Check out http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7311456&type=product&id=1118843366546 It mounts perfectly on the back of the XL2 with the XL2's mounting bracket, weighs about a pound, and is battery powered ~5 hrs. It might not be exactly what you're looking for, but it's worth checking into. It also has image flip and is native 16x9. So far it's worked great for me. About $170

Thanks wesley. I have a similar TV by Oslon (7inch, 16:9) but the 234 lines of res do not really lalow for focusing, hence I want an XL2 EVF. I am surprised I can't get one anywhere.

Matthew

not sure if this is true for video as well but with still cameras you can order parts from canon. The only issue is that generall you can order them only if you know the part numbers. There are PDF's on the next for all still cameras and lenses with the part numbers and people have no problem buying them.

Did you try to call canon support as well ?

Another option would be a local photo/video store that sells canon or one of the fine dealers that advertise here and sell canon.

I can't find the part number for the EVF and none of my local retailers carry it either... kinda strange. I think we have stumbled into the black-hole of the XL2.... the colour EVF... does it exist? Only time will tell!

have you tried just putting your viewfinder on the right hand side? it might save some trouble. i dont have any problem with shooting on the other side

Hey andrew, I tried that and the flipped-up VF part interferes with the zoom rocker. It also doesn't stay in place very well. Clearly it wasn't designed to do this. I also have a lot fo hand-held experience so switching sides is like throwing it all out the window. I just feel there should be a way to shoulder-mount normally and get the 35mm look. I am willing to spend the cash on an EVF but can't find one. Also, would love to find instructions from someone who has already opened one up... make my job a bit easier

Just call Canon and tell them what you want. They'll have the part number, price and everything. I've called and ordered extra cords for charges, battery covers (those little plastic covers that DON'T come with aftermarket batts), lens caps etc.

I tried that but they have told me they do not sell directly to the public. Maybe it's just a Canon Canada problem...

Just wondering if you have tried calling 1-800-OK-CANON. That's the number I called to buy replacement parts for my XL-2 and lenses. The only problem I had was the price, but I was able to get the parts.

-gb-

Hey, thankee Greg, I'll give them a shout. I spent all day on the phone with Canon today and they kept giving me the run-around... this is turning into quite the Saga!

FS-2000.


Will soon come out.

where did you hear about it? Do you have a link to a page that describes it?

Yes, I too am curious...

FS 2000? Do you mean the FU 2000? The small LCD screen that only fits the XLH1?

I got a refurbished(actually looks new) XL2 a few months back when Fed express lost my XL1s sent for repair...while I am very happy with the free replacement, including the 20 x lens, the viewfinder has the annoying habit of slipping downwards, after setting it at eye level to shoot....it just drifts on its own, slowly, but I have to be constantly pushing it back up to my evelevel...has anyone had this happen...and is there any way to tighten it up so it behaves more like the viewfinder on thye XL1s...I will live with it rather than snd it back to Canon, but I would love to fix it myself...Thanks Folks..

Actually, that is simply an issue on the xl2. I find that if you open the EVF, it should stay balanced, but with the eye piece closed, it tilts down slowley, however, when tilted above 45 degrees it stays, and if you have your eye pressed against the cup, it shouldn't go any where.

Matt

that shouldn't happen - it should be stiff enough to stay positioned where you leave it. I don't know if there's a user adjustable screw to tighten anywhere, but I would imagine Canon would fix it pretty quickly, or, if you're the type of person that likes/is good at taking things apart (and putting them back together), I'm sure it can't be that hard to find something in there that you can tighten to prevent it from slipping.

I had that problem, so I took it to Canon and they fixed it. The viewfinder stays put. It was under warranty however. I imagine it would be expensive if you took it to them and it wasn't. For sure over $100, so it might not be worth it if you have to pay.

