Total newbie with Canon XL2 on the way...

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Powerkicker

Hi all. I am a complete newbie to any type of videography apart from playing with a sony handycam. I have become surprisingly (to me) passionate about getting ideas and stories on video to be shared with others.

I've spent time researching good entry level cameras on the web (Didn't find this site until later) and came up with the Canon XL2 as the unit that would do all I need to do as I learn to put out quality videos short of HD.

I found a gently used unit in my price range and it is on it's way to me right now.

Now that I've found this site, I see it is not mentioned anywhere I can find as a suitable unit. It was all the rage elsewhere on the web from what I could find. Is this thing going to do what I'm after? I read glowing report after glowing report and saw the same on youtube and the like.

Bottom line; If I do my part, will this unit still perform at an acceptable level per turning out a good finished product? Thanks all for the forum here and for any advice/guidance offered.
 
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What is it that you want to do ???? That is most important. What is your vision ? your message ? how do you want to use that tool to tel us a story ? Who will help you ? do you have the technical skills needed? waht do you want to learn or need to learn ???
 
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Powerkicker said:
Bottom line; If I do my part, will this unit still perform at an acceptable level per turning out a good finished product?
Click to expand...

Bottom line: if you have a great script, excellent audio, terrific actors,
inspired lighting and you are a good director and editor that camera
will be just fine.

The XL2 was released 8 years ago. In camera years that is a very long
time. It was all the rage for quite a while and it's still a fine camera. It
is not HD so it is no longer all the rage. Glowing reports aside, that
camera is just a tool. You have a fine tool; how you use it matters.
 
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IndieBudget said:
What is it that you want to do ???? That is most important. What is your vision ? your message ? how do you want to use that tool to tel us a story ? Who will help you ? do you have the technical skills needed? waht do you want to learn or need to learn ???
Click to expand...

In the short term, I want to develop my skills by doing via short video clips. These will be 2-5 minute clips and will be put on youtube for input. I think most will initially be comedic suspense.

My ultimate goal is to perfect my craft and make exceptional, commercially marketable films that make people glad they bought the movie (and my story that went into it). I strive for exceptionalism in all my endeavors. I realize that this field is very dense in good talent so my work is cut out for me. My day job will pay my way until then.

My personal skills are non-existent per camera work. That being so, I will be relying upon my wife and her college cinematography training to help get me started(she trained almost thirty years ago and never did anything with it). She took the classes because her father was a professional archival cinematographer.

I am myself a martial arts guy, an avid fencer, shooter,gemologist, author and construction site project manager. I think all of those skillsets can be put to use in this field.

I have artistic friends who excell in making detailed models and the like who can be pressed into service to help with sets, effects and other related tasks.

I am pretty excited about this. I have my first short story boarded and am trying to figure out lighting as I await the arrival of my camera.
 
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IndieBudget said:
What is it that you want to do ???? That is most important. What is your vision ? your message ? how do you want to use that tool to tel us a story ? Who will help you ? do you have the technical skills needed? waht do you want to learn or need to learn ???
Click to expand...

directorik said:
Bottom line: if you have a great script, excellent audio, terrific actors,
inspired lighting and you are a good director and editor that camera
will be just fine.

The XL2 was released 8 years ago. In camera years that is a very long
time. It was all the rage for quite a while and it's still a fine camera. It
is not HD so it is no longer all the rage. Glowing reports aside, that
camera is just a tool. You have a fine tool; how you use it matters.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insightful input. I guess it's up to me then...and that is how I like it. Success or failure is mine to earn. That sets my mind at ease.

I am sure I will be asking many dumb questions in the near future, but I will at least try the search function before doing so. Thanks.
 
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I'm just working on putting aside my XL1s (the predecessor to the XL2) and can tell you in no uncertain terms that it's a fantastic camera. If you're not releasing blu-ray, SD will serve you just fine and hardly anyone will notice that it's not HD - especially if you're really careful about how you light and shoot.

Also a fencer, welcome!
 
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If you want to publish on YouTube, make sure you shoot in progessive mode.
The XL2 is indeed a fine camera.
Outdated since it's Standard Def and using tape, but a great tool to learn the art of filmmaking.

It needs more light than a DSLR, but you don't have to worry about rolling shutter and flashbanding :)

I used the XL1s a few times when I was a student: great cam with great controls and very good glass.
 
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The Canon XL1 is a clunker and a dinosaur and I can't imagine why anyone would tell you to buy one this late in the game.

