Review: Canon DM-XL2 DV Camcorder


When Canon updated its mega-successful XL1S in 2004, the XL2 caused a sensation among pro and semi-pro users. SimplyDV's Robin Davies-Rollinson took it for a spin


Canon's XL2 3CCD DV camcorder on tripod
It was Canon's "XL" range of so-called pro-sumer DV camcorders that had managed to steal the thunder from Sony's market-opening DCR-VX1000 and VX2000 series 3CCD camcorders, but as Sony forged ahead with new professional-standard kit like the HDR-PD170 DVCAM model it was clear that Canon had to do something to win over new and upgrading clients. The XL2 fitted the bill, and thanks to Canon's lending us the first UK review sample soon after launch, freelance BBCTV director/cameraman Robin Davies-Rollinson took on the job of providing our first in-depth insight into the XL2. Here's his review.

First Impressions


Having used neither a Canon XL1 nor its later XL1S variant before, my knowledge of the model was limited to whatever I had gleaned from the SimplyDV forums and others. I'd seen them on display in the more enlightened camera retailers and on one occasion I was even lucky enough to hold one! That was when I was in the market for a digital camcorder to take over from my old Sony Hi-8. I ended up buying the Canon XM2 - basically because it was less expensive and also because I'd read that the difference in picture quality between the two cameras was not that great.

In my day job working for BBC TV (among others) as a drama director / cameraman, my usual camera is a Sony DVW-790 - the ubiquitous Digital Betacam - which has set a standard for broadcast video. Very often, for inserts into non-drama programming, we'll use a DVCAM format camcorder, often the Sony DSR-570. High Definition (HD) is, of course, on the horizon, but we're still going to see a lot of Standard Definition (SD) footage on our screens for quite a while yet.

After more than a year of speculation, during which time we have seen much debate about whether or not the new camcorder (whatever it would be called) would have Progressive Scan, "true" 16:9 widescreen, High Definition, and so on, we were at last able to see and handle for ourselves the new Canon XL2. Immediately after the Europe launch at London's infamous Pinewood Studios, SimplyDV was fortunate enough to be offered the first review sample on condition that we would return it within only a few short days. In that all too short acquaintance, I'd found that the camera adapted well to my shooting style and needs - or had I adapted to the XL2? Whichever - let's just say that it was a pleasant symbiotic relationship. Perhaps not love at first sight, but a definite attraction and an appreciation that just grew and grew.

On the face of it, the differences between this and its predecessor aren't all that great; the basic body styling is the same (to the surprise of many). The main physical differences include the infamous (and, it would appear, much disliked) shoulder pad of the XL1s, which has now been replaced by a better-fitting one. More notably, the camera has now been given 2 XLR sockets at the rear, and the viewfinder assembly (with integral colour LCD monitor which is accessed by flipping up the viewfinder eyepiece) has now been shifted to make left-hand access to the lens zoom toggle easier. Other major additions and changes - and there are several exciting new functions - are electronic rather than physical.

Features


The XL2's main selling point is in the package of features now offered by Canon as a means of staving off the competition. Its three CCDs each produce a resolution of 800,000 pixels (effective 410,000 in PAL 4:3 mode and 550,000 in PAL 16:9 mode) and facilitate what Canon describes as "true" 16:9 widescreen recording thanks to the allocation of more pixels at the left and right extremes of each CCD in the generation of the 16:9 images which aren't used in its 4:3 mode (more of that later).

In keeping with market expectations, the XL2 now delivers 50i (60i in NTSC) and 25p (24p/30p in NTSC) frame rates, a 20x "L-series" optical zoom with full Optical Image Stabilisation and the now-standard XL interchangeable lens system, with the Flourite component lens incorporating two independent Neutral Density (ND) filters. The XL2 not only offers full manual control over all settings, but it also provides a full range of professional audio and video connectivity in the form of 4 audio channels with 2 built-in XLR connectors, 48v Phantom Power and a very handy BNC composite video output. For set-up purposes, it also offers Colour Bars and Audio Tone line-up signals.