I have always had this little problem and it never bugged me. Also, it says in the Manual to put the EVF down when not in use. So there! :P

Thanks all for your comments...the fact that a few others have experienced this, and that Canon can correct it makes me feel better.Ill just wait to have it corrected when it goes to Canon for sercice in a few months...I dont want to open that viewfinder , and there are no visible screws to tighten on the outside.

Coincidentally, a year ago when I got my XL2 it did the same thing, not too drastic but enough to be annoying. Well, I couldn't be without it due to production so I just dealt with it. Well, this past weekend while shooting it dawned on me that it no longer sagged when it was at a parrallel position to the ground. I guess I never really noticed it as I usually shoot with a tripod with the viewfinder at a 45 degree angle. Anyhow, I do recollect reading on this forum somebody stating that after a certain amount of usage it will tighten up. Take it for what it's worth. I would recommend you send it in though as the sagging on my XL2 was minimal.

Kevin

Actually, come to think of it... mine has stopped too...


Strange..

Today for 10 minutes was my first try out of XL2. I only intended to check out the viewfinder but a well informed salesman kept filling me with basic technical info as I was checking it out. The quality of image in the viewfinder trembled at high zoom when the IS was turned off ... but with IS turned on the steadiness & clarity was quite remarkable ... I could easily read 0.5inch print at 5 metres handheld ... even with a tripod I couldn't do that with XM2 (GL2). He explained that the IS was optical not digital. Anybody like to explain how that applies in relation to viewfinders? I found the size of the frame in the viewfinder about 25% larger as well. Sorry I don't have pixels or actual measurements to compare ... Does anyone know from experience ...

which cams under $10,000 have the best viewfinder?
which cams have the biggest viewfinders?
Is the XLH1 viewfinder an improvement on XL2 ...

I need to get some views on that please as most of my shooting is run 'n gun....

Optical IS referes toa function of the lens, not the VF. The lens has an element suspended in a fluid which corrects camera shake to a certain extent. The VF is jsut showing you what is going to tape.

The EVF on the Canon XL2 is very nice, if not a little small. You can buy a Canon FU1000 which is a black and white, CRT viewfinder which will make focusing a little better but it is a drain on batteries. Make sure the diopter in the stock VF (that little focusing adjustment on the eye cup) is done properly so you are not straining you eye to focus.

The XLH1's VF has higher res, but you need that for a higher res camera.

Anything else?

I bought an Fu-1000 monochrome viewfinder, which helps my 58 year old eyes focus easier. But there are two negatives:
1-Big drain on batteries
2-You have no color reference.If, for example, you screwed up your white balance, you wouldn't know about it till later when viewing through a tv or monitor.(I've done this).
I'm thinking about getting a small on cam nonitor for colr and wb reference.
Bruce S. Yarock
www.yarock.com

I've just come across this in Gabriel Fleming's view in his report on XLH1 ...

<<<<< The Viewfinder:
The viewfinder is without a doubt the camera's greatest weakness. It's like evaluating the subtle brush strokes of a Van Gogh using your cell phone screen. Here are the main things to watch out for:

-The Whole Image: Most prosumer viewfinders don't show the outer edges of the recorded frame, but this viewfinder crops out more than most. You can't see 5% or more of what you're actually shooting on the left, right, top and bottom of the frame (the top and bottom of the display is pretty close to a 1.85 aspect ratio! In a 16:9 camera!) So give a big margin for the boom and know what's on the edges of your frame. >>>>>

......... any comments on that please?

I've just come across this in Gabriel Fleming's view in his report on XLH1 ...

<<<<< The Viewfinder:
The viewfinder is without a doubt the camera's greatest weakness. It's like evaluating the subtle brush strokes of a Van Gogh using your cell phone screen. Here are the main things to watch out for:

Couldn't agree more, evaluating focus and detail on an LCD viewfinder is a nightmare. I don't understand why Canon opted for this on the XL-2 instead of the traditional CRT version ?

