Canon Optura Xi MiniDV Camcorder with 11x Optical Zoom

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. 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. 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.



Technical Details

* 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 feedback:

1. 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.

2. 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).