Updated Jan 30/12
Canon XA10 - Reg $2049 Sale $1899 -
special order - sale ends Feb 29
Canon XA10 Professional
Camcorder with 64GB Internal Flash Memory and Full Manual Control
Find Wide Angle lenses for this camera here
The XA10 Professional Camcorder allows users to record up to 24 hours of clear high definition video to a 64GB internal flash drive or to two SDXC-compatible memory slots. With Relay Recording, the camcorder automatically switches video recording from the internal drive to the SD memory cards when the memory becomes full.
Video can be copied from the XA10’s internal drive to removable SD memory cards. That makes it easy to insert the card into your computer or HDTV’s card reader and view your recorded footage immediately.
Double Slot Recording allows recording to two SD cards simultaneously,
providing an automatic backup while shooting.
The XA10 features the AVCHD codec. AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High
Definition) was announced in 2006 and is quickly becoming the standard
for professional camcorders. AVCHD utilizes MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 compression
technology similar to the technology used in Canon’s HD DSLRs.
In addition to professional grade camcorders, AVCHD is very popular in the consumer market and as a result most non-linear editing software, both professional and consumer, have full support for the codec; this makes for easy compatibility with the XA10 no matter what system the user chooses.
AVCHD is used for encoding Blu-ray discs, meaning the XA10 is ideal for capturing content for delivery in this format, as well as making conversion to web-based content in H.264 format easy.
Additionally, the XA10 records up to 24Mbps, the maximum bit rate of AVCHD, at 1920 x 1080 and 4:2:0 color space for sharp, vivid, and fully professional quality image capture.
The XA10 features a Genuine Canon 10x HD Zoom Lens which offers a 35mm equivalent of 30.4mm - 304mm. It delivers unsurpassed image quality, the versatility of a wide angle of view and smooth and professional looking background images thanks to a sophisticated 8-blade iris. A dedicated manual focus ring allows accurate and precise control.
SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer
The XA10 also incorporates a SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization system (lens shift) with four modes: Standard, Powered, Dynamic and Off.
Standard:
Lens shift is controlled so that the maximum compensation angle is constant
from wide angle through telephoto.
Powered:
Vibration is suppressed at the telephoto end of the range, where shake
is most apparent due to high magnification.
Dynamic:
Stabilization changes throughout the zoom range to minimize more pronounced
shaking. This is especially useful at wide-angle focal lengths when walking.
Enhanced Auto Focus
When shooting high definition video, sharp focus becomes more critical than ever. Canon's proprietary Instant AF system combines an external AF sensor with Canon's legendary auto focus system for fast and accurate focus. Together, the two sensors reduce focusing time - even in low-light, low contrast, or high brightness situations - and improve focusing performance on difficult subjects.
The XA10 gives you a choice of five AF modes for different shooting applications:
Instant AF changes focus as rapidly as possible, for those applications
in which quick focus is more important than other considerations - for
example, in news gathering or documentary work.
Medium AF changes focus at a speed which is softer and smoother than Instant AF, but faster than would likely be possible manually.
Normal AF changes focus at a speed that appears natural and doesn't distract the viewer.
Face AF tracks focus on faces when present. The user selects the face
to be tracked. Face AF has the ability to track even if the subject‘s
face is in profile. If the chosen tracked face is not present in a shot,
the subject in the center of the screen will automatically be brought into
focus.
Face Only AF automatically tracks the chosen tracked face in focus but,
should that face leave the scene, will reset focus to manual mode.
Minimum Object Distance
When shooting with the XA10, the minimum focus distance is 20mm (0.78 incles) at the wide macro end and maintains 60cm (1.97 feet) throughout the entire zoom range. This allows excellent versatility in a wide range of shooting situations.
8-Blade Iris
In contrast to a typical 6-blade iris, the XA10’s 8-blade iris
captures extraordinarily smooth out-of-focus ‘bokeh' for a more attractive
image effect. The additional blades also reduce diffraction of light passing
through the iris, allowing for the use of smaller apertures while maintaining
image quality.
