Canon XL 1 User manual

CANON XL1

USER MANUAL

By Lindsey Thorpe

•Mounting and removing XL lenses

Mounting

1. Remove the dust cap from the lens and the body cap from the camcorder.

2. Align the red dot on the camera body with the mount positioning point (the red dot)

on the lens, then turn the lens clockwise until it clicks and locks into place.

Removing

1. Slide and hold the LENS RELEASE switch and turn the lens counter-clockwise

until it stops. Then, remove the lens from the camera body.

2. When you are not using the lens or camera, be sure to replace the dust cap and body

cap.

Attaching the lens hood

1. Remove the lens cap.

2. Align the hood with the lens lengthways, and the Canon logo facing to the left.

3. Twist it 90° into position (clockwise), so that the Canon logo is to the top.

• You do not need to assert any pressure — screw the hood lightly into place.

4. Finally, tighten the locking screw.

• To remove, reverse the above procedure.

•Attaching the studio microphone

1. Loosen the microphone attachment screw on the viewfinder unit and insert the

microphone into the microphone clamp.

2. Align the mark on the microphone with the mark on the clamp and tighten the

screw to hold the microphone firmly in place.

3. Plug the microphone cable to the camera’s MIC terminals.

NB: Make sure that the camera is turned off before attaching or removing the

microphone cable.

Canon XL1 Manual

•Loading and unloading a cassette

1. Make sure that you have inserted a power source.

2. Slide the EJECT button across to release the cover.

• Wait a couple of seconds for the cassette compartment to open automatically.

3. Load or unload the cassette.

• Insert the cassette gently with the window facing out.

• Remove the cassette by pulling it straight out.

4. Press the mark on the compartment until it clicks.

5. Click the cover back into place.

•Selecting from the menus

1. Turn the POWER dial to a recording program or to VCR.

2. Slide open the red cover to reveal the menu operation keys.

3. Press the MENU button to open the menu.

4. Press r or t cursor key to move the arrow up or down the display.

5. Press the e cursor key to select your chosen option from the menu.

• Your selected option remains on the screen and all other options are removed.

6. Press the r or t cursor keys to choose its setting.

• You can return to the full menu by pressing the e cursor key.

7. Press the MENU button to close the menu.

• Close the red cover to hide the menu operation keys.

Menu:

Zebra (shows if too much light is hitting the camera)

16: 9 (off)

Movie mode – normal (movement is smooth)

Frame (not as smooth, better for a sunrise shot)

Sensor (on)

Tally lamp (record lamp which indicates that the camera is recording)

Audio mode: 16 bit (2 channels) – if you use the front mic, lose back sound

12 bit ST-1 (4 channels) – can use front mic, radio mic, lappelle mic

but poorer quality

12 bit ST-1-2

Audio 1 in line

Mic att 20 – pump up level if low or chop off level if high

Audio 2 in (if set at 12 ST-1-2 can change settings but sacrifice quality)

Rec mode SP (short play)

LP (long play) – extends tape usage

D/time set does not have to be visible. Indicates when the shot was taken

•Using the various recoding programmes

The camera provides you with a choice of six recording programs. They use different

combinations of camera settings in order to adjust the exposure and other functions to

match the recording situation.

The name of your selected recording program appears constantly on the left of the

display, with the exception of the Easy Recording program whose mark is displayed

and then disappears after 4 seconds.

Easy recording

The simplest way to use the camera is with the POWER dial set to the position. The

camera will take care of focus, exposure and other adjustments, leaving you free to

point and shoot.

Auto

In normal recording conditions, set the POWER dial to (Auto). This is the same as the

Easy Recording program, except that you now have the option of using any of the

camera’s manual functions — you can adjust focus and exposure, set the white

balance, and so on.

Manual

Select this program for total creative freedom when operating the camcorder. You can

set aperture and shutter speeds completely independently to give you exactly the

exposure you require.

Giving priority to shutter speed (Tv)

Use this program to let you select the shutter speed.

The camera sets the appropriate aperture (F number) automatically to give the correct

exposure. When you turn the POWER dial to Tv, the current shutter speed is shown in

the viewfinder. Select your desired shutter speed by pressing the SHUTTER and other

buttons.

