XL2 color LCD viewfinder - Page 3 at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XL and GL Series DV Camcorders

Canon XL and GL Series DV Camcorders
Canon XL2 / XL1S / XL1 and GL2 / XM2 / GL1 / XM1.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 2nd, 2004, 05:55 PM   #31
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Austin Texas
Posts: 162
Images: 3
I own and have used the jib by Glidecam quite a bit and its proved to be a great tool. Not sure which one your getting but I can't imagine the viewfinder having any impact whatsoever.

- Ray
__________________
www.undergroundplanet.com
Raymond Schlogel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 2nd, 2004, 10:58 PM   #32
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Posts: 570
The thing is, I've planed to buy the CRT B&W viewfinder as well, and chances are I'll only be carrying this one on the set, since I've no use for the LCD viewfinder. And since it weights over 2 pounds alone, it'll quickly put my camcorder close to the 10lbs range.

I might be able to push the limits of the jib a bit, but I'm not sure I want to test it. There's something awfully disturbing about the image of a brand new XL2 crashing like a ton of bricks 10' down on a concrete floor ;)
David Lach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 3rd, 2004, 10:50 AM   #33
Trustee
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Luis Obispo CA
Posts: 1,195
David,

My recommendation would be to find a jib that is a little over-engineered. The problem with putting a heavy camera on an aluminum pole designed for 7 pounds is not the camera falling off. That most likely will not happen. What will happen is the jib will begin to flex during movements, (limiting your control) and thus the camera might wobble a bit, and won't stop smoothly when you want it to.

Barry
Barry Goyette is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 3rd, 2004, 10:59 AM   #34
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Posts: 570
That's a good point Barry. I'll make sure to find something really sturdy to avoid wobbly looking images.

Although, even though I'm no engineer myself, I can't imagine it'd be very hard to re-inforce any simply designed jib arm with a few heavy duty screws & bolts and metal plates/rods. Of course, might as well go for something well built in the first place.
David Lach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 3rd, 2004, 12:05 PM   #35
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,368
Images: 513
Consider the SkyCrane. It was designed specifically for the XL1 and will be a good match for the XL2. Do yourself a favor and don't bother mounting an EVF on the camera when you're flying it on a jib. I can't think of any reason why you'd need the EVF on there. If you need to take audio from that position, get a Canon DM-50 mic for the hot shoe.
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 10th, 2004, 09:41 PM   #36
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 61
XL2 Viewfinder Resolution Better?

Some of our shooters complain about the XL1 viewfinder for focus vs the black & white ones on our higher end cameras. Is the new viewfinder in the XL2 better.

Thanks,

Richard
2K-Plus
Atlanta
Richard Lubash is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 10th, 2004, 10:04 PM   #37
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 37
i don't know whether it's the lens or the viewfinder... but focusing is definately a lot more easier than the xl1s...
Kevin Chao is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 10th, 2004, 10:07 PM   #38
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Austin Texas
Posts: 162
Images: 3
The black and white ones are most likely CRT, not LCD which are by nature less " sharp ". Thats why the optional CRT costs as much as it does and why its so worth it IMHO. The new viewfinder is by far better than the old one, but it aint a CRT.

- Ray
__________________
www.undergroundplanet.com
Raymond Schlogel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 10th, 2004, 10:51 PM   #39
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,368
Images: 513
The black and white ones are not most likely CRT. They are most *definitely* CRT.
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 07:44 AM   #40
Trustee
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Vulcan
Posts: 1,564
so black and white viewfinder is REQUIRED not optional! i mean it's such an expensive investment (either xl1s or xl2) and having a viewfinder where you can't even focus? by this logic how come canon doesn't include a viewfinder or at least let the user choose camera body packages with FU 1000? it's not even optional anymore.
__________________
bow wow wow
Yi Fong Yu is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 08:02 AM   #41
RED Code Chef
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Holland
Posts: 12,514
Do you know of any camera for $5K or less with a B&W CRT
viewfinder? I'm glad we can at least get one! Personally
I had little to no problems focussing with the XL1S (PAL).

I'm wondering why all the worrying about focus. The XL2 viewfinder
has the same amount of pixels in the viewfinder as the LCD
screen on the DVX for example (both 200K pixels according to
the websites). So what gives? The screen doesn't need to be
as big since your eye is much closer.
__________________

Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com
DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef

Join the DV Challenge | Lady X

Search DVinfo.net for quick answers | Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors
Rob Lohman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 08:34 AM   #42
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,368
Images: 513
Actually, beginning sometime in November, certain authorized U.S. dealers will sell you the XL2 body alone or with *your choice* of viewfinder and/or lens.

The optional B&W CRT viewfinder discussed here is a professional piece of gear, made for Canon by Ikegami. It is no more or less expensive than any other viewfinder of that type -- the price (about $1500) is right on the money, exactly what you'd expect to pay for a B&W CRT viewfinder for any other camera.

The color LCD viewfinder included with the stock XL2 is highly useful, definitely superior to the old one on the XL1/XL1S, and will be perfectly adequate for, I'm guessing, maybe 80% to 90% of all XL2 owners.
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 10:50 AM   #43
Major Player
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Posts: 570
<<<-- Originally posted by Chris Hurd : Actually, beginning sometime in November, certain authorized U.S. dealers will sell you the XL2 body alone or with *your choice* of viewfinder and/or lens. -->>>

What? Since when? I contacted ZGC and Zotz and they both said they could not give me the choice of viewfinder on the body only kit since the LCD viewfinder was bundled and not optional, unlike previously with the XL1.

Darn it! I ordered a body only XL2 here in Montreal thinking I had no choice but to buy ther FU-1000 in extra, and now I learn that I could have saved and bought the body with the FU-1000 only? Arghh! I must be cursed...

Oh well. As long as I get the camera before december I'm happy regardless.
David Lach is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 10:51 AM   #44
Wrangler
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DFW area, TX
Posts: 6,117
Images: 1
I think it's funny how b/w crt viewfinders are now such a high dollar add on. My vintage Panasonic full size VHS camcorder has a b/w crt viewfinder along with REAL manual focus and zoom rings that are both servo driven. The zoom even has a green button on the lense zoom lever that lets you get into macro mode. I remember when they started marketing 'color v/f' as feature on consumer camcorders.

If I could only get that Pana to spit out an image like the XL-2 has, I would go back to using it (hehe).


=gb=
Greg Boston is offline   Reply With Quote
Old October 11th, 2004, 01:23 PM   #45
Trustee
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posts: 1,727
<<<-- Originally posted by Rob Lohman : Do you know of any camera for $5K or less with a B&W CRT
viewfinder? -->>>

AFAIK the Panasonic DVC200 (?) has one and it's around 5k - ish ;)

Aaron
__________________
My Website
Meat Free Media
Aaron Koolen is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon HDV and DV Camera Systems > Canon XL and GL Series DV Camcorders

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:15 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network