Should I buy the Canon GL-2?
 

Right now, I've got a GL-1 and I'm debating on getting the GL-2. I heard it's basically the same thing... Anyone have it?

ive heard the same, oddly enough ive seen the gl-1 go for more than the gl-2 brand new in the current market. im not sure if thats supply and demand or what...but maybe you could sell your gl-1 and pick up a new gl-2 for maybe 500 bucks more

I'd like to keep my GL-1 as a backup camera.

Yes

I had a GL1 before, dunno shit about the GL2. Had to giveaway my camera in a past business settlement. :/

Anyways, can we review your site SweetCuties.com? Just send me an e-mail please.. socks @ adultsitesurfer.com or ICQ 1209684

Yes I think you should do it asap, then in vegas hand me over your old one which you prolly will never use again and it will just go to waste. Then you can go to sleep knowing you helped out a fellow.

hahah

TOM

I own the GL2
I never owned the GL1 so I can't say what is different.
I love the GL, It runs on the same software that it's older brother uses, it has all the necessary bells and whistles to film in any light and it is easy to use.

I have the XL 1s and though there is a difference in the quality of film, it is not noticeable on the web. If fact it only becomes noticeable when I burn to DVD and view on a HD TV.


The only trouble that I have had is that Primere does not have the native DV camera controler for it yet..... ( I havent checked in a few weeks)

To sum it all up, at this level, you can't beat canon.

No...Not worth it.

Of course, I would not have bought the GL1 in the first place.

:2 cents:

The above statement is why drugs are considered bad. :)

Lol... if I get the GL-2, I'll put the order in tomorrow. Gotta do it before this year ends... I need some more write-off's.

Can't wait for Vegas, I plan on doing alot of shooting :2 cents:

Yea, :1orglaugh

This should help. Here's a review I found on DV.com


Canon: GL2
Do you believe in deja vu? You know, the feeling that you've seen something before? Well, the Canon GL2 (www.canondv.com) is a camera that inspires that kind of emotion - it's familiar, but something seems a little different.

It's logical that the GL2 should carry over some traits from its older sibling, the Canon GL1. The basic shape and white color are still there, albeit with some smoothing of lines near the lens. Most of the controls are pretty much where they were before, but there are surprises in store for the eagle-eyed user.

Hit parade
Number one on the hit parade are the two manual audio-level knobs near the back of the camera. When the GL1 came out, users were shocked that Canon's camera had no way to adjust audio manually. Canon heard the call on that point: Two recessed thumbwheels make it possible to individually adjust left or right levels. And to make these gems even more useful, Canon added XLR audio inputs. Don't see them? Hang on - I'll get back to that later.

To go along with the audio-level controls, the GL2 features three audio meters, but you can only use two of them. There are meters in the viewfinder and the 2.5-inch pop-out LCD screen, and a third set on the left side of the camera. Although I applaud the addition of metering, I was mystified by the placement of the third meter on the side. There is no way anyone could actually use the side meters while looking in the viewfinder or at the LCD screen because these locations have their own meters already. Maybe the side meters could be used by a separate audio operator, but they could do that just as easily using the meters in the LCD. I just don't get it.

Peek below the LCD screen and you find a door with an SD MultiMediaCard installed behind it. Yes, the GL2 is now a still camera as well, with a 1.7 Mega-pixel (1488 x 1128 pixels) maximum resolution and the ability to transfer stills via USB. You can also capture still images at DV resolution to tape as well; you select between recording to tape or SD card with a switch above the roll button. The imager is still three pixel-shifted, 1/4-inch CCDs, although the pixel count has jumped up to 410,000 (380,000 active) and the gorgeous 20X optical zoom Fluorite lens holds over from the GL1.

All over again
This is where the deja vu got stranger. In the December 2001 issue of DV, I reviewed the new Canon XL1S, which boasted advanced new features such as SMPTE color bars; adjustable shutdown modes; 16:9 guide markings; picture adjustments like setup level, color gain, and sharpness; and clearscan. What's weird is that the GL2 now has all of those features too! It looks like the software from the XL1S was lifted lock, stock, and barrel and dropped in the GL2 - and that's a good thing. Another newly inherited feature is variable dual zebras. If you've ever used a camera with in-monitor zebra patterns, you know they are an indispensable tool for getting great pictures. As with big brother XL1S, the GL2 offers variable zebra settings at 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100. Set one zebra to 80 percent for average Caucasian skin tone and a second zebra at 95 percent for peaking via the GL2's custom keys function, and you are well on your way to better-exposed video.

Test shots both inside and outdoors revealed a nicely balanced, colorful picture, which offered a tad more sharpness than the Canon picture we're all used to. Low-light shots at +18 dB show a bit of grain, but it wasn't objectionable. Warm pictures have always been a Canon hallmark, and the GL2 didn't disappoint, the new picture adjustments allow you to add or subtract from that.



