Canon XL 2 User manual

C
∂
3CCD DIGITAL VIDEO CAMCORDER
www.canondv.com
CKNOW HOW®
1-800-OK-CANON / www.usa.canon.com
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success
NY 11042 U.S.A.
Canon Canada Inc.
6390 Dixie Road, Mississauga
Ontario L5T 1P7 Canada
Canon Mexicana, S. DE R.L. DE C.V.
Blvd. M. A. Camacho No. 138, Piso PB,
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703 Waterford Way, Suite 400,
Miami FL 33126 U.S.A.
Canon HongKong Co., Ltd.
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0046W075 02/05
©2005 CANON U.S.A., INC.
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
www.canondv.com www.canondv.com

Intentionally
Overengineered.

The Canon XL2. A powerful 20x professional fluorite lens. Access to a
wealth of XL video lensesand to a world of Canon photographic lenses.
A superior 3CCD progressive scan imaging system delivering outstanding
picture quality, highly accurate color reproduction and a wide dynamic
range. Selectable
frame rates and independent manual
controls to create your own cine look. Whatever you’re
shooting, from TV documentaries to Indies, the XL2 is ready.
The Canon XL2. Born of the highly
successful XL1. An engineering marvel
designed for the video and film pro.
An interchangeable lens system in a
category all by itself. A superior
imaging system. Open architecture for
expandability and customization. And
now, open architecture for manual and
creative image control. Professional
audio control. Ready when you are.
a
60i Frame Rate
60 fields per second, interlaced, is
the standard video frame rate for
North American TV viewing
30p Frame Rate
30p, or 30 progressive, is a non-interlaced
format, producing video at the rate of
30 full frames per second, delivering
spectacular clarity per frame.
24p Frame Rate
24p, 24 frames per second progressive
(both 2:3 and 2:3:3:2 pull down),
produces video with the look and motion
of film. As well, the XL2 has 1/48th
shutter speed in this frame rate which
exactly matches a film camera.
Unsurpassed
Image Quality movement of the prism for the most
advanced image stabilization available.
The 16x IS II Lens also with Super Range
Optical Image Stabilization resolves to
more than 600 TV lines to record extraor-
dinarysharp images. For wide angle imaging,
Canon offers the 3x Wide Angle Lens with
resolution in excess of 600 TV lines, while
the 16x Mechanical Servo Zoom Lens gives
you the flexibility of calibrated focus and
zooms. For added optical lens magnification,
apply Canon’s 1.6x Extender between the
camcorder and the zoom lens.
Interchangeable Lens System
Using Canon’s optional EF Adapter opens
the XL2 to a wealth of Canon EOS EF pho-
tographic lenses, a
tremendous super-
telephoto boon to
those producing
wildlife, astronomy or
surveillance videos.
16:9 Wide Aspect Ratio
As the market
shifts to home
theatre systems
that include
widescreen TVs,
demand is
increasing for
programs that
deliver the full
width of film-
based theatrical
movies. Canon’s
XL2 delivers both
the standard 4:3
aspect ratio for the common TV screen
plus the popular 16:9 widescreen ratio.
Progressive Scan 3CCD
System
The XL2 features a 3 CCD system with a
separate progressive scan CCD (charge-
coupled device) for each primary color
(red, green and blue). Each CCD contains
680,000 pixels. Together they deliver
outstanding image quality, highly accurate
color reproduction and a wide dynamic range.
The XL2 meets the
demands being made
on the video production
community to provide
solutions under a
multitude of different
scenarios.
3 Frame Rates
Canon is the only company to offer a
MiniDV format camcorder with inter-
changeable lenses. The XL2 offers you the
ability to change lenses from the XL series
of lenses or Canon’s extensive range of
photographic lenses. The Canon XL series
of lenses includes a powerful 20x Zoom
Lens, 16x Automatic Lens, 16x Manual
Lens and a 3x Wide Angle Lens. The 20x
lens(standard) features the finest optics
with fluorite achieving the famous
“L-series” designation plus Super Range
Optical Image Stabilization, zoom and
focus presets and built-in neutral density
filters. Fluoriteprovides outstanding reso-
lution, contrast and color reproduction
and delivers the ultimate in clarity and
image quality byreducing color aberration.
