After researching digital videocameras extensively, I am now the owner of a Canon GL-1. During my search of cameras, I had some specific criteria. I wanted to find a camera that was the mini-DV format, had analog in, was a horizontal design instead of vertical, had image stabilization, an LCD viewfinder and a time/date stamp. I also wanted one that had the microphone on the front instead of the top, could take still pictures and could be used fully automatic but had the option of all manual control. I don’t ask for much, right?

Many of the cameras could meet the majority of my requirements, but few had it all. I was sorting out the information, willing to compromise on a few points. I had no intention of getting a camera this expensive. It came down to the fact that my husband could use this as a backup camera for his videography business. He uses the Canon XL-1 as his main camera, but his backup videocam was still in a VHS format. Instead of me buying a cheaper camera with lower quality, we decided to go with this one so we could both use it for our needs. I just needed something smaller than his XL-1. While that is fine around the house, I certainly don’t want to be lugging it around to T-ball games and school plays.

This camera offers an L-series fluorite 20x optical/100x digital zoom lens. It is a 3 CCD videocam, and that is where a lot of the extra expense comes in.

Uncertain of what I was getting into, I ordered it online. I was nervous that it would be too big. My whole reason for getting a new one was to go smaller and I had seen all the other moms with tiny cameras. When the box arrived the next day, my fears about size were laid to rest.

How big is it?

The camera body is about 10 inches long, which turns into 11 inches when counting the viewfinder piece that sticks out. While not exactly a tiny little thing, I feel that it is more stable than a smaller model. It certainly was an acceptable size for me.

What does it come with?

Included are a shoulder strap, remote control, two AA batteries, S-video cable, one mini-DV cassette, lens hood, stereo video cable, battery pack, lens cap and power adapter.

Our experience

When we first took it out of the box and got it ready to go, we had a hard time figuring out how to turn it on! We had a charged battery ready to go (luckily, it shares batteries with the XL-1) but no luck. After discovering there was a lock on the record button, we slid that and were in business. This lever can be slid back and forth between lock and the standby mode.

It took some time getting used to a smaller camera. One thing to remember with these cameras is that without being able to rest them on your shoulder, you don’t feel quiet as stable while shooting. The optical image stabilization helps keep your picture from looking shaky, but you still have to try harder to keep it steady than a big, shoulder-mounted one. I would imagine the even smaller cameras, the palm sized ones, would have more of a problem.

While it is small, my hands are also small, so it is not truly a “one handed” grip for me. I feel more comfortable using my left hand on it, too, just to add reassurance that I won’t drop it. My husband has no trouble with using it one handed. The grip strap certainly helps me, but I don’t feel I have a secure enough grip to do that.

The color LCD flip-out screen is wonderful. This one is a 2.5 inch model. It is nice not to have to peer through the viewfinder all the time. Out in direct sunlight, though, it has proven to be easier to use the standard viewfinder, as it is tough to see the image on the LCD screen.

The LCD screen makes it easy to hold up high and get a shot, or work from down low, since you can aim the camera at your object, and tilt the LCD display towards you. This camera has another great feature that makes it easy to get awkward angle shots. There is an extra set of recording controls on top of the handle, in addition to the regular set. You can get a low shot, say pointing down to a baby on the floor, and hold the camera in one hand with the handle, while your thumb on that same hand is running the controls. By tilting your screen up at you, you are able to see and record the subject without getting down into a weird position yourself. This extra set of controls includes the record button, zoom and photo button.

The picture quality on the GL-1 is very good. Images are crisp with true colors. I am very impressed. It is able to record in low light situations, also. The low light recording is not as good as the XL-1, but is far better than most cameras.

The controls are within easy reach, and once I became familiar with the camera, I learned to reach for them without having to take my eye off the viewfinder.

You can use the camera in three different shooting modes. There is the normal movie mode that you will mostly be shooting in, the frame movie mode and the digital still photo mode.

