XF305 Arrived - Test Footage, Trials, Tribulations

Jeff Lower · September 18th, 2010, 02:10 PM

I've been seriously considering getting the XF300, but I have a stupid question.

With the CF cards are you able to record longer than the (roughly) 12 minutes at a time? Or, like with the Canon 5d Mark II do you have to start recording again once it hits that file size limit.

Great review of the camera so far.

Doug Jensen · September 18th, 2010, 02:18 PM

Not only can you shoot for the full length of whatever will fit on the card, you can use Relay Recording to hot-swap cards and record non-stop for infinity. This ain't no DSLR. This is a broadcast-quality video camcorder with all the normal features and functions you'd expect to have -- plus a bunch more you don't expect.

Jeff Lower · September 18th, 2010, 02:23 PM

Thanks Doug. I am pleased to hear that. A canon rep at the Expo told me otherwise, but I just couldn't believe it. Perhaps they thought I was talking about the 5d MKII that I had around my neck.

Thanks for straightening that out for me.

Robert Turchick · October 28th, 2010, 01:13 AM

Jeeez! Thanks Steve for the tip on the remote! I was pulling my hair out for a while and finally gave up thinking Canon had supplied me a bad battery for it! I even toggled the in-camera setting to see the remote!

Anyone know a way to reset the TC on the 300 without going into a menu? I just want it to give me per clip length.

Just did two full days of shooting with the 300, 5D and 7D and all I gotta say is Canon's stuff is awesome. The 300 is almost too good as now I'm seeing stray hairs and pores on the talent. This is just a screen grab from the shoot today! I was zoomed in all the way so I could check focus. I think I got it!

Steev Dinkins · November 1st, 2010, 10:50 AM

Fabulous screen grab! Critical focus is *the* way of getting the most out of this camera.

Regarding that time per clip reading... I have no idea how to. I am now believing it does not exist - which is a big bummer!

If you find out a way to change the timecode to time per clip, let me know!

-steev

Doug Jensen · November 1st, 2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Turchick

Anyone know a way to reset the TC on the 300 without going into a menu? I just want it to give me per clip length.

You can program an Assignable button for faster access to the TC menus, however, with the current firmware, there is no way to display a counter. This is one of the things I complain about in my XF training DVD. The only time data that you can show is ordinary time-code. You cannot show a resettable counter or the duration of the current clip like you can with many other camcorders.

Steev Dinkins · November 1st, 2010, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Jensen

however, with the current firmware, there is no way to display a counter. This is one of the things I complain about in my XF training DVD. The only time data that you can show is ordinary time-code. You cannot show a resettable counter or the duration of the current clip like you can with many other camcorders.

Thanks for the clarification on this. We can now stop searching for it. :)

Robert Turchick · November 1st, 2010, 05:22 PM

bummer! thanks for clearing that up. thought it was just an omission from the manual but it's a REALLY big omission on Canon's part!

Galen Rath · November 4th, 2010, 04:02 PM

Is there any website where an employee of Canon responds openly about omissions like this, e.g. indicating what their thinking is, and what their plans are to correct them?

Doug Jensen · November 4th, 2010, 04:37 PM

Canon might not even recognize that the camera has some of the shortcomings that we see, let alone consider them "problems" that have to be dealt with. They copied an awful lot of features from the EX1, so it makes you wonder why they'd leave off a few important ones. If they left them off at the start, what makes you think they'll add them later?

Judging from my dealings with Canon this summer when I reported multiple problems with their XF Utility software, and voiced a few concerns about the camera itself during the production of my XF305/300 training DVD, don't hold your breath waiting for any improvements.

Robert Turchick · November 4th, 2010, 06:05 PM

Doug, curious what some of your other concerns about the camera are. Other than the on/off switch and clip TC reset, I am loving this camera.
The programmable buttons are a killer feature and now the camera really is setup the way I need it to be. Only thing left is to do some matching on the picture profiles between the 300 and my 7D so they get even closer in post.

Pete Bauer · November 4th, 2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galen Rath

Is there any website where an employee of Canon responds openly about omissions like this, e.g. indicating what their thinking is, and what their plans are to correct them?

No, they don't do that at all. But be assured that they do follow every word about Canon and its products on DVinfo (and probably even other sites) very closely.

The feature set of a particular camera is something we can conjecture about all day, but cannot answer. That kind of proprietary info stay buried deep within most companies. So who knows, maybe they left a few features off so they help differentiate them from a future camera (can you tell I'm holding out for an "XL-F1"???)

;-)

Doug Jensen · November 5th, 2010, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Turchick

Doug, curious what some of your other concerns about the camera are.

I've talked about many of my XF305/300 concerns in other posts, and I go into quite a bit of detail in my training DVD about what to watch out for and how to work around some of them, so I'm not going to rehash everything all over again. If you're happy with your camera, then that's all the matters.

Personally, I own and have used enough other HD cameras that the shortcomings of the XF305/300 jump right out at me and I can't ignore them. But if I didn't have those other cameras to compare to, then maybe I wouldn't be so critical. Ignorance is bliss. But by the same token, the things that are great about the XF305/300 also jump out at me. The Canon blows the doors off the competition in some regards, and falls short in others. Two bad we can't take the best features from many cameras and create the "perfect" camera.

The XF305/300 are very good cameras. All I'm saying is that you shouldn't expect Canon to add new features or address things we don't like. Take the camera at face value and accept it for what it is. If Canon addresses some of our concerns in future firmware updates or new releases of XF Utility, then that is icing on the cake.

Galen Rath · November 5th, 2010, 11:37 AM

Canon did correct the goof on the XH-A1 of having the image stabilization on-off switch buried in the menu system, and not even allowing the option to add that function to a custom button,.....corrected on the XH-A1S. How much do you have to know about cameras not to get that right on the first try? Jeepers!

