Deck Issues update?

[Mac]

I am generally impressed with the new Canon and, because I can use all of my current XL-2 accessories (ie, matte box, Anton Bauer batteries, several custom modifications and even my manual 16x lens in certain applications) it seems like the HDV camera of choice for me...

My guess is that this camera was already sitting on the bench at Canon when they released the XL-2... It looks as if they've improved the menu options - maybe that's a result of feedback on the XL-2 - as if it was sort of a "beta" model.... (again, wish they'd fixed the iris control though)...

Problem is, several weeks ago the problem of being able to play it's proprietory HDV back on Sony or other decks was addressed...

Sorry if I'm going over old ground, but I've been away from the office on a shoot and haven't had time to go thru all the threads to see if any of this has been resolved... Will HDV shot on this camera play back on anything but the camera itself? If not, has anyone heard of a deck in the offing that will play it? I haven't been able to get an answer yet from vendors (they apparently don't know)...

[evinsky]

Nobody knows, most of us speculate Sony will make a deck that spports 24F but we have no idea when or for how much. This is my biggest problem with this camera, and I think it's a big one. We may just have to wait 6 months to see where it all ends up.

[Barry_Green]

Will HDV shot on this camera play back on anything but the camera itself?
HDV 1080/60i shot on the Canon should (read: *should*) play back on any 1080/60i HDV camera (which basically means, any of the Sony cams). I would expect that it would also play back on any future Canon HDV models.

The Canon's 1080/24F mode is not a regular HDV mode, and is not compatible with Sony equipment. I've sent the tape I had over to Heath McKnight of DVInfo.net for him to try playing it in his Sony M10 deck, but I think there's not a chance that it'll work. Right now 1080/24F can only be played back on a Canon XL H1. I would presume (but this is a guess) that it would also be able to be played back on future Canon HDV products, but that remains to be seen.

If not, has anyone heard of a deck in the offing that will play it?
Canon has never built a deck, and probably never will.

Sony theoretically could, but -- why would they? Unless Sony were to adopt the 1080/24F format, why would they spend engineering dollars to support someone else's product? They may, of course, and that remains to be seen. But as it is now, Canon has deviated from the HDV spec (in other ways too; they've added four-channel 192kbit audio) and as such, they've set themselves up as a "lone wolf" right now.

[ChuckS]

Maybe Panasonic should build Canon a deck for the XL H1, that way they can make money on the sales of a competitors product.

[Mac]

This is for me, as I'm sure it is for everyone else, more than slightly disconcerting. I would assume that someone from Canon reads these posts (after all, they should try to be responsive to their potential customer base - are you listening?)...

I would prefer the Canon, for the reasons I've mentioned, but I feel that their (Canon's) lack of response to this issue, combined with JVC's side-stepping the split screen issue, is going to push many people, me included, toward the Panasonic camera.. A shame, really, because they (both JVC and Canon) could have cut a big piece of the pie for themselves if they'd thought ahead...

[evinsky]

Canon does not give two S&%$#@ about 24F HDV. They really want to capture the low to mid range TV sports market eoth this cam. It's all about the HD-SDI for them. Maybe latter they will give a little more attention to thier 24F HDV, but for now it is not a priority.