You can choose 9 shutter speeds between 1/60 and 1/15,000 of a second.

• If you try to set a shutter speed that is either too high or too low for the shooting

conditions, the indicator flashes in the viewfinder. In this case, increase or decrease

the setting until the flashing stops, or slide the ND FILTER switch ON/OFF as

appropriate before changing the setting.

Giving priority to the aperture (Av)

Use this program to let you select the aperture (iris diameter) to give you maximum

control over the depth of field. A large F number (a small aperture) gives a greater

depth of field.

Av F2.8

Use this program to let you select the shutter speed. The camera sets the appropriate

aperture (F number) automatically to give the correct exposure. When you turn the

POWER dial to Tv, the current shutter speed is shown in the viewfinder. Select your

desired shutter speed by pressing the SHUTTER and other buttons.

You can choose 9 shutter speeds between 1/60 and 1/15,000 of a second.

• If you try to set a shutter speed that is either too high or too low for the shooting

conditions, the indicator flashes in the viewfinder. In this case, increase or decrease

the setting until the flashing stops, or slide the ND FILTER switch ON/OFF as

appropriate before changing the setting.

NB:

The camera memorizes the latest Tv or Av value until a new value is set.

Turning off the camcorder or changing the recording program does not erase the

stored value.

Adjusting the focus

Temporary focus override

You can adjust the focus temporarily without turning autofocus off. Turn the lens’s

focusing ring to set the focus. Autofocus will resume as soon as you take your hand

away from the focusing ring.

Manual focus

1. Slide the focus switch on the body of the

XL lens to M (manual).

2. When using a zoom lens, rotate the zooming ring to the telephoto end.

3. Rotate the focusing ring to adjust the focus.

4. When using a zoom lens, use the zooming ring to reframe the subject.

• To resume autofocus, slide the focus switch to AF (auto).

• If you focus manually then leave the camcorder with the power turned on, you may

lose focus on your subject. This possible slight shift in focus is due to a rise in

temperature in the camcorder interior and lens. Check the focus before resuming

shooting

•Using AE Shift

By controlling the level of the automatic exposure (AE) function, you can lighten or

darken the image slightly. This allows you to compensate for backlit subjects or

subjects with predominately dark or light tones.

1. Turn the POWER dial to the Auto, Tv or Av recording program.

2. Turn the AE SHIFT dial to adjust the AE to your desired level.

• To make the image brighter, turn the controller towards the + settings.

• To make the image darker, turn the controller towards the – settings.

NB:

• AE shift does not function in the Easy, Manual or Spotlight Recording programs.

•Adjusting the gain

When the GAIN knob is set to (auto) the camera adjusts the gain automatically. You

can also rotate the GAIN dial to one of the five preset levels that range from –3 to +12

dB.

1. Turn the POWER dial to any recording program except (Easy Recording) or

(Spotlight).

2. Press the GAIN knob so that it pops out. You can now turn it to adjust the gain to

your desired level.

• The gain level you select appears in the viewfinder.

• Push the knob back in when you have finished making adjustments.

-3dB: Low noise recording for indoor, low light or low contrast scenes.

0dB: Low noise, life-like colour reproduction of illuminated scenes at night.

+6dB/+12dB: Brighten indoor or low-light scenes (when the iris is fully open).

Gain-up to enable you to increase the depth of field from using a smaller iris aperture.

NB:

• You cannot use the GAIN in the Easy Recording or Spotlight recording programs.

•Adjusting the white balance

The XL1 has two modes other than fully auto (A) and manual:

-Indoor mode (3200°K light)

-Outdoor mode (5600°K sunlight)

Setting the white balance

1. Turn the POWER dial to any recording program (except the Easy Recording

program).

2. Press the white balance selector knob so that it pops out. You can now turn it to

choose between A for auto white balance, indoor lighting, outdoor

lighting, or turn it to the right to set the white balance manually.

After turning the knob to the right, you can go on to set the white balance manually:

a) Point the camera at a white object (such as a sheet of paper) and if you are using a

zoom lens, zoom in until it fills the display.

b) Press the WHITE BALANCE set button.