Nice shoes
"Okay," you say, "where are the XLRs?" It turns out that the flash shoe on the GL2 is a lot more than a place to clamp a light. In fact, it's now called the Advanced Accessory Shoe, and it supports the MA300 XLR adapter (optional, $250), a DM-50 directional stereo shotgun (optional, $199), or a 3 W (watt) light. Of course, you can only use one accessory at a time.

When you slide the MA300 into the shoe, you end up with a camera configuration that can only be called "PD150-esque," and I don't mean that in a good way. When the Sony PD150 came out, I was thrilled that Sony had finally added XLR audio connectors, but I was aghast at where they had been put: up in the front, mounted sideways, so that there is no clean way to plug in cables without draping them over the side of the camera. The MA300 uses the same design and is just a bit worse with a removable XLR block and a mounting shoe made entirely out of plastic. This thing is going to shatter the first time an inattentive audio person tightens the cables on a walking shooter. Again, nice try, but no cigar.

On the whole, I like the GL2. The addition of all of the XL1S features is a great step forward, but the camera falls back when the audio meters and MA300 are factored in. Is it a worthy successor to the GL1? Certainly. Is it all it should be? Not quite.




Bruce A. Johnson has been shooting and editing for over 20 years, most recently at Wisconsin Public Television. He freelances through his company Painted Post MultiMedia (www.ppmm.com).

What camera beats the gl2 in the under 3k market?
a Sony? bleh
a Panisonic? hoho
I gues if you shoot high 8 there might be better but who the hell uses high 8?

Yep...A Sony VX-2000 beats the living shit out of the GL1 or GL2.

Not even in the same ballpark. The ONLY advantage of the Canon is that it can shoot 30 FPS progressive. Big deal....I don't shoot in progressive/frame mode anyway and if I want to grab stills, they are just as good from non progressive Sony as they are from frame mode with the Canon...Maybe even a little better.

The Sony shoots in lower light, has larger sensors, and has better editing features.

But WTF do I know? I am still a newbie. :thumbsup

I'm not disputing your knowledge, I'm just curious,

the GL (not that I use this feature) has the ability to shoot up to 1488 x 1128 stills in a JPEG format, and it saves it on to separate memorey chip. I would put the GL1 and the Sony VX-2000 in the same class, The GL2 is more of a competitor to the Sony PD-150, which uses 1/3" chips and costs about $1000 more.
From an overall sharpness point of view, the GL2 and the PD are about equal. The Canon's smaller chips actually have more active pixels than the PD-150's. (and don't forget that the Canon lens is 20x, and Sony is just 12x).

In terms of sensitivity, the Sony has an edge on the Canon, but not much. At higher gain settings, the Canon is a somewhat more noisy than the PD-150.

The colorimetry of the PD was more true to the subject. The GL2 seemed over-saturated.


But I am a newbie also. :Graucho

VX 2K 4 Life. :BangBang:

AND you are quoting somebodies review. If you are going to try to play smart with me then at least re-write it from your own point of view.

How many people are actually going to take stills with a video camera? Nobody in this business that I know of. Screen caps yes, still....no. We all know better.

You post a screen cap from your GL1 and when I get home I will post one from my VX2000 then we can compare. And if you are an honest man....unlike your above quoted review....then you will NOT post a screen cap from your XL1.

I didn't know this was a Thesis paper.
I will always state my sources in the future..
One of the reviews I read make my decision when buying a lower model camera for certain shoots, and the one I quoted above was written by Steven Trent Smith from the digital journalist.

I don't own a GL1, I own a GL2
Here a cap
To "keep it honest"
I am using a Canopus DVstorm card, and Corel10 capture at 72 dpi RGB setting. Other than saving it to jpg it is unaltered.

http://www.sassyassproductions.com/junk/cap.jpg

and here is one for my XL sorry its not of me holding it, its not at home at the moment,
http://www.sassyassproductions.com/junk/xl.jpg

I am still unclear on why I would judge the video camera I buy, by the screen caps I can get from it... maybe the criteria I used to buy my camera was incorrect.
I own a n Olympus E-20n for stills. not the best camera by far, I was offered a deal on it I couldn't refuse.

Anyway,

Why the hostility?
It's a fucking forum board. Everyone has their own opinion. I'm sure for every article I can find that says the GL2 is better you can find one that says the opposite.

They are both fine cameras. To say that the Sony beats the living shit out of the GL2 is a bit much Aaron.

It really depends on what you want to use the camera for. If you are mostly going to be indoors, I'd probably go with the Sony. If you are going to be outdoors and want more zoom, the Canon is the way to go.

The camera is only part of the equation though. You have to consider the person behind the camera. The best camera in the world won't be worth a shit if the person behind it won't even read the manual.

Go to a camera store and play around with each of them and find the one that works for you. Either one is a fine choice.

because it's real hard to use a video and still camera at the same time and if you can get "good enough stills for web use" from your dv tape then there is no need to have 2 shooters or set up a seperate video shoot and still shoot.

