Canon XA30 Professional HD Camcorder

The Canon XA30 Professional HD Camcorder offers a combination of portability, image quality and reliable operation. It features a Canon 20x High Definition Optical Zoom lens, a 1/2.84", 2.91 Megapixel HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor that captures approximately 2136x1362 pixels. Thanks to the sensor's enhanced sensitivity, the XA30 helps provide vivid, accurate recording through an improved signal-to-noise ratio. A low-luminance noise rating of +3 dB enables capture of clearer, sharper images in lower light. Wide DR Gamma and Highlight Priority modes capture an extended, seamless range of colors and tones.

A new interval recording option expands the XA30’s abilities for creative animation and motion effects video capture, with fast motion of up to 1200x the original speed. The XA30 records in Full HD in both AVCHD and MP4 codecs, at multiple bit rates, and even simultaneously. 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.

Canon 20x High Definition Optical Zoom Lens

The XA30 features a 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" (60cm) to help capture powerful 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.

Built-in Wi-Fi® Technology with FTP Transfer Capability

The XA30 Professional Camcorder features built-in dual-band (5 GHz/2.4 GHz) Wi-Fi® technology, enabling FTP file transfer to Cloud-based servers for convenient back ups. The dual bands help ensure that data can be sent even in areas with increased signal interference. It is also possible to connect to compatible networks, wireless hotspots and compatible iOS® mobile devices using the free Canon Movie Uploader app*, or play back video on the camcorder's memory cards to Wi-Fi® enabled TVs and computers.

Wi-Fi® technology also allows remote control of key camcorder controls, such as recording start/stop and zoom (in three different speeds), exposure functions (aperture, shutter speed, gain, exposure compensation and more), white balance and focus settings via a compatible tablet or smartphone. The ability to control the camera remotely, such as when using a camera crane, helps improve mobility in various shooting environments.

* This software enables you to upload images to social network sites. Before uploading images, please be aware that image files may contain privacy related information such as people and places. If necessary, please delete such information. Canon does not obtain, collect or use such images or any information included in such images through this software. Compatible with iOS version 5/6/7 or later for select devices. MP4 60p and AVCHD recordings are not supported for this function.

3.5" OLED Viewscreen with 10,000:1 Contrast Ratio

The 3.5" 1.23 million dot equivalent Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) display provides vivid colors, high contrast and dramatically improved responsiveness compared to traditional LCD screens. 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 color reproduction.

Electronic Viewfinder

The 0.24-inch tilt-type color electronic viewfinder on the XA30 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.

SDHC/SDXC Card-compatible 

The XA30 Professional Camcorder is compatible with universal SDHC and SDXC memory cards, which provide super-high capacity and ultra-fast data transfer.

NOTE: 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 XA30 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 XA30 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 color and virtually no blown-out highlights.

Highlight Priority Mode

To capture highly saturated, realistic colors and to convey gradation characteristics as perceived by the eye, the XA30 Professional Camcorder has a new 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.

View Assist Function that Supports Highlight Priority Mode

When using the XA30 Professional Camcorder in Highlight Priority mode, the View Assist function increases brightness and medium tone gamma in the camera's viewfinder or OLED 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 with Powered and Dynamic Modes and Auto On/Off

The XA30 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 XA30 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 color of your shot, you can choose between two different colors (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 XA30 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.

2 x Phantom-powered XLR Audio Inputs with Manual Gain Control

A stereo microphone is incorporated into the XA30 Professional Camcorder, as are two XLR audio inputs with +48 V phantom power. 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 XA30 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 XA30 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 color peaking, which shows the shooting object's focused areas in actual colors.

Assignable Buttons for Custom Shooting

The XA30 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 (with built-in IR emitter and diffuser)

The XA30 Professional Camcorder features an Infrared Mode allowing the capture of video in conditions with little to no ambient light. Improved from the XA25 and XA20, it can shoot at brightness levels that are approximately 1.4 times more sensitive, and makes low-light capture capable 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 XA30 features an infrared emitter with a diffuser to shoot appealing infrared imagery even in complete darkness. For nighttime videographers or law enforcement users, 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 remain hidden from subjects. Also, the XA30 gives the option of recording in white or green mode.

