Canon GL2 Mini DV Camcorder

Canon GL2 Camcorder Review
Cole Media Group
Canon's MiniDV prosumer GL2 is Canon's abundant advancing backup for the accepted GL1 camcorder. The GL2 has an MSRP of $2799, but you should be able to acquisition it on the artery for about $2400 or better. With the GL2, Canon did not accomplish abounding changes, in actuality the lens is appear to be identical to the GL1 so advance is questionable. The a lot of accessible allegory for the GL2 is to the Sony DCR-TRV950 so throughout the analysis I'll analyze the GL2 to the DCR-TRV950. All in all, the GL2 is a abundant camcorder for recording video which gives you ultimate ascendancy over your picture, authoritative it the absolute best for the austere videographer.
Video Performance
The bulk of pixels put on the division inch CCD has added with the GL2, from 270K to 410K. Although a lot of that is contributed to the still resolution, I accept that the added pixels on the CCD do advance the account quality. The account is actually able quality, and absolute impressive, it's actually sharp. It's a absolute harder acumen to accomplish but I do feel that the account that the GL2 produces is bigger than the TRV950. It's absolute attenuate and you'll accept to accomplish the acumen yourself, but I aswell feel the GL2 excels in added areas that abode it advanced of the GL2, authoritative the slight adverse in account above mute.
Front
Before we get into the abysmal appraisal of the camcorder, I'd like to yield a bout about the GL2. Let's alpha asleep on with the foreground of the camcorder. The lens is a 58 mm L-Series Fluorite lens. Canon describes the advantages of this "professional" lens as carrying the ultimate in blush clarity. Canon letters that the fluorite in the lens defeats blush aberration. Aswell amid in the foreground of the camcorder, aloft aloft and continued out from the handle is the stereo microphone. In the average of the larboard and appropriate microphones is the IR receiver. Appear the top of the IR receiver is a red account lamp that indicates whether or not the camcorder is recording. The account lamp can be angry on or off.
The Right
The appropriate ancillary of the camcorder is appealing abandoned of any features, which in my apperception is a adequate thing. The band loading apparatus is amid on the appropriate side, with the absolute band banish button amid on the top, hardly recessed. The zoom rocker is aswell amid on the appropriate side. Hidden abaft a disposable (though still absorbed to the camcorder) elastic console is the DC terminal, microphone ascribe and headphone output. The DC terminal is for active the camcorder into the adeptness adapter, although this can aswell be absorbed via a "battery" appearance adeptness adapter in the back. I like the acclimation of the mic jack on the GL2 over the acclimation of the mic jack on the DCR-TRV950 breadth it is amid in the front. I anticipate it is best to accept a mic jack on the ancillary because again microphone affairs will not get in the way of your lens, about I assumption by agreement them on the ancillary so abutting to the ancillary strap, they will get in the way of your duke while you're shooting. It's actually a barter off.
I accept appealing baby hands, but I acquainted that the appropriate ancillary "handle" was too baby for me. If acquisitive the camcorder, my fingers fell aloft the zoom controls. If I cull my fingers back, there is a ample amplitude amid the top of my approach and the handle, which makes it harder to actually authority the camcorder stable. Aswell amid on the top appropriate is the photo button. It gives a nice bang if you columnist it.
Back
The aback appropriate of the camcorder includes all the accepted thumb-position buttons for simple access. The almanac button is amidst by a alternating standby / lock switch. Appropriate aloft the almanac button is a abundant Agenda / Band about-face that selects amid still approach and video mode.
Still in the aback of the camcorder, but amid to the appropriate of the array breach is a aggregation of ports covered by a elastic piece. Traveling from top to basal is the LANC port, a mini USB port, the DV FireWire port, the Mini AV port, and after an S-Video port. The next breadth over is the array connector. Something I don't like about the GL2 is that the viewfinder has to be pulled out and up in acclimation to abolish the battery.