Glen Vandermolen · November 7th, 2010, 10:05 AM

Comparing the XF300 to the EX3, regarding zoom control:

I worked with an EX3 for the past several weeks. Very nice camera, beautiful images. But I wasn't thrilled with the zoom control. It wasn't very smooth, kind of jerky in its movement, at least compared to the 2/3" Canon zoom on my camera.
Also, I couldn't reach over the camera with my left hand and operate the zoom control. Normally. on my 2/3" camera, when I want to zoom and pan/tilt the camera, I reach over or under the zoom lens with my left hand to use the zoom control, and operate the tripod handle with my right.
With the EX3, I had to use my right hand to zoom, and kind of push the camera along with the same hand. This made for less than smooth camera moves and zooms.

So, can the XF zoom be utilized by the left hand? Is the zoom control smooth? Can the XF or EX3 use aftermarket zoom controls attached to the tripod handle?

September 18th, 2010, 02:18 PM	#32
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,417	Not only can you shoot for the full length of whatever will fit on the card, you can use Relay Recording to hot-swap cards and record non-stop for infinity. This ain't no DSLR. This is a broadcast-quality video camcorder with all the normal features and functions you'd expect to have -- plus a bunch more you don't expect. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools

October 28th, 2010, 01:13 AM	#34
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Jeeez! Thanks Steve for the tip on the remote! I was pulling my hair out for a while and finally gave up thinking Canon had supplied me a bad battery for it! I even toggled the in-camera setting to see the remote! Anyone know a way to reset the TC on the 300 without going into a menu? I just want it to give me per clip length. Just did two full days of shooting with the 300, 5D and 7D and all I gotta say is Canon's stuff is awesome. The 300 is almost too good as now I'm seeing stray hairs and pores on the talent. This is just a screen grab from the shoot today! I was zoomed in all the way so I could check focus. I think I got it! Attached Thumbnails __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

November 1st, 2010, 10:50 AM	#35
Steev Dinkins Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 613	Fabulous screen grab! Critical focus is the way of getting the most out of this camera. Regarding that time per clip reading... I have no idea how to. I am now believing it does not exist - which is a big bummer! If you find out a way to change the timecode to time per clip, let me know! -steev __________________ www.holyzoo.com

November 1st, 2010, 05:22 PM	#38
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	bummer! thanks for clearing that up. thought it was just an omission from the manual but it's a REALLY big omission on Canon's part! __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

November 4th, 2010, 04:37 PM	#40
Doug Jensen Vortex Media Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 3,417	Canon might not even recognize that the camera has some of the shortcomings that we see, let alone consider them "problems" that have to be dealt with. They copied an awful lot of features from the EX1, so it makes you wonder why they'd leave off a few important ones. If they left them off at the start, what makes you think they'll add them later? Judging from my dealings with Canon this summer when I reported multiple problems with their XF Utility software, and voiced a few concerns about the camera itself during the production of my XF305/300 training DVD, don't hold your breath waiting for any improvements. __________________ Vortex Media http://www.vortexmedia.com/ Sony FS7, F55, and XDCAM training videos, field guides, and other production tools Last edited by Doug Jensen; November 4th, 2010 at 05:25 PM.

September 18th, 2010, 02:10 PM	#31
Jeff Lower Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 36	I've been seriously considering getting the XF300, but I have a stupid question. With the CF cards are you able to record longer than the (roughly) 12 minutes at a time? Or, like with the Canon 5d Mark II do you have to start recording again once it hits that file size limit. Great review of the camera so far.

September 18th, 2010, 02:23 PM	#33
Jeff Lower Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ithaca, NY Posts: 36	Thanks Doug. I am pleased to hear that. A canon rep at the Expo told me otherwise, but I just couldn't believe it. Perhaps they thought I was talking about the 5d MKII that I had around my neck. Thanks for straightening that out for me.

November 4th, 2010, 04:02 PM	#39
Galen Rath Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 323	Is there any website where an employee of Canon responds openly about omissions like this, e.g. indicating what their thinking is, and what their plans are to correct them?

November 4th, 2010, 06:05 PM	#41
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Doug, curious what some of your other concerns about the camera are. Other than the on/off switch and clip TC reset, I am loving this camera. The programmable buttons are a killer feature and now the camera really is setup the way I need it to be. Only thing left is to do some matching on the picture profiles between the 300 and my 7D so they get even closer in post. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!

November 5th, 2010, 11:37 AM	#44
Galen Rath Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 323	Canon did correct the goof on the XH-A1 of having the image stabilization on-off switch buried in the menu system, and not even allowing the option to add that function to a custom button,.....corrected on the XH-A1S. How much do you have to know about cameras not to get that right on the first try? Jeepers!

November 7th, 2010, 10:05 AM	#45
Glen Vandermolen Space Hipster Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,596	Comparing the XF300 to the EX3, regarding zoom control: I worked with an EX3 for the past several weeks. Very nice camera, beautiful images. But I wasn't thrilled with the zoom control. It wasn't very smooth, kind of jerky in its movement, at least compared to the 2/3" Canon zoom on my camera. Also, I couldn't reach over the camera with my left hand and operate the zoom control. Normally. on my 2/3" camera, when I want to zoom and pan/tilt the camera, I reach over or under the zoom lens with my left hand to use the zoom control, and operate the tripod handle with my right. With the EX3, I had to use my right hand to zoom, and kind of push the camera along with the same hand. This made for less than smooth camera moves and zooms. So, can the XF zoom be utilized by the left hand? Is the zoom control smooth? Can the XF or EX3 use aftermarket zoom controls attached to the tripod handle?