Canon’s superb Optical Image Stabilization
system corrects camera shake instantly
while maintaining the integrity of the
image unlike some electronics image sta-
bilizers. By incorporating a gyro sensor to
detect camcorder vibration and control a
vari-angle prism Canon’s system continu-
ously corrects the path of incoming light
to the CCD image sensor to ensure smooth,
steady video even at tele-
photo. Super Range uses
feedback from the camera to
accelerate and refine the
p

The Canon XL2. Puts the control of your vision in your hands, where
it belongs. You’ve got the power to manipulate the image just the
way you want. Start with white balance, shutter speeds and aperture
control. Create a cine look, with control of all
the nuances, from gamma and knee to coring
and hue. Adjust the setup level, skin detail and
gain. The XL2 is designed to deliver creative image control when you
want it, how you want it. The XL2: ready, willing and able.
Gamma
The gamma curve of the
image can be adjusted
independently for a “video
look” (Normal) or a “film
look” (Cine).
Knee (H/M/L)
The highlight area level is
adjustable (High, Middle,
or Low) using the XL2’s
knee circuit.
Black
Control the depth of black
in the dark areas of an
image. You can emphasize
contrast in the video’s dark
areas (by selecting “Stretch”)
or deepen or enhance
the dark area
(by selecting
“Press”).
Color Matrix
You can change from a
video (Normal) look to a
film (Cine) look.
Vertical Detail
There are 2 settings:
“Normal” for vertical
detailoptimized for
playback on an interlaced
monitor, “Low” for a
progressive scan monitor
like a PC.
Sharpness
Change the degree of
sharpness in the
image. Images that do
not require a lot of
detail can be softened,
such as imperfections
during close-ups.
Coring
Helps decrease image
“noise” by reducing fine
detailinformation that is
not a major contributor to
the picture detail.
Noise Reduction
Remove video noise—non-
picture artifacts such as
those commonly found in
low-light images—without
hurting image detail or
creating motion artifacts.
Color Gain
Adjustable in 13 steps,
from off to oversaturated,
this adjustment will let you
shoot in black and white,
for example.
Color Phase
Adjust the Color Phase of
the image towards red or
green for exact control.
Master RGB Gain
The Master RGB control offers 13
steps of adjustment to each of the
red, green and blue components
of the video signal.
Set Up Level
For professional fine tuning of
the image, the IRE setup level of
the XL2 can be adjusted in
13 steps.
Master Pedestal
The Master Pedestal, which is
the starting point of the gamma
curve, can be adjusted in 13 steps.
Skin Detail
You can adjust hue, chroma, area,
and Y level to determine the skin
area and soften detail to reduce
the appearance of skin imperfec-
tions. A zebra pattern identifying
the skin area appears, which alter-
nates with the normal picture.
Gain
The following video gain
settings can be selected: -3,
0, +3, +6, +12, and +18 dB,
as well as automatic adjust-
ment.
Programmed Auto Exposure
Modes provide automated,
advanced recording settings for
professional results in various
shooting conditions. There are a
variety of AE programs available:
Auto, Shutter-Priority, Aperture-
Priority, Full Manual, Spotlight,
Low Light and Easy Recording.
Using AE Shift,
you can add
or subtract a
bit of expo-
sure, making
slight adjust-
ments to the image brightness to compen-
sate for backlighting or for scenes that are
being rendered slightly overexposed. With
AE Lock, you can hold the exposure at a
particular setting, preventing unplanned
exposure changes with a moving subject,
for instance.
The XL2 offers you Automatic White
Balance (including a fully automated
mode, an indoor mode and an outdoor
mode), and manual white balancing. The
camera also gives you the option of set-
ting and saving up to three white balance
presets that
can be
reused for
non-sequen-
tial shooting.
XL2 Cine
Total Image Control
For Your
Creative Vision
Exposure Control & White Balance
With increasing emphasis
placed on delivering the
cine look to video, the
XL2 offers you the ability
to customize your video
recordings using a num-
ber of variables, each one
can be adjusted inde-
pendently, giving precise
control over the “film-like”
appearence of your video.

