Canon XL-2 and Mini Steadicam

highdef

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with the Canon XL-2 and/or Mini Steadicam? I'm hoping to shoot another documentary in the coming months and would like to upgrade my video camera. I've read some fantastic reviews about the new Canon XL-2 but at about 3,500 Euro, it's not cheap. What I particularly like about it is the motion picture film look type settings you can apply which really would be great. Plenty of other fantastic features too like the brilliant lens, sound controls and manual over-rides. Anyone use one of these and is the picture really as amazing as it is made out to be?

I would also like to buy a mini-steadicam but again at over 3,500 - 4,000 Euro, not particularly cheap. It seems like an amazing piece of kit though. You can run up and down stairs and keep the video picture rock steady. I would really find it useful in my documentary where the presenter is walking while talking to the camera. I also video tape weddings so it would be fantastic for the likes of the walking up/down the aisle and circling the bride and groom at the first dance and all that kind of thing. So anyone have any use of one of these?

Graham

big_moe

on the steadcam, they are very dear but seem to do the job. there is a company called glide cam who basically do the same set up but at a cheaper price. a shop in dublin city do them at just under €1000 and have good prices on the xl2

glidecam 4000

highdef

Thanks for that Big Moe. Do you know the place in Dublin that does the Glidecam and XL2, by any chance? You can PM if you like

big_moe

yeah its called alliance electric on georges street

moonboy

hey. ive used that glide-cam thing and i can tell you that it does do the job.
works very well with sony pd-150/170 etc. apparantly it can be quite a strain on the wrist when using heavier cams like the XL1/2..
but you'll get the shots though...

highdef

Yeah I was having a look at the Glidecam website. The video demos are really great. I might stump up the cash for the V-8 model which includes a chest brace/vest kinda thing which would make longer shots much easier on the wrist. I'd look like a bit of a twat using it in public but at least the shots would look great especially combined with the "motion picture" type picture obtainable with the XL-2. If I do get one this summer, I'll let you all know how good (or bad) I find it.

father_ted9t9

moonboy wrote:

hey. ive used that glide-cam thing and i can tell you that it does do the job.
works very well with sony pd-150/170 etc. apparantly it can be quite a strain on the wrist when using heavier cams like the XL1/2..
but you'll get the shots though...

Ive used the Glide cam with XL1 and XL2 and it was brilliant, terrible strain on the auld back with a DigiBeta cam though!! Ouch!!

highdef

Yeah, I see there is a new product coming out on the Glidecam website called the Glidecam Smooth Shooter. It's to be used in conjunction with the 2000 Pro or 4000 Pro. The MRSP is $1,499. Looks like a remarkably good product for the price, plus the wrist won't get tired as you wear it on your body!!! Still have to fork out for a 4000Pro but that's not too expensive - The whole lot for under €2,000!

Sparky

the xl-2 is a brill cam, but it doesent have a viewfinder although if you remove the eyepiece you can get a 2" screen which may suite,
also i heard that the Canon Xl-1 was used for the shooting of 28 days later, brill cam aswell, it may be cheaper than the xl-2 since its the older version but the xl-2 shoots in Hi- def which you may already know.
either way there both good cams.

big_moe

xl-2 shoots in Hi- def

no it doesnt. it has progressive scan, whole different thing altogether!


the main differences between the xl2 and xl1/xl1s is that the xl2 shoots in true widescreen and not a widescreen effect like most other camera's. the xl2 has xlr inputs for better sound quality. other than a few other changes its the same camera. if you want a high definition camera go for the sony hdr-fx1.

true the xl1s is a good bit cheaper than the xl2 at the moment, but i dint know if it is going to be discontinued.

Sparky

opps sorry my mistake I was thinking of JVC's camera

spoton

The xl2 doesn't quite shoot true widescreen(16:9) as I understand it. It still uses 1/3" 4:3 chips (ccds). But now the camera starts out using a small proportion of the ccd for the 4:3 mode and then uses less height and more width of the ccd in 16:9 mode. In Xl1 they used most of the ccd in 4:3 mode and then cropped the image in a false 16:9 mode.
By the way, the jury seems to out as to whether the xl2 is the best value compared to its competitors, the dvx100a and pd150 perform well, and some say better, for quite a few quid less.

The best article I've read so far compares the xl2 , the dvx and sony's new hdcam,
www.dvxuser.com/articles/shoot3