XL 1s at DVinfo.net

Allan Birch · November 21st, 2011, 06:34 PM

Hello
Does anyone use the XL1s for Event/Doc filming,?
I cover equestrian dressage with a digi stills camera, and think there maybe a window
to supply the whole dressage test on DVD. No one does this in my area at present.
I know they are old hat but I have just been presented with 2 cams by a relative just retired,
one with X16 lens and the other X20 and I think they just look the bee's knee's
Not worth a great deal if sold, anyway I wouldnt be the most popular person if I did sell. They wre a gift.
I find the results really good from the sample tests I have been carrying out, and have had positive feedback from owners and riders alike so far.
Opinions and advice would be welcome.
Regards
Allan

Les Wilson · November 21st, 2011, 10:02 PM

I still have my XL1s but rarely use it. I still love it. If that's the camera you have, it will take fine standard definition video for DVD. Especially outdoors. You mentioned a 20x lens, that sounds like the XL2. The XL1s had a 3x wide angle, 16x automatic lens and a 14x Fujinon manual lens.

If you shoot the XL1s in Frame mode and in 16x9 mode, your DVDs will be widescreen ones which will give them a modern look.

If you are shooting handheld, my favorite rig was the Spiderbrace and a Varizoom LANC controller. You have to get the right model Spiderbrace that was designed for the XL cameras that have a proper viewfinder on the side versus handycams with it on the back.

Don Palomaki · November 22nd, 2011, 10:38 AM

The XL1/XL1s came stock with a 16x zoom lens and Canon offered an optional 3x zoom range wide angle lens, and in later years a 16x fullly manual lens. The XL2 introduced a 20x zoom lens (backward compatible). Canon also offered a 1.4x (?) teleconverter and an adapter to allow use of Canon still lenses with it. There should be plenty of information about it elsewhere here at this web site.

I used the XL1 for event work until about 3.5 years ago. It was a great camcorder in its day for SD video, and still has a cool "professional" look to random passing civilians if that is important. In the hands of a reasonably skilled shooter you can use it and produce good DVDs. However, it is a 10+ year old design, and no match for current HD camcorders.

While the XL2 offered a native 16x9 mode, as I understand it the XL1s did not. It may have achieved its 16x9 aspect ratio by discarding some scan line from the top/bottom of the image and scaling the remainder to 480 lines resulting in a somewhat softer 16x9 image.

If the camcorder were a gift, give them a try and judge whether or not they met your needs. The price is right.

Allan Birch · November 22nd, 2011, 04:51 PM

My thanks to Les and Don for taking the time to comment on my post.
Much appreciated.
Allan

Charlton Chars · December 21st, 2011, 10:51 PM

The XL1s and especially XL2 have many settings to customize the look, they are not point and shoot cameras and require skilled operation.

Manny Felarca · January 10th, 2013, 07:17 AM

I still use my XL1S, especially for sports (football, basketball, volleyball, etc.). Here's a video I did recently. It was an insect we found in our front yard - really ugly looking thing that looked like it could bite. The thing was over 2 inches long!

Manny Felarca · January 10th, 2013, 07:48 AM

Here's another video taken with the Canon XL1S. The priest had already finished his prayers, and everyone was getting ready to leave, so I had put away the tripod already. Then someone remembered the tradition of carrying unbaptized babies over the coffin. I had never heard or seen it done before. I just turned the XL1S back on, and taped it handheld, while shooting my still camera (awkwardly) with my left hand. I increased the frame to HD and increased the saturation to match the footage from our HD video cameras (Canon XH-A1), and clients can't tell the difference once it's put on DVD.

November 21st, 2011, 06:34 PM	#1
Allan Birch Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: S/W UK Posts: 37	XL 1s Hello Does anyone use the XL1s for Event/Doc filming,? I cover equestrian dressage with a digi stills camera, and think there maybe a window to supply the whole dressage test on DVD. No one does this in my area at present. I know they are old hat but I have just been presented with 2 cams by a relative just retired, one with X16 lens and the other X20 and I think they just look the bee's knee's Not worth a great deal if sold, anyway I wouldnt be the most popular person if I did sell. They wre a gift. I find the results really good from the sample tests I have been carrying out, and have had positive feedback from owners and riders alike so far. Opinions and advice would be welcome. Regards Allan

November 21st, 2011, 10:02 PM	#2
Les Wilson Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,014	Re: XL 1s I still have my XL1s but rarely use it. I still love it. If that's the camera you have, it will take fine standard definition video for DVD. Especially outdoors. You mentioned a 20x lens, that sounds like the XL2. The XL1s had a 3x wide angle, 16x automatic lens and a 14x Fujinon manual lens. If you shoot the XL1s in Frame mode and in 16x9 mode, your DVDs will be widescreen ones which will give them a modern look. If you are shooting handheld, my favorite rig was the Spiderbrace and a Varizoom LANC controller. You have to get the right model Spiderbrace that was designed for the XL cameras that have a proper viewfinder on the side versus handycams with it on the back. Last edited by Les Wilson; November 22nd, 2011 at 12:13 PM.

November 22nd, 2011, 10:38 AM	#3
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,489	Re: XL 1s The XL1/XL1s came stock with a 16x zoom lens and Canon offered an optional 3x zoom range wide angle lens, and in later years a 16x fullly manual lens. The XL2 introduced a 20x zoom lens (backward compatible). Canon also offered a 1.4x (?) teleconverter and an adapter to allow use of Canon still lenses with it. There should be plenty of information about it elsewhere here at this web site. I used the XL1 for event work until about 3.5 years ago. It was a great camcorder in its day for SD video, and still has a cool "professional" look to random passing civilians if that is important. In the hands of a reasonably skilled shooter you can use it and produce good DVDs. However, it is a 10+ year old design, and no match for current HD camcorders. While the XL2 offered a native 16x9 mode, as I understand it the XL1s did not. It may have achieved its 16x9 aspect ratio by discarding some scan line from the top/bottom of the image and scaling the remainder to 480 lines resulting in a somewhat softer 16x9 image. If the camcorder were a gift, give them a try and judge whether or not they met your needs. The price is right. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

November 22nd, 2011, 04:51 PM	#4
Allan Birch Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: S/W UK Posts: 37	Re: XL 1s My thanks to Les and Don for taking the time to comment on my post. Much appreciated. Allan

December 21st, 2011, 10:51 PM	#5
Charlton Chars New Boot Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Australia Posts: 23	Re: XL 1s The XL1s and especially XL2 have many settings to customize the look, they are not point and shoot cameras and require skilled operation.