XL1 and XL2 Lenses
 

Can the lense be interchanged between my canon XL1s and a canon XL2 body

Yes, no problem - the XL1, XL1s and XL2 (and H1) have the same bayonet mount and all lenses are interchangeable.

http://www.dvinfo.net/canonxl2/articles/article04.php

help
 

having said that

i currently own an XL1 im looking to upgrade to an XL2

could it be in my best interest to buy just a new body... and keep the 16X lens

or is the new XL2 lens worth upgrading to as well

Look at it this way, if you keep the 16x lens then you have a backup lens in case anything happens to the 20x. I have the 16x manual lens for my xl1 but I kept the 16x stock lens as a backup. Better to have it and not need it then to not have it and need it.

Mark
Shark Video Productions

Get the 20X lens. It has flourite coating on the elements, does focus and zoom presets, 2 ND filters, and a tad better OIS. You'll like the reach of the lens too.

-gb-

Re: XL1 and XL2 Lenses
 

FWIW: The XL1 CVF was a 0.7" color LDC with a back lit panel, ~180K pizels
The XL1 CVF is not separately fused.
The XL2 CVF is listed as a 2" TFT, ~200K pixels, better color & faster, but still back lit.
Given that the back lighting dominates the power consumption, the XL2 CVF at nearly 3x the diagonal size may well use several times more power than the XL1 CVF.

The XL1 standard 16x zoom lens was rated at 100 lines/mm center, 64 lines/mm at the edge
Its image sensor was listed as three 1/3", CCDs, 250K effective pixels using pixel shift technology.
The XL1S shipped with an improved 16x lens, the II version)
The XL2 used three 1/3" CCDs with pixel shift, ~350K effective pixels for 4x3 and ~460K pixels for 16x9

So it is likely the XL1S or XL2 lens would give a somewhat better image, but whether or not it is worth paying significant money for in this age of HD is something you need to decide for yourself given that the products are no longer supported.