Canon XL1 and Pencil Lenses at DVinfo.net

Ewald Hayward · January 21st, 2003, 10:59 PM

The XL1 does not have any analogue intputs like the XL1-S. I need to get a pencil lens to use with the XL1. Is there any way I can attach a pencil lens to the camera?
Regards
Ewald Hayward

Chris Hurd · January 22nd, 2003, 12:52 AM

I'm not exactly sure what a pencil lens is, but the *only* way to get video into an XL1 outside of the XL lens mount is through the FireWire (DV) jack.

Jeff Donald · January 22nd, 2003, 07:02 AM

I'll bite. What's a pencil lens and do you have an XL1 or XL1S? Thanks.

Jeff

Robert Knecht Schmidt · January 22nd, 2003, 09:14 AM

Is it a lipstick camera?

Don Palomaki · January 22nd, 2003, 11:27 AM

Pencil lens?

Something to do with ski goggles.
Something to do with off-road vehicle lights.
A special pencil-shapped lens used in medical research (e.g., blood flow in rats).

Might also refer to a special pin-hole lens used in surveillance cameras.

Ewald Hayward · January 22nd, 2003, 01:25 PM

OK, OK,
My mistake! Its supposed to be a 'bullet camera', or a lipstick - because of its size - but a pencil is also small and long and has 'n "pinhole' at the end??
The unit works on any analogue-in port on a camera. Its a fantastic tool when one wants to get close-up shots of say, a car's suspension, by cable tying it down behind the car's wheel.
Problem is that my little XL1 does not have an analogue-in so I can't use it anyway. Unless there is a converter from analogue to DV via the firewire port so that I can use the DV-in option. . .
Sorry for the confusion - interesting responses -)
Ewald
Check out
http://www.cctvtoolbox.co.za/display_product_251.htm

Andrew Petrie · January 22nd, 2003, 02:28 PM

Sometimes I want to get really close as well, but my XL1S' focus just can't go sharp on anything a foot or two away. Having a lipstick camera with twice the resolution found in the link you posted would be ideal for me :)

Rick Spilman · January 22nd, 2003, 03:18 PM

http://www.helmetcamera.com/products.htm

These folks have a lipstick cam with 480 lines of resolution as well as the 380 line version. I have had reasonably good luck cutting footage from the 380 line lipstick cam and the my PD150 as long as I color correct the lipstick cam footage and don't use much of it.

Rick

Don Palomaki · January 23rd, 2003, 06:12 AM

You can find analog to Firewire converion devices for around $200 or so.

As to close-up use of the XL1, you can get useable results with a +2 close-up adapter, available at most decent photo supply outlets for $20 or so. They just screw on like a filter. Available in sets of +1, +2, and +4. for perhaps $60 in 72mm size, and they give full zoom through.

For better results invest some real money into better (multi-element coated units ) from Century or parhaps Canon.

Ewald Hayward · January 23rd, 2003, 07:40 AM

Thanks Don
But the whole idea of the lens is to get it into places where the Canon cannot. The lens has a cable of approximately 30 feet (10 metres), which allows one ie to sit inside a car with the Canon and video the suspension while driving.
Could you point me to the analogue to DV converter? If it is not too bulky, one could possibly attached that to the Canon and use the DV-in port.
Regards
Ewald

Ken Tanaka · January 23rd, 2003, 01:01 PM

Ewald,
There are at least 2 or 3 on the market. I occasionally use a "Hollywood DV-Bridge" from Dazzle to transfer analog to DV. It works very well, is widely available at computer stores as well as many video shops, is reasonably priced and compact to store.

Don Palomaki · January 24th, 2003, 07:03 PM

Sony had a couple models of DV-Analog converters on teh market a couple years ago, tha ???-DA1 and /???-DA2. They may have been discontinued, but were compact and may it mayhave been possible to power them from a battery (I'm not sure about that).

Canopus offers the ADVC -100 fro around $290 at B&H.

Formac Studio offers a model (at least in a recent the B&H catalog)..

There are no doubt many others.

