where is the canon xf300/305 info?

R

robfilms

Veteran
where is the canon xf300 & xf305 info?

maybe a new sub-forum?

any camera with 4:2:2 + 50mps + hdmi + canon lens, i want to know more.

don't you?

ymmv

be well

rob
smalltalk productions
 
Same here- I'm thinking this camera to work alongside a 5D or just get another 5D- but for events I think this would be best. Not a whole lot of real world reports yet. Not much buzz for this camera?
 
Alan Roberts, who tests cameras for broadcast use by the BBC, tested the XF305 for a separate non-European production. He used the same test he does for the BBC, and was quite impressed by the camera.

Quote from Alan Roberts on "another site" -

"I've completed tests on a 305, and it's rather lovely. It preforms dramatically better than a 1/3" camera should do. The test was for an independent production (not European) and Canon, with the BBC taking a back seat for a change. So the settings doc does not carry the BBC's imprint. Nevertheless, the tests and reporting procedure are exactly as for any other test.

I think this camera raises the issue of whether 1/3" is ok for broadcast, certainly it performs as well as, if not better than at least two 1/2" cameras that are approved by the BBC, and doesn't need external recording to achieve that performance. And as for 13 user buttons, well ....."
 
Also, they are in stock at B & H. I just pulled the trigger on a XF300. Should have it end of next week - will report back soon!
 
i know this sight heavily leans towards panasonic products and i can understand why. the dvx100 and the hvx200 each were game-changing cameras. i agree, pannie is a great company that makes great products. i am really looking forward to the af100 4/3 release in the last quarter of 2010.

that said, this site also caters to all stripes of what used to be called "video" professionals. i'm not looking to start a brand name flame-on war, i just want more info about canon's new camera the xf300 and xf305. i'm really surprised that others are not as interested.

ymmv

be well

rob
smalltalk productions
 
Well, there's two things going against Canon in this forum: the bias towards panasonic (after all, that's where it all started, nothing wrong with that) and the bias towards the film-look (24p, shallow depth of field, etc) which was really spearheaded by Panasonic, hence the bias and rightfully so. However, since the video DSLR's have been out and given the holy grail of shallow DOF without adapters at a really cheap price, that's where the majority of chatter on this site goes to. Most forum members, I believe, are no longer interested in 1/3" camcorders, especially at the price of Canon's XF line. That's now the realm of video professionals, and I think there are much fewer of us on this site vs filmmakers & enthusiasts.

That being said, I really believe these new Canon XF cameras are going to be the best ever made for their class. They've already been approved for HD acquisition by the BBC, the only 1/3" cameras to receive that distinction.

As these camcorders get out in the world and see some use, word will spread about the quality and I'm sure you'll hear much more about them.

My XF300 arrives today, and I'm anxiously waiting for the UPS truck! I'll post an un-boxing video as quickly as I can.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Well, there's two things going against Canon in this forum: the bias towards panasonic (after all, that's where it all started, nothing wrong with that) and the bias towards the film-look (24p, shallow depth of field, etc) which was really spearheaded by Panasonic, hence the bias and rightfully so. However, since the video DSLR's have been out and given the holy grail of shallow DOF without adapters at a really cheap price, that's where the majority of chatter on this site goes to. Most forum members, I believe, are no longer interested in 1/3" camcorders, especially at the price of Canon's XF line. That's now the realm of video professionals, and I think there are much fewer of us on this site vs filmmakers & enthusiasts.

That being said, I really believe these new Canon XF cameras are going to be the best ever made for their class. They've already been approved for HD acquisition by the BBC, the only 1/3" cameras to receive that distinction.

As these camcorders get out in the world and see some use, word will spread about the quality and I'm sure you'll hear much more about them.

My XF300 arrives today, and I'm anxiously waiting for the UPS truck! I'll post an un-boxing video as quickly as I can.
Click to expand...
any chance you could post some raw samples for us? :D
 
cowpunk52, thanks for taking the lead on this and being so involved. I do think the XF300/305 are going to give the EX a serious run for its money, and while the chatter for a $6,000 handheld small-chip camcorder seems to have diminished greatly in the last year, there are still many forms of professional video where such a camera is perfectly suited.
 
Barry_Green said:
cowpunk52, thanks for taking the lead on this and being so involved. I do think the XF300/305 are going to give the EX a serious run for its money, and while the chatter for a $6,000 handheld small-chip camcorder seems to have diminished greatly in the last year, there are still many forms of professional video where such a camera is perfectly suited.
Click to expand...