• A symbol flashes quickly in the viewfinder and then remains lit, to show that the

camera has set the white balance.

• Depending on the light source, the flashing may at times change to a slower speed,

rather than remain lit. The result will remain better than with the auto setting, and you

can continue recording.

c) Turn the white balance selector knob back to A to return to the auto setting. Push

the knob back in when you have finished making selections.

Setting the white balance manually will probably work better than auto white balance

when shooting:

• Subjects with one dominant colour, such as sky, sea or forest.

• Close-ups.

• In rapidly changing lighting conditions.

• In places lit by certain types of fluorescent or mercury vapour lights.

•Playing back a cassette

You can use the viewfinder for instant, on-the-spot playback.

1. Attach a power source and turn the POWER dial to VCR.

2. Load the cassette.

3. Press the PLAY button to start playback.

• To end playback, press the STOP button.

• To wind the tape forwards, stop playback and press the FF button.

• To wind the tape backwards, stop playback and press the REW button.

- SHURE MIXER

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS AND INDICATORS

1. Pan Control

2. Input Level Bi-Colour LED

3. 1 kHz Tone Oscillator Switch

4. Link Switch

5. Slate Microphone

6. Meter Lamp/Battery Check Switch

7. Output Peak/Limiter Bi-Colour LED

8. Slate Button

9. Power On/Off Switch

10. Power On LED

11. Input Gain Control

12. Input Low-Cut Filter Switch

13. Master Gain—Right Channel Output

14. Master Gain—Left Channel Output

15. Output Peak Limiter Switch

16. Left/Right Channel Output Level Meters

17. Monitor Input Switch

18. Headphone Gain Control (Inner Knob)

19. Headphone Monitor Mode Switch (Outer Ring)

Sound Equipment Manual

INPUT PANEL CONNECTORS AND CONTROLS

1. Channel Inputs:

2. Mic/Line Level Input Switch:

OUTPUT PANEL CONNECTORS AND CONTROLS

1. Mix Bus Jack

2. Main Output

3. Headphones Outputs

4. Monitor In Jack

5. Tape Output Jack

6. Mic/Line Level Output Switch

7. 12–30 Vdc In Jack (External Power)

Rifle mic – put yellow cable (Female) into Male. Insert the opposite end of the yellow

cable into the Shure Mixer. Turn Shure Mixer on.

Plug headphones in by inserting the big jac.

Use channel 1, turn channels 2 and 3 down in order to avoid a hissing sound.

To check tone, turn tone button on, use the master switch to set it to -4. Insert green

plug into Shure mixer and the camera which must be set to 12.

If the green lights flashes red, the levels are too high.

Lappelle mic – The end of one side of the plug is inserted into the lapelle mic and the

other end into the Shure mixer.

Radio mic – There is a transmitter and a receiver. Ensure that the transmitter is

plugged into the Shure mixer while the receiver is plugged into the camera.

Wireless mic - that the frequency on the transmitter and the camera are the same.

Pulse Code Modulation (PCM): sound is recorded as 0 and 1 after it is converted

in pulse codes. The digital audio code (a series

of "off or on" signals) is recorded by the drum,

on a part of the tape that is separate from the

video information.

Sound waves: are vibrations in the air. There are 2 basic properties:

frequency and amplitude. Frequency – from low to

high, Amplitude – from soft to loud. Together they form

a sine wave. The wave’s amplitude is represented by its

height; the further the curve swings above and below its

centre line, the louder the signal. Its frequency can be

represented by the number of times per second the wave

goes through a complete "cycle". The more cycles per

second, the higher the wave’s frequency.

What does the microphone do?

The microphone picks up sound and outputs an analogue signal. This signal is then

passed through an analogue-to-digital (A/D) converter.

An analogue signal that ranges between +1 and -1 volts goes through an infinite range

of values between those points, but a digital system can record only a finite number of

those values. The more digits it has, the more steps it can distinguish and the more

closely it can match its readings to the variations in the original signal. Because

digital systems use finite means to record infinite signal variations, some mismatch is

inevitable, and every such mismatch adds noise and distortion to the signal.

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