Hi,

Try using the ND Filter with the 16x lens, plus try using a number of ND filters (x2, x4, x8), Your best bet is to probably try Cokin filters since you can slip 3 filters in front of one another, therefore creating numerous effects.

This is an aged old trick which you are trying, and was first fully utilised during the makings of Film Noir productions (Pre war) and is sometimes used to some extend in TV and Films now.

Hope this helps,

Ed Smith

Tiffen also makes some day for night filters. I don't have any experience with them. If someone here has used them please speak up, I'd like to know how they work.

A soultion to EVF burn ?
 

Hi all,

"To avoid damage to the XL-1's colour viewfinder, OpTex has developed a Concertina Shuttered Eyepiece. The OTXLEYE replaces the XL-1's standard rubber eyecup and opens as you apply pressure to the viewfinder. As soon as you take your eye away from the finder, the eyepiece closes up again, providing total protection for the viewfinder's LCD screen."

This sounds like a neat solution to a problem. Have a look....

http://www.optexint.com/digivid/xleye.htm

Cheers
Andrew

PS: If I convert GBP to SAR to USD it should cost in the order of US$45.

FWIW: Canon did a patch to the XL1 EVF about 6 months after the XL1 was released. Have not read reports of any problem with EVF sunburn since the fix was implemented. The Optex fix may be appropriate if an XL1 is planned to be used under unusually severe sun-in-the-EVF conditions; however, for average users is is probably not necessary.

wide angle lenses for xl1s
 

Hi. I'm saving up for a wide angle lens for my XL1s,and saw an article about one made by Optex, for 1000 dollars, which is 200 lower than the lowest price I could find on Canon's wide angle. I was wondering if anyone has used this and knows whether it's a good deal, or what. I like the idea of the back focus-- does Canon's offer this?

My new XL1s eats tapes
 

My new XL1s has a rewind function problem that causes it to eat tapes. Has anyone else experienced this? I also notice breaks in the timecode counter as it rewinds. I'm open to any suggestions. I have a production this weekend and I'll be forced to rent a small Dv camera for rewinding. Annoying!

There have been many reports of the first XL-1s cameras eating tapes during rewind because of a faulty braking mechinism. Send it to Canon for a free repair.

XL1s tape eater
 

I figured as much. Glad to hear it's not just me. Thanks.

Use manual gain. Auto gain will influence an otherwise full manual shot.

Zebras are my best friends. I set at 90 and have figured out the quantity of zebra stripes that will produce the image I like. It's great as long as your subject is wearing a white shirt, or the like. I generally use a large white light reflector to set my color balance to. Once done, I crank the exposure to where I see my familiar zebra friends and I'm nearly dead-on.

Testing and finding your own look is what it's all about. Good Luck.

Getting the most from the onboard mic?
 

Hi all,

I've found these pages, along with the Watchdog, incredibly helpful for orientating myself with my XL1s (thanks Mr. Hurd and crew).

I'm shooting my first short film - with the XL1s - over the next few weekends, pretty much just to put it (and myself) to the test, before I use it for a larger project.

I have the MA-100 on backorder, but I doubt it will be delivered by the weekend - so this leaves me with the stock, onboard mic.

Although this is a pretty broad, and perhaps naive, question: I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to get the most out of the onboard mic. The short I'll be filming is a mockumentary, so there is plenty of (staged) run-and-gunning, but also a couple of interviews, dramatic re-enactments etc.

Cheers,

Dean

Dean,

Good to see more Australian crew hooking up to the board.

The main thing to avoid with the onboard mic is excessive zooming during quiet shots. When all is quiet sometimes zoom servo noise is picked up by the mic.

One other thing to remember is that the mic is stereo so make sure it is correctly aligned in the clamp(cable pointing up) otherwise your stereo image will be all screwed up.

For a standard mic it does an OK job. If care is taken there is no reason why you can't get some great audio.

Thanks Adrian,

(Great to get such a quick reply!)

I'll certainly heed your advice,

Cheers,

Dean

Issue w/ Light Wave Systems Mini-mount
 

I picked up a Light Wave Systems mini-mount and system isolator. After I installed the isolator and mount I found that the on-board mic connecting cable is apt to pull out of the jack. The isolator forces the connector to stretch and sometimes pop out. I called Light Wave about this and they indicated that is just how it is. I had to abandon using the isolator finally after it kept popping out.
Hope this is not a stupid question as I am new to all of this, but does anyone know of a way to extend the cable somehow either with an aftermarket item or some kind of upgrade from Canon? Also, did Canon make the mic connecting cable longer on the XL-1S? I don't want to start modifying the isolator to address this if there is already some fix available out there.

thx much-

Maybe call rental house and ask if they have had any problems with the 66 and the Sony.

Howdy from Texas,

This has been discussed before... do a search on Lightwave, limit the search to this forum and go through those responses. The cable is indeed longer on the XL1S.

I think you'll have a hard time modifying the Isolator without ruining it. A better solution would be to send the camera back to Canon, explain the problem and ask for the longer EVF cable from the XL1S.

For what it's worth, I use the Isolator with an old XL1. It is stretched a bit but it doesn't pop out. Hope this helps,