Canon XA11 Camcorder

Overview

The Canon XA11 Camcorder designed for independent and documentary filmmakers. It sports a 20× optical zoom lens with a focal range of 3.67–73.4mm. The Canon native 1920×1080 CMOS sensor works with the DIGIC DV 4 image processor to provide minimum noise and vibrant colors. This camcorder has a 3.0-inch OLED touch panel and 1560K-dot electronic viewfinder for video preview and composition. The audio is recorded simultaneously while shooting a video with the integrated microphone. The camcorder has two memory card slots that accept SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards. You can control the camera from a distance with the LANC control via the built-in 2.5mm stereo mini-jack. The intelligent battery system shows the remaining run-time on the OLED screen.

Optics and Focus

The Canon XA11 comes with a 20× optical zoom lens that offers a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 26.8–576mm. You can vary the aperture from f/1.8 to f/16. The camcorder features the Canon Auto Focus system that makes you shoot clear videos of a subject from a minimum distance of 0.4 inches on Macro setting. This closest focusing distance reaches to 23.6 inches throughout the zoom range. The 8-blade iris offers a smooth bokeh quality. You can set the zoom speed to one of the five settings namely, Variable, Constant, Fast, Normal, and Slow. A 58mm filter can be attached to the front thread. The camcorder has a variable shutter speed of 1/6th to 1/2000th of a second.

Sensor and Screen

The Canon camcorder works on a 1/2.84-inch HD CMOS Pro sensor that offers a minimum subject illumination of 1.0 lux in low-light shooting conditions. You can use the 3.0-inch OLED touchscreen to view the 460K-dot live imagery, and playback recorded videos. The touchscreen can be tilted vertically up to 45° to use the camcorder from different angles. You can use the selectable zebra bars between 70–100% to facilitate exposure adjustment. Alternatively, you can use the 1560K-dot electronic viewfinder that has 100% frame coverage. The adopter of the EVF is adjustable from + 2.0 to -5.

Image and Video

You can shoot Full HD videos with a maximum bit-rate of 28 Mbps at 50 fps for AVCHD. The camera also offers 1080p recording for MP4 format at 50 fps with the highest bit-rate of 35 Mbps. Thanks to the DIGIC DV 4 image processor, the effects of noise are suppressed when shooting in low light. Also, the processor allows you to encode videos in two different formats at the same time. The camcorder has the infrared shooting mode that allows you to shoot in dark conditions.

Other Features

The camcorder offers audio recording with its integrated microphone and two XLR inputs that are located on the detachable handle. You can mount other equipment such as an LED panel to the top accessory shoe. The dual media card slots allow you record the same video in different formats and bit rates. You can also use one slot as a primary and keep the second for backup. Additionally, the camcorder switches the recording location from the first card to the second when the prior gets full. The camera runs on a 7.4 VDC battery.