Designed and manufactured exclusively by Canon, the XA10 Professional Camcorder
incorporates a native 1/3-inch, 1920 x 1080 CMOS Image Sensor,
delivering superb Full HD video recording with minimal noise. The
high sensitivity and wide dynamic range of this sensor are what demanding
users expect from Canon.
The XA10 Professional Camcorder features Canon's powerful DIGIC DV III
Image Processor, which provides enhanced shading, lifelike tonal gradations,
and lower power consumption. DIGIC DV III is also the high-speed engine
which powers a variety of Canon technologies; Genuine Canon Face Detection,
Touch & Track, and Cinema-Look Filters. On-the-go videographers will
appreciate the ability to track one subject in a crowd of people.
Smart Auto
Smart Auto uses the power of Canon’s DIGIC DV III Image Processor to intelligently detect and analyze faces, brightness, color, distance, and movement, and then automatically selects the best settings for the scene.
Among the 38 scenes available in Smart Auto, a standout is Tele Macro. Tele Macro automatically zooms the lens of the camcorder to the telephoto end, setting the minimum object distance to approximately 1.3 feet (from 3.3 feet). This gives you the opportunity to shoot spectacular close-ups with the dramatic look of a shallow depth of field.
A 3.5-inch, 922,000 dot LCD monitor provides an ample, accurate area for critical focus confirmation and approximately 100% field of view. The display opens on the left side of the camera body.
Touch & Track
Touch and Track delivers precise tracking of the focus and exposure on any subject - people, animals, vehicles and more. Simply select the point of interest on the Touch Panel LCD and you will have the subject in sharp focus, regardless of where in the frame it moves during the shot. The exposure will be perfectly adjusted for subject and conditions. Touch & Track is the default setting. Focus or exposure may be adjusted independently by turning off Touch & Track, and turning on Touch Focus or Touch Exposure.
Touch Focus
Touch Focus allows the user to pinpoint a specific area to focus on. This function is similar to the Push AF feature found on other professional camcorders, but can target a subject anywhere in the frame.
Touch Exposure
Touch Exposure enables exposure to be locked or compensated for the area touched by the user.
EVF
The XA10 Professional Camcorder features a 0.24-inch, 260,000 Dot Color EVF and approximately 100% field of view coverage for comfortable viewing and accurate judgment of composition. Brightness, contrast, color and backlight are adjustable.
Focus Assist Functions
Edge Monitor Focus Assist System
With Canon's Edge Monitor Focus Assist system, a green monitor is shown
at the bottom of the LCD Display. The green waveform shows overall focus
of the image, and the height raises to indicate the area in focus. Through
this dynamic focus feedback, you can intuitively tune focus in a scene
and quickly change the zone of focus.
Peaking/Magnify
Two peaking modes and a 2X magnify focus assist function are available
in standby and record mode (LCD monitor and EVF), making it extremely
easy for the XA10 operator to check and confirm critical focus.
A detachable handle provides the pro shooter with expanded audio performance
and added flexibility. Removing the handle allows the camcorder to be made
more compact for convenient storage when travelling. Included on the handle
are the following terminals, controls and monitors:
* Two built-in XLR audio input terminals with phantom power
* Accessory shoe (cold)
* External microphone holder
* Manual audio level control
* Zoom control and record start/stop button
* Infrared light
* Rear tally lamp
The XA10 camcorder features an Infrared Mode allowing the capture of video
in conditions with little to no ambient light, a situation which would
make other camcorders useless. It does so by removing the infrared cutoff
filter from the optical path. Its specially designed lens coating allows
the infrared light to pass through to the image sensor. Additionally, the
XA10's detachable handle features an infrared emitter with a diffuser to
shoot pleasing infrared imagery even in complete darkness. For nature videographers
or law enforcement users, the benefits of a compact, high performance camcorder
for shooting in such conditions is obvious. Without the need to add lights,
the shooter may remain hidden from their subjects. Also, the XA10 gives
the option of recording in green or white light mode.
