THE GL1: I'll call him Mini-XL-1
Written: Mar 22 '01
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Pros: Canon optics, nice and small, lcd screen option. 3-CCD unobtrusive
Cons: no interchangable lenses, no on camera audio track options
The Bottom Line: Buy an extra battery to use the LCD screen without AC
Get the wide angle lens for kick-butt 16:9 shots
Get an XL1 if you absolutely need audio control
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| cybergourmet's Full Review: Canon GL1 Mini DV Camcorder |
OK. I shot a feature using the XL-1 last year and am working on another. I have a GL1 at work and use it for everything from focus groups to miscellaneous narratives.
It is much better than your standard miniDV but I'll assume most people know why 3 CCD chips are better than one and they're trying to find an alternative to shelling out for the XL1 or VX-2000...etc. Since I am used to the XL-1 I'll compare it largely to that model that costs at $4500 significantly more than the GL-1 at 2250-2500
First off the price point is very good and the used ones are only coming further down in price. Compared to the XL-1 it is a similar look and I have edited scenes between the two successfully. You can get wide angle attachments for it that while they are not as good as the XL-1 lenses they are still very functional and work to my liking. The lcd viewfinder is also a nice feature. It took me a while to discount the stigma of looking like a home movie guy but then I realized that that's not such a bad thing all the time. Less attention. It also comes in handy when you just want a quick look at the frame and are rushing around as well as when you have the camera in a position that is not accessible to easy conventional eye-piece viewing.
The viewfinder's negative is that it seriously drains the battery. Seriously. But that's par for the course and is not a slight to the model just the way it is.
The fluorite lens is great and the color and low light capabilites are terrific. It retains the XL-1 features that I like the most: 16:9 aspect ratio (wide screen), 30 full frame non-interlaced recording (more like PAL format not 60 field's per sec... like most regular video giving you the video look) and the pixel shift feature that adjusts green pixels slightly and when you put all of these together you end up with a fairly decent film look. This I do on my XL-1 and was glad to see I could match it on the GL1.
The lack of audio controls is a disappointment. You can get XLR mic (for pro microphones) adapter but I only use it for a 2nd camera most of the time so I stick to the on board MIC which is actually better than the XL1 mic. Go figure. The features are easy to find and with the manual easy to master as well. I would recommend getting the wide angle adapter for this little guy.
It's small light records brilliant video like the XL one and saves your arm strength and some $$. I wholeheartedly recommend it. But I also recommend testing any camera that you may buy out for a decent amount of time before purchase. Personal opinions outweigh almost everything else.
It also works flawlessly with Final Cut Pro and imovie on the g4's, although I'd recommend getting a cheap camera for playback or a miniDV deck to save wear on rather expensive playback heads...
I'd buy another (and probably will)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2400.00
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Epinions.com ID:
cybergourmet
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Location: Chicago, IL
Reviews written: 40
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Running www.chicagofoodies.com working on my French cooking, wine pairing and Kung Fu movies...
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