The Canon XL2. Designed to bring out your professional side. Outstanding
image quality. Remarkable image control. Interchangeable lenses.
Selectable aspect ratio. Selectable frame rates. On-camera XLR and BNC
connectors. 4 channel independent audio control.
SMPTE time code. An outstanding design.
The list goes on. The Canon XL2 is ready for you.
Color Viewfinder
The XL2’s color viewfinder displays 16:9
Letterbox, as well as full screen 4:3. The
viewfinder can be shifted from side-to-
side, as well as front to back. Best of all,
the viewfinder easily converts to a fully
functional 2" LCD monitor.
Zebra Pattern
Displayed in the viewfinder but not
recorded, Zebra stripes can be made to
appear over any area that is overexposed.
This helps guide aperture and shutter
speed adjustment. Settings are 80, 85,
90, 95, and 100 IRE.
Zoom Control
The XL2 features zoom controls on both
the side grip as well as the carrying
handle. On the side grip, choose from
variable zoom (pressure controlled) or
one of 16 constant zoom speeds.
Durable Design
The XL2, designed for extensive field use,
features a chassis mounted on a single
durable magnesium alloy frame, providing
protection from external shock. A dust
gasket on the tape door offers added
protection.
Intuitive Operation
Within moments of putting
the XL2 to work, it's logi-
cally-designed controls
will have you “at home”
with its operation.
The XL2’s Clear Scan feature is designed
to record a computer CRT screen or similar
equipment without displaying a black
band or flicker on the screen. The camera
can adjust shutter speeds, allowing you to
perfectly match the CRT’s scan rate. The
Interval Timer can be programmed to record
at various intervals for varying amounts of
time. This is time lapse motion videography.
Set intervals include: 30 seconds; 1 minute;
5 minutes; 10 minutes. Set recording
times include: 0.5 second; 1.0 second;
1.5 seconds; 2.0 seconds. When specific
accessories compatible with the Advanced
Accessory Shoe are attached, the XL2 can
exchange data with them and supply power
directly to them. These accessories include
the DM-50 Directional Microphone as
wellas the MA-300 Microphone Adapter,
which lets you connect two additional XLR
microphones.
The XL2 has individual gain controls for
each of the 4 audio channels. Along with
these controls, there are various switches
to automatic or manual level recording,
select different inputs and attenuation.
The audio level can be monitored in the
viewfinder and the side of the camcorder
by the built-in VU meters. There is a head-
phone terminal with level control for moni-
toring the audio when recording or playback.
The XL2 can generate SMPTE color bars,
and a 1KHz reference tone. On top of that,
the camera can record a SMPTE time code
on the tape (drop, non-drop, rec run, free
run, user bit). For specialized applications
the date and time can be burned onto the
video. The XL2 also has BNC, RCA, and
S-video terminals.
Recording Options Audio Control Professional Features
XLR Audio Inputs
The XL2 has two built-in
XLR connectors on the
camera body for profes-
sional and high-end
audio equipment. For more creative con-
trol, Canon offers the optional MA-300
Microphone Adapter, with two additional
XLR connectors.
Custom Presets
Each of three custom presets can be
assigned any one of a number of func-
tions, accessible at the touch of a button,
for faster and easier camera operation.
These presets can be transferred to another
XL2 using the IEEE1394 connection.
Custom Keys
You can assign frequently used functions
to two easily accessible buttons, allowing
the XL2 to better match your shooting
preferences or environment.
Maximize
the Performance
Advanced Viewfinder
Settings
The XL2’s viewfinder has three indicators
which light up to alert you of vital cam-
corder settings and operations (Shutter,
Rec, Gain). In addition, all viewfinder display
information can be removed, providing you
with a clear, unobstructed viewing area.

