There is no resest button that I know of. Removing the main battery and the back-up battery for several minutes may have the effect you're looking for. (You'll lose your time settings, also.)

On my PC. Is this normal? It only seems to happen when the camera is moving, but you can see horizontal lines like what a TV broadcast is made up out of.
I use Vegas 4 to import my footage.
Are there different settings?

Thanks

That is interlacing artifacts you are seeing.

When you output to tape and view on a tv, it will not be there.

Zac

If you use frame mode, this won't happen. Frame mode gives you a lower but steady frame rate good for watching your movies on a PC or for mimicing the motion appearance of film.

Stewart,

I too use V4. "On my PC", please follow Zac's suggesstion & do a test before you become any further "worried" as to the quality of your setup. Print To Tape a small section and then view this on your TV.

You are correct to question all stages of your process - it's the way I've learnt - if you notice something "strange". Certainly, be aware of how to improve your process, this is a good thing. I know the replies given by Peter and Zac are offered by way of support & understanding. However, making changes to V4 settings or the mode in which you film, without truly appreciating why, personally wouldn't AND hasn't assisted me in understanding why or how I could necessarily improve my process. Being more precise, it has confused me even more!

So, do the test. Come back and tell us how you got on. If it is still there then maybe others here or on the SoFo Vagas Forum could possibly assist. V Forums - there are now at least 4 I can name - have valuable discussions on very technical and creative issues.

I have noticed and have rectified another type of line striation artifact, relating to zoom and Pan/Crop within V4. Sooo... are you noticing this type of "effect" after you have used the P/C or zoom? Or are you seeing this effect from pure uneditied and unchanged V4 work? - Hmmm....

Let's hear back from you.

Best regards,

Grazie

Hi,

Yesterday we had a storm ( possibly a thunderstorm ) coming in. So I rigged the camera on our balcony( it has a roof ) - set up the interval timer function and started the camera...

This was about 4 pm ... at 8 pm I went out to check that the camera was safe from the rain ... and found the camera dead... ouch, I forgot that the battery won't work for more than maybe 3.5 hours ( especially when it wasn't 100% to start with ).

But I had about 4 minutes of video on the tape with massive clouds and rain, alas no thunder! The next time we're having bad wheather I'll be prepared with online power to the camera so I won't miss the action!

// Lazze - Sweden ... today with clear blue skies and a brilliant sun

Awk. Actually, it's good that you noted the battery drain issue. It's not immediately obvious that shooting time-lapse would drain the battery so quickly. I've considered shooting something similar; we get some wonderful storms here in Chicago.

Lars, it looks like your post should be merged into this thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10683)!

Hi, I just purchased a GL2, and I'm very happy with it so far. However, I've noticed that with the Wipe and Overlap effects, if there is any horizontal movement in the picture of the first shot, there is a sudden "jump" as the second shot fades or wipes in.

I'm assuming this is because the camera rewinds a bit when you pause it, creating a small overlap in to prevent gaps on the tape between shots.

Is what I'm seeing normal, or a problem with my camera? Are there any particular techniques for using the wipe and overlap effects?

Thanks!

Hi Tim,

don't use the onboard effects. They're simply out of fashion ... If you want to use effects, use your editing software. They deliver much better transitions and effects.

Sorry I can't help you with your problem.

Chris

Thanks, Chris.

I was just wondering if that was normal behaviour for the camera, or if I need to request a replacement (it's still early enough to do that).

I'm sure once I get my system, I'll mostly be using the video editing board and software. But there may be the occasional informal clip where I want to throw in some camera effects.

Thanks!

In camera effects that call for an A/B effect may form the A footage from a freeze frame from the last full frame of the first shot. This might induce the "jump" effect you are seeing.