Just as notable is the provision of SMPTE time code, with Record Run (where the timecode advances only when the tape is running), Free Run (where the timecode runs continuously on a "time-of-day" basis if required - this is useful where synchronisation with other cameras is required) together with a range of user-definable preset settings, such as identing tape number using the "hours" digits, etc.

The XL2 can be connected to a laptop or desktop PC (Windows) for software control of the camcorder using supplied software. Using a FireWire cable, recordings can be made direct to the computer's hard drive, and it's also possible to copy settings from one camera and port them to another via the FireWire link (though the software was unavailable to us for review).

Handling


What's immediately noticeable about this camcorder is its distinctive shape. The XL2 is evidently a camcorder whose design is a compromise between a shoulder-mounted broadcast camera and a hold-it-in-front-of-your-face camcorder like Sony's DSR-PD170. Whilst Canon has included what purports to be a shoulder pad at the rear of the camera, its overall design means that the camera just wants to fall forward due to its centre of gravity. In practice, however, it's possible to get used to holding the camcorder in such a way that very long takes become possible with practice.

Of course, all our bodies are different, but I found that tucking my right elbow firmly into my side and keeping my forearm vertical provided a very stable and comfortable main support for the camera. Coupled with an excellent Optical Image Stabilizer, shots were surprisingly steady. What is noticeable is the positioning of the controls in addition to the number and range offered. White Balance and Gain controls have nice little knurled knobs that pop out when pressed. Shutter speeds and Iris controls are easily reachable with the left hand during recording and, when used on a good tripod, the XL2's operation is excellent, resembling as it does a traditional film camera in this configuration. In a change to the design of the XL1 and XL1S, Canon has now re-designed the viewfinder assembly to allow forwards and backwards movement in addition to lateral adjustment. This slightly raised position makes it easier for the operator to gain access to the zoom controls on the other side of the body.

Comparing 16:9 with the 4:3 mode on the Canon XL2 (PAL)

Widescreen 16x9 grab from Canon XL2

Above: 16:9 widescreen image grabbed using full-width of camcorder's CCDs (50i).
Below: Identical set-up, but with XL2 switched to 4:3 standard frame mode.

Standrd 4x3 grab from Canon XL2


Please note that the upper image is resized downwards from 1024x576 pixels and the lower image is 720x576 pixels. Images were grabbed from within Avid DV Express in PAL capture / edit mode, and have been optimised in Photoshop 7 for reduced file-sizes whilst minimising visual degradation.

Performance


Since I work in the broadcast sector, the main consideration for me is that a camera will provide good 16:9 ratio widescreen images, so I had high expectations for that feature. I was not disappointed. Those devotees searching for the Holy Grail of the "film look" will be ecstatic with 25p Progressive Scan (PAL, 24p on the NTSC version) and more control over the image than you can shake a stick at.

Undeterred by the fact that our review sample came with no user manual, I approached the camcorder's operation on the assumption that one camera is much like any other camera, and so I dived straight in and switched the camera on. One's first reaction is the put one's eye to the viewfinder only to notice how big and chunky it is, the reason being that it's actually two viewfinders in one. In its normal position it's a standard colour viewfinder with a nice big lens. However, by pushing a button on the base of the viewfinder, it's possible to swing the lens and eyepiece assembly up and open it out to reveal the 2" Colour TFT screen (resolution 200,000 pixels).

In what appears to be another halfway solution on Canon's part, the picture's fine in the ocular position, but a 2" screen? It's certainly not possible to perform any serious manual focusing on a screen that size though, of course, it couldn't be any bigger without compromising the ocular position. In practice, however, it's only what Digital Betacam operators have to do when shooting low angle shots, and usually on a wide angle. The solution is to flip the lens away and look straight at the screen in order to judge framing only.

It's when mounting the XL2 on a tripod that it really comes into its own. The best support I could offer in this respect was my Manfrotto 503 head, which is fine for my trusty XM2 camcorder, but I soon felt this camera needed something a little better, especially if we were take advantage of the 20:1 lens supplied with it. It was difficult to get really steady shots at the long end of the zoom. With a prior booking to shoot a local dance group's Summer Show as a favour to a sound-recordist colleague of mine, I used the occasion to put the camera straight to work.