Why the hostility? Here is a hint... GoFuckYourself.com

Who needs articles? I go from personal experience. Those who have shot with both cameras know the difference.

The reason I bring up the frame mode and still pics as a comparison is because the Canon's 30fps in frame mode is the ONLY perceived advantage over the Sony and as you can see....The Sony has a better pic quality. If I were to shrink the images down to the same size that you have shown then they would of course appear to be better quality.

Sorry if anybody is offended by the porn but it happens to be the business that I am in......Believe it or not. :Graucho

http://www.ampcontent.com/pics/ScreenCap3.jpg
http://www.traintramps.com/TF6-Miranda047.jpg

Aaron, we use Sony VX2000's as well. I like how they feel like workhorses. I love a meaty camera. You'd just have to use one to know what all Sony users already know...

Hey, how did you get those screen caps? We use Sony VX2000's (2 to 3 depending on the party) and sometimes use a Sony DSC-F707 or a Nikon D1 for the stills. Sometimes we shoot a party, and if it's spontaneous, we may not have a guy there with a still camera. And we need to get screen caps. Since we are using the same camera as you, how do you get stills that good? I have yet to perfect my method.

We generally do not take stills with the DV cam, so all the stills would need to be screen caps.

AaronM

Can you Please Contact me?
22264474
[email protected]

thanks...

RedShoe: I use a standard firewire from the camera to the firewire port that came with the computer. I typically grab my screen caps using Pinacle Studio just because it is so damn easy to use. I grab them with the default setting of 720x480 but move from 96 to 72 dpi.


GotGauge: Sure thing... I am not home now though. No ICQ here but I will get back to you tonight or tomorrow.

How did you get those caps?
After seeing the quality of them, I started to goof around with some clips from my GL2. Can't get em... and wont get them.

So I moved to the XL clips, and got about the same quality as yours. That tells me I am using the wrong software to cap.



.......
Saw your answer above.

Not the wrong software...Just the wrong Camera. I rest my case. :glugglug

The XL1 is very comparable to the VX2000 but about a grand more and quite a bit bulkier.

So the Sony is better than the XL 1s for vid caps?

is that what your saying?

Not at all. I am saying that the VX2000 is better than the GL series. I would not dare compare the Sony screen caps to a camera that I have not personally obtained screen caps from. I have shot with the XL1s and found it to be a pain in the ass for the type of shooting I do...It is too awkward and I like to shoot while looking at an LCD screen. Yeah, I know Canon makes one as an add on but then where do I mount my shotgun mic?

True enough, My partner went out and bought the 6" screen, It's usless in these types of shoots. It sits on my desk connected to my computer for a mini view screen...

Yep...Anything else we can debate on this evening? :Graucho

Xl1s competes with the PD150
GL2 competes with the VX2000

In both cases I would get the sony. but you can't go wrong with any of them.


Here's why I would get the sony VX2000 over the GL2.

VX2000has 1/3 inch chips
GL2 has 1/4th inch chips


Don't care about 20x zoom, I'm shooting porn.
Don't care about gain settings or low lux performance, I use lights!

Fuck off newbie... .:321GFY You think you are a pro videographer or something? What.....You shoot for major sports teams and know your shit? oh wait....nevermind. :)

Wanna go for that Sushi now? I have been working all day and could use a break. Give me a call.

And what if you were shooting outside at night under a bunch of fucked up lights and had nothing to do a manual white balance with?

http://www.traintramps.com/TF7-Summer009.jpg

Or if you were shooting in a Limo at night with a cheap ass $40 on camera light?

http://www.traintramps.com/TF7-Summer048.jpg

Yeah...I know the answers...I just wanted to post more pics. :)

Call me bro. Let's at least get a drink. :glugglug

Aaron,

Are these examples suposed to show how well the vx2000 does with caps?
I can get the same results or better with a TRV900.

I guess I can now rule out the VX2000 if I want anything better. (as in eliminating the stairstepping effect in all these pics)
thanks for the examples!:thumbsup

Believe it or not sports is easier then Porn, because I don't have to worry about the lighting.

You said it "on camera light"

Never leave home without it.

No problem bro. BTW, you can eliminate the stair stepping be either A: Shooting Progressive or B: shrinking the images slightly.

A better screen cap is hard to come by for under the $3000 figure being discussed. I believe that a similar conversation regaurding the TRV900 was had back on November 10th.

Sound familiar? :)

Quit playing bro. See you in Vegas. I owe you for the loan of the CF card back in August....Let's toss a couple of drinks back on my tab. :glugglug

OK... But I think that Rob may get a little pissy with me for bringing the camera and light into the strip club since we are not shooting anything there tonight.

Which reminds me....Don't let me forget to talk with Rob about shooting the January contest. I still want your assistance with that.

See you in about 30 mins. :thumbsup