Canon Optura Xi MiniDV Camcorder w/11x Optical Zoom Description:
A first-class ticket to image excellence awaits you with Canon’s Optura Xi camcorder. Beneath its silky exterior lies a true visionary at work, producing video and photos that are nothing short of breathtaking. Refined, smart, and dynamic, the Optura Xi thrills the senses, stimulates the mind, and fills you with boundless creativity. Color and clarity exceed your wildest expectations. Unrivaled performance, expert design, and meticulous attention to even the smallest detail put the Optura Xi in a class by itself.
- Amazon Sales Rank: #2429 in Camera & Photo
- Brand: Canon
- Model: Xi
- Dimensions: 3.50″ h x 3.20″ w x 7.90″ l, 1.60 pounds
- Display size: 3.5
Features
- MiniDV camcorder and still camera with 2.0-megapixel CCD
- 11x optical zoom lens (digital zoom to 220x) and image stabilizer
- 3.5-inch LCD with 180-degree rotation
- Make MPEG-4 movies and send them straight to your computer
- Record for up to 110 minutes on one battery charge
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful performer in its price range.
After considerable research, comparing this unit to the similarly priced Sony TRV70/TRV80, and the 3CCD Panasonic PV-DV953, I opted for the Canon Optura Xi. I wanted a digital camcorder:
1. That was compact enough to « take it along » without it being a hinderance
2. That had acceptable low-light performance (by low-light I mean average lighting indoors after dark)
3. Had a decent 16:9 widescreen mode (using the entire CCD)
4. Had a decent interface (easy to use with good stabilization)
5. No proprietary parts unless there’s a darn good reason
Initially I looked at the ultra-compact models, but their unattractive low-light abilities combined with the difficult ease-of-use (hard to keep stable, many buttons on a small area) made me change my mind towards these models.
For #1, the panasonic was the largest and heaviest of the three (almost too big for me), the sony the smallest and nicely designed. Since the Optura XI just came out, I never had an opportunity to hold it, but was pleased to see that it’s compact enough for my purposes.
For #2, the Panasonic did not have acceptable low-light performance for indoor home use. Its 3CCDs give it the best color representation of the three by far, however it needs a considerable amount of light to make a difference – better suited to budget-minded professionals who ensure their subjects have enough light. Sony’s low light performance was only marginally better than the Panasonic’s. The Canon’s low light performance is top-notch.
For #3, the sony has a ‘wide CCD’ which allows for more pixels width-wise which was a nice bonus. The Canon and the Panasonic both use an ‘anamorphic’ lens that widens the camera’s view and forces the widened image onto the 4:3 CCD, which can be later be burned onto a DVD as 16:9 that plays widescreen on widescreen TVs, and letterbox on 4:3 TVs. So all three had good 16:9 modes, with the Sony having a slight edge – and the bonus of presenting the image on the viewscreen as 16:9 as well!
For #4, the Sony loses in my estimation – the fact that I have to use the touchscreen during a shoot to change a picture aspect was a big downfall here. Using a touchscreen during playback is nice, but I don’t want to have to use it during shooting and risk camera shake or losing my subject! Also, I have heard many criticisms about Sony’s too-sensitive zoom feature. The Panasonic has great ease-of-use, however I found the myriad of manual options a little intimidating – a big plus for professionals, though. The Canon has a wonderful look and feel, it’s easy to hold, all its buttons are easily accessible, and its optical image stabilization is the best you can find.
For #5, too bad for Sony, I do not want to have to buy memory sticks. Period. The nice thing about having SD cards around, for example, is the ability to transfer them to your PDA, or your digital camera if needed.
If still photos are important for you, all three provide equally nice stills, with an edge in favor of the Panasonic.