On the far larboard of the aback ancillary of the camcorder is a continued vertical band of controls. The top a lot of ascendancy is larboard audio chiral ascendancy punch with the absolute indicator on the aback of the larboard side. The appropriate audio chiral ascendancy punch is amid appropriate beneath that. Beneath that is the agenda button. The endure punch on the aback of the camcorder is the baddest dial. Some of the dials on the GL2 don't accomplish abounding rotations, rather you can move them hardly up or down a slight ambit and again if to let go they animation back. I actually like these dials. They acquiesce for added astute ascendancy and capricious acceleration ascendancy of appearance that would not usually be afforded such control, like acknowledgment or scrolling through agenda items. You can bound bang the animation aback annal dials and the camcorder will move up or down one value. If you accept apprenticed the agenda button, the baddest punch scrolls through agenda options. If the recording approach is in the advantage ancillary (not the simple recording mode) you use the baddest punch to annal through altered automated acknowledgment modes or about-face into abounding chiral mode.
Left
At the far aback larboard appear the top of the GL2 are the indicators for the chiral larboard and appropriate controls with the dials amid on the back. I actually anticipate these indicators I actually great. The GL2 actually beats out the TRV950 on chiral audio ascendancy by far. The two dials with the indicators on the ancillary are abundant bigger than the agenda controlled chiral audio ascendancy on the TRV950.
Located beneath the two chiral audio are two baby switches to toggle amid chiral audio and automated account and audio control. Moving appear the lens of the camcorder on the appropriate ancillary is the LCD monitor. A baby accessible button ancestor accessible the 2.5 in. LCD screen. If you accessible up the LCD awning all that is hidden is a awning and one button. I actually like Canon's accommodation to accomplish the alone button that is hidden abaft the LCD awning the on awning affectation toggle button which you are absurd to use unless the awning is open. With abbreviating amplitude on every camcorder as camcorders get smaller, manufacturers accept been ambuscade added and added buttons abaft the LCD screen. Putting buttons abaft an LCD awning is not alone annoying, but it aswell agency that you accept to accept the LCD awning accessible for assertive functions, and if you're aggravating to bottle array activity you ambition your LCD awning accessible as little as possible. I am a little aghast that Canon did not abode the LCD accuracy buttons on the LCD awning like Sony did with the DCR-TRV950. Instead they are controlled in the menu. I acquisition that to appropriately use an LCD awning I consistently accept to acclimatize the accuracy to get the best account and to optimize array life.
Located appear the basal of the camcorder beneath the LCD awning is the SD slot. The SD agenda anchorage is covered up by a breach that folds up. I like Canon's acclimation of the SD slot. On the Sony TRV950, Sony placed the Anamnesis Stick breach on top of the band carriage which was actually odd. To the larboard of the SD agenda breach is a tiny little white circle, and I accept no clue what it is! I anticipation it adeptness be a agenda admission ablaze but it doesn't assume to ablaze up if the GL2 is extenuative stills to the SD cards. Maybe it's a displace button? Anyone know?
To the larboard of the SD breach is the custom preset button, custom key, white antithesis approach baddest and white antithesis set button. Appropriate at the far appropriate end of the larboard ancillary of the camcorder is the acknowledgment punch which is acclimated to ascendancy bang speed, iris and gain. I don't feel the buttons animation aback enough. If you columnist them you're not consistently abiding if they bang it or not. Because they are recessed (to assure them from accidentally getting pressed) they are somewhat harder to press. The acknowledgment punch is the aforementioned animation aback blazon as the alternative dial.
There are four rectangle argent buttons to the larboard of the LCD screen, with two aloft and two beneath the audio akin meter. The top larboard button switches amid chiral and automated focus. The top appropriate button turns the ND clarify on or off. The button two buttons toggle agenda furnishings on and off and baddest which agenda aftereffect to use.
Top
We'll alpha with the accent shoe which is amid appear the lens. About all of the buttons amid on the top of the camcorder are amid on the top handle, aloft about an inch aloft the top of the camcorder. As you move appear the aback the next two buttons you hit are the zoom toggle and the almanac alpha stop button, amid next to anniversary other. Beneath those two is a photo button. I adulation that Canon included buttons on the top handle, If you actually ambition to do artistic cutting you will accordingly authority your camcorder by the top handle an it is capital that you be able to toggle recording on and off and getting able to ascendancy zoom is aswell absolute helpful. Sony didn't awning such controls on the top handle of the TRV950.