I could use a little advise on reading the GL2's new audio level meters. The first time I used the camera for a wedding, I tried to keep the peak audio levels around the green dot. In post, the audio was a little to soft and some audio was hard to hear. Next time I tried letting the sounds drift more into the orange and occasional red. In post, the audio was often distorted. Can anyone recommend an optimal reading or method to get clear audio? I'm using a Sennheiser ME66-K6 shotgun.
Thanks for any help,
Bob

Are you using the manual settings or are you in auto?

Manual.

I use the GL2 as my B-Roll Cam.

What I usually do with it is set the audio on auto and use a Sennheiser wireless shot gun on a stand or I have an assistant with the shotgun walk around to get a good shot of points of interest.

Because it is wireless she can get close to the action and I get good audio. I have never had a problem with AGC on my GL2 and it seems every bit as good in post as what I acquire manually with my DVX..

This is odd - nice, but strange!

I've just completed several paid projects, meaning using my XM2 in "anger". All event shoots. 2 weddings and 1 1st Holy Communion.

Being event shoots I plumbed for Easy Mode. The XM2 takes over and all is well with the World.

However, the colours didn't look right in the viewfinder or LCD - BUT, momentarily, switching to Manual Mode "P", going through the various presets for WB, Day Light, Indoors and nothing - THEN switching back to EASY mode the colours become spot-on!

I didn't WB - I left the AUTO WB icon remain flashing; I didn't do a WB "Set" procedure - all I did was go through the various "options" and view/determine the reaction of the XM2 to what was being presented to the XM2 and gauge what difference they made.

Weird! - Nice weird - But, I appear to be doing something correct - the final video looks spectacular - why didn't Easy Mode pick-up that which was being presented to it and "keep" that? Why did I need to go via - and I DO mean via - the "P" manual mode for Easy mode to pick this up?

Am I asking a silly question? What haven't I recognised within the instructions in the Users Manual that is so obvious?

Anyway, I did this work for a vidpro colleague - he's got 2 x Sony 9000 shoulder cammies - and he was highly delighted with my framing approach and the XM2's colour and quality output. - I 've got 3 more jobs with him this year and a further one for another chap.

Oh yes, I did get my VL-3 light. Haven't used this in a project yet, but it appears to give just enough "subtle" fill for the XM2, allowing the cammie to get a "bead" on what it wants - focus; low grain; solid colours, etc. The automatic "switch-on" is cute and it works as it should.

Please get back to me on the "VIA" thing . . .

Regards,

Grazie

Automatic modes just don't always hit the mark as you noticed when you started in the auto mode. I don't know why it changed over after you made some setting adjustments but it would behove you to learn how to manually white balance so that if you notice the auto is off a little you can make the adjustment yourself. I think that about 90% of the time the auto mode will get you through. Don't let yourself get burned by the other 10%.

Also, watch yourself when the lights go down. Every camera has a diffucult time focusing under low light conditions and you'll need to be ready to manually focus when you see that the auto focus is starting to drift. Actually it's better if you can train yourself to always use the manual focus. That keeps you out of that 10% for the focus.

Ben Lynn

Oh yes! Excellent advice . . . I'm learning what the manual options can give. Doing this at the same time as filming a quickly changing event shoot, like a wedding, is a major professional feat.

But yes, I agree with all you say.

Thanks Ben,

Regards,

Grazie

Well, I've had the VZ-Rock with my GL2 for a couple of weeks now, and all I can say is -- bearing in mind that I'm a total noob and this is my first LANC experience -- WOW!

How ANYONE could POSSIBLY live without a decent LANC controller is beyond me. For the past few years I'd been shooting my trips with an El Cheap-O Panny 1-chip, a cheap Piece-O-Junk $100 "fluid head" tripod, and doing it all manually -- zooming with one hand on the rocker as I panned with "Skippy the Tripod."

And BOY did it show!

