GEAR
CANONXF605 TEST
4K PRO CAM
ALTERNATIVE FLAGSHIP
The new XF605may not officially be Canon’s top all-in-one camcorder, but it boasts tech that’s fresher and evenmore advanced
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH W hen Canon launched the flagship XF705 broadcast-style camcorder, news and events shooters beat a path to dealer floors to snap one up. It was beloved, thanks to great performance and a relatively affordable £5999/$6999 asking price. But now the brand has unveiled its even more compact and portable XF605 camcorder, which inherits lots of features from the best cinema and mirrorless cams – at an even lower price. It’s an all-in-one package that’s perfect for ENG, events and live streaming. At £4319/$4499, it is cheaper than the official flagship, 10% smaller and 30% lighter. The XF605 is the first of the next generation in Canon’s XF series, and has more advanced features in key areas. It boasts 4K 60p/50p 4:2:2 10-bit image quality, and FHD up to 120p. And it has a relatively large 1.0-type CMOS sensor and Digic DV7 processor, custom picture options including HDR (HLG/PQ) and Canon Log 3 – and you can upload your own LUTs. It records in MP4 H.265 or XF-AVC in MXF, for broadcast use in high bit rates – and includes 12G-SDI and HDMI outputs. This is a camera made for everyday use,
with everything an ENG or events shooter needs and nothing extra. Shooting handheld is key to a pro filmmaker’s work. To aid with this, it uses the same five-axis image stabilisation system found in Canon’s XF and XA series, for super-smooth footage. And there are four IS options available by combining settings in Standard, Dynamic and Powered IS, for different situations. These work well, really taking the shakes out – it’s no motorised gimbal, but does a great job. If you demand gimbal use, the camera is light enough for most handheld units. The lens is a beauty, and a big selling point. It has a huge zoom range, thanks to a 15x optical f/2.8, with equivalent 35mm focal length range of 25.5-382.5mm. To get wider or longer, Canon offers screw-on converters. Digital zoom moves you closer to the action, although this hurts image quality and resolution. But, if you are a news shooter and a long way from the subject, it gets you out of a hole. The traditional three control rings and built-in ND filters are present, of course. These are stepped rather than variable. A massive boost is that the XF605 uses Canon’s legendary
“The XF605 is the first of the next generation in Canon’s XF series”
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