Canon XL2 Instruction Manual

							
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Recording
Manual focus
1. Lenses equipped with autofocus function: Slide the focus selector on the\
 lens to M.
2. Zoom into telephoto.
3. Rotate the focus ring to adjust the focus.
4. Operate the zoom to reframe the subject.
If you focus manually then leave the camcorder with the power turned on, you may lose focus on your
subject. This possible slight shift in focus is due to a rise in tempera\
ture in the camcorder interior and lens.
Check the focus before resuming shooting.
Temporary Autofocus
Press the eAF switch on the lens in the direction of AF and hold it.
Autofocus is activated as long as you hold the  eAF switch.
When using the  eAF switch, make sure the POSITION PRESET switch is set to OFF.

Focus selectore
AF switch/
POSITION PRESET ON/SET switch  
						

							
42
Focus Preset (Lenses Equipped with the Focus Preset Function)
This function enables a focus setting to be memorized and to return to the focus setting instantly. You
can also select the speed with which the camcorder returns to the preset focus setting.
Presetting the Focus
1. Set the focus selector to M.
”MF“ appears.
2. Set the POSITION PRESET switch to FOCUS.
3. Adjust the focus with the focus ring.
4. Move the POSITION PRESET ON/SET switch to SET.
”MF“ and the focus preset speed appear in yellow.
Setting the Focus Preset Speed
Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [F SPEED PSET], select a\
 setting option
and close the menu.
The selected speed appears next to “MF”.
Returning to the Preset Focus Setting
Move the POSITION PRESET ON/SET switch to ON.
The camcorder returns to the preset focus setting.
The preset setting resets and sets to OFF when you turn the camcorder off or unmount the lens.

CAMERA SETUP F SPEED PSET•HIGH( 26)  
						

							
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Recording
With the 20×L IS Lens: Press the ND filter unlock button and turn the ND filter operating
ring.
When the camcorder is set to Easy Recording or Auto mode, following disp\
lays appear:
* If you have no external ND filter available, use the Tv mode and set a high shutter speed, o\
r use the Av
mode and set a small aperture value.
❍ Turning on/off the ND filter changes the aperture setting. Readjust the aperture in Av mode as
required.
❍ Depending on the scene, the color may change when turning on/off the ND filter. In such case,
setting a custom white balance may be effective.

When recording under bright conditions, the camcorder sets a small apert\
ure value, and the picture
may appear blurred. When you are using a lens with built-in ND filter, turn it on/off according to the
screen display.
Using the ND Filter (Lenses with Built-in ND Filter)

Screen display What it means What you should do
No display ND filter is not activated -
”ND“ displayed ND filter is activated -
”ND “ flashes ND filter required Turn on the ND filter
ND ” “ flashes Lenses with ND filter on/off: External  Select a higher density built-in ND filter 
ND filter required  or attach an external ND filter to the 
Lenses with selectable ND filter density:  lens*
Higher density or external ND filter 
required
ND ” “ flashes Built-in ND filter not required Turn off the ND filter

ND filter unlock button
ND filter operating ring  
						

							
44
Select from standard 60i, 30p or 24p mode. Furthermore, images captured \
in 24p mode can be 2:3
pulldown-converted or 2:3:3:2 pulldown-converted.
60i Mode
Records in 60 fps interlace mode, same as TV signals.
30p Mode
Records in 30 fps progressive mode and outputs
signals converted into 60 fps interlace.
24p Mode
Records in 24 fps progressive mode like movie film cameras, creating a cine-like picture.
24p 2:3 Mode
Signals are converted into 60 fps interlace using the
2:3 pulldown method. This 24p mode is suited for
playback on a TV screen.
24p 2:3:3:2 Mode
Signals are converted into 60 fps interlace using the
2:3:3:2 pulldown method. This 24p mode is ideal for
extracting true 24 frames per second in order to
transfer to film.
Selecting the Frame Rate

30p (camera)60i (tape)ABCDEFGHIJ
aabbccddeeffgghhiijj

aabbbccdddeefffgghhh
24p (camera)60i (tape)ABCDEFGH

aabbbcccddeefffggghh
24p (camera)60i (tape)ABCDEFGH

FRAME RATE switch  
						

							
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Recording
Selecting the Frame Rate
Set the FRAME RATE switch to the desired position.
The selected frame rate appears.
❍The frame rate does not change when you operate the FRAME RATE switch during recording. It
changes once you pause recording.
❍ In 24p mode, the shutter speeds in Low Light mode will be the same as in\
 the Easy Recording
mode. Slow shutter speeds are not available.
Selecting the 24p Pulldown Mode
Open the menu and select [CAMERA SETUP]. Select [24p MODE SEL], select a\
 setting
option and close the menu.
• When you have selected [2:3], “24p” appears in white.
• When you have selected [2:3:3:2], “24p” appears in orange.
If you are using an editing system not supporting the 2:3:3:2 pulldown method, make sure to record
in 24p 2:3 pulldown mode.