The Canon FU-1000 B&W CRT viewfinder is the best viewfinder. Because it's b&W, you can crank the peaking and things will snap into focus pretty well, plus it underscans, so you see the entire frame. I hate the stock LCD viewfinder and never used it. Having a color monitor on hand helps with color issues.

I love the Canon XL series cameras but the viewfinders suck, they are terrible. Terrible for focus, terrible for contrast, terrible for color. They are good for framing, nothing more. The ONLY cameras in this class that have really useable LCDs/EVF are the Sony HDV cams. I dont particularly care for them in general but they got the LCD right. As for the DVX, it is OK at best, the 100B lcd is useable but the HVX LCD is HORRIFIC! Lesson, get an external monitor!




ash =o)

Brendan, the FU-1000 viewfinder is one of my best buy of accessories beside a heavy tripod. Maintain critical focus when objects move forth and back is very essential especially to wildlife filming. when I use external lenses without any autofocus the viewfinder help me a lot to achieve good focus.

Note that some have experienced issues with the FU-1000 viewfinder (blown fuses).

The batteries drain quickly, I use the BP945 which provide the camcorder and the viewfinder enough power for at least 1.5 hours (average in summer time). I use to have 4 - BP945 with me, and this is enough for one day of shooting, at least for me!

Thank you all for your observations and advice.

FU-1000 seems to be a winner but having seen a picture of it I must conclude that it only works with XL2 & XL1, not with XM2(GL2) and that it's a sizeable accessory which probably means that it would not be practical for run and gun. Has anyone used it successfully without a tripod? (I'm beginning to think I'm the only one on the planet videographing without a tripod! And I thought it was my body odour!)

I love the Canon XL series cameras but the viewfinders suck, they are terrible. Terrible for focus, terrible for contrast, terrible for color. They are good for framing, nothing more.

So, what would you recommend? I have been part of the "blown fuse club" (as has Ash as well...) and am very jittery about the FU1000. While a boatload of threads have been written about external viewfinders, it looks like these are our options...
1: Get a regular CRT monitor (which involves extra weight, & heavy batteries as well as mounting/monitoring challenges)
2: Get a good viewfinder like the FU1000. Great for focus and underscan, but carries with it a reasonable suspicion that it smokes the fuse on the XL2. Additionally, it cannot tell you how about colors, so you're back to adding a CRT for that...
3: I'm looking at a high end LCD like the Marshall, but by the time I'm done adding all the necessary extras like sun shade, xtra batteries etc, I'm approaching $2000. OUCH!
4: Get a low end LCD, like the Nebtek, Varizoom, or Ikan. Great for framing, easy(er) on the budget at around $400-500, but not really acceptable for color and focus. (But, how does it compare to the XL2's viewfinder?)

That's what it looks like to me. Am I right, and what did I miss?

Thank you all for your observations and advice.

FU-1000 seems to be a winner but having seen a picture of it I must conclude that it only works with XL2 & XL1, not with XM2(GL2) and that it's a sizeable accessory which probably means that it would not be practical for run and gun. Has anyone used it successfully without a tripod? (I'm beginning to think I'm the only one on the planet videographing without a tripod! And I thought it was my body odour!)

It's a bit larger than the stock viewfinder but not to the point of being unusable in hand held. You are correct that it only works with the XL series and not the GL series cameras.

FWIW, I used one for quite a while on my XL2 and never had any problem with handheld. But then again, I don't do much handheld.

-gb-

It's a bit larger than the stock viewfinder but not to the point of being unusable in hand held. You are correct that it only works with the XL series and not the GL series cameras. -gb-

I second that. But I'm one of the FU-1000 blown fuse victims. Canon Germany, however, told me, that a re-designed connection cord would solve the problem. I had my FU-1000 fitted with the new connecting cord and (so far) I haven't had any problems.

Anyway, for scripted work I'd always have an external monitor (or, in my case) a laptop with a suitable capturing software for pre-viewing exposure and color rendition. However, such a setup is certainly not suitable for run and gun work.

