Canon XL2 for beginner?

Question

Should I buy Canon XL2 if I'm just starting to shoot my own videos?

Is it possible to carry it around on a backpacking trip? XL2 seems like a very good camcorder for wildlife, plus I have some Nikon lenses from my DSLR.

Answer 1

I remember those days as a beginner myself, what a heavy/bulky Panasonic VHS camcorder it was. But WOW, an XL2 for you.  Well, we read that you have a taste for and can handle professional equipment... only serious photographers would use a Nikon!

This vcam has excellent reviews..

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controll...

XL2? Why not, if bulk doesn't bother you.

Answer 2

its a great cam and can be easily used in 'auto' mode.

but for the money get hdv.

they are generally lighter and smaller and will do a better job.

Answer 3

It's a very good CCD camcorder (standard definition).  It is fairly large, yet light weight.  You would need to carry it in a carrying case to keep it from getting damaged.

I would actually recommend purchasing a consumer-grade HD camcorder.  I have the Sony HDR-HC7, we love it!  It also takes great 6 megapixel photos.  It's very compact as well.  I'd still recommend buying a carrying case for it too...

Answer 4

The XL2 is what they call a "prosumer" camcorder, which means that it can be used in some professional situations.  The XL-1S has served me well over the years, and I'm sure the XL2 would indeed be great for wildlife shooting.

It does have a great deal of features and manual controls, and a wide variety of inputs for various audio/video sources.

If you're a beginner with video, I'm not sure if the XL2 might be a bit much for you.  With your photo experience, you might be OK, because many concepts of SLR photography are used in video.  However, this camera might be overwhelming.  I can't say for sure.

As for carrying it on a backpacking trip, it might be a bit large.  This is a camera that you'd be resting on your shoulder while shooting with it, and you'd need a fairly large bag to carry it in.  This is significantly larger than a DSLR.  It's not as big as cameras used by news crews, but it's larger than just about any camcorder used by the average home user since the days of those large VHS cameras around 1990.  This isn't a video camera you carry in the palm of your hand; it is a two-handed, rest-it-on-your-shoulder machine.

Those Nikon lenses won't work, for two reasons; they're not Canon XL-mount lenses, and they're not video lenses.

My take on it?  Go to a store where you can actually try the thing out.  Play with it for a while, see the actual size of the thing in real life (not in pictures).  See if you can acclimate yourself to the huge menu of features and options that you will have.

It's a very good camcorder.  Is it too much for your purposes?  Only you can decide.  Demo it.

I will say, though, good choice on the MiniDV tape format.  Stay away from DVD for its high compression/reduced quality, and general headaches when dealing with editing software.  Some of the hard-drive camcorders are OK, but they also use a great deal of compression, and the file formats might run into trouble with many editing programs.  MiniDV is the best of the consumer formats, and enjoys easy support by just about every editing program ever created.