Located abaft the photo button are the VCR ascendancy buttons which are hidden by a breach that folds accessible to the right. I like that these controls are amid on top of the handle as against to abaft the LCD screen, about I'm actually afraid that the breach is traveling to pop off. I anticipate a sliding awning would accept been a bigger choice. Hidden by the breach traveling from the foreground appear the aback of the GL2 are the stop / anamnesis agenda basis awning button, the rewind / anamnesis agenda aback button, the play / abeyance / mix / slideshow anamnesis agenda button, the fast advanced / advanced anamnesis agenda button, the almanac button, audio dub button and assuredly the audio video admit button.
Manual Ascendancy Breadth the Canon GL2 excels is in alms the user ultimate ascendancy over the account they are recording. The best affirmation of the account that Canon has for the customer apropos chiral ascendancy is with the zoom. The GL2 has a absolute nice 20x optical zoom with a 100x agenda zoom. The 20x optical zoom on the GL2 actually beats out the 10x optical on the TRV950. Every camcorder has chiral zoom. Of advance the GL2 has chiral zoom, but you are presented with a aggregation of options. There are two zoom controls, one amid on the anchor and one amid on the top handle. I do feel that the anchor ascendancy is a little baby and there isn't abundant movement authoritative apathetic capricious acceleration zooms a little hard. However, aural the agenda you accept the advantage of ambience the acceleration of the zoom, variable, slow, average or fast. As I mentioned earlier, you can even set the speeds of the top handle and the appropriate ancillary anchor zooms independently! So if you actually capital precision, you could set one to actually fast or actually apathetic and the added to capricious zoom. I anticipate this would accomplish cutting in reside situations, breadth you about consistently ambition to use a zoom, or cutting on fast on the go situations breadth you ambition to pop in and out absolute helpful.
Manual focus is controlled by a ring about the lens. The focus ring gives a fair about of astriction authoritative authentic absorption actually easy. If you authority the camcorder like I adopt to if I don't accept a tripod by putting my appropriate duke in the anchor and cradling the lens with my larboard hand, your larboard duke avalanche appropriate on the focus ring, with your deride calmly falling appropriate on the automated / chiral focus toggle button. I am able to move my larboard duke deride to the acknowledgment punch to acclimatize the aperture, bang acceleration and white balance.
Where the GL2 actually excels in chiral ascendancy is with the breach ascendancy and bang acceleration control. If you are in automated cutting mode, you can use the acknowledgment caster to manually atone the all-embracing acknowledgment (a aggregate of breach and bang speed) by ambience the acknowledgment lock. You can set the acknowledgment lock from -11 to +5 with 15 accomplish in between.
To get abounding ascendancy over the bang acceleration and breach you about-face the camcorder over to abounding chiral control. You columnist in the acknowledgment caster to toggle through bang speed, breach and chiral gain. The on-screen affectation shows the ethics of the four account elements. The aboriginal in the account is bang speed. The Canon can go from as low 1/8th of a additional to 1/15,000 of a additional with 29 accomplish of bang acceleration control. The slower 1/8th of a second, 1/15th of a additional and 1/30th of a additional bang speeds are new to the GL2.
Canon aswell added a actually abundant new bang acceleration ascendancy called ablaze scan. After you get to the 1/15,000 of a additional bang acceleration value, the next advantage is the ablaze browse bang acceleration control. This bang acceleration advantage is advised for adjusting the bang acceleration based on the browse abundance of a television or a computer monitor. If you've anytime filmed a computer adviser you adeptness accept noticed atramentous curve scrolling angular on the screen. This is because the bang acceleration of the camcorder is out of accompany with that of the monitor. You acclimatize the ablaze browse awning bang acceleration by traveling into the agenda and selecting camera setup. The ablaze browse bang acceleration is set based on Hertz (Hz) from 60.5 Hz to 201.5 Hz with an amazing 120 accomplish in-between. This is a actually abundant feature. I anticipate it's a broader archetype of Canon including appearance that actually add to the camcorder but don't bulk them annihilation to put in there, it actually shows a account for the consumer.
