Cavision and Optex make a pretty good 2x. Century optics make a 1.6x that have very good glass, and there are even crappy ones on ebay for $150. Depends what your looking for I guess.

Luis

Canon used to show the balsa-cams back in the day. The very first time the XL1 was displayed in public, back in the fall of 1997, it was termite fodder. Funny thing about those wooden mock-ups, they're very expensive to make. Just like other manufacturers, they have development projects and prototypes and mock-ups and whatnot, they just don't bring 'em to trade shows anymore.

yeah.. that Panasonic Balsa cam at NAB cost as much as a Porsche. Seriously.

Canon's booth at Nab this year was strangley very boring looking, in fact so was the one at DVexpo. I have a feeling they are saving thier marketing pennies to really market the XL2.. Its will be exciting Im sure.

Jarred,
I think you have misread my post. My remark concerning "young males" was certainly not directed as a barb toward you whatsoever. With that, I was merely portraying a consumer profile for these cameras.

No poke intended.

I wonder how politically incorrect we could get if we actually did start to do some social profiling based on camcorder choice. Heh. Is there an "on the fast track to becoming an old fart" camcorder? Sign me up.

Well, I use a Canon GL2. I don't use frame mode However, I film-look it in After Effects.

Also, I'm using the GL2 to made a live action version of a Anime style fight in the sky. Imagine something similar to the fight between Neo and Smith at the end of Revolutions.

SO what kind of profile can you deduce about me? Ha ha.

Oh oh, let's get back on topic, go XL2! Give me 24p or give me death!

Gosh, I think Canon has to come out with something super-revolutionary like 3-chip HDV this time around to stop the AGDVX-100 juggernaut - if it's just another interchangeable-lens SD 1/3" with say 24p, even with 16:9, Canon would just be "pulling up alongside" panasonic... i hope there will be a high-effective pixel count on the 3 chips at least - looking at the specs for the new panasonic gs400, man, it's amazing what panasonic is offering to the starving-artist indie guy who wants to make movies... Why would Canon be a part of the HDV collective and then not do anything on the camera side?

I don't think we'll see anything "revolutionary" from canon on this camera. Canon's video division is a very small place...we're not talking sony or panasonic here...Canon BUYS most of its technology in this field (versus the still camera arena where they make everything).

The xl1s replacement cam will most likely have the same panasonic chips as the dvx100, and an enhanced menu system not unlike that same camera. We might also hope for a flip out LCD, and I would bet that we'll get xlr inputs. And seeing as the only official statement about the camera (over a year ago) said that it would probably have 24p...I think thats a safe bet. After all that, the xl-whatever will be the best camera in it's market segment..period, because the strength of the xl camera series is in the PLATFORM, not in some new, hyped up technology.

Unfortunately I agree with barry. The only thing that makes me think that it wouldn't be something like that is the fact that so many people (who apparently know what they're talking about insist that this is a camera that will blow us away, or will defintely hold it's market share for more then 6 months. I don't think a dvx 100 with 16:9 chips and an interchangable lens will do such a thing (unless maybe they bring out some sort of 3d lens...)

So tell me all you sage advisors of everything canon out here, Am I looking for too much in hoping that the Canon camera is more then a gussied up dvx100(a)? What do you think?

Nick

Here's the thing... the market segment that these two cameras compete in is in the prosumer digital cinema area. The DVX is the first camera in this range to offer the resolution, progressive capture, and 24p components of this picture, but it's still basically in the form factor of an amateur camcorder. The xl1s is still the only camera in this market segment that looks, and acts and feels like a real camera...ok--professional camera...the only reason I still use my xl1s at all is because I will not give up my manual lens...the dvx can't offer you this kind of control. Now by marrying the best of what the DVX offers with the platform of the XL series...this is not a gussied up dvx...this is simply the best camera available under $10,000. That blows my mind.

Barry

I think Barry's remarks are on-target concerning what to expect. That's a feature set deliverable within the $4,000+/- price bracket, which will probably remain the goal.

Barry will win the contest and receive a free XL2. <g>

contest....what contest...?

Well said Barry! You definitely have a good understanding of the market. Youv'e got some great images too!

- don

"if it's just another interchangeable-lens SD 1/3" with say 24p,
even with 16:9, Canon would just be "pulling up alongside" panasonic...


Just another?
The DVX doesn't offer interchangeable lenses or true 16:9.
If Canon pulls off the features you outlined, they would not only
pull up alongside panasonic, they would leave them behind.

A camera with all the features you mention would be the
ultimate DV camera. Everyone keeps talking about HD and HDV,
but honestly, I just keep waiting for a manufacturer to give
us all the features we want in a 1/3" DV camera. Up to date,
every camera seems handicapped in some way.

If we could get the 24p, Gamma settings, LCD & XLRs of the DVX
with the lens system and viewfinder options of an XL1, PLUS true
16:9 images...that camera would be the most complete 1/3" DV
camera around. Not to mention, it would sell like hotcakes.


Not exactly something to brush over, in my opinion.

-Luis

I agree. I doubt the XL2 will have HD. It *might*, but I kinda doubt it. It takes about 18 months to go from drawing boards to finished product. And HDV was only approved in like September 2003. Maybe October, I don't remember.

However, if Canon new about HDV before it was actually approved. They might have something HD heading our way.

If it shot 24p and was true 16:9, that would be pretty sweet to me.