Well, the GL2 on a Gitzo G1380 "Fluide" head atop Gitzo G1325 carbon fiber sticks, and the VZ-ROCK securely fastened to the pan handle has catapulted my pans and zooms into an altogether different universe. That lovely "brushed aluminum" finish and all those wonderful controls are AWESOME! The zoom is so smooth and positive, the head pans and tilts like buttah -- I have found nirvana (all you ENG guys are chuckling, I know).

The only "issue" is the manual focus speed. This I perceive as a GL2 issue and not really the "ROCK's" fault, but it really does MF painfully slow. If you're pretty close and just need to fine-tune then you're golden (and fine-tune you can), but if you really need to go from blur to focus be prepared to wait. I have adapted (worked around, really) by hitting the "A" button on ROCK so it will AF quicky, then hit "A" again to do my fine-tuning.

Aside from that, it's worth every penny of those $320!

Does anyone know what type of male jack plug goes in this? And how many milliamps it will put out?

It would be a 2.5mm "sub-mini" "mono" or "TS (Tip-Seleeve)" male connector, with the +5vDC wired to the tip, sleeve left open. Not sure what the exact amount of milliamps is outputted, but it's a small amount.

- don

Does anyone know what the color temps are of the preset white balance settings are? I'm refering to the Indoor and Outdoor settings on the Canon GL2.

After I have edited my tape into a highlight "movie" how do I play it back through a TV?
Do I do this directly from the pc?
Is there a way to record it onto a mini DV tape, then play it from the camera's VCR to the TV?

You should be able to output back to miniDV with the same app that you use for capture of miniDV into the computer. In addition, you can output DV to the camcorder and record ony VHS fron the camera. Or you can hook your camcorder to your TV and play DV directly from the computer, through the camcorder, to the TV.

Hello,
I'm beginning to import video shot in Frame mode from my GL-2 using FCP connected via a firewire cable. Looking through the FCP manual, it states "For DV captured via FireWire; always set field dominance to Lower (Even.) For non-interlaced video set the field dominance to None." In my understanding, Video shot in Frame mode is both DV and non-interlaced, so I'm not sure how to set the field dominance. Thanks for any help.
Chris

(I'm cross-posting this on the NLE thread too.)

Alright, I have another question. What is the average life of a DV tape. As in, recording over old footage numerous times. How many times could you use a tape till it goes bad? I only have 6 tapes and I find myself taping over footage that I have already captured onto my computer. Mainly because spending $15-20 a week on tapes is sort of high since I just got out of highschool and I still have no job.

Try the search facility - I did! Came up with a load of stuff.

David try this:-

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9180&highlight=tape+quality

Hi,

I just received my second XM2 (first had a WB fualt) and I have noticed this cam has a real bad audio noise from tape transport problem. It makes a machanical grinding noise like wooweewoowoo in a loop.(how do you discribe noise? :)) It's very noticable on the recording. Have I gone and got another lemon?

Cheers,
Will

Hard to tell if this is normal without actually hearing it. I'd say if it's much louder than your first XM2, it might be a problem.
Is it really that loud once recorded onto tape using bilt-in mics?

Yeah, very loud. Can hear it very clearly on final recording and through headphones when monitoring. I can even feel the vibration through the cam when I'm holding it. I think It's time for the VX2000.

I hear no audio noise on my GL-2. I use an azden shotgun quite often but I don't recall hearing anything even with the built-in mic and video I've created has no discernable audio noise. If you have discernible noise you might have it looked at by Canon. If it's under warranty, have it looked at for sure. Canon's work seems to be reasonably priced. I dropped and killed my little ZR10 and it's being fixed for under $130, which isn't bad.
I think somebody's at the door. Hard to tell without my hearing aid. :)

Hey guys.. I had a GL1 but sold it because it had a dead pixel (red, left side). Purchased a GL2. Haven't received it yet.. but I need to know a lot of things about it.. primarily:

1. What are the odds with the dead pixel thing? Do any other brand of DV camcorders have as frequent of a dead pixel problem as Canon's GL1/GL2?

