With the exception of course of Canon Broadcast, which more or less rules the world.

I'd say if Canon doesn't come out with something to knock the socks off Panasonic and JVC, it's because they don't feel the need in their business plan, rather than them not being able.

With an R&D department the size and scope of Canon's, they could develop any product they want in a shorter time than smaller companies like JVC and Panasonic. When you think about for example Panasonic's lenses....Leica takes FOREVER to develop a lens. Granted, they are some of the best in the world, but Canon could put out 20 fine lenses for the XL's if they wanted to, and felt it would make them money. Not making many lenses for the XL series was almost certainly due to them making a cost/profit judgement.

Quote from HD for Indies:

"So there's this newfangled QuickTime 7, which is part of [Mac] OS X 10.4 (Tiger), but can be downloaded separately for 10.3.x. It includes a new codec (a compressor/decompressor - DV is a codec, so are HDV, MPEG-2, DVCPRO HD, etc.). This codec is called H.264, and it's getting lots of press. Why? Because it can put a whole lot of detail into a very small file. And more importantly, it's been chosen as one of the codecs to be used in the next generation of high definition DVD discs - both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD have included it in the required specifications for their discs and players."

Canon has announced that the SDK for Mac will be released in July. Why the wait? Perhaps because they knew QT7, OS X, and the new FCP would make use of H264 and wanted to support it somehow in the Mac SDK? Or needed to?

July is also the time frame for the announcements noted in the first post from Canon -- and the new FCP HD will be released just before . . . Steve Jobs has talked about 2005 as the "year of HD" . . .

Maybe Canon does not need a new camera to get HDV-like quality . . . when all the pieces come together . . .

Lawrence, you are very right. Canon has a large R&D department and producing a product to compete should not be a problem. They already dominate the digital photography arena in still cameras. I would like to continue with the Canon brand if possible.

I'm just glad to get away from NTSC SD altogether. In three weeks I am going to be involved with the Panavision Genesis camera. So I will probably hate everything after that....


Michael Pappas
http://www.pbase.com/aghvx200/a_frie...r_for_everyone

I am with you Michael, I am just glad to move away from SD. The extra resolution seems to be more rewarding after all the effort put into projects.

Wow Dave!

I was just telling someone that last night. You do all this hard work, time, money etc. All you have is a SD version. At least now, your image will have crossed the line of where it will not be a distraction do to the limited quality of SD. You feel that you have captured a bit more of those laborious hours of hard work. That feels good!


Michael Pappas
http://www.pbase.com/aghvx200/a_frie...r_for_everyone

Sent to me by e-mail from a Canon rep after I ask about a new canon with HDV..his reply:

"Unfortunately, the HDV technology is only Sony and JVC exclusive.
Canon's camcorders do not have any access to incorporate the copyrighted
HD technology. Canon headquarters has not announced any plans to create
a GL3 or their own high definition technology, however, since Sony and
JVC are competitors in the market of videography, I presume that Canon's
engineers are currently working on something."

What do you make of that?

Confused!





Michael Pappas
http://www.pbase.com/aghvx200/a_frie...r_for_everyone

That's what he wrote. Maybe they are having second thoughts about HDV!

How about a response to Panasonic,,,HD in a GL3 and a XL3? With interchangable lenses. I know people will say the XL2 has only been out for 7 months....well so what. Are they in business to make money?

But back to the e-mail. I don't think a Canon rep would be confused about this.

Bob,


I meant, I'm confused,



not the Canon guy.


Michael Pappas
http://www.pbase.com/aghvx200/a_frie...r_for_everyone

OK, Canon is part of the HDV Consortium, so I doubt they wouldn't be able to use the technology. That just sounds a bit whack to me.

Aaron

I think I'll just e-mail the guy back and ask him about the consortium. I'm just not sure why he would try and tell me that.

OK I e-mailed Canon and I got a response back already. I ask about why Canon couldn't use HDV if they were part of the HDV consortium,the answer:

'Thank you for your inquiry. We value you as a Canon customer and
appreciate the opportunity to assist you.

"HDV" is a trademark of Sony Corporation and Victor Company of Japan,
Limited (JVC).

Canon has not announced any decisions to join or support the HDV format.'

Very interesting Bob!
That's definitely enough to start some serious rumours and speculation.

That's what I thought. I'm sure they want to do hi-def but they must think HDV is not the way to go.