Canon XA15 Pro HD Camcorder with SDI

Model: VICAXA

Product Highlights:

Canon XA15 Pro HD Camcorder with SDI

For fast performance in both capture and transmission, excellent for the dynamic world of Electronic News Gathering (ENG) as well as journalistic, documentary, corporate and higher education video production, look no further than the XA15 Professional Camcorder. Featuring an advanced HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor, a powerful DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor and a phenomenal 20x High Definition optical zoom lens, the XA15 camcorder captures expansive, high-quality Full HD video. Its HD/SD-SDI terminal lets it quickly and reliably transmit uncompressed video with timecode and audio embedded directly to broadcast vans and workstations. Combining a lightweight design, a 1.56 million dot electronic viewfinder and a 3.0-inch capacitive touch panel LCD, the XA15 is comfortable to operate for extended periods of time and in numerous environments. When there’s no telling what or where the next story will be, the XA15 is ready to go. A remarkably versatile, powerful and compact camcorder, it delivers the quality, speed and connectivity to drive a 24-hour news workflow.

Genuine Canon 20x High Definition Optical Zoom Lens

The XA15 Professional Camcorder features a Genuine Canon 20x HD Zoom Lens that provides a highly versatile zoom range with 35mm equivalent of 26.8–576mm, and a minimum object distance of just 23.6 inches (60cm) to help capture newsworthy recordings near and far. The impressive image quality is enhanced by an 8-blade Circular Aperture design, which helps to avoid the “starburst” effect of point light sources in non-circular aperture designs. Out-of-focus areas are smooth, natural and appealing. An endless-type focus and zoom control includes user-programmable direction and sensitivity modes. Zoom speed can be set to either a variable or constant (with 16 levels) speed setting, with Fast, Normal or Slow zoom speed levels.

Advanced HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor with Impressive Low-light Performance

For incredibly sharp and detailed high-definition video recording, the XA15 Professional Camcorder features a 1/2.84-inch, 2.91 Megapixel HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor that captures approximately 2136×1362 pixels. Thanks to the sensor’s high sensitivity, the XA15 helps provide vivid, accurate recording through an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. Superb Low-light Performance. Featuring a low-luminance noise rating of +3 dB, the XA15 Professional Camcorder is able to capture clear, sharp images with incredible detail even in low light.

Full HD 1920×1080 Recording Capabilities

Multiple recording modes, resolutions and frame rates make the XA15 Professional Camcorder creatively flexible and adaptable to virtually any news-gathering environment. It can record in Full HD resolution in both AVCHD and MP4 recording codecs, at multiple bit rates, and even simultaneously.

Simultaneous HD- and Web-version Dual Recording

Dual Recording offers format choices that are useful for various post-capture options. The DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor and dual SD card slots enable simultaneous recording in AVCHD format and web-ready MP4 format, as well as MP4 at different bit rates.

Native 24p Recording

A must for serious documentary work, Native 24p matches the frame rate of a traditional film camera, giving the same cadence and temporal motion for “film-like” quality.

HD/SD-SDI Output

The XA15 Professional Camcorder amplifies convenience with an HD/SD-SDI terminal, whether streaming directly to a broadcast van or connecting to a recorder to make high-quality video recordings for archiving purposes. Designed for professional broadcast use, HD/SD-SDI output provides an uncompressed signal at a 1920×1080 resolution with 4:2:2 colour sampling and embedded audio and time code. HD-SDI Video Standard: SMPTE 292M (1080i/720p) Embedded Audio Standard: SMPTE 299M Time Code Standard: SMPTE 12M SD-SDI Video Standard: SMPTE 259M (480i) Embedded Audio Standard: SMPTE 272M Time Code Standard: SMPTE 12M

Outstanding Image Reproduction

The XA15 Professional Camcorder represents Canon’s Full HD System, delivering truly excellent image quality and reproduction for most any news-gathering application. With its 20x Optical Zoom HD Video lens, its HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor and the powerful DIGIC DV 4 Image Processor working together to capture and process the images at hand, the XA15 is positioned to deliver HD video that is nothing short of stunning.