January 21st, 2003, 10:59 PM	#1
Ewald Hayward Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Africa Posts: 29	Canon XL1 and Pencil Lenses The XL1 does not have any analogue intputs like the XL1-S. I need to get a pencil lens to use with the XL1. Is there any way I can attach a pencil lens to the camera? Regards Ewald Hayward

January 22nd, 2003, 12:52 AM	#2
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	I'm not exactly sure what a pencil lens is, but the only way to get video into an XL1 outside of the XL lens mount is through the FireWire (DV) jack. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

January 22nd, 2003, 09:14 AM	#4
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	Is it a lipstick camera? __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 22nd, 2003, 02:28 PM	#7
Andrew Petrie Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 484	Sometimes I want to get really close as well, but my XL1S' focus just can't go sharp on anything a foot or two away. Having a lipstick camera with twice the resolution found in the link you posted would be ideal for me :) __________________ Andrew \| Canon XL1s, ME66, Vinten Vision 3, GlideCam V16 (for sale!)

January 23rd, 2003, 01:01 PM	#11
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Ewald, There are at least 2 or 3 on the market. I occasionally use a "Hollywood DV-Bridge" from Dazzle to transfer analog to DV. It works very well, is widely available at computer stores as well as many video shops, is reasonably priced and compact to store. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

January 22nd, 2003, 07:02 AM	#3
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I'll bite. What's a pencil lens and do you have an XL1 or XL1S? Thanks. Jeff

January 22nd, 2003, 11:27 AM	#5
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Pencil lens? Something to do with ski goggles. Something to do with off-road vehicle lights. A special pencil-shapped lens used in medical research (e.g., blood flow in rats). Might also refer to a special pin-hole lens used in surveillance cameras.

January 22nd, 2003, 01:25 PM	#6
Ewald Hayward Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Africa Posts: 29	OK, OK, My mistake! Its supposed to be a 'bullet camera', or a lipstick - because of its size - but a pencil is also small and long and has 'n "pinhole' at the end?? The unit works on any analogue-in port on a camera. Its a fantastic tool when one wants to get close-up shots of say, a car's suspension, by cable tying it down behind the car's wheel. Problem is that my little XL1 does not have an analogue-in so I can't use it anyway. Unless there is a converter from analogue to DV via the firewire port so that I can use the DV-in option. . . Sorry for the confusion - interesting responses -) Ewald Check out http://www.cctvtoolbox.co.za/display_product_251.htm

January 22nd, 2003, 03:18 PM	#8
Rick Spilman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Jersey City, NJ Posts: 366	http://www.helmetcamera.com/products.htm These folks have a lipstick cam with 480 lines of resolution as well as the 380 line version. I have had reasonably good luck cutting footage from the 380 line lipstick cam and the my PD150 as long as I color correct the lipstick cam footage and don't use much of it. Rick

January 23rd, 2003, 06:12 AM	#9
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	You can find analog to Firewire converion devices for around $200 or so. As to close-up use of the XL1, you can get useable results with a +2 close-up adapter, available at most decent photo supply outlets for $20 or so. They just screw on like a filter. Available in sets of +1, +2, and +4. for perhaps $60 in 72mm size, and they give full zoom through. For better results invest some real money into better (multi-element coated units ) from Century or parhaps Canon.

January 23rd, 2003, 07:40 AM	#10
Ewald Hayward Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: South Africa Posts: 29	Thanks Don But the whole idea of the lens is to get it into places where the Canon cannot. The lens has a cable of approximately 30 feet (10 metres), which allows one ie to sit inside a car with the Canon and video the suspension while driving. Could you point me to the analogue to DV converter? If it is not too bulky, one could possibly attached that to the Canon and use the DV-in port. Regards Ewald

January 24th, 2003, 07:03 PM	#12
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Sony had a couple models of DV-Analog converters on teh market a couple years ago, tha ???-DA1 and /???-DA2. They may have been discontinued, but were compact and may it mayhave been possible to power them from a battery (I'm not sure about that). Canopus offers the ADVC -100 fro around $290 at B&H. Formac Studio offers a model (at least in a recent the B&H catalog).. There are no doubt many others.