Canon's Next Pro Video Cam -- Photos from the SuperMeet
 

Three pages of photos of the new cam from the San Francisco FCP SuperMeet...

Canon’s Next Cam — Photos from SFO SuperMeet, Pt. 1 at DVInfo.net
Canon’s Next Cam — Photos from SFO SuperMeet, Pt. 2 at DVInfo.net
Canon’s Next Cam — Photos from SFO SuperMeet, Pt. 3 at DVInfo.net

Any sign of an interchangeable lens version?
Steve

Not shown or mentioned, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Dear Chris,

Very nice!

Also, nice work reporting on this new camera.

CH, you are just too cool for words. Great info and pics, and I love your questions--just makes me all the more interested, you sly dog! Thanks!!

Looks great!

Hey, a real eyecup and nor more wiggly mic parts.

Pat

The article indicates that there might be two models again, split by the ports. I really hope not. I think that's pointless these days, HD-SDI is no longer some super expensive unreachable feature. I mean the Sony NX5U is giving it to you for 4 grand. The sales of the A1 vs the G1 have to be something like 10:1 or greater. Canon, don't dilute the market with useless models, all of two people will fork over another 3k for those ports.

I wonder about the weight.

In the quest to make these cameras look a certain way, they are almost too big for anything other than tripod/mounted work. Which would be better served in another form factor like a true small shoulder mount.

The camera looks pretty large in that gentleman's arms.

Like everyone else here, I'm pretty excited when this camera comes out.

We're holding off buying an HD cam (upgrade from the XL2), as we've been working full time with a university and currently shoot with their Sony F335. (So a smaller cam will be a welcome relief after our project ends sometime next year :)

I rather thought that I settled on getting the EX1R, but since we're in no hurry, will wait and see what Canon rolls out, and what early adopters think.

Best,

I like the re-designed ergonomics, the new location of the LCD, the extra screw mount on the handle, hopefully better weight distribution from ditching the tape mechanism. The extra wire holder on the mic mount. All the new little doo-dads on the lens look interesting.

Chris did you get a sense if the mic mount is shielded better from vibrations on the body? And what do you think that switch is on the front of the mic?

Thanks for the pictures, they are much better than the previous ones.
I really hope we'll have more than this mock up during the NAB now.

I'm hoping it weighs at least as much as the old XL1s. Steady hand-held work [for me] really suffered switching to the XH A1. I'd rather my arms suffer than the image.

looks similar to the size of EX1r

Hope the insides are similar to an EX1r too...
I'm most struck by how studio-friendly it appears to be, far cry from it's early GL origins.

Any clue as far as when they will be announcing official specs? NAB?

NAB sure seems to be their best bet for a prime target date. I can't imagine them not having it as their NAB showpiece.

Thanks Chris great work. My guess is those switches in front of the volume controls are 3 position attenuators for each mic. +10 0 and -10dB. Hope they got the vol controls right way up :) USB 2 and 3?

Lorinda looks like it is heavier than the A1.

PT3 top pix. the lens hood looks bigger than the A1s hood .. 82mm?? groan .. not another set of filters :(

Cheers.

Great set of images and commentary.

I am really looking forward to seeing the published specs on this new camcorder!

Speculation:

I measured the diameter and the power/command dial on pictures of an XH-A1 and the new model. The ratio between them shows that the lens house is larger than on the XH-A1.

1/2" ?

(It is, however, much possible that I'm very wrong)

/Bo

Hi Bo, Canon USA has confirmed that the chip size is indeed 1/3rd-inch.

They haven't said whether it's CCD or CMOS. I had originally speculated CCD, but now I have my doubts... it may very well be CMOS after all, based on a statement made during the presentation at the February SuperMeet: the camcorder was referred to as an "all-Canon solution," meaning that the codec, which was the focus of the presentation, was entirely Canon's own, as is the camera (emphasis mine). The last time Canon referred to an "all-Canon" camcorder was with the introduction of their HV10, which used a Canon CMOS sensor. Their marketing strategy made a big point about that. Since Canon doesn't make CCDs, they wouldn't refer to a CCD camcorder as using "all Canon technology." That's why I'm beginning to think that this new camera has three new CMOS chips instead of CCDs.

