XH Upgrade Wishlist Poll v1

Kev O'Brien · April 22nd, 2008, 01:04 PM

record to sd card

custom keys able to record / pause - there is no easy record /pause for the left hand when the right is on the tripod

custom keys able to turn on/off image stabilization

i have a few other little bugs but they are the main ones

Deke Ryland · April 22nd, 2008, 01:09 PM

A button on the remote to bring power back on to camera when it goes into sleep mode after the 8 mins or whatever the default is.

Bill Busby · April 22nd, 2008, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kev O'Brien

custom keys able to record / pause - there is no easy record /pause for the left hand when the right is on the tripod

There's a rec/pause button on the top handle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deke Ryland

A button on the remote to bring power back on to camera when it goes into sleep mode after the 8 mins or whatever the default is.

You can de-activate this in the menu.

Philip Williams · April 22nd, 2008, 01:44 PM

So did anyone bug the Canon folks at NAB 2008? I know updating cameras isn't common (yet), but camcorders have become so ITcentric these days I don't think it would be that earth shattering anymore. My HD DVD players, Blu-Ray players, PS3 and iPod were/are all updatable through either direct download, CD images or SD card files. I think its safe to say we've reached the point where we know how to copy some files onto an SD card and then not turn off the power of the device during an update ;)

Come on Canon, its 2008, not 1988.

Deke Ryland · April 22nd, 2008, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Busby

You can de-activate this in the menu.

Hey Bill... do you think it's okay to deactive the sleep mode altogether? I'm assuming there is a sleep mode for a reason. I think I've read it is so the tape drum doesn't wear out. I certainly don't want to do any damage to my camera... but this sleep mode is VERY ANNOYING for me since I shoot myself, by myself.. A LOT!

Jay Doggett · May 29th, 2008, 04:40 AM

I'm surprised no one asked for spot focus, or for the ability to choose the size/position of the focus area.

I need that for the wildlife video I like to shoot. I wrote to Canon about it and I was told my idea would get passed on to the firmware folks.

Jay

Bill Busby · May 29th, 2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deke Ryland

Hey Bill... do you think it's okay to deactive the sleep mode altogether? I'm assuming there is a sleep mode for a reason. I think I've read it is so the tape drum doesn't wear out. I certainly don't want to do any damage to my camera... but this sleep mode is VERY ANNOYING for me since I shoot myself, by myself.. A LOT!

Deke, I must have missed this when posted. Refer to page 28 in the manual (at least in the pdf manual), if you haven't discovered this already. You can deactivate the Power Save function and assign the VCR Stop function to a custom key.

Bill Busby · May 29th, 2008, 12:14 PM

Jay, nice idea, but I can't imagine that being able to be done only through a firmware update. I would think the hardware would have to be re-tooled for something like that.

Jay Doggett · May 29th, 2008, 05:12 PM

It -appears- pretty easy to do spot focus in firmware actually. Right now they use a pretty large rectangle of the captured area to determine focus, all they have to do is first allow it to have more than one size and then allow it to have a different position and move the lens accordingly.

They currently have a rectangular region defined for auto focus. For my purposes I need it smaller and to work like the regions in my Nikon D200. If my understanding is correct embedded firmware (somewhere in the system) is deciding when the camera is in focus.

Robert Hruska · June 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM

Sorry if this has been posted, but the ability to output raw, uncompressed video to hard disk would be sweet.

Philip Williams · June 11th, 2008, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Hruska

Sorry if this has been posted, but the ability to output raw, uncompressed video to hard disk would be sweet.

Um... could you clarify that? The camcorder already outputs 4:2:2 uncompressed video over component output. Firewire is limited by hardware and/or standards to pump out HDV only (even *if* someone could output uncompressed output over Firewire there'd be no receiving hardware that would know what to do with that signal). Not sure what else can be done beyond that...

Chris Hurd · June 11th, 2008, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Hruska

...the ability to output raw, uncompressed video to hard disk would be sweet.

Already a feature in the XH G1 via SDI.

Mark Fry · June 11th, 2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Hruska
...the ability to output raw, uncompressed video to hard disk would be sweet.

Already a feature in the XH G1 via SDI.

Also possible with XH-A1 via Componant cable, with a suitable A/D capture card?

Stuart Graham · September 16th, 2008, 08:14 AM

My camera operator complains about the very sensitive focus ring. It makes it tricky to focus accurately on tracking and panning shots. It would be nice if they address this in any firmware upgrades and give you a very slow and extremely slow option for focus control speed.

