.
Anybody have a preset for matching the Xl2 to it's theXL1s?
Bruce Yarock

Yes, the XL1 & Xl1s provide a more saturated image when no internal adjustments are made. Just bump up the saturation settings on the XL2 to match.

You might want to lower the sharpness a touch on the XL2, but unless you are trying to match the exact same internal scene with side-by-side clips, it shouldn't matter too much.

Matching outdoor scenes and subjects are much easier because the light can be constantly changing in most outdoor shoots, so a slightly different colour temperature would not bother the viewer so much because it is naturally expected. However, indoor clips need to match far more tightly if each section of footage shows the same room lit the by the same lights.

Josh Bass · May 18th, 2006, 09:23 AM

Does anyone have settings to make it more "DVX-y"? I'm renting an XL2 this weekend to see if I like it.

Ash Greyson · May 18th, 2006, 02:54 PM

Try this for a DVX look...

Gamma - Cine
Knee - Low
Black - Press
Color Matrix - Cine
Color Gain +2
Color phase 2 toward red
R Gain +2
G Gain -2
B Gain +2
Sharpen -6
Coring +6
Set up Level -6
Master Ped -6
NR - Off

Josh Bass · May 18th, 2006, 03:05 PM

Thanks, Ash.

May 3rd, 2006, 11:07 AM	#1
Daniel Stone Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 84	XL2 resolution vs XL1s Since the XL1s cuts the resolution in half in progressive mode, does the XL2 have twice the resolution in progressive mode? I have an XL1s now and am a bit disappointed at the resolution in progressive mode.

May 3rd, 2006, 11:31 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	There's been some disagreement on the exact amount of resolution loss with Frame mode in an XL1 or XL1S. I've heard it expressed as being as little as 10% to as much as 50%. It's probably somewhere in the middle of that range. I doubt it's anywhere near 50%. At any rate the answer to your question is yes, the XL2 has higher resolution when shooting in progressive, compared to the XL1 or XL1S in Frame mode. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

May 17th, 2006, 01:31 PM	#6
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Does anyone know how the res in 4:3 on the XL2 compares to the XL1s' 4:3? __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 18th, 2006, 02:34 AM	#7
Tony Davies-Patrick Trustee Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worldwide Posts: 1,589	I have been mixing some XL1s & XL2 4:3 footage in a recent DVD project. The XL2 clips are cleaner and sharper than the XL1s, although the XL2 has cooler colour settings straight out of the box. When the XL2 is adjusted internally with Preset settings, the colours are easily raised to match the XL1s, except that the XL2 provides far more information and colour density across the image. Back in the days when I only used the XL1s, I used to kid myself that the XL2 was not improvement enough to make the upgrade. My pocket was ruling my head in that respect, and my main reason for eventually buying the XL2 was to be able to obtain quality 16:9 footage instead of downgrading or stretching the XL1s image. I later realised that the XL2 is in fact a far better DV camera than the XL1s in every way - better built, more internal user options, and when the same lenses are used on either the XL2 or Xl1s body.... the XL2 shines. I like most of what I've seen with the XL-H1 (and my pocket is probably ruling my head yet again!), but I've eventually decided to stick with the XL2 for at least another year or two - because it provides more than enough quality when shown on a large wide-screen TV...and should continue to be enough for continued sales of future projects for a long time to come. __________________ www.WILDCARP.com www.NIKON.me.uk

May 18th, 2006, 09:23 AM	#10
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Does anyone have settings to make it more "DVX-y"? I'm renting an XL2 this weekend to see if I like it. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB

May 3rd, 2006, 01:50 PM	#3
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	The rez loss on the XL1s is marginal to the naked eye and must be A/Bed to tell in most cases, just ignore the guys who decide to blow up frames to 10000% in photoshop! That being said... the XL2 is indeed MUCH sharper and MUCH more detailed across all ranges... ash =o)

May 3rd, 2006, 02:17 PM	#4
Jeff McElroy Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 91	Keep in mind that you are also using more ccd space in 16:9 mode on the XL2 (as opposed to less on the xl1), further enhancing the resolution divide between the two cameras.

May 3rd, 2006, 11:22 PM	#5
Daniel Stone Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 84	Great. Thanks a lot, guys. I'm filming footage with an SDX900 in DVCPRO50 and mixing XL2 footage in with it. I'm using the XL2 because I have a Mini35. The Pro35 is $800 to rent. I knew the XL1s's resolution is nowhere near good enough to match.

May 18th, 2006, 06:06 AM	#8
Bruce S. Yarock Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pembroke Pines, Fl. Posts: 1,842	I shot a wedding two weeks ago with my XL2. The guy who hired me has an XL1s 9or it might be an XL1), and we shot in 4:3. I noticed that his footage (we're doing the edit) has much more pronounced color right out of the box.Maybe it's more saturation?...I'm not sure how to describe it. I have another wedding this Sunday. Anybody have a preset for matching the Xl2 to it's theXL1s? Bruce Yarock

May 18th, 2006, 02:54 PM	#11
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	Try this for a DVX look... Gamma - Cine Knee - Low Black - Press Color Matrix - Cine Color Gain +2 Color phase 2 toward red R Gain +2 G Gain -2 B Gain +2 Sharpen -6 Coring +6 Set up Level -6 Master Ped -6 NR - Off

May 18th, 2006, 03:05 PM	#12
Josh Bass Slash Rules! Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 5,472	Thanks, Ash. __________________ The Bass' camerawork The Bass on IMDB