41 Cassette Compartment
42 Backup Battery Compartment
43 Main Battery
44 AE SHIFT Dial
45 Grip Belt
46 S-video Terminal
47 Video Terminal (BNC)
48 RCA/BNC Selector
49 Video Terminal (RCA)
50 AUDIO 2 RCA Terminal
31 COLOR BARS ON/OFF Button
32 INPUT SELECT (CH3, CH4) Switch
33 REC LEVEL (CH3, CH4) Switch
34 INPUT SELECT (CH1, CH2) Switch
35 REC LEVEL (CH1, CH2) Switch
36 FRONT MIC ATT. Switch
37 REC CH SELECT Switch
38 Strap Mount
39 Shoulder Pad
40 BATT. RELEASE Button
21 END SEARCH Button
22 STANDBY Button
23 AUDIO MONITOR Button
24 POWER Dial
25 CH3/CH4 LEVEL Dial (AUDIO2)
26 CH1/CH2 LEVEL Dial (AUDIO1)
27 Adapter Holder
28 REC SEARCH + Button
29 REC SEARCH –/Record Review Button
30 COLOR BARS SELECT Button
1Stereo Microphone
2Viewfinder Focusing Ring
3Viewfinder
4Eye Cup
5Position Preset Switch
6STABILIZER Switch
7EXP. LOCK Button
8FRAME RATE Selector Switch
9ASPECT RATIO Selector Switch
10 LIGHT
11 Focusing Ring
12 Zooming Ring
13 ND Filter Switch
14 Auto/Manual Focus Switch
15 LENS RELEASE Switch
16 MENU Button
17 IRIS SELECT Dial
18 GAIN Dial
19 WHITE BALANCE Selector Knob
20 WHITE BALANCE Set Button
51 AUDIO 1 RCA Terminal
52 EVF DISPLAY Button
53 CUSTOM KEYS
54 EJECT Switch
55 CUSTOM PRESET ON/OFF Button
56 CUSTOM PRESET SELECT Button
optional CH-910
Dual Battery Charger and
BP-945 Batteries
46
47
48
49
50
51
11 12 1413 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24
4039 41 42
43
44
45
25
27
26
4
38
53 5452 55 56
1
32
33
36
37
34
35
30
31
28
29
10
9 8
7
65
32
54
Nomenclature

57
64
65
84
85
86
87
79
77
78
80
81
82
83
76
88
89
63 66
5958 60
73 74 75
61 62
67 68 69 70 71 72
4
1
510 11
18 19 2321 25 26 27 28 29 302420 22
6 7 8 9 15 16 17
3
2
12 13 14
11 END SEARCH Button
12 FF Button
13 (Frame Advance) Button
14 x2 Button
15 PLAY Button
16 STOP Button
17 SLOW Button
18 AUDIO MONITOR Button
19 SELF TIMER Button
20 Cursor Keys
21 MENU Button
22 SEARCH Button
23 REC PAUSE Button
24 SEARCH Button
25 SEARCH SELECT Button
26 REW Button
27 (Frame Rewind) Button
28 REMOTE SET Button
29 PAUSE Button
30 Jog/Shuttle Dial
1ZOOM Buttons
2ON SCREEN Button
3START/STOP Button
4DATA CODE Button
5ZERO SET MEMORY Button
6
MIX BALANCE CH2/4 Button
7MIX BALANCE CH1/3 Button
8INDEX Button
9
SET Button
10 AV-DV Button
69 REW Button
70 PLAY Button
71 FF Button
72 REC Button
73 SHUTTER Indicator
74 REC Indicator
75 GAIN UP Indicator
76 PHONE LEVEL Dial
77 HEADPHONES Terminal
78 REC SEARCH + Button
79 REC SEARCH –/Record Review Button
80 COLOR BARS SELECT Button
81 COLOR BARS ON/OFF Button
82 SHUTTER Speed Button
83 SHUTTER Speed Button
84 DV/REMOTE (LANC) Terminal Door
85 +48V Switches
86 MIC ATT. Switches
87 XLR Input Terminals
88 DV Terminal
89 REMOTE (LANC) Terminal
57 Grip Zoom Lever
58 Zoom Speed Dial
59 Variable/Constant Zoom Switch
60 REC START/STOP Button
61 REC START/STOP Button
62 Lock Lever
63 Advanced Accessory Shoe
64 Dioptric Adjustment Lever
65 Handle Zoom Lever
66 Operation Panel
67 PAUSE Button
68 STOP Button
REMOTE CONTROL
Nomenclature

16x Manual Servo Zoom Lens
XL 5.4-86.4mm
This manual lens gives you the
flexibility of calibrated power zoom,
power iris, 2 built-in ND filters
and calibrated manual focus.
