Canon to drop XL- and GL- videocameras
 

Hi

I know this is far out, but this is Area 51 - right?

I spoke with Apple on their launch of thw Tiger-version of MacOS X. In the past they have always been showing Canon-videocamera at all events. OK - a Sony HDV crept in last time, but in all other places it was Canon.

I asked the Apple product rep why there was no Canons this time. Reply - Oh, they are dropping their hi end cameras due to lack of profit to focus on consumer videocameras!

Assuming that this guy knows anything, then the much advertised quote "XL2 will be the last SD-camera from Canon" really means "XL2 will be the *last* camera from Canon".

Prove me wrong pls!

Canon needs high end cameras because image.

Sony and JVC will want Canon adapt their HDV system so they will offering Canon their HDV technology. Canon will not have to develop it from scratch.

I would expect Canon show their HDV camera this year and I expect it be XL3, because technology is not here yet to make it smaller.

I wouldn't be surprised either way, if Canon dropped the XL or updated the line.
I'd say it's a long-shot, and would be silly, if Canon dropped the GL price-point. Whether the new camera in that bracket will be called a GL or a Q-Alpha, the point is it would almost certainly be the same kind of camera. They just sell to dang many of them to "not be profitable."

The XL series however is a little tougher scenario. I'd say there are equal chances of them A. dropping the line altogether, and waiting for a few years, B. starting a whole new line in the same pricepoint, and C. screwing around with an HDV XL.

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that if they were to radically update their XL series to something wonderfully new and different, it will mean that almost nothing on the new camera will be backwards-compatible. Therefore, it would almost by definition not be an XL, since it would not be able to use the XL lenses, etc.

I'm not going to babble on about things I don't know, but it seems to me that Canon may either half-ass things by simply reprogramming the XL2 (maybe the new developer pack is a hint?) or go all-out and build something that integrates mini-35 lenses right off the bat. Maybe it will even accept half-inch video lenses?

I agree that Canon will probablly need to keep something along the lines of the XL, it simply gives them way too much good press for them to drop it, even if the particular line is unprofitable. Look in any video store that sells Canons, and Ma and Pa camera-shopper get wowed into seeing that Canon makes good stuff with that wonderful looking XL.
Who knows?

I hope Canon pulls the same maneuver that they did with their digital SLRs. Perhaps a GL-2 cam at around $800-1,000, or even better introduce the GL-3 at around $1,200 and the XL-3 at around $2,000.

Hey it could happen.