The frame mode captures the video in a non-interlaced fashion. It has more of a “film” look to it, and is great when shooting footage that you want to grab a still shot from later. You can also capture shots in the normal shooting mode, but they tend to be easier to work with in the frame mode.

The photo mode allows you to take a still shot. Up to 700 of these will fit on one tape and can then be transferred to your computer through use of firewire (this 1394 board is something you purchase separately, and you will also need photo editing software if you plan to do this.) When you hit the photo button, the camera records your image for six seconds on your tape. There is a self-timer that can be used.

A handy feature with the photo mode is the photo search function. You can search forward or back and it will stop on all the photos you’ve taken. You can use this to mark the beginning of a section of footage. Snap a shot at the beginning of a new section of footage and find it easily again. This also works with a date search feature.

The still shots seem to be average quality for a non-megapixel camera. They are great for web purposes. Printing them out, you wouldn’t want to go very large or it will appear grainy. Don’t depend on this to be your primary source for still shots if planning a lot of printed work. I have great luck with it for web-related use, though.

Different recording programs are available, and include:
• Easy Recording takes care of everything for you.
• Auto is the same, but you have the choice of using the manual functions if you wish. I usually use the Auto setting.
• Tv gives priority to shutter speed
• Av gives priority to aperture
• Manual
• Sand and Snow is to be used in places with a bright background so subjects don’t appear underexposed
• Spotlight when recording subjects in a concentrated light, such as on stage.

The camera offers some digital effects to be used while recording. They include black and white, slim, stretch, strobe and fade. You set the effect you would like (only one can be used at a time) in the menu, then simply hit the digital effects button on or off when needed during recording.

The neutral density filter can be turned on when out in bright light. This helps prevent blurring. The camera will display a message about the ND filter when it advises it be used. Think of this as toning down the light, such as when you hang up a sunshade in the back window of your car to keep some glare out of baby’s face. It helps to neutralize the light.

If you flip open the top of the handle, you will see the VCR control buttons to use during playback, like play, FF, rewind, etc. They are easily accessible when you need them, and covered up when you don’t.

Other features worth mentioning are a built in speaker to listen during playback, ability to hook up to headphones to listen to playback or monitor your recording, a hot shoe for a flash and a wind screen mode to reduce wind noise outside during recording.

You can also use it for dubbing, analog line-in recording (putting your old VHS tapes on digital), and we use a cable between both our cameras for editing between the two.

Recommendation

I have been very pleased with this camera! It certainly is overkill for a “mom” camera like I needed, but since it works for my husband’s business, it was worth it. If you have a need for one this full of features, I think you’ll be happy. For a camera with many of the same features at a lower price, the Canon Optura Pi was my next choice at around $1200-$1300. For a tiny little camera, I would have chosen the Canon ZR10. It had almost all the features I was looking for, at around $799. Evaluate what features are important to you, and choose from there.

A comparison to the Canon XL-1

For those of you seriously considering this camera for semi-professional reasons and are trying to decide between the GL-1 and the XL-1, here are some differences:

GL-1 comes out on top for:
• Autofocusing feature works more reliably. When zooming with the XL-1, there is sometimes a focusing problem.
• More digital effects. The XL-1 only has fade.
• Increased zoom. The XL-1 is 16 optical/32 digital.
• Switching between movie modes is quicker, with a button on the front of camera, instead of having to access the menu.
• Hot shoe ready to add a flash
• The price is about $1500 less!
• Much easier to navigate through a crowd of people filming at an event.
• LCD display

XL-1 wins for:
• Better image quality in low light
• More manual controls are accessible without resorting to going through a menu
• Better control over sound quality. The XL-1 lets you change and monitor the way sound is recorded.
• Easy to hold steady since it is shoulder mounted (but heavier in the process.)
• Interchangeable lens.
• Two rings on the lens, one for focus and one for zoom. The GL-1 only has one for focus.
• Offers a one-touch focusing feature.








Recommended: Yes