Canon XL H1

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The Canon XL-H1 HDV camera.
The Canon XL-H1 HDV camera.

The Canon XL H1 is Canon's first HDV camcorder. It is the successor to the Canon XL-2 which is the successor to the widely used Canon XL-1s. It can shoot in the HDV standard resolution of 1440x1080 pixels and has 3 native interlaced 1440x1080 CCDs (The photosites are 1.33:1 aspect ratio, allowing for a full 16:9 frame.) where Sony's HVR-V1 has 960x1080 diagonal photosites, and Panasonic's AG-HVX200 pixel shifted 960x540 (goes to 1280x1080 but theoretically with pixel shift, has a resolution of 1440x810).

The camera can also shoot in Standard Definition in either 16:9 or 4:3. It has an HDSDI uncompressed output. There's also component uncompressed HD output.

[edit] Shooting Formats

NTSC configuration:

  • 1080: 60i, 30f, 24f.
  • 480: 60i, 30f, 24f.

PAL configuration:

  • 1080: 50i, 25f.
  • 576: 50i, 25f.

Users can pay for Canon to re-configure the camera to shoot in 50i and 25f. 24f is virtually 24p, but is dervived from cooler running interlaced CCDs that are clocked at 48Hz. Every two of the 48 fields are captured at precisely the same moment in time providing an ultimate 'progressive' image capture in camera without the need of any additional internal cooling devices for the CCDs. The digital signal processor that enables the CCDs to capture in the "f" frame rate is called DIGIC DV II (DIGital Image Core – DigitalVideo version II). The technology is similar to the DIGIC II that Canon uses for their digital still cameras. Much of the technology is being kept under wraps, and the manufacturer of the CCDs is being kept secret.

[edit] Compatibility

The XL H1 is shipped by Canon in one of two basic configurations, aiming the unit at either NTSC or PAL markets. The NTSC configuration supports NTSC DV and NTSC HDV 1080i60 30f and 24f. The PAL configuration supports PAL DV and HDV at 1080i50. A modification is available from a Canon Authorised Service Centre to make a single unit capable of both sets of systems, allowing users to switch "personality" through an on-screen menu selection. Owners of the PAL / 1080i50 version will probably require this modification, as it is a pre-requisite to obtaining 24f operation.

At present, the XL H1 24f and 30f HDV is supported by major Non-linear editing systems such as Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0, Apple Final Cut Pro 5.1.2 and Avid Xpress Pro. As of January 29th 2007, Final Cut Pro does not support Standard Definition 24f or 30f.

1080i60 and 1080i50 are cross-compatible with Sony's implementation of HDV; Canon 1080i50 and 1080i60 can play on Sony HDV cameras and decks. Canon's 24f, 25f, and 30f are not cross-compatible with Sony's implementation of HDV. No 1080 HDV footage will play on JVC HDV cameras or decks.

[edit] External links

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