New version of the XL1s soon?
 

I will probably buy an XL1s in the near future, so I'm wondering if there will be a new version of the camera soon? Does anybody know anything?

I have no inside information. Canon is one of the more tight lipped companies. Very little is leaked until it happens (maybe a week before). The marketing department, however, is a different story. Watch for big rebates at the Holidays in November and December. If they appear then I would expect to see a replacement at PMA (March 2003) or NAB (April 2003). Both shows are in Vegas. The rebates help clear the inventory and make room for the new. No one outside of Canon, has any more information than you or I at this point.

Jeff

The xl-1s hasn't been out for very long (8 months or so?), why would they replace it so soon?

I think its been out a little over a year. Canon has to keep up with the Jones' (and the Sonys, Panasonics and JVCs). They can't let the competition get too far ahead or they will loose market share.

Jeff

Canon's track record indicates a 3 year product life for camcorders in their prosumer class (e.g., L1, L2, GL1, XL1). Because the XL1s is an incremental improvement, it might have a slightly shorter product life span, exsecially since the GL2 went to a higher pixel count CCD.

The current issue of PDN (Photo District News) quotes photographer turned filmmaker Neil Leifer as saying there is a new 24p HD XL1S coming out. That's the first I've heard of such a model but Leifer is now making feature films with the XL1 and he might have an inside source at Canon.

24p and HD? Now that could be heaven.

Neil Leifer has made a logical assumption. Look at what Panasonic and Sony have coming out soon and what JVC has out and it only makes sense. I think the new Canon product will have to incorporate such features or loose huge market share. Something no mfg. can afford to do in todays market. Panasonic has traditionally had the entry level pro market. Canon and Sony have taken huge chunks away from Panasonic. Panasonic is pushing real hard, with innovative products, to recapture lost market share.

Jeff

I don't know. I can see 24p for the XL2 (or whatever it will be called), but HD...? It's not a prosumer format, so that would be a huge leap for Canon to move in that direction, I think. It's too bad that Panasonic has the only 4:2:2 DV format (what am I saying, like we need another format??) as that would be a logical evolution for a relatively low priced production camera like the XL1.