2. I got the GL2 on Ebay.... new with warranty... and one of those "starter" kits.. had a couple I guess generic lenses (wide angle and 2x), three century optics filters, hard case, etc. Was $2315 a deal, that includes shipping? The person had a very good feedback.. only 40 negs out of like 6556 or something... and most of them were from way back.

3. I am so paranoid that this GL2 is going to have a dead pixel. I wanted to get a 4-year extended warranty but I guess you can't get that anywhere except J+R Music/Computer World. But for 2250, I'd rather have the extras.. extras are always good.

I guess that's it.... any GL1/GL2 users, please get back to me ASAP... the main thing I need to know is if other DV camcorders have the dead pixel thing happening often on the CCD's.... doesn't seem like any Sonys do that... correct me if I'm wrong... I'm new to the whole DV world.. I'm heavily into indie filmmaking (thought-provoking stuff) and scoring my own indie stuff (in a band in the vein of Sneaker Pimps, Portishead, etc.).... use Adobe Premiere 6.5 on a PC 1ghz processor, 512 ram, 120 gig hard drive space (40 and 80).

I've loved the GL1 til the dead pixel thing... shoots great footage, totally. But are there any other 3-chip camcorders out there that do not have a dead pixel problem? That may be a little cheaper? $1500 instead of $2300, anything like that..? I haven't paid the guy yet for the GL2, so I dunno. I could back out of the purchase, even though it would make my negative feedback suck and stuff..... please let me know any info you guys and girls can give, thanks a bunch!

Hello Skip,
There are 2 varieties of "dead pixels"; the viewfinder's lcd and the ccd's. The former may be annoying but does not affect the image. The latter appears in the image.

I've no idea about the "odds", but their occurence has little, if anything, to do with the brand of the camera. It occasionally happens to all makes and models of cameras (including much, much more expensive cameras). In both types of situations it's just a matter of possibillity, like prematurely flat tires. CCD pixel problems can sometimes be repaired by a masking process or, more drastically and expensively, by replacing the CCD block.

Thanks Ken.. it's tough. Sigh.. I was really let down by the GL1's dead pixel (which does appear in the image, not just on LCD)... it's incredibly annoying, so I sold it. Didn't want to spend $700 to get it fixed. I'll let the buyer deal with that.

So I guess I shoulf go for the GL2 and stuff... man, I just hate the thought it might happen again. I like Canon's stuff though. Was debating on getting a Sony VX2000 but I dunno... Soderbergh uses the XL1s on Full Frontal and I was like, well.. Canon's good enough for me. :)

I like the extras that are present on the GL2... audio, time lapse, slower shutter speeds.. good stuff, all. I have a Beachtek XLR adapter which works wonderfully with my ME66.

Man I am tired. Need sleep. :) Thanks again, and it's great to be here.

Anyone else have any info? Please give me your insight.

Hi Guys

I'm new to this forum and also a new owner of a Canon XM2 (PAL).

I've had the XM1 for 3 years and shot quite a few reality documentaries on it, but I'm due to shoot a music video on a beach. I'd like to use the Cokin filter system on the 58mm ring on the front of the camera for a polarising and blue grad filter but has anybody used this and what results did you get.

Also, any advice on styles and shooting tips for this scenario would be helpful - ie. Lip Sync, Tracking shots tips etc etc

Thanks for your advice in advance.

Regards

Jonathan

Hello there,

I have found that after powering the XM2 camera off, the below setting reset as follows:

1, Manual Focus reverts to Automatic Focus
2, Gain usually boosts up from 0db
3, White balance changes from a preset to Automatic
4, Title Mix function (undocumented) dissapears and has to be reapplied. (this is only used if a supperimposed 16x9 letterbox is needed)

I use the "Lock" feature so that the settings are retained in the memory (as per the manual) but when I need to check the recording on occasion, I have to slide the main power switch to "off" and then to "VCR" mode, which seems to cause these settings to reset as a result.