See here: http://www.darkside-films.org/board/album_page.php?pic_id=502

There is not real cheap solution, svideo to a monitor that has 400+ lines is the best bet but in the field, I have not found anything that works for run and gun. I have a datavideo monitor that has pretty low rez but it takes DV in which provides true color and decent for focus. There are an ABUNDANCE of cheap LCDs out now with fairly high resolution, battery power options, etc. BUUUUUT, these are made for car-puters, to be mounted/protected and NOT for field work. I always poke fun at my buddies about their disposable monitors. Best bet, the expensive Marshal.

I have learned to live with the XL2 viewfinder for run and gun work but it is for sure the achilles heel of the camera.



ash =o)

I'm hoping someone from Canon will tune in and perhaps release a CRT monochrome viewfinder ?

It's not unusual for the 'broadcast' divisions of major players such as Canon, Sony, Panasonic etc etc to lean upon their country cousins in the consumer department and have perfectly good products "knee-capped" in development to protect the lucrative deals they have with the various broadcast/broadcast hire customers....

I'm hoping someone from Canon will tune in and perhaps release a CRT monochrome viewfinder ?


Hi Allen. You mean apart from the beautifully-named FU-1000?

Richard

Hi Allen. You mean apart from the beautifully-named FU-1000?

Richard

I really need to read this stuff before a 12 hour shoot, not after !!! (lol)

hello,
my new xl2 is one week old (and I absolutely love it) but I have noticed a strange problem. The informations in the viewfinder (shutter speed, framerate, ...) are displayed a few times like ghost images. its really strange...
it is also happening with the gain / shutter and rec lights beyond the lcd.

here is a picture, but it is difficult to see (in the middle of the pic)...
in reality it is far worse.

http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0514ll1.jpg

it is not happening if i look at the pure lcd screen.

is there a way to fix this or do I have to send the camera to canon?

ps: sorry for my bad english. :(

Wow...I don't know what to tell you. Never seen that before. Might have to go ahead and contact Canon and let them know the problem.

And you're English is better than many of my friends...and we're all Americans!

Jonathan

hello,
my new xl2 is one week old (and I absolutely love it) but I have noticed a strange problem. The informations in the viewfinder (shutter speed, framerate, ...) are displayed a few times like ghost images. its really strange...
it is also happening with the gain / shutter and rec lights beyond the lcd.

here is a picture, but it is difficult to see (in the middle of the pic)...
in reality it is far worse.

http://img110.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0514ll1.jpg

it is not happening if i look at the pure lcd screen.

is there a way to fix this or do I have to send the camera to canon?

ps: sorry for my bad english. :(

You'll notice that it's backwards. I noticed this also right after I got my first XL2. You are seeing the image reflected off of the eyepiece magnifier. That's why it disappears when you open the flip-up.

I'm thinking that the filter they use on the eyepiece to help protect against sunlight exposure (it fried some original XL1 VF's until they started putting in a filter) is what causes the reflection.

In short, your camera is not defective.

-gb-

You'll notice that it's backwards. I noticed this also right after I got my first XL2. You are seeing the image reflected off of the eyepiece magnifier. That's why it disappears when you open the flip-up.

I'm thinking that the filter they use on the eyepiece to help protect against sunlight exposure (it fried some original XL1 VF's until they started putting in a filter) is what causes the reflection.

In short, your camera is not defective.

-gb-

But i do not have one single 'reflection'. I have several reflections.

So every XL2 viewfinder has these kind of reflections? Really? I can't believe it.
If i film in dark areas it is so extremly disturbing... :-(
I must turn off all the informations in the viewfinder...

I've never seen this before until just now when I checked, but I can definitely see it in my viewfinder. It's not backwards like Greg describes though--it's just a smaller version of the onscreen info.