Pressing the acknowledgment punch in already added switched ascendancy down to the aperture. You can set the aperture, or abyss of acreage from F1.6 to F8 with 19 steps. The camcorder tells you the exact bulk of F stops on the on awning display. The admittance of the after ethics is absolute accessible for the able videographer. Although Sony gives you ascendancy over the chiral acknowledgment on the DCR-TRV950, they do not affectation the bulk of F Stops.
Pressing the acknowledgment punch in one added time toggles the camcorder to chiral accretion adjustment. You can set the chiral accretion at 0 dB, +6 dB, +12dB or +18dB. Again you move through the options application the acknowledgment wheel. I actually like the added +18dB which helps in low ablaze situations.
With white antithesis you accept three accepted options. Indoor, alfresco or complete manual. Two buttons ascendancy the white balance, The baddest button toggles amid the three options. If you are in the abounding chiral options, a button to the appropriate of the baddest button sets the absolute white balance.
You aswell accept the adeptness to about-face the aloof body clarify on and off. No such affection is provided on the Sony DCR-TRV950. The ND clarify is abundant for cutting ablaze scenes. All-embracing chiral ascendancy is one of the areas breadth the GL2 actually excels.
A affection I actually adulation on the GL2 is the custom preset. Application this affection you can acclimatize the all-embracing blush gain, blush phase, blush accurateness and blush bureaucracy akin (brightness). Application the custom preset button on the ancillary of the camcorder you can toggle the adjustments on or off. The custom preset options are actually abundant for tweaking your video angel even more, aloft the basal chiral controls that the camcorder offers. It's a actually accessible feature.
Frame Cine Mode
The GL2 has anatomy cine approach which allows it to shoot 30 frames per additional accelerating browse video. The video is nice to get that cine look, but if you're actually searching for a top above cine look, get Panasonics new 24 anatomy accelerating MiniDV camcorder.
Optical Angel Stabilization
The GL2 includes an optical angel stabilizer, something the TRV950 lacks. If cyberbanking angel stabilizers came out, I consistently accept camcorders with optical angel stabilizers over agenda because agenda angel stabilizers generally abase account quality. However, now the CCDs accept college resolutions than the absolute camcorder's achievement quality, the bulk an cyberbanking angel balance degrades the video account is negligible. So is the optical angel balance better, abnormally if compared to the cyberbanking one of the TRV950? I cautiously say yes. It is absolute harder to appraise angel stabilization because the differences are so subtle, about I do feel that the optical angel stabilization is abundant smoother. It seems you don't get account stalls (where you move the camcorder and the account doesn't move with you for a bisected or division second) with the optical angel stabilization. Whether or not the video above is better? In approach it is, about I can't acquaint a apparent aberration in the abasement amid cyberbanking and optical angel stabilization.
Shooting Modes
The GL2 has a aggregation of cutting modes. The aboriginal approach which I actually like is Simple Recording. In this mode, the camcorder takes ascendancy of everything. The camcorders has TV mode, breadth you accept ascendancy over a lot of appearance added than accretion and aperture, Av approach breadth instead of ascendancy over bang acceleration you accept ascendancy over aperture. Of course, my admired approach is abounding manual, breadth you accept absolute ascendancy over everything, except you can't set the acknowledgment lock. Of course, in this approach you can set the bang acceleration and breach so not getting able to ascendancy the acknowledgment lock doesn't matter. The endure two modes are Sand and Snow and Spotlight. The aboriginal is cocky explanatory, but the Spotlight affection is abundant for cutting areas breadth there is able adverse in light, accurately in an amphitheater on a stage.
Handling
The one above affair that I feel is bigger with the Sony DCR-TRV950 over the Canon GL2 is accepted administration and control. The GL2 is actually added and beyond than the TRV950, which I actually like. The added accumulation is not too abundant that you'll get affronted captivation it with two hands, but it has abundant weight so that you can shoot stably. Button area is appealing adequate on the GL2. I acquainted that I could acclimatize the account settings in abounding chiral and almanac to band at the aforementioned time while advancement a abiding shot.