This can be extremely annoying as you have to check and re-set these settings everytime before recording, which slows the process down and most of all, leaves room for error!

Did anyone encounter this similar behaviour?

Regards,
Jack

The Canon GL-2 is on my short list of cameras to buy.

But I have questions of course that I don't seem to find the answers to looking around the internet for them.

Anyway;

If I bought this camera I would buy a beacktek adapter or the adapter Canon sells to get XLR inputs.

• Does the audio you get using one of these adapters, any good? How does it compare to say the DVX-100 using the same mic?

I have a felling that going from a mini-plug to an XLR jsut can't get you as good sound as going straight into the built in XLR of say the PD-150 or DVX-100.

But maybe I'm wrong.

• Does using the mini plug mean that you can only get mono sound? Or does it become stereo with the adpater

EDITING

Is there audio drift in this camera? I heard all MIni-dv suffers from this, by a frame or two.

• Have you noticed audio drift?

• I know apple sells this camera on their website, but how well does this camera work using Final Cut Pro?

Any problems?

Thanks for your time.

Yes.

There's nothing you can do.

Sorry

I've got a friend who I do weddings work for. He shoots and uses both channels to get his work onto his edit deck.

I've got the Senni MK66 mounted on the Canon MA300 XLR-ed into the LEFT channel. This gives my friend ONLY one channel. Is there an easy way to either use the Senni and place it on both tracks OR should I now be considering a FURTHER ambient mic to mount atop the MA300 to plug into the RIGHT channel? OR remove the whole lot and just use the Canon ambient to get me the 2 channels he wants?

I know there's an answer in here somewhere - but at present I just can't put my finger on it . . . hmmm....

Grazie

<<<-- Originally posted by Graham Bernard : Is there an easy way to either use the Senni and place it on both tracks OR should I now be considering a FURTHER ambient mic to mount atop the MA300 to plug into the RIGHT channel? OR remove the whole lot and just use the Canon ambient to get me the 2 channels he wants?-->>>

Grazie,

The XLR box that I use has a mono/stereo switch that lets you mix the mic over the L & R tracks. If you don’t have the same feature, perhaps for these events, you could borrow an XLR box that does.

FYI see http://www.studio1productions.com/xlr-bp_pro.htm

Regards,

Ken W.

Depending on how much review you need to do, the record search might do the job, without resetting things. Use the two buttons to the rear of the main power switch. Tapping the "record review" button (the one with the loopback icon) will playback the last 3 seconds and automatically return to your previous record point. You can review farther back or forward by holding down the '-' or '+' buttons. Letting go will re-engage record pause right where the tape is at.

Graham,

Using the adapter you are kind of ties your hands to single channel when using one mic. Not sure why your friend needs two channels? In post its way easy to copy on channel to the other when you only captured one. That would be the easiest solution and best of all, it's FREE!

Yeah - I did suggest this to him. Perhaps I'll pursue this with him.

Hmmm....

Grazie

Well, overall I do love it. The 8meg card they include is practically pointless. I'll have to get a 64 meg card or larger for those pics.

It definitely needs an arm brace for normal recording if u want steadier shots compared to the larger older cameras but the quality is pretty impressive. Very sharp. On my DVD player a VCD looks better than other VCD's I've encoded.

I did have a dead pixel in the LCD screen but I hear it's pretty common, so no big deal.

Everything works though and it hooks to the computer very quickly and easily. Works great with Vegas 4. I really want to get a DVD recorder so I can get the best output as possible and have the 5.1 option for sound.

I plan on getting a wide angle lens, a tripod, and a glidecam 2000 initially.

Guess who's got a new toy then?!

Are you gonna have some fun!!!

Veags 4.0c here too! Excellent NLE!!

Tripod - YES most definately!

Arm Brace - Well, not so sure. Practice a technique I've got a "GO" with.

