CanonXf300
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Canon firmware update for XF camcorders incoming, brings broadcast friendly format along
Still loving your XF video shooter from Canon, but lamenting the lack of 1440 x 1080, 35 mbps HD? Better sit down on your director's chair then, as it looks like a forthcoming firmware update for the series adds exactly this (at both 50i and 60i.) The format is popular with broadcast and news, and no doubt Canon is hoping to broaden the appeal of the XF line by bundling it in -- or smoothing the workflow of existing owners. The update will be available to all four cameras in the range (XF100, XF105, XF300, and XF305,) and you'll be able to start shooting with it from end of May.
Canon's XF305 and XF300 pro camcorders can now shoot in 3D... if you buy two of them
Make no mistake: that whole 3D-everything trend is snaking its way into professional-grade products. Canon has issued a firmware update allowing its year-old XF305 and XF300 pro camcorders to record 3D HD video. There's a catch, though: you'll need two of these bad boys, which cost a princely $8,000 and $6,700, respectively. For those with a well-stocked studio, Canon's "3D Assist Feature" aims to take some of the grunt work out of setting up two cameras to record in 3D by optically aligning their lenses and calibrating their zoom settings. The company also beefed up the scan reverse feature so that you can flip the orientation of the video to horizontal, vertical or diagonal -- a strong likelihood if you're using a 3D mirror rig. Canon slipped in a few extra goodies as well, including the ability to turn off relay recording from one memory card to another, and to simultaneously record to two memory cards, should you be paranoid about data loss. So what are you waiting for? Download the update. And, you know, get yourself a second camera.
Canon debuts XF305, XF300 pro camcorders with direct-to-CF recording
Looking for a pro-level video camera that's somewhere south of an ARRI ALEXA or RED ONE but still impressive-looking enough (and feature-packed) to not be mistaken for an average, off-the-shelf prosumer camera? Then you might want to consider Canon's new XF305 and XF300 models, which both come in under $8,000 and not only offer the usual native 1080p recording, but support for recording directly to CompactFlash cards as well. Both cameras also use the same MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps codec and DIGIC DV III image processor, and pack the same 4-inch LCD, 0.52-inch electronic viewfinder, built-in stereo microphone and dual XLR audio inputs, while the XF305 adds support for multi-camera or 3D setups as well. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look, and look for both cameras to be available in later June. [Thanks, Stephen C]%Gallery-89976%