3.0-inch LCD Capacitive Touchscreen with Tiltable Electronic Viewfinder

The 3.0-inch 460,000 dot LCD display provides vivid colours and high contrast. A wide-view angle (over 80° at all angles) aids in composition versatility, and regular chromaticity adjustments, which are prompted by the camcorder, help ensure correct brightness and faithful colour reproduction.

Electronic Viewfinder

The 0.24-inch tilt-type colour electronic viewfinder on the XA15 Professional Camcorder has 100% field of view, and 1.56 million dots of resolution help ensure critical focus adjustment, with peaking applied if necessary. A joystick located to the right of the viewfinder, where the thumb rests, enables control of camera settings on the viewscreen without having to use touch panel controls.

Dual SD Card Slots

SDHC/SDXC Card-compatible. The XA15 Professional Camcorder is compatible with universal SDHC and SDXC memory cards, which provide super-high capacity and ultra-fast data transfer. When AVCHD/MP4 recording has continued for 12 hours, it will automatically stop. A variable bit rate is applicable in each case. Double-slot SD Card Recording for Instant Backup. For safety and convenience, double-slot recording allows you to record simultaneously to each of the two SD memory card slots, providing an instant backup for your footage. Relay Recording for Continuous, Long-run Recording. With Relay Recording, the XA15 Professional Camcorder automatically switches video recording from one SD memory card to the other when the first memory card becomes full.

Wide DR Gamma (600%)

For natural and realistic-looking image capture that faithfully represents the scene at hand, the XA15 Professional Camcorder features a Wide DR Gamma mode. By suppressing overexposure in high brightness areas of the composition, this mode helps achieve a wide dynamic range of 600% to produce seamless tone gradations, resulting in smooth detail, accurate colour and virtually no blown-out highlights.

Highlight Priority Mode with View Assist Function

To capture highly saturated, realistic colours and to convey gradation characteristics as perceived by the eye, the XA15 Professional Camcorder has a Highlight Priority mode that achieves effects similar to HDR modes in other camcorders. By reducing the mid- to high-brightness compression of the standard gamma mode, the Highlight Priority mode helps to prevent loss of detail in high brightness areas. Designed for display on a bright LCD TV, videos captured in Highlight Priority mode should be shown at a high brightness setting to help ensure accurate portrayal of the effect. When using the XA15 Professional Camcorder in Highlight Priority mode, the View Assist function increases brightness and medium tone gamma in the camera’s viewfinder or LCD panel. This allows images to be displayed with the brightness and gradation with which they are being recorded or reviewed, helping to ensure the subjects look natural and realistic.

Intelligent Optical Image Stabilization System

The XA15 Professional Camcorder offers a powerful optical image stabilization system suited to help reduce image blur in a wide variety of shooting situations. The different image stabilization options can be selected manually, or Intelligent IS can use an automatic detection system to identify the proper stabilization mode for the situation. Featured on the XA15 is Dynamic Mode, which provides electronic correction of roll and tilt.

Dynamic IS.

Used for image stabilization at the wide end, Dynamic IS builds on translational (up-down/left-right) stabilization, adding roll axis correction, horizontal roll correction and vertical roll correction for five-axis correction. Image distortion is substantially reduced, even when shooting while in motion.

Macro IS

Macro IS corrects angular and shift-type shake in wide-angle shots.

Powered IS*

Used for image stabilization in telephoto shooting, Powered IS corrects for low-frequency camcorder shake. * During Intelligent IS (AUTO mode), Powered IS can be set to ON or OFF.

Full Manual 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. The functions 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.

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 colour of your shot, you can choose between two different colours (white or gray) for better viewing contrast.

Gain Control

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

Power zoom is available in Variable and Constant settings in 3 modes: Fast (approx. 1.9–60 seconds), Normal (approx. 2.5–180 seconds) and Slow (approx. 4.0–285 seconds). To provide added control, there are 16 predefined steps in Constant mode.

