GL2 and XL2 still on store shelves ??

[Don Parrish]

It is an interesting time to watch video technology. I have fallen way behind and struggle to keep up with the conversations here at DVinfo. We were in the midst of an HD move years ago, then into digital storage and now we await the next batch of cameras that I am guessing is going to have cmos sensors and digital storage and who knows what. I have written a couple of times about the XLH1S and A no longer being on the shelf at B&H and New Egg yet at the same time those pesky ole standard definitions cameras are still there. What is the reasoning that the GL2 and XL2 are still on the shelves while there HD counterparts are "discontinued". It doesn't make sense. Over produced maybe ???

I think the GL2 was announced in 2002 and the XL2 announced in 2004.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

To understand the answer to your questions, I think you only have to notice how much SD we all still watch worldwide in 2010 - both TV and DVD.

In fact, yet again, I used the Canon XL2 alongside my latest HD cameras during a recent filming project...and the old XL2 is still a fabulous tool for obtaining high quality footage for professional DVDs, and held it's own against the latest HD cameras footage that needed extra work and time to be down-rezzed to fit the DVD.

[Bob Safay]

It maybe because they are still fantastic camcorders. I have had the XL-1, XL-1s, and currently the XL-2. For my purpose it is the best. I shoot a lot of videos for my agency which are distributed to community members via dvd's and posted on various web pages. I would venture to guess that 99.9% of the people that watch my DVD's do not have Blueray. And, because I am limited to the size of video I can post on a webpage, SD still looks beautiful. Here is a link to some of my videos, all shot with the XL-2 and edited with Vegas. Bob

ATSDR - ATSDR Brownfield/Land Reuse Initiative - Videos

[Don Parrish]

Very nice video indeed, so the answer is they are still being sold ??


Until you folks made me realize it, It had not occurred to me that our home players and recorders lag so far behind the cameras and televisions. Everyone has or wants HD but what do they do with it ? I took a quick look at the price and availability of blueray and was stunned by the recorder prices 1500 to 2500 U.S. and they had low ratings. I did not see an easy PC solution either, a lot of products with low ratings.

[Tony Davies-Patrick]

Some very nice work shown on your website, Bob.

My latest movie, Globetrotter Carp Quest, was filmed with a mixture of Canon 5D Mark II & XL2 footage and there are trailers of the movie on my website, vimeo and youtube.
The 5D definitely holds plenty of advantages, especially for underwater video, and works great on small steadicams - plus the fact that pure full HD from the 5D looks fabulous; but the XL2 combined with the 20X SD and 6X HD lens really is hard to beat if your end product is going to be in SD. The XL2 footage also uprezzes quite nicely to 720P.

[Bob Safay]

Thanks guys, I am glad you liked some of my videos. These come under the old "and other duties as assigned" aspect of my job. Don two more things. First, if you pick up the new Canon XF300/FX305 brochures it shows all of Canons "professional camcorders" and yes, the XL-2 and GL2 are still featured. Second, B&H is still selling the XL-2, and it is listed only $300.00 less than I paid for it in Aug, 2006. So, I guess you could say they really hold their value. It really is a work horse. Bob

[Ken Hull]

Originally Posted by Tony Davies-Patrick

To understand the answer to your questions, I think you only have to notice how much SD we all still watch worldwide in 2010 - both TV and DVD.

I still see more DVDs than BluRays on the store shelves. Most people I know don't have BluRay players yet. (And now they're trying to push 3D on us!)

Ken

[David Stoneburner]

A survey I saw recently said that most people have HDTVs, since SD TVs are almost impossible to find, but most don't watch HD content on their TVs. Although I'm shooting everything in HD, most delivery is still SD. I think the 16:9 aspect is a little more important. That's where the XL2 would shine.

[Don Parrish]

Another reason may be that SD is the standard still in place in some countries, HDTV's are not the norm everywhere and I think canon is one of the few making SD cameras.

I think it would make a good poll for DVinfo, "Why do you not have an HD player connected to your TV" or "Do you have blueray in your home" or "what is the final destination for your HD video". I wonder how many people can shoot, edit, and create grand HD movies at their computer but could not walk into their own living room and play it ??

It appears to me that blueray players are on the average around 200 dollars, A scant amount 3 years ago is a major purchase today. I have always wanted a stand alone DVR, but really dont see many made. I guess the whole "don't record our content" thing along with few output options out of cable and satellite boxes have left us rather handcuffed. The 3D thing is just bad timing, I really know nothing of it except if it includes wearing glasses count me out, it just looks and feels bad.

When was the last time I stuck a DVD movie in my player, at least a year. Instead I spend my time with a channel changer in my hand finding myself flipping the channels, sometimes for 2 hours before I realize it. I am not one to watch the same movie multiple times, and the movies produced today are for the most part terrible. Everything seems to be a million bullets, way far out there effects or aircraft that skid across the ground for 5 minutes after crash landing and never slow down. Maybe the answer is hollywood is terrible ??