The XA10 Professional Camcorder offers a wide array of functions to provide
the professional shooter with an exceptional level of control.
Custom Key and Dial
A Custom Key and Dial feature allows you to assign functions to an easily
accessible key and adjust the settings with a control dial. They include:
* Tv/Av: Use the dial to adjust shutter speed (Tv mode) or aperture (Av
mode), as needed. In this mode the key has no effect.
* Manual exposure: When manual control is selected, the dial can adjust
aperture, shutter speed, or gain. Select items to adjust, such as aperture
or other settings, with the key.
* Exposure Lock can be set on or off as can the AGC Limit.
Focus and Exposure Aids
To further enhance focusing capability, the XA10 also features Focus Assist. It includes enlargement, which helps in capturing your subject in razor-sharp focus. It works by providing a 2x magnification of your subject, which is automatically cancelled when you start recording. Also included is color peaking, which shows the shooting object’s focused areas in actual colors. With Canon's Edge Monitor Focus Assist system, a green monitor is shown at the bottom of the LCD Display. The green waveform shows overall focus of the image, and the height raises to indicate the area in focus. Through this dynamic focus feedback, you can intuitively tune focus in a scene and quickly change the zone of focus.
Typically only found on expensive external units, the XA10 has a waveform monitor built right into the camera. The waveform monitor shows a detailed view of overall image brightness. Enhanced zebra pattern (70% or 100%) indicates ‘blown out’ or high brightness areas to help you set the proper exposure.
Composition Aids
With the Level Marker feature, it's easy to keep the camcorder level for more accurate framing.
The Grid Marker provides a reference grid in your viewfinder. Depending on the background color of your shot, you can choose between two different colors for better viewing contrast.
Advanced Control
The XA10 features full manual exposure, as well as aperture priority (Av), and shutter priority (Tv) modes.
Either color bars or color bars and test tone can be selected and recorded using a menu. The color bars comply with the SMPTE standard. -12 dB, -18 dB or -20 dB can be selected as the test tone.
The white balance control has 6 available presets settable through a variety of day and artificial light conditions (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent H, and Fluorescent), as well as two manual white balance settings. Color temperature may also be manually set from 2,000K to 15,000K in 100K increments for more precise adjustment.
Gain may be manually set from 0 dB to 24 dB in 1 dB increments. Additionally, Auto Gain Control Limit allows you to set the maximum gain limit for the image sensor's sensitivity. With this function, brightness and noise can be balanced as required, and image quality can be maximized in low light situations.
Power zoom is available in Constant and Variable settings in 3 modes:
Fast (approx. 1.9 - 60 seconds), Normal (approx. 3.0 - 180 seconds) and
Slow (approx. 4.0 - 285 seconds). To provide added control, there are 16
predefined steps in Constant mode.
The XA10 records in Full HD 1920 x 1080 in a variety of frame rates. The
XA10 is also capable of recording in several different bit rate modes (24Mbps,
17Mbps, 12Mbps, 7Mbps, 5Mbps) allowing the user to balance quality versus
recording time for specific applications.
In addition to the standard interlaced frame rate of 60i, the XA10 can also capture video in:
PF30 Frame Rate
PF30 is the ideal frame rate for video viewed on the Internet. It is also
an excellent choice for frame grab during playback. Video is recorded
in 60i.
PF24 Frame Rate
PF24 changes the camcorder’s frame capture rate to 24p, which provides
a ‘film look’. Video is recorded in 60i.
Native 24p Frame Rate
A must for serious filmmaking work, Native 24p matches the frame rate of
a traditional film camera giving the same cadence and temporal motion.
When Cinema Shooting Mode is selected on the XA10, it is possible to use
one of nine different cinematic filters to customize the look and feel
of the image. This provides users with almost limitless creative control.