My pleasure - it just so happens that this camera is very well suited to much of my work. So far, from playing around with it in my spare time today, all indications have been that this will be an exceptional workhorse of a camcorder.
 
cowpunk52-

as the original poster of this thread, thanks for adding your insights and links to further the conversation.

my work sounds a wee bit similar to yours so this camera might well be the next acquisition tool in my kit.

sure i wish the xf300/305 had a 1/2" chip and thus a shallower dof but i do love the idea of a quality canon 18x piece of glass up front. and yes, i would have really appreciated 4 channel sound ala the hpx500. i find the need for those other 2 channels all of the time (i wonder if i alone in that?). some of the ergos seem very adaptable to my shooting style-4"lcd monitor accessible from either left or right side of camera (and unlike the hvx200, i am hoping i wont have any trouble finding focus).

having said all of that, i do remember the hushed excitement over each new camera that promised to advance our film-making abilities: the dvx100, hvx200, ex1-all game changers in their own right. but each had a "flaw" that for me ultimately had me moving to another camera. (my "flaw" might not have been your "flaw"). i wished the dvx100 had a 16x9 chip. i wished the hvx200 lcd allowed me to focus easier. i wished my ex1 was not plagued by the back-focus issue and the ir blacks turns to brown headaches.

once the xf300 & xf305 are out in the marketplace, i am sure the film-making community will decide what they like and don't like about canon's latest offering. each camera does have a "flaw" and i wonder where the caonn will fall short.

but at this moment i am still using hushed tones and whispering "maybe this is THE one?"

i hope so.

be well

rob
smalltalk productions.
 
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I agree, 1/2" chips added to everything else this camera has would have been fantastic, but I'm not disappointed in 1/3" chips. The difference between the two has never seemed that great to me, and the quality that the XF cameras can put out with their 1/3" is truly astounding, and much better than anyone would really think possible, I believe.

The LCD is remarkable, and focus is so much easier than any other camera I've used, especially with it's huge size, resolution & the various focus assist peaking and waveform customizations.

Are there flaws? Absolutely, but those flaws will be different depending on who you ask, and they'll also be very nit-picky in the grand scheme of things.

And while it's true that there certainly is no such thing as a perfect camera, when you factor in everything that an XF offers, they probably come closer than any other camcorder that has ever been made, especially for it's class. The ergonomics of the camera are excellent, it has great balance and a comfortable grip. It feels extremely solid and well-built. The menu is extensive with as much customization as can be imagined, yet it's layout is very sensible and easy to navigate. Honestly, it's nothing short of a joy to use - and the image it creates, well those really speak for themselves.

I've used at some point what seems like every small-chip camcorder on the market since Sony's PD150, and the DVX100B was my all-time favorite for it's price/performance/usability ratio. However, so far for me (in the short time that I've owned it), that distinction has now turned to the XF300.
 
Ok, so I haven't had a chance to upload any of my own raw files yet (the files can be fairly large) - but here are some raw samples from an Italian e-shop site. There's also EX1R samples for comparison (for those of you on the fence).

Please note, the Canon samples & EX1R samples were not shot at the same time. I'm not sure how much effect this has, but just be aware. Also, the site can be a little unstable - if it's overloaded, try again later.

Canon XF300 (ZIP-archives with raw .MXF-files):
- Vertical panorama: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...averticale.zip
- Autofocus speed: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...aautofocus.zip
- Change focus: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ambiofuoco.zip
- Zoom range: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...rsionezoom.zip
- The reaction to photo flash: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ashbanding.zip
- Light field: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...uceincampo.zip
- Rolling shutter: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ingshutter.zip
- Slow motion (720p): http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...slowmotion.zip

For comparision, Sony PMW-EX1R:
- Vertical panorama: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...x1rpanvert.zip
- Autofocus speed: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...rautofocus.zip
- Change focus: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ambiofuoco.zip
- Zoom range: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...rsionezoom.zip
- The reaction to photo flash: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo.../ex1rflash.zip
- Light field: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...uceincampo.zip
- Rolling shutter: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ex1rolling.zip
- Slow motion: http://www.adcom.it/public/filevideo...ex1rslowmo.zip

You can use VLC to play native MXF files.
 
Low light ability? We have a XH-A1 and often find we could use another stop. Any idea how these new Canon cameras compare? I'm also interested in how the low light ability compares to the EX1/EX3, even though I'm more interested in these Canon's.

We're hoping to upgrade our camera in the next month or so and I really want to get the Canon, but I am a little worried that we'll find ourselves looking for that extra stop again.

Your thoughts Cowpunk or any of you other users who have sifted through all the different specs?

Thanks.
 
Blueland said:
Low light ability? We have a XH-A1 and often find we could use another stop. Any idea how these new Canon cameras compare? I'm also interested in how the low light ability compares to the EX1/EX3, even though I'm more interested in these Canon's.

We're hoping to upgrade our camera in the next month or so and I really want to get the Canon, but I am a little worried that we'll find ourselves looking for that extra stop again.

Your thoughts Cowpunk or any of you other users who have sifted through all the different specs?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Low-light is waaaaaaaaayyy better than the XH-A1. The CMOS sensors are more sensitive than the A1's CCD's, and noise performance is much much better. The XF cameras are about a stop less sensitive than the EX cameras when shooting in progressive modes, but this is mitigated by a 1/2 stop faster lens at equivalent focal lengths & better noise performance at higher gain (auto NR is excellent) on the XF cameras. Honestly, they come out just about even, but the EX has a slight edge - but it's very slight.
 
Thanks for the quick reply and good information Cowpunk. Thanks also for the other thread on lowlight usage. Very helpful for us as in making our decision.
 
Cow-

Does the Canon have a frame rate switch on the body or do you have to dig into the menu like on the EX?
This is something i have always wanted - the ability to change frame rates very quickly. Grab a little slo mo shot and snap it right back to normal motion. just like a Bolex.
 
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