16x Zoom Lens XL 5.5-88mm
f/1.6-2.6
Includes features like a variable
angle prism for image stabilization,
ND filter, manual focus, zoom
rings and a push AF function.
FS-72U Filter Set
Includes Neutral Density (ND 8),
Polarizing and Ultraviolet filters.
DM-50 Directional Stereo
Microphone
The DM-50 isa directional stereo
mic which connects to the XL2’s
Advanced Accessory Shoe, no cables
or additional power is required.
EF Adapter XL
Allows the attachment of over 50
Canon photographic EF lenses to
the XL2. (Magnification: 7.8x in
16:9, 9.6x in 4:3)
MA-300 Microphone Adapter
Providing power and audio
connection without any wires.
VL-10LI Battery Video Light
With its 10-watt illumination,
improves lighting and image
quality whether you are shooting
indoorsor out.
ZR-1000 Zoom Remote
Controller
Controls Start/Stop, Focus, On-
Screen, Record Search (+/–).
Variable and Single Speed Zoom.
TA-100 Tripod Adapter
TA-100 Tripod Adapter allows you
to quickly mount/dismount the
XL2 on or from a tripod.
Lithium Ion Battery Packs
BP-945/BP-930
These high capacity lithium ion
battery packs allow the longest
running time available.
CH-910 Dual Battery Charger
It holds two lithium ion batteries.
Can charge them consecutively or
supply power to the camcorder.
Wide-Angle 3x Zoom Lens XL
3.4-10.2mm f/1.8-2.2
High resolution exceeding 600 TV
lines. It has an ND filter, manual
focus and zoom ring.
Extender XL 1.6 x
Increases the focal length of the
XL2 lens by 1.6x.
CB-920 Car Battery Adapter
Power your camcorder using the
DC-920 or changing lithium-ion
battery packs from a car’s
cigarette lighter.
System Case HC-3200
A solid, lockable case that allows
you to protect the contents of
the kit.
Optional Accessories
FU-1000 Monochrome CRT
Viewfinder Unit
Professional style 1.5 inch
monochrome CRT.
EF Lenses
Select from over 50 high-quality
Canon EF lenses, ranging from
Fisheye to Super Telephoto to a
choice of versatile zoom models.
Ratio Converter RC-72
When shooting in 4:3 Mode, this
0.8x converter provides the same
angle of view as 16:9 Mode.
FireStore FS-4 Portable DTE Recorder*
The FireStore FS-4 eliminates the need to capture prior
to editing and provides a confidence, drop-out free
recording simultaneously to tape. Compact, portable,
and rugged, it features a 40GB (about 3 hour) disk
drive with FireWire interface.
FireStore FS-4 Pro Portable DTE Recorder*
Offering all the benefits of the FireStore FS-4, the Pro
model adds Avid support, multiple timecode modes,
retro-record, and scene
marking. Available in 40GB
(about 3 hour) and 80GB (about 6 hour) versions.
* Additional accessories are also available.

