January 2000: This is the part where I get to tell you how little I actually know about the Canon GL1. I don't own one yet; and don't foresee owning one anytime in the near future, although I wouldn't mind it. It's a cool little DV camcorder! I did get to spend a few brief moments with a GL1 at Canon's booth during DV Expo last September. I liked it a lot, but haven't had enough time or experience to be able to say anything significant about it, though.

However, many other videographers are saying a lot about the GL1, and I figured I'd better put together some pages to keep an eye on everything that's being said about it. Hopefully you'll find the Resources section a good place to begin (or continue) your GL1 research.

A very frequent request for advice has been appearing on the net since the GL1 first came to the market last summer: "Between the XL1 and GL1, which camcorder should I buy?" And in my opinion, making that decision depends entirely on asking yourself a simple question... which one can you afford?

It's that easy. Anytime you're in the market for a prosumer camcorder, ultimately the deciding factor is going to be price. Comparing image quality, features, etc. etc. is meaningless in the prosumer price range. Considering how little these camcorders cost compared to professional video cameras (keep in mind that just one Canon broadcast video lens can easily be worth more than three or four XL1's), the fact is that they all produce a great picture relative to their price. It's just a matter of how much you care to spend. The XL1 and GL1 are separated by about $1500, and that's the biggest difference of all the differences between the two.

If we were talking about pro cameras, for instance say you were considering the JVC GY-DV500U, the Sony DSR-300 and the Panasonic AJ-D400, and you were about to invest $10,000 or so, then it would become a serious question of format choice and a few other details. But we're comparing a $3600 prosumer camcorder to a $2100 prosumer camcorder... and there isn't any comparison; it's simply a trade-off of features vs. price.

Trying to decide between Canon's 3-chip DV camcorders? If you can afford an XL1, it's for you. If you can't afford an XL1, then the GL1 is your camcorder. Hope this helps, and remember, it doesn't matter which camcorder you buy, so much as what you do with one once you've got it.