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News: Canon expands options for moviemakers and broadcasters with new Xl H1 high definition camcorder and 20x HD video lens
New Three CCD Camcorder Features Native 16:9 HD Image Quality at 1080i; Adjustable Frame Rates of 60i, 30F and 24F; and Canon’s Professional “Jackpack” Terminals
(NEW YORK — Sept. 14, 2005) As Canon’s first HD video camera, the XL H1 High Definition (HD) camcorder and 20x HD video zoom lens with Superior Canon Optics* provide broadcasters with a low-cost 1080i resolution option for ENG, Documentary or Reality TV production. Filmmakers will also appreciate the extensive Cine controls and 24 Frame rate option the XL H1 camcorder offers. Canon’s “professional jackpack” features include uncompressed digital HD-SDI output for seamless integration into broadcast studios or high-quality image transfer to non-linear editing systems. The Genlock feature allows movie sets to easily synchronize camera settings across multiple camcorders and SMPTE time-codes in-and-out allow for streamlined tape and edit management.
“As FCC deadlines for transferring all television content to digital rapidly approach, broadcasters are looking for low-cost acquisition options that do not require them to revamp their entire infrastructure,” said Yukiaki Hashimoto, senior vice president and general manager of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon U.S.A., Inc., a subsidiary of Canon Inc. “By offering backward compatibility with current SD-based infrastructure, the XL H1 HD camcorder combines the right features at the right price to meet the demanding needs of television production and movie making.”HD Resolution and More
The XL H1 camcorder has three 1/3 inch 16:9 interlaced CCDs that capture images at 1080i resolution. The camcorder features selectable frame rates of 60i, 30 Frame and 24 Frame to allow the user to adjust to the assignment at hand and can switch back to SD resolution if needed.At the 30 Frame rate, broadcasters can capture high motion, like sports with confidence that each frame is captured individually and completely. Filmmakers can utilize the 24 Frame rate when creating the look and feel of movie film. The 60i frame rate, meanwhile, delivers exceptional resolution for shooting environments like ENG or Reality TV.
The XL H1 HD camcorder is the first model to include Canon’s proprietary DIGIC DV II image processor. DIGIC DV II is an image processor that can process both HD and SD video signals as well as still photos, while maintaining the correct color space for each mode.
Make the Connection with the Professional Jackpack Terminals
The XL H1 camcorder’s professional jackpack terminals consist of three key features designed to streamline production: HD-SDI output (High Definition Serial Digital Interface), Genlock and SMPTE (Society of Motion Pictures and Television Engineers) Time Code input and output.To streamline in-studio television production, the XL H1 model offers HD-SDI and SD-SDI output. HD-SDI output allows professionals to directly connect to a TV control room or a non-linear editing system. With this feature, users can plug their XL H1 camcorder into any professional’s system with an HD-SDI input and can deliver live, unfiltered HD content in all its brilliant detail. With other HDV models on the market, the user must feed the HD signal into an analog to digital signal converter box which adds an extra step, not to mention, an extra cost. The XL H1 camcorder can also record to HDV Master recording media or Mini-DV tapes.
Multi-camera shoots with the XL H1 model are no problem thanks to the camcorder’s Genlock synchronization input feature. This feature allows many XL H1 camcorders to synchronize through a switcher. With its SMPTE time code input and output, multiple cameras on a shoot can all lay down the same time code. The XL H1 camcorder uses a customizable open-architecture approach, selectable frame rates and multiple output options so professionals have exactly the right tool, every time they need it.
Take Total Cine Control
Each year, the number of filmmakers turning to video-based acquisition solutions for movie production grows. Moviemakers that shoot video place strong emphasis on delivering the “film” look to their pictures. Canon’s new XL H1 camcorder offers filmmakers the ability to customize their video recordings using a number of variables, including: three color matrixes for a wide range of color correction and two cine gammas for intricate adjustment of dynamic range, customizable: knee, black stretch, horizontal detail, coring, sharpness, noise reduction, color gain, hue and master color adjustments. Each one of these settings can be modified independently, thereby giving the camera operator precise control over the “film-like” appearance of their video.Still Image Recording for Better Workflow
In addition to its extraordinary video capabilities, Canon’s XL H1 HD camcorder can capture still images plus metadata at full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 dpi or 2.1 megapixels) onto a standard Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card and MMC media. The “Photo” button located on the outside of the camcorder allows users to capture still images at up to five frames per second. Camcorder settings can be stored on the memory card and transferred to another camcorder so setup can be replicated.The XL H1 camcorder’s still image capture plus metadata feature provides an in-camcorder solution for cinematographers and directors to check for scene continuity and provides added back-up to any still photographers on set.
Field of View
Canon is launching a new multi functional color electronic viewfinder (EVF) and 2.4″ 16:9 LCD monitor with Safe Area Marking built-in; black and white mode; Zebra Pattern (70-100 IRE); Horizontal and Vertical flip and a Distance Readout (using 20X HD Video lens).As a menu option, users can chose to view Aspect Ratio Guides in the viewfinder. Canon provides a choice of 4×3, 13×9, 14×9, 1.66:1, 1.75:1 1.85:1, 235:1 guides. The XL H1 HD camcorder viewfinder also includes a feature called Focus Help. The first setting
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4 Replies
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An affordable HD camera with interchangeable lenses! Say goodbye to the Sony Z-1 sales!! Now if Canon can find a way to record what goes through the lens to a true HD stream (like the Panasonic P-2 cards, or an external Hard Drive)instead of having to use the problematic mpeg-2 HDV transport and mini DV tapes, they will also have the new Panasonic HD camera beat!
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[christopher wright] “Now if Canon can find a way to record what goes through the lens to a true HD stream (like the Panasonic P-2 cards, or an external Hard Drive)instead of having to use the problematic mpeg-2 HDV transport and mini DV tapes, they will also have the new Panasonic HD camera beat!”
Regular DV beats HDV any day. It’s a shame that we’ve spent all this time and money to get the highest possible resolution for HDTV and now we get formats like HDV to take us right back down to lousy compressed images on par with DV.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
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A “True HD stream” can imply some many different technical specs and image quality.
AS of today it seems to only mean the image “is good enough” based on the economy of scale.
True HD in my opinion would imply a uncompressed 10 bit or above 1920×1080 image.
On that note I think film would be one of the only “true HD” images available with HDCAM SR second in line.
Tony Salgado
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[tony salgado] “A “True HD stream” can imply some many different technical specs and image quality.”
Yep, it all depends on who is writing the brochure.
[tony salgado] “On that note I think film would be one of the only “true HD” images available with HDCAM SR second in line.”
Funny you should say that because last night I attended an event hosted by CineFilm here in Atlanta where Kodak showed side by side comparisons of Film, HDCAM, DVCPro HD and even DV uprezed to film. Of course the film looked better than everything, but the thing that stuck out to me was that they used standard ENG-style lenses on both the Varicam and the HDCAM camera. So while Film would still look better than either HD camera, it was very much exaggerated than if the two electronic cameras has Prime lenses on them. When we shot our short film with the Canon primes, it was an amazing image which was much more like film than using a standard lens.
So again, it’s all in who’s writing the brochure and setting up the “equal” side by side comparisons.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Creative Genius, Biscardi Creative Media
https://www.biscardicreative.comNow in Production, “The Rough Cut,” https://www.theroughcutmovie.com
Now editing “Good Eats” in HD for the Food Network
“I reject your reality and substitute my own!” – Adam Savage, Mythbusters
G5 Dual 2.0, AJA Kona 2, Medea FCR2X
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