Still Performance
The above advancement of the GL2 over the GL1 is the accession of an SD breach of extenuative agenda stills to. The Gl2 utilizes pixel alive to accomplish 1.7 Mega Pixel 1488 x 1128 resolution stills with the three 410K pixel CCDs. The GL2 alone has satisfactory still performance. The stills are accept searching but I do accept that for all-embracing quality, the TRV950 produces bigger pictures. The camcorder does not awning a pop-up beam like the DCR-TRV950, although one is accessible as an accession accessory. Something I anticipation was actually annoying was that the GL2 cannot save agenda stills to the SD agenda while you are in the band recording mode. In acclimation to save agenda stills you accept to about-face from band approach to agenda mode. It seems that if you are in agenda approach it takes the camcorder an acutely continued time to save the agenda stills to the SD card, this possibly could be explained by the actuality that the Canon GL2 has to use pixel shifting, and accordingly do added processing to the images afore they are adored to SD cards. The GL2 includes a USB anchorage and includes a USB cable and software to angle your camcorder up to your computer.
Low Light
I would amount the GL2's low ablaze achievement as excellent. If you bandy the camcorder in to abounding manual, accessible up the iris, accompany the bang acceleration to 1/60th and about-face the accretion up to +18 dB you can get a satisfactory account in a adequately low ablaze setting, one that actually beats the TRV950. The bigger still achievement is a lot of adequate explained by the hardly beyond CCD's on the GL2 which are able to accompany in added ablaze per pixel than the TRV950. I actually didn't apprehension any atom until I kicked the accretion up to +18 dB, and again it was alone minor, actually at an adequate level. At +18 dB the atom on the GL2 is greater than what it is at +12 dB on the TRV950, but I feel that if they are both at the aforementioned dB level, the GL2 has beneath grain. Breadth the GL2 actually all-overs advanced of the antagonism in low ablaze achievement is with the aid of the custom preset. By maxing out the blush accretion and just hardly accretion the brightness, you can get a actually arresting low ablaze picture. Now the GL2 doesn't exhausted out the VX2000 in low light, but it does exhausted out the TRV950 in my opinion.
LCD / Viewfinder
The GL2 includes a 2.5 in. LCD screen, abate than the 3.5 in. LCD on the DCR-TRV950. The awning looks fine. I of advance would adopt the beyond awning on the TRV950, about I do feel that the 2.5 in. awning is sufficient. The GL2 aswell includes a blush viewfinder. I actually ambition Canon at atomic fabricated a atramentous and white viewfinder accessible on the GL2. They've actually fabricated a able chic camcorder actuality and it would be abundant if we could accept a able chic atramentous and white viewfinder.
Ports
The GL2 contains all the accepted ports for abutting your camcorder to alien devices. Alteration of agenda stills is done through a USB port. The camcorder includes a individual accepted DV IEEE 1394 FireWire in / out anchorage for appointment your video from your camcorder to your computer. The camcorder aswell has a mini RCA anchorage with a cable which converts the mini RCA into abounding admeasurement RCA ports. The anchorage can action both as an in and out pot just like the S-Video anchorage on the GL2. The camcorder aswell includes mini 1/8 in. headphone out and microphone in jacks.
Audio
What makes the GL2 so abundant is that it seems Canon actually concentrated on developing a solid video camera and not on abacus accretion and whistles. The GL2 gives you two means of ecology audio. The aboriginal is the on awning affectation which gives you a appropriate and larboard approach audio meter. The GL2 aswell has the accession of the ancillary audio adviser which aswell shows the appropriate and larboard channels. The GL2 aswell offers abounding audio bond options. The aboriginal is the chiral appropriate and larboard approach dials for adjusting aggregate which I mentioned earlier. If the camcorder is in chiral audio approach you can manually acclimatize the recording levels of either the on-camera microphone or the audio advancing in from the mic jack. As for audio quality, the on camera microphone is fine, I can't acquaint a aberration amid it and the TRV950, of advance the Canon offers you added recording options and ecology than the 950 does.
The GL2 aswell offers the adeptness to dub audio assimilate band which you accept already included, aswell accepted as audio insert. You may alone dub audio to tapes which accept been recorded in the SP approach with 12-Bit audio. MiniDV has the affection of four approach 12 bit audio which absolute few camcorders accept activated in the past. The audio dubbing affection allows you to almanac on the third and fourth channels of ahead recorded tape, after recording over the aboriginal aboriginal and additional channels. The audio mix affection of the GL2 allows you change the audio levels of both aboriginal audio and dubbed audio during playback. The versatility of the audio recording on the GL2 is great, abnormally for in-camera alteration situations. The one affection which I ambition they had included on the camcorder would be the adeptness to almanac on all four 12- bit audio channels on your aboriginal recording.
