XL2 footage w/good production value?

[Michael Morlan]

Hi all,

I've enjoyed the various ad-hoc XL2 clips that have been posted to this forum. They do a good job of demonstrating the XL-2's image detail. But they have generally been shot with available light and certainly aren't showing off the capabilities of this camera.

Has anyone spent some time really lighting a scene for this camera? And, I mean REALLY lighting for this camera -- pushing the contrast lattitude, trying costumes and set colors that test it's color rendition, etc.

[Chris Hurd]

Well, there is the XL2 sample footage DVD from Canon USA. I've given away the few extra copies that I had and I'm down to just one left, which I'm going to keep. But maybe they'll let me rip that disc and upload some web-based media from it. This has been done before but I wasn't too impressed with the web video encoding -- pretty sure I can do a better job (with my Canopus system, heh).

great sig there Michael!

[Frederic Segard]

Chris, where can we get this XL2 sample footage DVD? Can it be ordered? Or is it just something that was thrown together unofficially?

[Barry Goyette]

I don't know if its the same footage or not, but if you go to Canon's XL2 page, and click 3d view...there is a streaming movie thats not compressed too badly...it's not full sized, and I don't think its particularly interesting in terms of technique...but it isn't the badly compressed one that was circulating awhile back.

http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/con...&modelid=10350

Barry

[Frederic Segard]

All I see when clicking on 3D view is the marketing video basically showing stills of the XL2. No footage per say.

[Michael Morlan]

One of the crew members for my next narrative short film project has an XL-2. I'll see if I can get a day or two with it to put it through its paces and post the results.

Michael

[Barry Goyette]

Fred

My memory wasn't too good on that clip...there is some footage on it, but it is mostly "boxed" into some of the graphics...although there are a few full frame seconds, it was probably not worth mentioning in the first place...

I've got some time to light some stuff (while I'm testing out my new indiedollly)...I throw it up later in the week.

Barry

[Barry Goyette]

I shot some stuff last night using my new IndieDolly. A snazzy little track and skateboard wheel unit that I saw at Samy's Camera in LA. My camera work is still a little shaky, but I still have hope. Otherwise the dolly system performs beautifully.

http://homepage.mac.com/barrygoyette/FileSharing26.html

As far as the XL2 and Lighting goes, here was the setup

2 lights: a 1k micky into Medium softbox, and a 1k baby bounced into a mirror at the rear of the set. No filtration

Camera Settings F3.2 1/60 16:9 30p 1/6ND WB:tungsten preset

Custom Preset

CineGamma and cinecolor
Knee and Black at normal
Color Gain +3
Color Phase +2R
R gain +5
G gain +3
B gain -4

I could have probably achieve a similar color effect with just the daylight WB preset, but I wanted to see how far the individual color channels would go. Music by a little east LA band called Los Lobos.

For all you rez freaks...the footage is offered in unadulterated DV format.

Barry

[Nick Hiltgen]

Barry your footage looks great!

[Mark Grgurev]

What lens did you use?

[Barry Goyette]

Mark

stock 20x...nothing attached to the camera except a tripod.

Barry

[Joel Guy]

Barry, that footage looks amazing. Thanks!

[Ralph Roberts]

Truly intoxicating footage, Barry! Thanks.

--Ralph

[Michael Morlan]

Nicely done Barry. Lighting, color, detail are all inspiring.

Thanks for taking the time.

Anyone else?

[Matt Irwin]

Barry- fantastic looking footage!!

Yeah that 20x is no joke. A friend and I shot a test comparing the Xl2 to the DVX100a, and we were amazed. That 20x puts the DVX's Leica lens to shame!