Observations from Longtime GL2 Owner
 

After owning a GL2 for more than a year, I am still impressed with what this camcorder can do. Last night I shot several sequences of footage, downloaded all of it to my PC, and viewed it on a Sony NTSC monitor (I have learned not to fully trust either the viewfinder or the LCD).

My goal was to shoot some test footage in the hope of “seeing” the difference between standard 4:3 and electronic anamorphic 16:9 (all shot in frame mode). The series of test shots were taken with and without the aid of Canon’s wide angle adaptor. While these observations are hardly conclusive, this is what I observed:

1) The 16:9 mode picks up better color in the shadows (particularly red).
2) The low light performance appeared to be slightly better in 16:9 mode than standard 4:3.
3) Focusing manually in 16:9 mode seemed to be easier/more accurate than when using the standard 4:3 mode.
4) The wide angle adaptor noticeably softens images and flattens colors in either mode.
5) Manually focusing shots with the wide adaptor was significantly more difficult than without the adaptor.

In addition, adjustment of the custom setup controls can achieve looks I have previously had to create in post. The settings that brought the best look (when shooting in good lighting with lots of colors):

Saturation -2
Color balance 0
Sharpness* -1
Setup -2

*I still prefer to soften in Vegas using two video streams.

The next generation of miniDV cameras will likely tempt me into an upgrade. I am determined to hold out and see what Canon creates as I really like the look of their footage. With that noted, the GL2 continues to impress me, particularly in the creation of DVD content.

Let me add that these might not be new observations to you, but many of them are to me.