Ergonomic, Portable Design

Weighing less than three pounds including the detachable handle, battery and lens hood – and less than two pounds without – the XA15 Professional Camcorder is ideal for high-action shoots when both speed and mobility are essential, and where keeping a low profile is an added benefit. Though small in size, this camcorder sacrifices nothing when it comes to professional functionality. It features a “seesaw” style zoom lever, manual focus/zoom ring and joystick for easy control and an electronic viewfinder that can tilt up to 45° for low-angle shooting. It also has five Assign Buttons to help it fit to your operational needs.

Two Phantom-powered XLR Audio Inputs with Manual Gain Control

A stereo microphone is incorporated into the XA15 Professional Camcorder, and two XLR audio inputs with +48 V phantom power are on the detachable handle unit. The built-in microphone provides outstanding audio in fast-paced situations while the XLR inputs provide connectivity to external microphones and other professional audio devices. If you choose, the built-in microphone and XLR input can be used simultaneously. Audio is recorded in 16-bit PCM format at 48 kHz for amazing quality and fidelity. And both the built-in microphone and XLR inputs have the option for automatic or full manual gain control. To prevent variations in the recorded audio level, the dial can also be locked. The XA15 also includes a 3.5mm headphone terminal with 16 volume settings for accurate audio monitoring.

Ultra-compact with Detachable Handle

A detachable handle provides the user 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, Tally lamp

High Definition Peaking for Focus Assist

To enhance focusing capability, the XA15 Professional Camcorder provides 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 colour peaking, which shows the shooting object’s focused areas in actual colours.

Assignable Buttons for Custom Shooting

The XA15 Professional Camcorder is equipped with five assignable buttons so that the camcorder can be tailored to the specific preferences or needs of the user. Button 1 is preset as AF/MF. Button 2 is preset as Pre REC. Button 3 has no preset. Button 4 has no preset. Button 5 is preset as Rec Review.

Infrared Shooting Mode for Extreme Low-light Conditions

The XA15 Professional Camcorder features an Infrared Mode allowing the capture of video in conditions with little to no ambient light. Compared to the XA25 and XA20, the XA15 can shoot at brightness levels that are approximately 1.4 times more sensitive, and allows low-light capture 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 detachable handle of the XA15 features an infrared emitter with a diffuser to shoot appealing infrared imagery even in complete darkness. For evening camera crews or nature documentary makers, the benefits of a compact, high-performance camcorder for shooting in such conditions are obvious. Without the need to add lights, the shooter can save time on set-up, or blend into the background to reduce their chance of being seen by the subject. Also, the XA15 gives the option of recording in white or green mode.

Connectivity to Various Inputs and Outputs

Not only does the XA15 Professional Camcorder provide the user with incredible control over the image, it also provides immense creative freedom when it comes to inputs and outputs, including: • HD/SD-SDI Output (see dedicated section for more details) • HDMI Output (HDMI mini connector, time code can be superimposed) • Composite Video Output (3.5mm) • USB Hi-Speed Terminal • (2) XLR Audio Input (when handle is attached) (See audio section for more details) • Microphone Input (3.5mm) (See audio section for more details) • Headphone Jack (3.5mm) (See audio section for more details) • Accessory Shoe (when handle is attached)

Advanced Display Features: Zebra, Colour Bars and Test Tone

Colour bars and test tone can be selected and recorded. The colour bars comply with the SMPTE standard. -12 dB, -18 dB or -20 dB can be selected as the test tone. Enhanced zebra pattern (70% or 100%) indicates “blown out” or high brightness areas to help you set the proper exposure. The white balance control has six available presets selectable through a variety of day and artificial light conditions (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H and Tungsten), as well as two manual white balance settings. Colour temperature may also be manually set from 2,000K to 15,000K in 100K increments for more precise adjustment.

Impressive Slow and Fast Motion, including Interval Recording from 2x to 1200x

Slow and Fast Motion Modes allow the XA15 Professional Camcorder to record a different frame rate than the playback frame rate (only in MP4 recording modes), for a fast or slow motion effect during playback. Since the camera is recording real frames and modifying the playback rate, there is virtually no quality loss and maximum image quality is maintained. Additionally, interval recording allows the user to record frames at specified intervals, providing time-lapse recording of up to 1200x and slow motion down to 0.4x of the original speed.