http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/A-History-of-the-Canon-XL2-Camcorder.htm

Don't know if this was already post, but Robin Liss put a good article about the history of the Xl1 and Xl1s in which she puts forward the contribution of Chris and the DVinfo.net community for the success of this line of cameras.

A good reading.

Thanks for the link. There are several discussions going on in the XL2 forum concerning the Camcorder Info articles. If you have comments on the article please the existing discussions. Thanks.

That is a very interesting article! It's particularly interesting to see the early conceptual design sketches of the XL1. I wonder how they managed to dig them out of Canon.

Thanks very much for that.

They are from the Canon Museum. Been there for years, I would point to it, but it's Flash.

Ah, I've browsed Canon's Museum (http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/) but must never have looked at the design background animation (http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/design/design_room/flash/xl_1.html)!