According to the Canon website, the XL2 has an interval feature, where the camera will record 0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2 seconds of video at a selected interval (every 30 seconds, every 1 minute, every 5 minutes, every 10 minutes). This would be really neat for time lapse videos.

Does the XL H1 also have this interval timer feature?

I haven't found it. I cannot for the life of me understand how Canon ommitted this feature.

Please tell me I'm wrong folks.

I haven't found it. I cannot for the life of me understand how Canon ommitted this feature.

Please tell me I'm wrong folks.

I know the menu layout is likely different on the H1, but on the XL2, this feature is on page 2 of the camera setup menu. See if you have something similar. I can't imagine they would take this feature out either.

-gb-

I can't imagine they would take this feature out either.

I haven't checked yet, but here's a theory: If the Console application offers interval recording, I can very well see why Canon omitted the feature. And DTE/DTD-recorders like the FS-4 have the same functionality.

FWIW,

Ron

Bingo!
Yeah, I like my Canon cameras but wasn't happy with their decision on that:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost.php?p=397624&postcount=23

I don't really see the Console software as being a viable option. The interval timer is especially interesting to me for outdoors wildlife and landscape vista videos. Bringing a laptop along to work the console software just isn't an option.

The Firestore option is more reasonable, although it's an extra cost that I'm not sure I want to go with. The XL-H1 is expensive enough already.
Upon closer inspection, the FS-4 and FS-4 HD dont' provide time lapse functionality either, but the FS-4 Pro and FS-4 Pro HD do.

Not exactly the answer that I was hoping for.

Nick, I whole-heartedly agree with you. I'm not trying to defend Canon omitting the feature. I was just trying to guess what went on during Canon engineering team XL-H1 feature list meetings.

About the FS-4 Pro HD: I agree it isn't cheap, but If you're not a firm believer in tape backup, such a DTE/DTD device can pay for itself rather quickly in tape costs saved - especially if you would otherwise choose high-quality tape stock.

FWIW,

Ron

Actually no HDV camcorder offers an intervalometer feature. I'm pretty sure it's a limitation of the MPEG2 encoding process and the interframe compression characteristics of GOP patterns. I would look at this not as a missing feature of the XL H1 but of HDV in general.

Agreed, the GOP-issue presents a problem here. But they could at least let you record JPEGs to the SD-card at specified intervals. You could fit quite a few on a 2 GB card...