New Canon XL2
posted December 30, 2006
We've acquired a new camera! Not that I'm not still in love with the Panasonic DVX100, but we got the opportunity to pick up a Canon XL2, nearly brand new, for a significant discount.
This thing is huge! It's nearly twice the size of the DVX100, and looks much more like a professional TV camera. It has an adapter, so it can be lugged around on your shoulder, although I pity anyone who has to do that for any length of time - it weighs almost eight pounds! It does, of course, fit on a tripod, as well.
I'm not convinced that the image quality is any better than the Panasonic, but one big improvement is the zoom. The DVX100 has a 10x zoom on it, but the Canon has a 20x zoom, which enables it to get close-up shots that are impossible with the DVX100. (This has been a source of frustration on "For A Small Fee", and I've been anticipating problems with some of the shots I have planned for "Resurrection".)
The other improvement is interchangeable lenses. The DVX100 only has one built-in lens, but the lens on the Canon can be swapped with other lenses. How much of an improvement this will prove to be, in practical terms, remains to be seen. I've looked at some other lenses on the market for the camera, and they don't look like anything I'd need. But it might prove useful, in the future.
At any rate, we now have two cameras. So if one breaks down, we'll have a back-up and won't have to bring production to a halt - something that's been a source of considerable stress for me.
We'll also have an easier time filming dialog scenes and stunts, since we'll be able to catch the action from two angles at the same time, rather than have to do it twice. (Not that this will eliminate the need for multiple takes, of course.)
This thing is huge! It's nearly twice the size of the DVX100, and looks much more like a professional TV camera. It has an adapter, so it can be lugged around on your shoulder, although I pity anyone who has to do that for any length of time - it weighs almost eight pounds! It does, of course, fit on a tripod, as well.
I'm not convinced that the image quality is any better than the Panasonic, but one big improvement is the zoom. The DVX100 has a 10x zoom on it, but the Canon has a 20x zoom, which enables it to get close-up shots that are impossible with the DVX100. (This has been a source of frustration on "For A Small Fee", and I've been anticipating problems with some of the shots I have planned for "Resurrection".)
The other improvement is interchangeable lenses. The DVX100 only has one built-in lens, but the lens on the Canon can be swapped with other lenses. How much of an improvement this will prove to be, in practical terms, remains to be seen. I've looked at some other lenses on the market for the camera, and they don't look like anything I'd need. But it might prove useful, in the future.
At any rate, we now have two cameras. So if one breaks down, we'll have a back-up and won't have to bring production to a halt - something that's been a source of considerable stress for me.
We'll also have an easier time filming dialog scenes and stunts, since we'll be able to catch the action from two angles at the same time, rather than have to do it twice. (Not that this will eliminate the need for multiple takes, of course.)
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