Andy Joyce

Cool, thanks. I didn't know it was such a fancy/expensive gizmo.

I anyone familiar with the Mesmer lens effect? I'm not sure if it was some sort of tilt-shift lens or something else. It was common in music videos and creepy movies. It has the appearance of the frame distorting like someone pivoting the image on a mirror into the camera. It was surprisingly effective but I can't find a discussion on it anywhere. Maybe it was called something else. I would be cool to learn how to do it.

I use a 200mm lens on my EF adapter, and with the magnification factor the wildlife and moon shots are amazing.

Since there are few interchangeable lense cameras without having to use the expensive adapters it should be worth using the XL-1s if the cinematography is good. There are some amazing "up-res" software apps to convert SD footage to HD. I'm still enjoying my XL-2.

I'm sure he eventually figured it out, but if you are using 24p mode the time lapse features are locked.

I will eventually go true HD, but I'm looking for other options right now. What do you guys think of up-rezzing apps like Topaz Enhance and Instant HD? I paid a lot for my Canon XL2 and I hope to get more out of it. I'm not ready for native HD yet. I don't even have a damn HDTV!

What do you guys think of up-rezzing apps like Topaz Enhance and Instant HD? I paid a lot for my XL2 and I hope to get more out of it. I'm not ready for native HD yet. I don't even have a damn HDTV!

I've done a few EF experiments with a large lens, a telescope, and a microscope. Unfortunately I need to search for them. Could you e-mail your sample grabs? I would like to see them. kingvidiot83@yahoo.com Thanks.

I tried that screen in a store demo, and if you zoom in on the edge of the subject, it is not a perfect key. The illumination is perfect, but the edges around the subject were questionable, even if you turn up the rig lite all of the way.

From Ash Greyson of DVinfo: In general the XL2 provides EXCELLENT detail in both shadows and highlights, moreso than any other SD 1/3" CCD cam. However, most people are not used to this and to their eye, this image can look flat or milky. If you are one of those people, I suggest you play with the following setting combos... Knee - HIGH, this will emphasize highlights (you WILL lose detail) Setup Level - turn it down anywhere from -3 to - 6 (this will darken the picture, essentially crushing the blacks, you WILL lose detail in the shadows) Master Pedestal - turn it down -3 to -6, (this will darken the shadows even more) If people are looking washed out, you may be overexposing or what you may be seeing is increased detail due to a low knee/stretched black setting. Try pressing the blacks and turning down the Master Pedestal and/or setup level. Master Pedestal and Setup level effect perceived saturation because they bring out detail in the default settings, more saturation in DV world = less detail. If you have a highlight or shadow that retains the detail information, that can look flat to some people.

I'm pretty happy with the Tamrac soft case made for the XL1. I can drop my XL2 straight into the bag with everything attached, even the accessory bracket. I can do this while the bag is on my shoulder, so I don't have to put the bag down to get scuffed or dirty. This is great for run-and-gun stuff. It has plenty of room for all of my crazy accessories and it was less than $200. It's not as protective as a hard case, but I treat my stuff well and I don't need to throw it around. One other plus is it is small enough to serve as a "carry on" for the airlines. Now you can keep a real eye on your stuff! However, it's not a backpack style, but I usually have a backpack for other stuff already.