STRAP ADJUSTMENT:Adjust the right hand strap for your hand. Adjust using the velcro adjutment. Take time to get it the way you want it.

RIGHT HAND: Now, slide your right hand through the strap, raise the camera so your right arm is supporting the camera on the heel of the hand - yeah? Feel the balance and weight of it. I've got the strap so that it is below the ridge created by all 4 knuckles - nice and secure feeling there. You should now have your 1st finger - next to your thumb - on the "W" side of the zoom rocker arm, with your middle, longest, finger resting on the "T" of the zoom toggle. Your thumb nicely falls over the RED on button AND it can quickly "flick" the Lock switch over - excellent for putting the XM2 into the power save state - yeah? Your thumb is also good to go, for flicking the cammy into CARD or TAPE mode too. Your fourth and fifth [ little ] finger nicely balance the camera on the "fulcrum" of the heel of your right hand. These 2 fingers also have a bit of grip on the slightly raised "ridge", just forward of the zoom toggle - yeah?

LEFT HAND: Now, raise your left hand and using the "C" shape created by your thumb and first finger, slide your thumb under the cammy and your first finger over and behind the vertical top hand-grip support. Your next finger the middle finger should comforatablky rest on the top edge of the focus ring, and infront of the vertical top hand-grip support. So, you now have your thumb under the cammy and just forward and wedged against the EXP. Lock housing and your first and middle finger "straddling the vertical top hand-grip support. It is now very comfortable to support and balnce the cammy. From this point you can see that the middle finger and the thumb act as the focus ring adjustors - they clamp around the rubber ring - and that your whole left hand "steady" the rcoking of the cammy itself. You will also notice - well it does for me! - that the "muscle" of your first finger's 1st segment neatly falls over the Focus A/M switch. When shooting I can flex this muscle and activate the A/M switch - very useful tip! Okay . . . having now got your middle finger and thumb clamped around the rubber focus ring, it is very easy to rotate your left hand to adjust the focus. The remaining 2 fingers are used to assist in the yawl and dip of the cammy.

POSTURE & HUMAN TRIPOD!: I've now learnt to make use of the flip up eyepiece. When standing or sitting, I have the eyepiece "UP", with my head bowed - as saying prayers! Being a bloke of "heft" - 16 stone here - I have my elbows resting into my "waist". The cammy is now ready to take a shot.

STEADINESS & ZOOM: I've learnt that I really can't go further than 1/4 to 1/3 zoom in, without getting "wander" - I'm getting better, but beyond say a 1/2 zoom I'm a bit wayward. Then I'm in the realms of on-tripod shooting. The Optical Image Stabilizer does work very well. - Please read masses here on OIS system - pros and cons.

So, arm brace? Well it's your money. The downsides? Two I can think of:

1) - You could come to rely on it, and not get your "steady" skills up to speed - that's my opinion. I've also bought a secondhand neck and monopod "belt" waist band device - couldn't get on with it! Had it in my KATA bag for about 4 months, found I wasn't using it and eventually removed it and put it on a shelf in my office, where it is gathering dust - literally!

2) - It's another piece of kit to worry about and maybe wish you hadn't had it in the first place when you are up close and pesonal with several subjects on shoot - yeah?

My advice - as if you weren't going to do this, would be to take new cammy to a place where you could try it out with a steady cam device. Listen, I aint decrying the value of steadycam kits outright - all I'm saying - IMHO - is that there is a time, place and project that requires them. Anyway that's for others to beat me down on - I wouldn't like to think you had spend hard earned cash on something that you might be able to "rectify" with a little time, practice and tips from us all. But, if you have set your heart on this, then who am I to say. I will tell though, I was driving myself up the wall, not liking the unsteadiness of my first few months with this remarkable cammy. Until I gave myself a break and recognised not only my own limitations BUT also the pressure I was putting this cammy under - Now if I need a tripod shot, out comes the tripod - no questions asked! If I want a closer shot? I mkove my ass! Nothing like walking about to get an even better view of the World - eh?

