Canon XL1 basic operation questions
 

Hi,

I don't own a Canon XL1 (I'm a Panasonic DVX100a user). But I'm frequently called upon to operate the XL1 at my church. They bought the camera second-hand, and the only User's Manual they have is a photocopied version. Whether or not it contains all the details pertaining to the camera's operation, I don't know. But there are a few things I can't find the answers to. So you're my best bet. This is an OLD XL1, probably one of the earliest ones.

1. Does this camera not have a menu option that enables it to run continuously WITHOUT a tape running (recording) in it? We project the images on a big screen, and don't always have the need to record every worship service. But without the tape running (while the camera is in "PAUSE"), the camera goes to sleep. This is very annoying. Is there a way around it?

2. This sort of folds into question number one. Whenever the camera does go to sleep, or whenever it's first powered on for the first time, there is a bunch of on-screen text, showing such things as shutter speed, etc. I know this can be turned off using the remote. But isn't there a way to set the camera so that it will default to the text NOT being there?

I have an XL1s not the XL1. If you haven't already tried it, remove the tape and it may not go to sleep.

Hi Randy,

See my article, "XL1 Standby Mode Explained."

Download an XL1 owner's manual in PDF format from www.canondv.com.

hello randy,

i do shooting in theater/ studio settings and tape most of the time directly onto a vcr. (2 hours+)
i never have a tape in the camera because of the "sleep mode", and off course because of the lenght of the tape.

greetings