PAL XL2 Review at SimplyDV (UK)
 

Howdy from Texas,

SimplyDV.com, an excellent digital video site in the UK, is supposed to have an online review of the PAL XL2 up shortly. Keep an eye on this page for developments.

Review is now on line:

http://www.simplydv.co.uk/Reviews/canon_xl2.html

time to get my reading head on...

Cheers,

hmmm.. I'm must say.. I'm not entirely impressed with the resolution of the two screen shots provided.. The guy didn't mention whether they were shot in the XL2's progressive mode or interlaced. I would hope they weren't prog!

That's a nice write-up. What do you find lacking in the images Yang? I enlarged the 16:9 example in Photoshop and thought it looked quite nice. Had a look at an outdoor scene shot on my PDX-10 in 16:9 (60i) and the XL-2 image looked significantly better. I hate to keep fueling the fire, but did you notice that he mentions "frame mode"? Is Canon using this term interchangeably with "progressive?"

All the shots were taken in PAL interlaced mode as were given to me by Robin. I've now amended the captions to emphasise this fact.

I'm always wary of uploading frame-grabs from video footage onto web pages simply because they're bound to suffer some degradation even after careful optimisation in Photoshop. However, on comparing these full-sized (1024x576) grabs with the originals that Robin created in Avid DV Express I'm quite confident that they're sufficiently well representative.

Doubtless Robin will add to these notes when he returns to base from his shoot.

Colin

<< I'm always wary of uploading frame-grabs from video footage onto web pages >>

Someone who understands! Hooray! Thanks Colin,

Given all things are equal and all screen caps from every camera will go through the same minute degradation, then this is indeed a valid base-level at which to compare image quality from. Regardless, I'm relieve that these caps were indeed interlaced.

Boyd: i found those caps to be no better than the current offerings of 1/3 CCD 60i cameras we have, in 4:3 ratio.

I agree that as long as one is working within consistent parameters there is reasonable basis for comparison. It's important that those accessing the images must also understand this, and not be tempted to harp on about this visual artefact or that bit of picture noise. There are those, of course, who'll find fault no matter what you do and how you do it!

Colin

They look good to me Colin. Of course there was obviously horizontal stretching involved though since the anamorphic DV image as recorded to tape would have only been 720 pixels wide.

To think that an accurate judgement of a camera's ability to capture images can be made from online images is rather telling, in my humble opinion.

Jay

That reviewer should really put up a screen cap of the GL2's none frame-mode 50i screen shot. The reason i'm suggesting this is that the XL2's 4:3 pixel use is not necesarrily that much higher than the GL2's.

Whilst I agree that this would be useful, I have to say that this review was put together in 48 hours with the reviewer (Robin) and the web editor (me) working 200 miles apart. I guess the main issue is that although there's always something that would have been nice, it's a question of what can be done in the time. Don't forget that we both have "day jobs" and that we're doing it for love not money.

Colin

Looks good....
 

I thought the caps looked great, but then I don't usually need the 16 : 9 feature. I just think its one more positive review I've read about this beauty of a camera. Why are so many people so immediately negative towards this camera? I know expectations were high but there is only so much possible in the format and the camera's price range. I'm looking forward to more reviews and I am leaning more towards buying the XL-2 now.

<Quote:That reviewer should really put up a screen cap of the GL2's none frame-mode 50i screen shot>

All the frame-grabs I put up from the XM2/GL2 were interlaced (50i) but only 16:9.
Thanks anyway for the positive feedback of the review.
I was particularlty pleased with the stage material.
Had to go off to shoot 16:9 stuff on the XM2 yesterday - boy, do I miss the XL2 ;-)

Robin.

For the record I just want to say that Robin and Colin did a great job -- theirs is the first serious XL2 review ever that wasn't the result of a few minutes of playing on a tradeshow floor. Congrats fellows,