What do you use the XL1 for?

[Bob Zimmerman]

Trying to decide on what camcorder to buy. Just would like to know what everyone here who owns a XL1 uses it for. Weddings, etc.

[Adrian Douglas]

I use mine for multimedia production for the web, and CD-ROM and also for shooting surfing, snowboarding and the like, and also am currently working on a short. The camera performs flawlessly, however the manual lens would be a better option in some cases.

[Daniel H. Buchmann]

Hey Zim, I'm a relative newbie to the world of XL1, but recently got a chance to use it at work. I work in television news and was given the opportunity to use my xl1 as a second camera on a shoot. It was a story about an ex crack addict who turned his life around, became a journalist and eventually became a published author. We followed him back to his old haunts in the "badlands" of philadelphia where he used to get high. I shot in frame mode completely handheld and intercut it with clean video from the primary camera. I was really satisfied with the final product and hope to someday show to you all.

[Edward Troxel]

We currently have 3 XL-1's that are used to film weddings, school events & musical productions, and corporate events. This camera has worked great for us in all types of situations.

[John Klein]

Been using D8 as an alternative to using the Cable Access' equipment and editing on my mac.

Just stepped up and hoping it's worth it. I know it is, j/k

[Mike Butler]

The XL1 is a cam that can be used for just about anything. I use mine for shooting corporate events and documentary footage. Have taken it on the road to NYC, Boston, Las Vegas etc. to record promotional events, billiards and casino games tournaments, consumer interviews, and have submitted some footage for broadcast use (news clips).
If you look at the movie "Swordfish" you will find the XL1 used in the story by both the "bad guys" and "good guys" ... the porn movie mogul has one in his studio to produce his "art" films, and the FBI uses one for surveillance. Interesting where you see these cameras. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the XL1 has changed my life.

Zimvg, you didn't say what you were interested in doing with yours when you said you were trying to decide what to buy...if you want something that you can literally produce an indy movie or any kind of documentary on and grow with in terms of lenses etc. the XL1 is an unbeatable choice.

[Don Parrish]

hold a camcorder out in front of you and people think home movies, put a camera on your shoulder and attitudes change very quickly.

[Lorinda Norton]

If you haven't, let me rave about the XL1s! Bought it for use in music videos and haven't been disappointed. Looks as good (or better) as the stuff I see on television as long as I have the lighting right. Also shot a wedding the other day; the only problems I found were my own--not the fault of the camcorder. I just ordered another one for my partner yesterday. Especially for the price, I don't think you can beat it.

[Ken Tanaka]

In addition to what everyone else offered (which I agree with, as an XL1 owner also) I'll also add that it does a pretty good job with sound control, particularly when you add the MA-100 adapter for XLR connections. (Or the MA-200 adapter if you're buying an XL1s.)

I know that these are pretty expensive additions but I highly recommend also buying the 3x wide angle lens. It's extremely handy for tight space situations. I also recommend getting a kit with the black & white CRT head rather than the standard color viewfinder. As with professional/broadcast equipment it really helps with focusing. Yes, it may take some getting used to (if you're accustomed to consumer cams with color viewfinders) but it's worth the effort.

I'd also recommend starting with the XL1s rather than the XL1. It's all gain with no pain.

Have fun!

[Daniel H. Buchmann]

hey Ken,
what do you find better about the s over the original xl1?

[Ken Tanaka]

Daniel,

I don't have one of the newer XL1s models, only the XL1. The "XL1 Watchdog" site features a pretty extensive report on the XL1s and its differences from the XL1. As a prospective buyer the ability to modify sharpness, adjust black levels and select the zebra levels are the most attractive new features to me.

Most of the stuff I shoot is for television. As a matter of fact, I just got back from Afghanistan yesterday where I was shooting some footage for a documentary series on the humanitarian efforts there. Over the past two years I've used my XL1 for a number of different docs, most of which have aired on PBS and and on NHK in Japan. A piece I shot on the refugee crisis in Kosovo was even nominated for a Philadelphia area Emmy in 2000. I'm really not trying to blow my own horn here, but rather stress the fact that you can shoot some seriously good video with the XL1. It's a great little camera, plain and simple. I'll take it over a Beta rig whenever I travel.

[Ken Tanaka]

Very interesting. Your Afghanistan work must have been a bit depressing, judging from what we've seen from over here. Not to mention the physically harsh conditions. How did your XL1 hold-up? Have you been using the standard lens, the 14x manual lens or something else?

Do you end up transferring your footage to a NLE from MiniDV and then sending the edited work back to Beta or DVCAM for broadcast? Also, what NLE platform do you or your editors typically use?

-Ken-

[Mike Butler]

Interesting when you say you'll take it over a Beta rig...did you know that Sony recently discontiued all its Betacam SP products? I think digital is here to stay, and we all can be out shooting without worrying about mortgaging the house to own a proper camera.
Has anyone noticed how often the XL1 is now turning up as a prop in movies? Swordfish showed 2 of them in the story...one in a porn studio and one in an FBI Surveillance job. Also, the other night the TV show "Third Watch" showed a documentary being shot as part of the story line...you guessed it, with an XL1!

I hope I’m not going to violate any length restrictions here, but here goes.

In answer to your questions, Ken, we were actually in the northern part of the country, well away from the fighting. On this trip we were visiting some the warehouses that the NGOs were using to store food, tents and other supplies that are being sent over the mountains to the refugee camps in the south. We’ll be going back to shoot the camps in Mazar-e-Shariff and Kabul in a couple of months.

Although the region we were in did not see much fighting, Afghanistan is suffering the effects of a three-year drought, which has left the country almost completely devoid of vegetation. The sand is so fine that it is more like heavy dust than anything else, but despite concerns about the invasive grit, the XL1 performed like a champ. In retrospect, we probably should have invested in a PortaBrace rain slicker for the trip. Dust did clog the heads in Egypt a couple of years ago, but luck was on our side this time. The camera will definitely not return unprotected next time.

My XL1 is outfitted with the standard 16X lens and the following:

3X Wide angle lens
MA-100 XLR adaptor
Lightwave systems Equalizer wind screen
Tiffen 1/8 Pro Mist filter
Tiffen 812 warming filter

I do my editing on the Matrox DigiSuite platform running Premiere 5.1, upgrading to 6.0 any day now. The Afghanistan footage, however, will be edited in Boston on an Avid XpressDV system. I master to Beta whenever possible; I still love the softer look of analog for the finished product. Barring the ability to do that I’ll master to a DV based format and dub to Beta for delivery. I don’t know of any stations/networks that accept programming on mini DV yet (or ever, for that matter).

If anyone is interested in seeing a few pictures from Afghanistan, drop me an e-mail and I’ll be happy to forward some.

Bill Schlosser