Time Code in Record Mode vs. VCR Mode
 

Greetings, fellow XL1ers:

I have a question about the timecode as displayed in the EVF in any Record Mode on the XL1s.

In VCR Mode, the XL1s displays the Timecode as HH:MM:SS:FF (Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames). However, while in any of the Record Modes (we are using Manual, primarily), the timecode displays only as HH:MM:SS. No Frame numbers.

Is this just a fact of life with the XL1s, or is there some really simple, you-idiot-you-should-have-found-it button I can push to have the Timecode display with Frame information in Record Mode?

I do realize the Timecode is correctly (with Frame info) captured on the Mini-DV Tape, as it's there in all its glory when I transfer the video to my Mac.

I thank you in advance for your guidance.


Justin
Los Angeles

Welcome Justin
 

Alas, 'tis a fact of life. You're not missing anything that I know of.

Bummer. Thanks, Ken. I'll tell my DP to stop whining now!

I guess maybe that's one more item to add to the wish list for the XL2. Or, maybe nobody but our DP cares. He thinks it's necessary for proper Script Supervision and Post-prep.

We'll learn to live with it.


Thank you.

Another difference between the XL1 and XL1s.

Don,
Your note suggests that the XL1S can display HH:MM:SS:FF during recording. How? I sure haven't been able to determine how.

The XL1 displays H:MM:SS:FF during recording. Can't speak to the XL1s, but apparently it (like the GL1) does not show FF during record.

Thanks for your post, Don.

This explains why our AD was claiming our XL1s should be able to display frame count as part of the timecode and we must have the 'wrong setting': he's the proud owner of an XL1, so he's probably used to seeing frame count in record mode.

Ken, Don, thank you both for your assistance. Mystery solved. I'll send an e-mail to Canon to ask that the next version of the XL1s (XL2, if there is one) have frames as an optional part of timecode during record. Gives it a more professional feel, I think, and for those of us who want to edit on a laptop in the field, it can make a difference to identify each shot by timecode with frame count.

What we're doing now is 10 second slating each shot, so it's easy to differentiate each shot by timecode with just minutes and seconds. We're shooting a Spec Commercial project right now, with several shots that are only 1 or 2 seconds long. So, by rolling the Camera a full 10 seconds on each slate, we should be able to find them and tell them apart easily enough when we go to edit.

Simple work around, but our, um, finicky DP (a staunch Sony PD-150 advocate) has added this to his list of reasons he ‘hates’ the Canon XL series....our images, however, look fantastic, and our editor didn't seem to care when we told him our completed shot list wouldn't include frames with the timecode. So, all's well that ends with good final cut, I guess.

Cheers, and thanks again for your help. This site is the greatest thing since DV itself, and I ONLY buy from Watchdog sponsors if they carry the products I'm after. Only seems fair!