Looks great! As much as I love the 5D/DSLR Canon cameras I'm still planning on using my XH series cameras for event shooting for years to come. Thanks for sharing this Chris!

what are the advantages/disadvantages to cmos vs ccd?

Just do a search and you'll find lots of CCD vs CMOS talk.
CMOS has some skew plus problems with flash, but it's cheaper to make it to the same resolution spec. CCD creates more heat too so cameras have to be bigger due to bigger fans etc.
CMOS is really a way to make a high spec affordable, but it does have a few issues which some can live with and others can't, depends on what you shoot.
Steve

With Canon's expertise in CMOS sensors, I'm wondering if they haven't sped up the small sensor enough to make the CMOS problems moot.

By introducing one additional transistor per pixel, one could make a CMOS sensor without rolling shutter artifacts. But, frankly, I'm thinking that developers are working on speed, rather than new architectures. Higher sensor speeds would allow super slow motion shooting as well.

I've seen the camera with an xha1 about a metre away at Earls court. No doubt in my mind it was significantly larger than its predecessor. Particularly the lens as i recall. Unless Canon put the new one in a magnified perspex case, i'd say it's a bit bigger than an EX1.

Dom,

I agree. I've also checked on Cris Hurds picture where Joe Bogacz is holding the camcorder. My opinion is that the lens barrel is larger, unless mr Bogacz is a hobbit of course. :-)

Enough of speculations, let's see what the future will bring us.

Regards,

/Bo

Just the opposite... he's a Canadian.

The most intriguing bit to me is the lens barrel that seems to be ready for a follow focus unit.
Does this mean that they finally are coming out with a "proper" focus ring on these cameras?
I really hope they do so. Looking fore ward to see some footage from the camera.
Will it be enough to make me want to trade in my EX-3?;-)
(I doubt it, but you never know)

Have you heard any further news of the lens bayonet version (H1s update) Chris?

Looks good and thanks for the pictures, it will be really interesting to see what the images will be like from it and how it performs in low light. I'm sure we were all hoping for bigger chips but it'll be interesting to see how the images compare with the Ex1r.
Ergonomically it looks nicer to use than the EX1.

Nothing official, but there's every indication that they'll do an XL version of this camera with that new codec. Wouldn't surprise me if they show it at NAB as well.

Just out of curiosity... anyone have any inkling about pricing?

I feel the same Glen

"What is the purpose of the button just in front of the zoom control ring?"

Great place for the "push for AF" button to be.

I'm somewhat surprised there doesn't seem to be much interest in this new Canon, this is the only site featuring any real news. Wonder why?

Is everyone happy with their current camera?
Are there too many cameras on sale now?
Is everyone going over to a 7D?
Is everyone broke?

Cheers.

I think there's a lot of interest, but everyone is waiting on actual information to be released.

I know I'm very interested in the next iteration of the Canon XL series.

Allan, I'm sure there are lots of people interested - I am for one. It's just that there's so little known about it so far, mostly speculation, although I believe we know for sure that it's 1/3" chips (not sure if CMOS or CCD) and that it'll use a 50mb/s MPEG codec. That's it, and it's not enough to talk about just yet.
People are interested though, because Canon often do surprise and do something out of the ordinary, as they did with the 5DmkII. Could be really interesting. Or rubbish - we don't know yet!
Steve

Yes I'm interested too Steve but I'm not so sure guys .. AFAIK 39 posts on this thread is the only interest shown on the net in what could be a new direction again.
Cheers.

It'd all be speculation Allan, there'd be little point. But as soon as an announcement is made you can expect a barrage of posts. I think.
Steve