Lord of the Rings!
 

OK...what the heck was I thinking messing around with cameras that didn't have a dedicated zoom, iris and focus wheel. AND one's that actually work...REALLY well!

Recorded a play for a school I do a lot of work for and normally I'd use a varizoom rocker. Since I only have had the XF300 for a week, I haven't had time to research that item but after discovering the joy of the rings...I'm all set!

They are super smooth and accurate! And forget the rocker zoom, while some may get used to it, I probably won't touch it again after rotating that huge ring on the lens!

Just wonder if anyone else has had this kind of "DUH" experience since moving to the Canon.

Just got tonight's footage loaded into FCP and OMFG! The picture is awesome! Very pleased with this purchase!

Hi Robert,

Glad you're enjoying your XF cam. I've had my XF300 for over two weeks, but haven't extensively shot with it yet (just a few things in and around the house), and nothing really of consequence due to my other work.

But with the brief time I've had shooting, I can definitely agree with you that the XF's lens rocks! I mostly use the rocker zoom, but like the dual function of using the zoom ring. But for me the auto focus button is what shines on the cam. I have it on manual focus, but use the auto focus button quite often.

I do like doing snap zooms on occasion, but can't do it with the XF :(

Best,

yeah.. the push auto focus rocks! used it last night to great affect!

by snap zoom, I am guessing you just mean a really fast zoom.

Give this a try...
in ring controlled zoom mode, set one end of the desired zoom, then flip to rocker controlled and set the other end. then flip back to ring controlled.
I stumbled across this a few days ago by accident. (hopefully its not doing any damage!)
bummer is you can't go back and forth with the switch so it's a one-way trip!

Hi Robert,

Yeah, snap zooms are the really, really fast zooms. I'm used to having it on ENG style lenses.

Another great thing about the XF lens is that you can get really close to a subject (flowers, insects, your wife's nose :) But I think you need to switch to the Auto/MF on the lens to have that feature.

Here's a strange thing I stumbled into, regarding the XF's ergonomics. It's almost long enough that I can rest the back end of the cam on the front of my shoulder. And with the LCD so far forward I almost can. (I'm still looking for a shoulder type stabilizer though.)

Best,

Video
 

A video i found to be informative.

YouTube - Canon XF300 / XF305 Rig

Just for grins I put it on my 7D shoulder rig and while it works would require tweaking that I don't want to do cause the 7D is perfect. I think I may make a shoulder rig as really it just requires a flat piece of aluminum stock bent at the back to fit my shoulder (add some padding) and a handle (sourced from a kids bike) at the front. Put a QR plate on it and I'm good to go for about $75 including the QR plate. I can also bolt on counterweights and put my wireless receivers on it. I don't think a follow focus is necessary (that's why I have a 7D) we'll see what I come up with! Mostly the 300 will get used on a tripod so it isn't a hot priority. As I may have a couple of eng style gigs in a month, I may have to up the priority!

Very cool but frightened to see the price!