Bill Busby · September 16th, 2008, 12:20 PM

Stuart, there already is one... in the Custom Functions in the menu (Normal, Slow)

View Poll Results: Which four (4) features should be added to the XH series camcorders?
OIS On / Off mappable to Custom Key	118	51.75%
XLR On / Off mappable to Custom Key	61	26.75%
Default Shutter speed in 25F of 1/50th	24	10.53%
Additional Shutter speeds (1/33rd and/or 1/40th)	21	9.21%
Option to display Shutter values in degrees	3	1.32%
Preset maximum Gain value for AGC	48	21.05%
Add intermediate steps in Gain (+9db, +15db)	46	20.18%
F. Asst. Mag. on displays / analog out during Rec.	26	11.40%
Allow Peaking and Zebra together	95	41.67%
Customize Peaking color and intensity	35	15.35%
Flip image in viewfinders (and maybe to tape, outputs)	63	27.63%
Move AE Shift function from menu to iris ring	26	11.40%
Histogram On / Off for Video (record and playback)	49	21.49%
Display active C. Preset name (record and playback)	55	24.12%
Display lens info (focus and zoom) on playback	18	7.89%
Display remaining battery time in real minutes	72	31.58%
Function setting for Long Push of "End Play" button	2	0.88%
Soft clipping / limiter in Manual Audio mode	63	27.63%
Allow digital zoom in Standard Definition recording	5	2.19%
Option: AF off during zoom (prevent focus pulsing)	59	25.88%
Photo buttons as optional Custom Keys	16	7.02%
Slower speeds for Focus Position preset transitions	44	19.30%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 228. You may not vote on this poll

April 22nd, 2008, 01:44 PM	#109
Philip Williams Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Snellville, Georgia Posts: 614	So did anyone bug the Canon folks at NAB 2008? I know updating cameras isn't common (yet), but camcorders have become so ITcentric these days I don't think it would be that earth shattering anymore. My HD DVD players, Blu-Ray players, PS3 and iPod were/are all updatable through either direct download, CD images or SD card files. I think its safe to say we've reached the point where we know how to copy some files onto an SD card and then not turn off the power of the device during an update ;) Come on Canon, its 2008, not 1988. __________________ www.philipwilliams.com

May 29th, 2008, 04:40 AM	#111
Jay Doggett Tourist Join Date: May 2008 Location: Plaistow New Hampshire Posts: 3	Spot focus? I'm surprised no one asked for spot focus, or for the ability to choose the size/position of the focus area. I need that for the wildlife video I like to shoot. I wrote to Canon about it and I was told my idea would get passed on to the firmware folks. Jay

September 16th, 2008, 08:14 AM	#119
Stuart Graham Major Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Selby UK Posts: 274	Focus Ring Speed My camera operator complains about the very sensitive focus ring. It makes it tricky to focus accurately on tracking and panning shots. It would be nice if they address this in any firmware upgrades and give you a very slow and extremely slow option for focus control speed.

April 22nd, 2008, 01:04 PM	#106
Kev O'Brien Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Posts: 57	record to sd card custom keys able to record / pause - there is no easy record /pause for the left hand when the right is on the tripod custom keys able to turn on/off image stabilization i have a few other little bugs but they are the main ones

April 22nd, 2008, 01:09 PM	#107
Deke Ryland Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Washington, USA Posts: 213	A button on the remote to bring power back on to camera when it goes into sleep mode after the 8 mins or whatever the default is.

May 29th, 2008, 12:14 PM	#113
Bill Busby Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 959	Jay, nice idea, but I can't imagine that being able to be done only through a firmware update. I would think the hardware would have to be re-tooled for something like that.

May 29th, 2008, 05:12 PM	#114
Jay Doggett Tourist Join Date: May 2008 Location: Plaistow New Hampshire Posts: 3	It -appears- pretty easy to do spot focus in firmware actually. Right now they use a pretty large rectangle of the captured area to determine focus, all they have to do is first allow it to have more than one size and then allow it to have a different position and move the lens accordingly. They currently have a rectangular region defined for auto focus. For my purposes I need it smaller and to work like the regions in my Nikon D200. If my understanding is correct embedded firmware (somewhere in the system) is deciding when the camera is in focus.

June 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM	#115
Robert Hruska Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 29	Sorry if this has been posted, but the ability to output raw, uncompressed video to hard disk would be sweet.

September 16th, 2008, 12:20 PM	#120
Bill Busby Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 959	Stuart, there already is one... in the Custom Functions in the menu (Normal, Slow)