Almost as good as a GL2, for half the price
I bought my Canon Optura Xi two months ago. I almost bought a Canon GL2, until I studied the spec sheets. Both camcorders have the same features: 16-bit stereo recording; f/1.6 lens; 11x zoom; Av, Tv, and manual exposure control, etc. What stands out as different in their spec sheets is their CCDs (the chips that record the image). Digital video (DV) is 640 x 480 pixels, or 307,200 pixels, or one-third of a megapixel. NTSC broadcast video is 525 lines with a 4:3 aspect ratio, or 367,500 pixels. To get color you need three times that number of pixels (for red, green, and blue), or about one megapixel. In the past, CCDs had far fewer pixels, so camcorders had three chips to get enough pixels. The GL2 has three 1/4″ chips, each with 380,000 pixels. Three chips demands a lens three times bigger. Splitting the light three ways requires a big, heavy prism. 3-chip camcorders are big, heavy, and expensive.
The Optura Xi takes a different approach. It uses one chip with 1,230,000 pixels. The CCD is between 1/3″ and 1.4″; in other words, bigger than the GL2′s 1/4″ chips, but smaller than the XL1S’s 1/3″ chips. (Pro video cameras have three 1/2″ or 2/3″ chips, making them much bigger and heavier.) The Optura Xi has more pixels than the GL2, yet doesn’t need the prism. The lens and body are smaller and lighter, and the Optura Xi is half the price.
I’ve found that my Optura Xi has accurate colors (unlike my old Canon Optura 200MC), and it performs well in low light conditions. The GL2′s colors look a little better (more saturated) but only a little. The Optura Xi looks much better than previous one-chip camcorders.
Apparently the size of the pixels make a difference. Imagine a CCD with tiny pixels the size of one photon. The state of such a pixel could be described with a one or a zero (either a photon hits the pixel, or no photon hits it). Imagine a CCD with pixels one million times bigger. You’d need a number between one and a million to describe how many photons hit each pixel. This illustrates that a camcorder with bigger CCDs (and a bigger lens) should produce more color detail, especially in very bright or very dark parts of your picture.
The GL2 is only slightly better than the Optura Xi, and costs twice as much. To get a camcorder substantially better than the Optura Xi you’ll have to pay many times more, such as for a Panasonic AG-DVX100A or a Canon XL2. I’m saving my money until HD camcorders are available. (I don’t consider the JVC GR-HD1 to be high-def, as it has one 1/3″ CCD with 880,000 pixels trying to fill a 1280×720 one-megapixel format!)
My advice is to buy the Optura Xi, then spend your money on microphones, and good tripod, lights, video editing software, etc. You’ll make better videos than people that blew their budget on a GL2.
Another word of advice. I did a « price search » on the web and found various places advertising prices lower than Amazon (and lower than eBay prices). When I ordered from them, they were « out of stock » and tried to bait-and-switch me to other camcorders. I found that the lowest prices for camcorders that really existed are on Amazon.
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Review by Thomas David Kehoe, author of « Hearts and Minds: How Our Brains Are Hardwired for Relationships »
A good camera
First the caveats. This is my first camcorder (after my family’s circa 1980′s VHS camcorder), and I’ve had it for a week. I also seriously considered the panasonic pvdv953, but decided on the Optura Xi because of perceived improvement in low light conditions, known Macintosh friendliness of Canon products, and hot accessory shoe. Though the Panasonic may have an edge in color reproduction, to my untrained eye the differences are arguably unnoticable.
First this camera isn’t the smallest, but it fits comfortable in my hand and the 3.5″ LCD is nice. The zoom slider is easy to control, and most of the camera’s functionality is easy to learn. The « special » effects are cheesy and awkward to use. Luckily if you have good video editing software (e.g., iMovie) you don’t need these. Optical stabilization works well, and it takes decent photos (the 8MB SD card supplied with camera is practically useless due to its size). USB and fireware connectivity are plug and play, and work as advertised (on G4 laptop).
« Low light » filming seems to be something that’s continually revisited. What the heck does 1.5 lux mean anyhow? One 60 watt light? Shaded, bare, or broken and a lit candle in the corner? This camera works decently with sufficient indoor lighting (think two 60 watt in overhead frosted fixture). The low light modes are useless unless you hold the camera perfectly still. Since the white LED is underneath the lens to the right, the ultra low light mode casts a dark moon across the upper left of the video frame.
When played back on my computer or on the TV, the video images look crisp and the colors vibrant. Overall I’m very satisfied with this camera.
