Canon XL H1

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Canon XL H1 is one of Canon's first HDV (High Definition Video) camcorders. It is the successor to the Canon XL-2 which is the successor to the widely used Canon XL-1s. It can shoot in 1440x1080 and has 3 native 1440x1080 sensors where Sony's HVR-Z1 has 960x1080 (non-square pixels help it go to 1440x1080 and 1920x1080 very smoothly) and Panasonic's AG-HVX200 960 x 540 (goes to 1280x1080).

The camera can also shoot in Standard Definition in either 16:9 or 4:3. It has an HDSDI uncompressed output that allows a bypass of the HDV codec, and is 100% digital. There's also component uncompressed HD output, but is analog.

[edit] Variable Framerates

1080: 60i, 50i, 30f, 24f.
480: 60i, 30f, 24f.

A user can also have Canon re-configure the camera to shoot in 50i and 25f ^{[citation needed]}. This is not 24p, but it looks and acts like a progressive format. The digital signal processor (which is the brain of the camcorder, much like the CPU in a computer) that enables the CCDs to capture in the "f" frame rate is called DIGIC DV II (DIGital Image Core – DigitalVideo version II). This 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 unit supports NTSC SD DV and HD 1080i60. The PAL version supports PAL SD DV and 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 is not fully supported by Apple's Final Cut Pro software. However, the Lumiere HD software supports ingesting of the XL H1 footage into a Mac, and then transcodes the footage from its native MPEG into a lossless intermediate codec. A forthcoming update release expected by the end of 2006 will enable XL H1 footage to be imported directly into Final Cut Pro, although it isn't currently known if this will include support for transcoding to a lossless intermediate codec.