Ho . . I didn't realise I had rambled on so much - sorry Bob. I just want the best shot at this cammy for you - yeah?

NOW the dead pixel! That's another story! Well you know what I would say - get it best to start with! If you can, have the cammy replaced. Thank the Lord, now jitters here. . . . But I'm a stcikler for Consumer rights - Hey it takes enough energy to make the cash - yeah? You can do this politley and still get your rights. Let me invite you to think several months down the track - you're looking and seeing this dead pixel more and more, until one morning you wake up and say "Now why didn't I get this right, from the start?!?" I don't wanna be around you when this hits home - and it will. But there again you aint me ;-)

'Nuf said -

Best regards,

Grazie

Yea, I was really thinking about adding that strap and getting some practice in, but I've seen some sick movie like shots with some steadicams. Practice makes perfect with any technique though I admit.

As far as the dead pixel. Well, as much as it bugs me to not have a perfect camera, it would be such a pain in the ass to put everything back in the case and ship it back. Overall though, it doesn't bug me as much as it might others. It's doesn't show up in the recording process which is far more important and everything seems to be working really well.

Imagine I get another camera that doesn't have a dead pixel but it eats tapes. I mean....it's a $2000 camera but I've heard far worse stories about getting a new camera not working and what-not on this board. If there was like 3 dead pixels I might have something to worry about. Once is kinda tolerable. The viewfinder doesn't have any dead pixels. 1 small green pixel is all I have to deal with. If I was to ship it back.....I'm not sure about how much I would really save grief wise. I'd have to wait about another 2 weeks to get the other camera.

Using a tripod with legs retracted but spread apart can yeild some surprisingly good results with reguard to stabilization while mobile. I hold the tripod by its extended neck as I walk/run.

http://homepage.mac.com/bhardy3/iMovieTheater30.html

Congrats on your new GL2

• Does the audio you get using one of these adapters, any good? How does it compare to say the DVX-100 using the same mic?

I'm not a pro and I can't compare it to the DVX-100 but I can tell you that the audio is very clean to my ear and having manual audio adjustments on a camera in this price range is a great thing.

I have a felling that going from a mini-plug to an XLR jsut can't get you as good sound as going straight into the built in XLR of say the PD-150 or DVX-100.

The need for xlr comes in when you need a long cable run. I don't think there is a audible difference between mini and xlr if the cable run is short, but it's when you need to run 50 feet of cable that xlr connectors become important and if I understand it correctly there is little/no loss or concern if it terminates in the end at a mini plug.

But maybe I'm wrong. Plenty of people add a beachtek and do very serious pro work with this camera.

• Does using the mini plug mean that you can only get mono sound? Or does it become stereo with the adpater

It is stereo. There is no adapter needed with the camera out of the box. The mic on the GL2 is stereo as indicated by the left and right stereo gauges. When you use an xlr connector you can connect two separate mics.
EDITING

Is there audio drift in this camera? I heard all MIni-dv suffers from this, by a frame or two.

• Have you noticed audio drift?

I have noticed none. If you shoot at 30fps and import that you might have some issues if your NLE is bringing it in at 29.97 but there is no inherent problem that I'm aware of.

• I know apple sells this camera on their website, but how well does this camera work using Final Cut Pro?

Any problems?

No problems with FCP. I've never had a hiccup with it. I just ordered a 2nd GL2. Couldn't be happier.

sorry if this has been asked before.. i'm a newbie.. i did a search and didn't find anything..

i know the xl1 has an adapter to use canon SLR lenses on it, does the gl2?

i have a canon rebel with a few lenses and would love to be able to use my lenses for both.. (way easier to justify buying new lenses :) )

The GL1/2 cannot use Canon SLR lenses. They can use many adapters/converters that mount onthe end of the existing lens.