Bruce,

Someone else here recommended Firewire Depot for 90 degree Firewire cables. B&H doesn't stock any that I could find.

Those cables are not cheap.

I have used this supplier:
http://www.ntcdistributing.com/products/fwangled.htm

I did a google on "right angle firewire" and there were other hits.

Here's a simple setup. Adjust to taste.

The 3x lens has an ND filter. Turn it on.
Set Gain to -3db
Set White balance to A
Use Tv mode with shutter speed set to 60.

When you are onsite shooting a scene, look to see if the camera is selecting an aperture greater than 8, increase the shutter speed until you get the aperture to 8 or less.

Press Exposure lock to keep the camera from recalculating the settings. If you want it to auto adjust, then don't lock the exposure.

Experiment with your camera and learn how it works. Observe the results. THen read the manual again. More of it will make sense. Pick a topic and search for discussions here and learn.

VHS to DV
 

Is there a way to record from VHS tape into the XL1.

Jeff

Sure there is.
 

Connect your vhs video and audio outs to the back of the xl1, put that baby in vtr mode and away you go.

The original XL1 does not support analog video input, only from the IEEE1394 input and through the lens. Thus you would have to pass the signal through an analog-to-DV converter..

However, the XL1s model does.

Sigma 50-500 Bigma & XL1s
 

I would welcome any comments (e.g. camera settings. aperture range to be used) concerning first hand experience with this lens coupled to an XL1s. I have recently acquired one (DG version) and one of my first lessons was that I need a ND filter ASAP.

Thanks,

Guus

Render Settings when using "frame mode" on Xl1s?
 

I'm having some trouble determining what settings to put when I render out my xl1s footage when I shoot in "frame mode". I'm using Avid Xpress Pro to capture and to edit. When I export it gives the option for "file field order" of course odd (upper fields) and even (lower fields) or Single Field.

What do I set the field order to when shooting in this mode?
Is there some sort of interpret footage in Avid like in Premiere Pro?

Thanks for the help,

-Daniel

Daniel,

I believe you should just capture it as you would normal 60i video. That's the way it's going to come out of the camera. No need to mess with field order. What you will have in frame mode is cleaner motion signature without the interlace 'jaggies'. The video may appear to be more strobe-like but any single frame should be clean. This mode is often used when you know in advance you will be lifting stills out of the video.

regards,

-gb-

Black side bars on XL1 not XL1-S?
 

Why is footage shot on an XL1 has black side bars and footage shot on the XL1-S does not? Or am I missing something?

Thasnks for any info

See http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=1743

Timecode on XL1s
 

Noob question here. If I am shooting the same event on multiple tapes, how do I keep the timecode continuous between tapes? I usually go through 2-3 tapes for each event i shoot and the TC always resets at the start of the next tape. How do I keep the timecode continuous from tape to tape?

Ryan,

Unless I'm mistaken, you can't do that with the XL1s. That's one of the features that was added to the XL-2. I don't know what NLE you're using, but most will allow you to 'name' the reel and then you'll log clips from that reel (tape). Just name the reel the same as you label your tapes and it won't be confusing.

-gb-

Used Warranty
 

Isn't there s uch thing as purchasing a warranty for a used camera.. I though B&H had them.

Hmmm. I've not heard of any on the same sense as a new warranty from the manufacturer. I suppose some dealers migh offer a short term warranty (e.g., 30 to 90 days) on used gear, and you may be able to buy a third party maintenance/service agreement, but used equipment is an "iffy" thing, and it might be costly.

Have you tried to google the subject?