The XM2 was relegated to a general covering shot of the performance area, whilst the XL2 was used to provide the main coverage. I found that my Canon Lanc zoom controller interfaced perfectly with the XL2, leaving my left hand free for focusing and exposure stop changes. The manual iris control, in the form of a little multi-function switch that rocks up and down and is depressed in order to access the wide range of menus, was surprisingly effective and I soon found myself modifying the exposure stops in vision. True, it still comes in a series of steps since it isn't the true mechanical motion to be found on interchangeable lenses, but with so much action on stage, it was actually possible to disguise the changes. The lighting was typical of stage lighting – lots of nice vibrant colours, but with hot spots throughout the scene.

At times, I was shooting at an aperture of f4, and at other times f2. Everything was shot without gain, except for some unlit audience cutaways at +12db. These were, of course, somewhat grainy though more than acceptable. The 2" TFT viewfinder continued to be a cause of concern and often made manual focusing difficult due to the limited resolution employed. However, later reviewing of the footage on a domestic widescreen television revealed a superb sharpness overall, with the amount of detail that the new CCDs can resolve in 16:9 being very impressive indeed. I really had to keep playing it over and over – even dragging my wife, bless her – to "look at the detail in those shots – even the wide shots!"


Shot taken with Canon XL2's crop-and-squeeze widescreen mode
Whenever the South Wales weather had cleared sufficiently to allow me to take the camera out for further tests, I was quick to take advantage. All the tests were shot in 16:9 widescreen mode, apart from one occasion when the subject was shot using the same set-up in both 4:3 and 16:9 in order to demonstrate how much more of the image is visible horizontally. The 16:9 mode will use more of the pixels available on the three CCDs. There is no cropping and stretching as with the XM2 and other similar camcorders, and what you see is what you get. Indeed, it's quite an eye-opener to view the 16:9 frame grabs from both the XM2 and the XL2 respectively. Frame Mode coupled with Cine Gamma certainly produces the intended cinematic feel, although it could be argued that this is a subjective judgment only; were we to ask a number of people what a so-called "cinematic look" actually is, it's clear that a wide and diverse range of answers would be obtained.

Sound


Due to the limited opportunity for thorough testing of all the XL2's functions, we had little time to perform subjective tests of its audio recording capability via the built-in MS system stereo electret capacitor microphone. However, on the face of it the onboard mic does a very good job, although it was only used as a means of supplying a guide track for the concert recording since the stage routines were performed to a pre-recorded playback track. It's mounted high enough and far enough away from the camera body to pick up any motor noise which, on the sample we were provided with, was not noticeable it should be noted.

Conclusion


The XL2 was with me for too short a period of time, and I was sorry that it had to be returned to Canon so soon after receiving it. In our short time together, I had come to appreciate the high quality of the images it produces. Even in its normal settings, it handles difficult contrast ranges with a kindness that I really didn't expect. I could easily imagine shooting a broadcast TV drama wqith the XL2 - even with the standard, fully automatic lens. Given the range of other lenses available, as well as the P+S Technik Mini35 adapter (which we tried at the camcorder's Pinewood launch), the capabilities of this camera are awesome. Whilst the jury is still out on the matter of whether the XL2 is yet capable of knocking the mighty Sony PD170 and Panasonic DVX100 off their pedestals, we have to speculate as to how long it will be before BBC Television starts issuing this camera to production staff in preference to both the DSR-PD150 and DSR-PD170. For me (as a working director / cameraman), it's not so much as the whether I can afford to buy an XL2, but can I afford not to? An excellent camcorder.

Colin writes: The Canon XL2 is a superb DV camcorder that is bound to make a significant dent into not only the low-end broadcast and so-called pro-sumer markets, but is sure to find favour with serious digital movie-making fraternity as well. The XL1 family of camcorders has a significant and dedicated following in respect of the latter, and so the XL2 will be seen as the "must have" product for quality conscious producers looking for true 16:9, 25p (24p) PS and 50i (60i) operation. Highly recommended.


Reviewed by: Robin Davies-Rollinson, with additional material by Colin Barrett. Review First Published 2004. Image of Canon XL2 courtesy of Canon Europe. Other screen-grabs copyright Robin Davies-Rollinson. Used by permission.

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