It's definitely a reflection, as it moves around when I move my eye around on the VF. It seems pretty normal that the glass in the EVF would reflect a bit of light. If this is happening because of the filter that Greg guesses is the cause, well, I'd rather have a slight reflection in the EVF than have to worry about frying the LCD if I leave the eyecup pointed upwards in sunlight for a few seconds every now and then.

In any case, I don't find it distracting at all--like I said, I never even noticed it until now.

I've noticed this since the camera was new. I think it is inherent in the design, but doesn't really cause any problems most of the time. I expect people with spectacles see it the worst, because there isn't such a good contact with the rubber cup at the edges and so more light gets in to cause reflections.

Richard

It's not backwards like Greg describes though--it's just a smaller version of the onscreen info.

It's definitely a reflection, as it moves around when I move my eye around on the VF. It seems pretty normal that the glass in the EVF would reflect a bit of light. If this is happening because of the filter that Greg guesses is the cause, well, I'd rather have a slight reflection in the EVF than have to worry about frying the LCD if I leave the eyecup pointed upwards in sunlight for a few seconds every now and then.

In any case, I don't find it distracting at all--like I said, I never even noticed it until now.

It distracted me at first, but then my eye just learned to ignore it. Then I got a FU-1000 so I didn't use the color VF much. I thought I remembered it being backwards, but looking again closely at the picture, it's not backwards. I was going from memory since I don't have my XL2 anymore.

-gb-

I'm not quite sure what happened but I looked throught he viewfinder today and it appears as though a piece of plastic has become loose from the side and is dangling down. The plastic is between the magnifying glass portion and the back glass. By opening the small hole to clean the glass inside, I cannot access the plastic. It appears as though I would just need ot get inside and it would just clip back on. I have two questions:

1. Anybody know how to get inside the viewfinder so I can try and reattach this piece? I cannot use the LCD through the viewfinder s the plastic is now in the way.

2. Is it possible to remove the viewfinder portion (part with the magnifying glass that is on a hinge) so I could send just that part in for repair as opposed to losing the whole cam or the whole LCD?

Thanks for any ideas.

Patrick

Hi guys,

Like everyone I guess I sometimes struggle with focus control in the XL2, largely due to its underwhelming viewfinder.

I have two questions I've been scratching my head over:-

1. Is there a way to force the viewfinder to display at "fullscreeen" 4x3 when shooting 16x9 footage (like the XL1 did)? I think I'd rather live with vertically stretched images in the viewfinder than sacrifice 1/4 of the viewfinder pixels, which are at such a premium, to get letterboxing in the field.

2. Have others tried tweaking their viewfinder settings to assist with focus and exposure control? I'm currently toying with a high contrast, low brightness, high sharpness combination, both to accentuate edges for seeing focus, and to reduce the risk of over-estimating the amount of shadow detail I'm getting (a trap I've fallen into a couple of times).

Cheers all,

Tony

Tony, I've mentioned it before, but one trick I used with the lower res color viewfinder on the XL1 and XL2 was to have zebras on and focus by making the zebras appear on highlights. De-focusing the lens scatters the light sufficiently to make the zebras dis-appear (ie: softens up the hot spots).

Give it a try. You've got it better with the XL2 cause the zebras are adjustable, whereas on the XL1 they were fixed at 100.

-gb-

Tony,

Ash has posted a black and white preset that I keep as preset 3 and it is in fact useful for what you mention. If I have time, I set 3 and do the focus, then flip back to my 2 preset.

Dale,

I tried a search for the B&W preset you mentioned that Ash posted. I couldn't find it. Is it in one of the stickies? I have a mac, so I can't open those files.

Jonathan

I tried a search for the B&W preset you mentioned that Ash posted. I couldn't find it. Is it in one of the stickies?Yes it is. It's called focus assist (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/attachment.php?attachmentid=10&d=1122314220).

Another thing you can do to help you with focusing, as I was saying in another thread just the other day, is to turn the EVF's sharpness all the way up. The EVF settings are adjustable via the DISPLAY menu.

This will help to an almost surprising degree.