From the Manufacturer
From the Manufacturer A first-class ticket to image excellence awaits you with Canon’s Optura Xi camcorder. Beneath its silky exterior lies a true visionary at work, producing video and photos that are nothing short of breathtaking. Refined, smart, and dynamic, the Optura Xi thrills the senses, stimulates the mind, and fills you with boundless creativity. Color and clarity exceed your wildest expectations. Unrivaled performance, expert design, and meticulous attention to even the smallest detail puts the Optura Xi in a class by itself.
2.0 Megapixel CCD
 | | The full-function wireless remote control of the Optura Xi will work at distances up to 16 feet. |
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To deliver superior video and photo quality, the Optura Xi uses a powerful 2.0 Megapixel CCD. Combined with Genuine Canon Optics and Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer, the camcorder captures images with outstanding clarity.
RGB Primary Color Filter
In addition to achieving higher resolution, the Optura Xi’s 2.0 Megapixel CCD integrates an RGB Primary Color Filter which separates light passing through the lens into individual red, green, and blue color components, similar to professional 3CCD camcorders. As a result, the Optura Xi achieves more accurate color gradations than models using a conventional complementary color filter. The difference is especially noticeable, for instance, in skin tones and scenes with a dominant color such as a sunset or snow scene.
Genuine Canon Optics: 11X Optical Zoom/220X Digital Zoom
The powerful 11X optical zoom lets you capture your subject with razor-sharp detail even from a distance. The powerful 220X digital zoom takes you even closer, revealing details too small to see with the naked eye. The 11X optical zoom gives you the same range of focal lengths as a 43.7-489 mm lens on a 35 mm still camera.
Optical Image Stabilizer
In the Optura Xi, Canon utilizes the finest method of image stabilization available: optical. Canon’s lens design includes a dedicated optical element which shifts up and down and side to side based on motion, so your video always looks smooth, steady, and natural. Whether you are shooting handheld at telephoto or from a moving vehicle, Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer effectively handles unwanted vibration. And since it’s optical, there is no loss of image quality — inevitable with electronic image stabilizers. Optical Image Stabilization is even effective in photo mode, allowing your digital photos to be as crisp as possible.
Advanced Photo Features
| Auto-Exposure Bracketing |  | | In uncertain lighting conditions, the Auto-Exposure Bracketing feature will make sure your bases are covered: With a single press of the PHOTO button, the camcorder records three photos with different exposures. Later, you can choose which photo is best for printing or storing. |
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- Simultaneous Photo Recording: Record high quality video to a Mini DV tape and e-mail ready (640 x 480) digital photos to a memory card at the same time.
- Selectable AF Frames: Sometimes the subject we want to focus on is not in the center of the frame. With the Optura Xi’s Selectable AF Frames, you can choose one of three different Auto Focus points to automatically put the subject you want into sharp focus. Taking off-center subjects can add more impact and a new dimension to your photographs.
- Continuous Shooting Function: capture a rapid succession of photos just like the motor drive on a camera.
- Pop-Up Flash: The Optura Xi has a pop-up flash for use in digital still picture-taking.
- Stitch Assist: When you can’t fit everything you want into a single shot, use the camcorder’s Stitch Assist feature to easily create a single breathtaking panorama image.
Direct Print
The Optura Xi is compatible with all Canon CP-series Card Photo Printers and Bubble Jet Direct Printers. It also complies with the new PictBridge standard, allowing it to connect to any PictBridge compliant printer.
Shooting Modes
The Optura Xi allows you to record both video and digital photos to tape. You can also save 2.0 Megapixel High Resolution Photos and MPEG-4 movies to a MultiMediaCard or SD Memory Card.
- Video Mode: Video Mode delivers smooth, full-motion video for playback on your TV. You also can transfer the video onto your computer to view, edit, post on the Internet, or send to friends.
- 2.0 Megapixel Photos: Photos are saved on the removable storage card. The picture size in this mode is 1632 x 1224 pixels.
- Photo Mode: Just press the photo button to capture more than 1,000 still pictures, each with 6 seconds of sound, on a single 80 minute videocassette.
- MPEG-4 Movie Mode: It’s easy to record MPEG-4 video clips with audio.
