Camcorder - Optical Zoom: 20 - Digital Zoom: 100x - Weight: 1.1 kg, 1.3 kg - Flash memory: SD Memory Card - Supported Media Type: Mini DV - Viewfinder: without Viewfinder (On Ciao since: 02/2004)
Advantages: Lightweight, excellent picture quality, ease of use, hot-shoe for attachments Disadvantages: Manual isn't so helpful. Not so good with low-light conditions.
...Myself and a few friends came up with a few ideas for short films and at the time we used my old Sony HC14E camera (before it was stolen in a burglary!). We called the HC14E our crash-cam as it certainly was put through the war-zones (paintball matches, in-car shots, drops and even ran over!). I decided I wanted something a bit more professional and decided to go for the Canon XM2.
My first thought on this camera is it's size and weight. It's small enough to pack into a rucksack, and it is light enough to be used and carried for a whole day without straining the users arms or hands.
I just couldn't wait to get my hands on this camera. I opted for a finance option as payment and as soon as I knew my forms had been recieved and ok'd I was jumping every time the doorbell went. I certainly wasn't disappointed!
The 3CCD design (Red...
Advantages: Picture quality, interface/functionability, weight, size Disadvantages: Sound quality, can't charge and mains power simultaneously
...The picture quality is definitely commendable on this camera, except when using the photograph function - this is however a problem with many videocameras.
Canon have concentrated on the lens and semi-professional, to professional functions on this camera and have not cluttered it with effects.
It has many handy functions such as Zebra (which you can adjust the sensitivity on) which allows you to set your exposure to the right levels, preventing brilliant white. It also has all of your standard functions such as white balance (Manual and Auto), Exposure (Manual and Auto), 4:3/16:9 Aspect Ratios and seperate volume controls for the left and right audio channels.
The battery life is pretty good on these, I have managed to use mine for 2/3 hours at a time with the LCD panel open.
The only let down with this camera is the sound quality...
Advantages: Great for special events. Disadvantages: Pricey!
...As most top quality items do, we get a nicely packaged item, with all the appropriate information, such as the instruction manual, which is overall very easy to follow and it even includes diagrams for those of you out there who are not over technically minded.
The XM2 is Canon's replacement for the DM-XM1 three-CCD MiniDV camcorder. If you have seen a Sony VX2000, you will notice that these two camcorders look quite alike.
Although the image of it looks quite sturdy it actually isn't (measuring 11.8 cm x 30.6 cm x 13.6 cm) , also weighing in at 1.12 kg, it makes it all that comfortable to hold. So, no tired arms!
The Canon XM2 digital camcorder is the ideal choice for recording broadcast or web content, making educational videos or registering an event like a wedding. A point worth raising is that the battery lasts for a fair...
Advantages: Excellent lens quality, clear image, good colour reproduction, manual overrides, colour viewfinder Disadvantages: Not brilliant in low light, mic could be better, not HD
...The Canon XM2 is the middle child of the camcorder world. Often sighted as too expensive by true amateur ?point-and-shoot? users, yet overlooked by the budding Spielberg who leap straight to it?s older brother the Canon XL2. So is this camera a stop gap in the pricing war, or are there other reasons to consider?
If you're looking to get high quality picture definition from your camcorder then nothing short of 3CCD will do, and the XM2 delivers. When a camera records an image, it does so by using a light sensor behind the lens that takes the place of the film in traditional cameras. By focusing the light on this sensor an image can be recorded, but the size of the sensor dictates how sharp the image quality and colour reproduction can be. With suppliers and consumers determined to make consumer electronics smaller and smaller...
Advantages: beautiful ride Disadvantages: poor residual values, image problem
...This top-of-the-range Citroen is like nothing else and it retains typical Citroen virtues of superb ride quality and individuality. Self-levelling suspension means superb ride quality but if buying an XM, look out for leaking self-levelling spheres.
Unfortunately the XM suffers from body roll and understeer. Also, a dodgy image means it loses value quickly, although for buyers this obviously means amazing second-hand value.
The interior is a little disappointing but you do get leather seats, air conditioning and electric everything. Also, the electrics give frequent problems and servicing costs are astronomical. We ended up scrapping a perfectly good car because every year the servicing costs amounted to £££ hundreds and we were spending more than the value of the car. A real shame....
teen
29.09.2000 ·Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Citroen XM2.0
Advantages: Ease of use, ability to do the job Disadvantages: no headphone socket or mic input
...I am a professional film maker. most times I shoot with Canon XM2 cameras. The tech spec of this interested me, its seems the money gone into the camera spec, not the frills. Ease of use is a big plus, easy to hold steady with both hands and the zoom..well superb. A brilliant all rounder and cheap enough to buy two which I did. Ebay offers them at around £130 and compared to other cameras in that range there is little competion. Picture quality is stunning, the only let down is the wind supressor on the sound, here it could be better, but hey a piece of dense foam infront of the mic makes a big difference, i can live with that. As a first and only camera you could make a film for Tv no problem, as a second/third cam on a shoot, I challenge you to spot the difference on most occasions between this and a camera 10x the price! Buy it.
www.LAURENCEHOGGPRODUCTIONS.co.uk...
Advantages: Interchageable lens system, 2xXLR inputs built in, adjustable viewfinder position Disadvantages: Not good for low light performance, bulky when compared to consumer units, not HD
...like most end users you plan to keep this on full auto and 'hose' it around you could probably get the same results with a cheaper option (the Canon XM2 springs to mind). But if you're a budding film maker or a photographic perfectionist then this model really allows you to take control of every aspect of the camera. From shutter speed to aperture you can create your look actually inside the camera.
Through your eyepiece you have easy line of sight to the 2.0 inch colour LCD viewfinder, accompanied by record, shutter and gain indicator lights, with optional on-screen metering for audio and light (very handy!). Flipping up the viewfinder exposes the 2inch LCD screen for use away from the eye, and the whole viewfinder unit can be moved back and forth to accommodate your size exactly while shoulder mounting the camera (lets hope you're right...
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