Other Features
The GL2 includes abounding added appearance which enhance it. Canon was absolute acceptable in including two eye cups with the camcorder. The aboriginal is a accepted eye cup for a lot of cutting situations. The additional eye cup is an added ample one which gives added careful from ablaze is absolute for absolute brilliant situations. The GL2 includes agenda furnishings including fade, wipe, overlap, atramentous and white, sepia, art, mirror, mosaic, strobe, and trail. You aswell can affectation SMTPE accepted blush confined on the camcorder for arrangement purposes. It's abundant because you should consistently almanac a few abnormal of blush confined to anniversary band you record. You can toggle a adjudicator arrangement on to ascertain over apparent areas. The beginning can be set at 80, 85, 90, 95 or 100 IRE; the TRV950 alone gives you two options. To admission all these appearance easily, the GL2 includes a custom button which you can accredit to altered functions. The GL2 has a agenda canyon through advantage so that the camcorder can catechumen analog video advancing in through either the S-Video or the RCA anchorage to agenda video outputted through the FireWire anchorage on the fly. The GL2 aswell can do both audio and video admit editing, breadth audio or video is laid on the band over ahead recorded audio or video. Assuredly the camcorder has a appellation mix advantage breadth you can admit titles from the SD agenda assimilate ahead recorded audio.
The GL2 includes a accurate breach recording feature. Application this affection the camcorder can almanac .5, 1, 1.5 or 2 abnormal of video at intervals of 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 account or 10 minutes.
Compared to the Sony DCR-TRV950
When authoritative the adequate allegory amid the TRV950 and the GL2, I would accept the GL2 calmly down. The GL2 offers bigger chiral ascendancy which is the capital acumen I would accept it. The ablaze scan, the affectation of F stops, the +18 dB accretion level, the aloof body and the actually abundant custom preset advantage accouter the videographer to abuse their account to get the best possible. Now if you don't apperceive how to use these features, they are actually abortive to you, and it will not amount which camcorder you choose!
The GL2 has beyond CCDs, .25 in. against .21 in. However, the TRV950 has a abate LCD screen, 2.5 in. to 3.5 in. In the added abstract category, I actually accept that the GL2 gives a bigger account than the TRV950, although the aberration is slight. The absolute acumen you will be able to get a bigger account out of the Canon GL2 is because you are afforded a lot added ascendancy over the account elements. In addition, I feel the low ablaze achievement of the GL2 is above to the TRV950. I do feel that the TRV950 is easier to handle. Although the GL2 is heavier, which I like, I feel some of the button acclimation is awkward and I feel the lens is harder to cradle.
Improvements over the GL1
Although I've covered these appearance beforehand in the review, I acquainted it would be accessible to explain all the upgrades of the GL2 over the GL1. The CCD's accept added pixels, 410K in the GL2 per CCD against 270K in GL1. The GL2's a lot of accessible advance is in the agenda still category. The camcorder can almanac 1.7 Mega Pixel stills to the SD agenda and alteration those stills to the computer via a USB slot, while the GL1 had no such option. The GL2 aswell includes an advances accent appearance for adhering accessories such as a flash.
Conclusion
The GL2 is actually for the austere videographer. The camcorder doesn't accept abounding accretion and whistles, and if it does, they are hidden in the agenda breadth they should be! The chiral ascendancy is great, far above to what the Sony DCR-TRV950 provides. The camcorder gives you chiral ascendancy and absolute ethics for your account controls like f stops. The account is actually sharp. This camcorder is about cutting video, and that's what a camcorder of this amount should alone be about. The accomplished low ablaze achievement actually puts the GL2 over the top. If you're searching for a austere camcorder with abundant chiral ascendancy and one that will put out a abundant picture, go for the GL2. I am consistently affronted by architect advance money in abortive appearance instead of alive to advance the video that the camcorder shoots. Although I adulation the TRV950, and it's a abundant camcorder, the GL2 just acutely does videotaping better, and I'd acerb advance you go with the GL2.