An outstanding prosumer MiniDV camcorder

Ever since the digital revolution began i have been waiting for a camcorder like this one. The previous model by canon(DM-XL1s) was good but this on is absolutely stupendous and even though i believe that digital camcorders can get better than this, at this point of time , there are very few prosumer camcorders that can beat this particular model in this price range. The DM-XM2 is a professional 3ccd camcorder meant for the budding filmaker or semiprofessional and not for the average home user unless u are a home user who can afford this baby. This cam has excellent colur fidelity and the image quality is beautiful. Throw in with that extensive manual control, a fabulous 20x optical zoom, canons reliable optics, 2 channel audio control and a very light body that makes making professional quality movies a painless task. The flip out LCD is large and very clear, the EVF is clear and helps in getting a clear idea whether ur subject is in focus and the zoom switch is a dream to operate(smooth and very controllable). The still capapbility is also commendable but it cannot be compared to that of a dedicated digital camera. There are however a few negative points that i have come across but not significant enough to shadow this marvel. Firstly the included battery is a weak one and you had better buy a higher capacity battery. The included mic is not unidirectional and tends to pick up too much of surrounding noise so be ready to spring for a better mic, also i miss a manual zoom control as can be found on the sony vx2000(the closest competitor to this camera). Overall i find this a better camera than the Sony VX2000 because it costs less, gives u better optical zoom range, and according to me has a more precise autofocus and autoexposure and is relatively lighter than the sony. I also found the low light picture quality of the canon to be exceptional. I would recommend this camcorder to anyone looking for a semiprofessional MiniDVcam, unless u want changeble lenses, if so go in for the Canon DM-XL1s.

Highest quality

I've had this camcorder for only 2 months but the quality of the recordings are truly impressive. I've used Sony, Canon and Panasonic in the past including 3 CCD models and this is easily the best in terms of picture and sound quality (although an external microphone helps as usual). It is large and the manual controls are extensive with a steep learning curve but the end result is worth it. Highly recommended but not for beginners.

Some time later...

This is a follow up to my main review below. After a year of usage I’ve at last got hold of Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 and its native HDV support. In other words I can use Windows Media Player to view my FX1 captures in full 1920x1080 resolution for the first time and it’s glorious. I’ve been watching some night time footage I shot in Tokyo last year and the ability of the FX1 to work in low light and to capture the intense colours of the neon signs is amazing. The clarity of the images is everything that I hoped for and fully justifies the cost of the camcorder. A friend said, when viewing my samples:"It’s like looking at a fairly good photo... and then it moves!!!"
Finally: bear in mind that the FX1 is only implementing 75% of the 1080i standard resolution (anamorphic 1440 x 1080) because of the storage limitations of the mini-DV cassettes. I’m amazed by the FX1 output so full broadcast 1080i will be stupendous. The future is coming...!

TV quality

This camcorder whuch I have had for just a week does everything!!copies from other cannon, tv video etc. I am just ordering a charger ( only downside) as time is spent on charging battery, being attached to camcorder. but it truly is as it says in the book !tv quality! I love it!

Sony should stick to games consoles

Sony, a leader in the games console market, (well was once), has brought out a camcorder which looks great on paper, but delivers well below par.
The touch screen is great, yes the lens is quality, 30gb of hard drive space, wow. But hold on, what is this? No built in light? So filming in dark areas is impossible. Unless you want to use the Nightshot function, which turned some of my wedding video into a scene from the Predator movies. 5.1 surround sound, is available, if you want to spend the cash on the microphones.
And the software bundled with it, has been bundled together. Great if you want to simply cut films up and burn them on to a DVD but any other type of video editing is a no go area.
Avoid this camera if you want to produce anything of quality, if you simply want to take snap shots and then rig the camera up to your tele for a quick viewing experience then this is the camera for you.