CAMERA SETUP 24P MODE SEL•2:3( 26)  
						

							
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The camcorder uses the full width of the CCD, retaining image quality an\
d providing a larger
horizontal angle of view.
Set the ASPECT RATIO switch to 16:9.
The screen changes to the “letterbox” format.
❍If you play back a 16:9 recording on a normal TV, the image appears horizontally squeezed.
❍ If you connect the camcorder to a TV with an S (S1) terminal or Video ID-1 system, recordings
made in the 16:9 mode will be automatically played back in widescreen mode.
❍ The aspect ratio does not change when you operate the ASPECT RATIO switch during recording. It
changes once you pause recording.

Recording in 16:9 Mode

ASPECT RATIO switch  
						

							
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Recording
Selecting the Frame Setting
In 60i and 30p mode, you can select between drop frame or non-drop frame time code.
Drop frame time code synchronizes the time code of 30 fps with the actua\
l frame rate of NTSC video,
which is 29.97 fps, by skipping numbers. The non-drop frame time code counts every single video
frame. Use the drop frame time code for actual running time, and the non\
-drop time code for editing.
Open the menu and select [TIME CODE]. Select [FRAME SETTNG], select a se\
tting option
and close the menu.
Selecting the Run Options
In 60i and 30p mode, you can select from record run (REC-RUN), record \
run preset (REC-RUN PS.) and
free-run (FREE-RUN) time code. In 24p mode, you can select from record run or record run preset. With
record run, the time code runs only when you are recording. With free ru\
n, the time code runs
regardless of the operation of the camcorder. With record run preset and free-run, you can select the
starting point.
Normally select record-run. Select free-run time code when you wish to r\
ecord with multiple
camcorders set to the same time code.
1. Open the menu and select [TIME CODE]. Select [COUNT-UP] and set it to [REC-RUN],[REC-RUN PS.] or [FREE-RUN].
When you selected [REC-RUN]: Close the menu.
When you selected [REC-RUN PS.] or [FREE-RUN]: The starting point set/reset options appear.
When you selected [REC-RUN PS.] or [FREE-RUN]:
2. Select [SET].
The hours display flashes.
3. Turn the SET dial to select the hour and press the SET dial.
• The next part of the display starts flashing.
• Set the minutes, seconds and frames in the same way.
4. Close the menu.

Setting the Time Code

TIME CODE FRAME SETTNG•DROP
( 26)

TIME CODE COUNT-UP•••••REC-RUN
( 26)  
						

							
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❍When setting the free-run time code, the time code starts to run when you press the MENU
button in the middle of the setting, or when you press the SET dial afte\
r setting the last digits.
❍ To reset the time code to [00:00:00:00], select [RESET] in step 2.
❍ In 24p mode, the frame of the time code is set in multiples of 5. When y\
ou change to 24p from
60i/30p, the starting point will automatically become a multiple number of 5. 
❍ When you mix drop frame and non-drop frame time codes, the time code at recording start may
be discontinuous.
❍ When recording over existing scenes: When a time code discontinuity occurred near the recording
start point, the time code at recording start may be discontinuous.
❍ When the backup battery is installed, the free-run time code continues to run even when you
disconnect the battery pack.  
						

							
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Recording
The user bit display works on the hexadecimal system that consists of a \
mixture of eight numbers or
letters. There are sixteen possible characters, numbers 0 to 9 and lette\
rs A to F.
This is useful for labeling tapes.
1. Open the menu and select [VCR SETUP] and [USR BIT DATA].
The user bit set/reset options appear.
2. Select [SET].
The first part of the display flashes.
3. Turn the SET dial to select the number/alphabet and press the SET dial.
• The next part of the display starts flashing.
• Set the rest of the display in the same way.
4. Close the menu.
❍To reset the user bit to [00 00 00 00], select [CLEAR] in step 2.
❍ User bit can be recorded when recording with the camcorder or from analog devices. The user bit
of your camcorder cannot be recorded when recording from digital devices.
Displaying the User Bit
Open the menu and select [DISPLAY SETUP/ ]. Select [USR BIT DISP], set it to [ON] and
close the menu.
User bit cannot be displayed during special playback.

Setting the User Bit

VCR SETUP USR BIT DATA•SET
( 26)

DISPLAY SETUP/USR BIT DISP•OFF
( 26)  
						

							
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You can set the audio mode to 16 bit or 12 bit. With 12 bit, you can select to record on two channels,
leaving two channels free for adding sound later (12bit CH        ), o\
r to record on four channels
simultaneously (12bit CH        ,        ).
The sampling frequency in 16 bit is 48 kHz and in 12 bit 32 kHz. The 16 \
bit mode provides higher sound
quality.
Audio dubbing cannot be performed with this camcorder.
16bit
12bit CH 
The channels next to channel 1 and 2 will not
be used.
12bit CH       , 
The channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 will be recorded
simultaneously.
Selecting the Audio Mode (16bit, 12bit CH       , 12bit CH       ,       )
Open the menu and select [AUDIO SETUP]. Select [AUDIO MODE], select a se\
tting option
and close the menu.

Audio Recording

channel 1
channel 2channel 1
channel 2

channel 1
channel 2channel 1
channel 2
channel 3
channel 4 channel 3
channel 4

channel 1channel 2channel 1channel 2

AUDIO SETUP AUDIO MODE•••16bit
( 26)

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