GL1 = Great Little One

Author's Rating:

Pros: Great Video Quality, Perfect Size (not too big or too small), Lots Built In

Cons: Price, Battery Life, Sound Limitations

The Bottom Line: 
GL-1 = Great Little One for budding (or budgeted) filmmakers and advanced home movie makers! Upgrade the sound and get extra batteries and your in business,

Author's Review
I have had my Canon GL-1 for about a month and have been testing it out and I find that it records excellent digital video. It offers a ton of features in a tight little package. As I gain more experience with the little gem, I will update this opinion.

Why I was in the market:
I wanted a camera with professional video quality to shoot some short films for Internet distribution. I also wanted to use the camera to document my "real life" - kind of advanced home movies.

Advantage of DV:
I went with DV b/c I wanted to edit on my computer (see my Cinestream review in the near future) and because it gets good quality at a cost SIGNIFICANTLY lower than film. Also, with DV you can record decent sound on the same tape.

Size:
Don't let the pictures fool you, this camera is relatively small. It's just small enough that people don't notice you when you are shooting...great for guerilla filmmakers. It's also big enough that when you put it on a tripod with a shotgun mic mounted on it, people will take you seriously

Sound:
The onboard mic is OK...for an onboard mic. If you want to get superior sound then you are going to have to invest in an external microphone. This camera only comes with "consumer" inputs though, so if you want professional sound you'll also need to purchase an XLR adapter. **Keep in mind that these sound limitations are standard with DV cameras in this price range**

Video Quality:
In a word - EXCELLENT! In any light, at any distance, the picture quality is always superb. This is THE reason to buy the GL-1. You can read all the particulars in the other postings and if you don't understand what they mean I'll tell this - all those words equal great video quality. The lens only deserves partial credit for the quality of video. This cam is of the 3-CCD category, meaning that it has a chip devoted to each of the primary colors resulting in more accurate color recording. Less expensive DV cams have but one chip for all 3 colors. The ultimate compliment I have heard about the GL-1's video is that it is commonly regarded as equal to its "big brother" the XL-1, which costs significantly more and is THE choice of many professionals.

Battery Life:
The camera seems to suck up serious power. I get about an hour with the provided battery and I currently have one spare. I will definitely add more. You can also plug into a wall socket to get you through interior shots and save your batteries for outside!

Usability:
When you get started, you can shoot right away in AUTO mode. Nice to get you going and playing and enjoying value from your investment. When you get more adventurous, you can have control over MANY features. The optical image stabilizer is adept at minimizing the "shake" of hand held shooting. Oh yeah, I REALLY like that you have camera controls on the top *and* the side. This accommodates lots of shooting angles...very cool addition.

Misc. Cool Stuff:
1. Digital Effects are included in camera. I like to use the black/white shooting for some things.
2. Analog In. You can bring your old VHS, 8mm tapes into the digital age!
3. Still photo capability. The quality isn't as great as video, but this is still a great option. Actually, the Sony's with their Memory Sticks are more convenient in this area as the Canon records the still on 6 seconds of the DV tape and you have to search the tape to find your pictures.
4. Flip out screen. I like this for seeing stuff in color and for shooting at weird angles. You can even turn the screen towards the subject so they can look at themselves. Actors LOVE to look at themselves! :)

For more info. I would visit the user groups at: www.gl1-411.com and www.dvfilmmaker.com and www.videouniversity.com.

Happy shopping and hopefully happy shooting. See you in HOLLYWOOD or Kalamazoo-lywood or (Whereveryouare)lywood.