Tom Hardwick reviews the Optura Xi and has some comparisons with the MX500 here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16826

In the UK, Tom also mentions that the MX500 only costs 29 Pounds more that the Xi (in the UK).

Frank,

Sorta off the topic.....

I remember at one time a post about Tom doing a test on some video wide angle adapters.

Do you know if and where on the Internet that test was published ?

Thanks.

It was for a UK Cam magazine. That's all I know. Perhaps e-mail Tom and ask him. (I'd like to read his full article also.)

I'll drink to that.

About a $40 USD difference in price at OneCall.

Canon would have been better off making the Xi a 3CCD model.

Perhaps the Japanese version of the Optura Xi is better?