Get a Lumix GH2 and with the money you save, a Zoom H4n.

You'll save a ton on lenses if you get the adapter for Canon lenses for about $20 bucks.

The Lumix weighs about a fifth what the XL does and it can shoot footage 10 times better than the XL.

Wear cargo jeans? This puppy fits in your pocket.

Need a steadycam? Pick up the U-flycam for $150 then one of those amazing spider leg mini-tripods for $30.

All of this stuff fits in a large backpack.

Why on earth would you want to mess around tapes when you can get the job done with SD cards?

I suspect a lot of these guys telling you the XL is a good choice are looking to dump their XL on you.

Don't trust your mother if she shows up here hawking equipment.
 
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Five years ago an incredibly talented Director decided he was going to use a Sony DSR-PD150 MiniDv Video Camera to create his feature movie. He did well with it and he had all the money he would ever need or want to create, yet he chose the DSR-PD150 camera when he could have had the bleeding edge in HD cams. Ohh he directed The Elephant Man so he is one of the greats.

You can do well with the cam you have. Master the tool and when you know what you are doing, you will know what tool you need to create your vision.
 
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While the XL series certainly were good cameras for their time, I'd be reluctant to suggest one to anyone starting to learn at this point.

HD vs. SD doesn't really matter as far as learning to shoot. What does matter - and what will likely continue to matter going forward - is learning to manipulate the interaction between shutter speed, ISO, aperture, focus and focal length to produce the shots you want. Any video capable dslr will be a significantly better platform to learn these skills on than an XL series camera, with the added bonus of costing less (or at least no more) than a used XL2 while producing higher quality video.
 
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garylloyd said:
The Canon XL1 is a clunker and a dinosaur and I can't imagine why anyone would tell you to buy one this late in the game.

Get a Lumix GH2
Click to expand...

You may be missing the point garylloyd. Powerkicker already has a used XL2
and is asking advice on using the camera he has to make 2-5 minute clips
that will be put on YouTube and to perfect his craft. Using the camera he has.

No one is trying to sell him a camera and dupe him into buying something
outdated. He owns the camera and wants to learn about making movies.
 
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directorik said:
You may be missing the point garylloyd. Powerkicker already has a used XL2
and is asking advice on using the camera he has to make 2-5 minute clips
that will be put on YouTube and to perfect his craft. Using the camera he has.

No one is trying to sell him a camera and dupe him into buying something
outdated. He owns the camera and wants to learn about making movies.
Click to expand...

Oh, I missed that.
 
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directorik said:
You may be missing the point garylloyd. Powerkicker already has a used XL2
and is asking advice on using the camera he has to make 2-5 minute clips
that will be put on YouTube and to perfect his craft. Using the camera he has.

No one is trying to sell him a camera and dupe him into buying something
outdated. He owns the camera and wants to learn about making movies.
Click to expand...

Right. I commited to the xl2 purchase before finding this forum after doing much web research(seemingly looking at somewhat dated reviews in hindsight).

I now have that camera to work with so I came here to ask why it was never mentioned here but was highly talked up elsewhere. I also was looking to see if it could do the job still. You guys have been very helpful. I appreciate that.
 
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garylloyd said:
I suspect a lot of these guys telling you the XL is a good choice are looking to dump their XL on you.
Click to expand...

Read ;) :

Powerkicker said:
I found a gently used unit in my price range and it is on it's way to me right now.
Click to expand...

It's an old camera (as I said before). But it's a great piece of equipment to learn filming, while your budget is small.
Some would say it's silly to get a commercially obsolete camera, but a lot of newbies through away their money to buy the newest gear only to discover the whole movie thing isn't what they expected it to be.
As long Powerkicker isn't assuming he can make big bucks with it in the corporate circuit, he has a great tool to learn and to make indie-stuff.
 
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Lower the sharpening, slightly lower the saturation (the reds will tend to want to blow out due either to the chip itself or to the compression scheme -- so if you can just turn down the red slightly instead, not sure what they added to the menus in the XL2, that should work). Auto everything off!

Use your zebras, love your zebras! Exposure, focus and framing. These are the foundation for your camera work. Without these 3 fundamentals, everything else will be lost effort.
 
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I see this thread is a bit dated. I'm interested in hearing how you have done with your XL2!
Maybe see a little of your work if you have any posted anywhere.

As i myself a few months back bought an xl2 to start with, with just about the same exact mindset/goals as you do.

(i actually joined this forum just to reply to this lol)
 
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