Supplied Accessories
XL2 Camcorder Body • Zoom Lens 20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS • Color Viewfinder • Lithium Battery (for
Auto-Date) • WL-D4000 Wireless Controller • Two R03/AAA Batteries (for Wireless Controller) • Lens Cap
• Lens Dust Cap • Lens Hood • Lens Soft Case • Camcorder Dust Cap • CA-920 Compact Power Adapter
• AC Cable • DC-920 DC Coupler • BP-930 Battery Pack (with Terminal Cover) • SS-1000 Shoulder Strap
• STV-150 Stereo Video Cable • S-150 S-Video Cable • Microphone • Adapter Holder • Instruction manual
• Lens Instruction manual
Specifications
Power Supply: 7.2V DC (battery pack)
Power Consumption: 7.1W (recording with AF, 20x zoom XL 5.4-108 L IS mounted)
Television System: EIA standard (525 lines, 60 fields) NTSC color signal
Video Recording System: Two rotating heads, helical scan azimuth recording, DV System (Consumer digital
VCR SD system) digital component recording
Audio Recording System: PCM digital recording: 16 bit (48 kHz/2 channels); 12 bit (32 kHz/4 channels)
(synchronous 4-channel recording is possible)
Image Sensor: Size 1/3", approx. 680,000 pixels (total), Progressive Scan CCD x3 (charge-coupled device)
with horizontal pixel shift
16:9 target area: approx. 460,000 pixels (962 x 480) x3 CCD, 0.289" diagonal
4:3 target area: approx. 350,000 pixels (720 x 480) x3 CCD, 0.236" diagonal
Tape Format: Video cassettes bearing the amark
Tape Speed: SP: 0.74 ips (18.81mm/second), LP; 0.49 ips (12.56 mm/second)
Maximum Recording System: SP; 80 min., LP; 120 min.
Fast-forward/reverse Time: Approx. 2 minutes and 20 seconds (using 60-minute tape)
Viewfinder: 2.0-inch TFT color LCD; Approx. 200,000 pixels, RGB delta configuration
Microphone: Stereo electret condenser microphone
Frame Rate: 60i, 30p, 24p (2:3 & 2:3:3:2)
LensMount: XL interchangeable lens system
Image Stabilizer: Optical system (VAP), (20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS installed)
Focusing System: TTL autofocus. Manual focusing possible (20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS installed)
Minimum Object Distance: 20mm (Wide macro), 1m (entire zoom range): (20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS installed)
White Balance: Auto white balance, pre-set white balance (indoor, outdoor) or custom white balance
Minimum Illumination: Approx. 5.5 lx (20x zoom XL 5.4-108mm L IS installed, auto mode, 60i frame rate,
4:3 aspect ratio, 1/60th second shutter)
Recommended Subject Illumination: More than 100 lx
Filter Diameter: 72mm (XL lens)
I/O Terminals (Level/Impedance):
DV Terminal: 4-pin connector (complies with IEEE1394); input/output switching
S-video Terminal: 4-pin mini-DIN; input/output switching 1 Vp-p/75 ohms (Y signal),
0.286 Vp-p/75 ohms (C signal)
Video Terminals: RCA pin jack; input/output switching/BNC jack;
input/output switching 1 Vp-p/75 ohms unbalanced
Audio Terminal: RCA pin jack (L/R) 2 systems; input/output switching
Audio Signals: During input; Min. –10 dBv/47 kohms unbalanced
During output; Max. –10 dBv (for 47 kohm load)/3 kohm unbalanced
XLR Pin Jack(3-pin jack) 2 Systems: (input only) balanced –54 dBv (Auto)/600 ohms, –66 dBv
(Auto/Gain up 12 dB), –66 dBv (Manual/Vol. Max), –78 dBv (Manual/Vol Max + Gain up 12 dB)
ATT: 20 dB
Front Microphone Input Terminal: ø3.5mm stereo mini-jackunbalanced
–55 dBv (Auto), –67 dBv (Manual/Vol Max)/600 ohms
Headphone Terminal: ø3.5 mm stereo mini-jack
–23.5 dBv (with 16 ohm load at maximum volume)/50 ohms
Editing (LANC) Terminal: ø2.5 mm stereo mini-jack
Accessory Shoe: Supports MA-300 Microphone Adapter
Operating Temperature: 32–104˚ F (0–40˚C)
Dimensions (W x H x D): 8.9 x 8.7 x 19.5 in. (225 x 220 x 496mm)
Weight (Camcorder body only): 5.3 lbs. (2410g)
Total Equipped Weight: 7.8 lbs. (3545g)
Intentionally
Overengineered.
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Weight and dimensions are approximate. Canon and Canon Know How are registered trademarks of Canon Inc. in
the United States and may also be registered marks in other countries. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries. Macintosh and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the United States and other countries. Other
names and products not mentioned above may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies. Warning: Unauthorized recording of copyrighted
materialsmay infringe on the rights of copyright owners and be contrary to copyright laws.