Connectivity to Various Inputs and Outputs

Not only does the XA30 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:

• 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)
• Remote Control Terminal (compatible with LANC protocol)
• Accessory Shoe (when handle is attached)

Optional Bluetooth Mic with Two-way Intercom-like Capability

The XA30 Professional Camcorder is compatible with the optional Canon WM-V1 Wireless Microphone (not included). Bluetooth technology allows high-quality audio to be recorded from up to 164 feet away (50m), making it ideal for events, ceremonies and other situations that call for unobtrusive sound recording. With earphones attached, the WM-V1 Wireless Microphone can also be used as a two-way intercom, enabling more creative control, such as discreetly providing an on-camera subject with direction.

Advanced Display Features: Zebra, Color Bars and Test Tone

Color bars and test tone can be selected and recorded. The color 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. Color temperature may also be manually set from 2,000K to 15,000K in 100K increments for more precise adjustment.

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

Slow and Fast Motion Modes allow the XA30 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.

Features:

• Genuine Canon 20x High Definition Optical Zoom Lens
• HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor with Improved Low-light Performance
• Full HD 1920x1080 Recording Capabilities
• Built-in Wi-Fi® Technology with FTP Transfer Capability
• Superb Image Reproduction
• 3.5" OLED Viewscreen with 10,000:1 Contrast Ratio and EVF
• Dual SD Card Slots, Using Readily Available, Consumable Media
• Wide DR Gamma (600%)
• Highlight Priority Mode
• View Assist Function that Supports Highlight Priority Mode
• Intelligent Optical Image Stabilization System with Powered and Dynamic Modes and Auto On/Off
• Full Manual Control
• Ergonomic, Portable Design
• Two Phantom-powered XLR Audio Inputs with Manual Gain Control
• Ultra Compact with Detachable Handle
• High Definition Peaking for Focus Assist
• Assignable Buttons for Custom Shooting
• Improved Infrared Shooting Mode for Extreme Low-light Conditions (with built-in IR emitter and diffuser)
• Connectivity to Various Inputs and Outputs
• Optional Bluetooth Mic with Two-way Intercom-like Capability
• Advanced Display Features: Zebra, Color Bars and Test Tone
• Impressive Slow and Fast Motion, including Interval Recording from 2x to 1200x

Specifications:

• Power Supply (rated): 7.4V DC (battery pack), 8.4V DC (DC In)
• Television System: NTSC
• Video Recording system: MPEG4-AVC / H.264
• Audio Recording system: Linear PCM (2ch)*, Dolby Digital (2ch) / MPEG-2 AAC-LC (2ch)
  • *28 Mbps/24 Mbps video recording modes only; 16-bit resolution
• Image Sensor: 1/2.84-inch CMOS, RGB Primary Color Filter
• Total Pixels: approx. 3.09 Megapixels (2208 x 1398)
• Effective Pixels: approx. 2.91 Megapixels (2136 x 1362)
• Lens:
  • Zoom Ratio: 20x Optical / 400x Digital
  • Focal Length: 3.67–73.4mm (35mm equivalent: 26.8-576mm with Standard IS/IS Off, 28.8-576mm with Dynamic IS)
  • Zoom Speed: Variable speed / Constant speed (16 levels); Fast, Normal or Slow
  • Max. F/Stop: f/1.8-2.8 
• Focusing System:
  • Hybrid AF (TTL-video signal detection system and external phase difference metering system):
  • Instant AF, Medium AF, Normal AF (TTL-video signal selection system), Face Only AF, Manual Focus
• Manual Exposure: Available
• Programmed AE:
  • Auto Mode: Auto
  • Manual Mode: P, Tv, Av, M (Manual exposure), SCN (Portrait, Sports, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Night, Low Light, Spotlight, Fireworks)
  • Cinema Mode: P, Tv, Av, M
• Max Shutter Speed: Movie: 1/2000 sec.
• Minimum Focusing Distance: 20mm (wide end) / 60cm (across zooming range)
• White Balance: Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H
• Frame Rate:
  • AVCHD - 1080: 59.94P / 59.94i / PF29.97 / 23.98P
  • MP4 - 1080: 59.94P / 29.97P / 23.98P; 720 and 360: 29.97P / 23.98P
• Minimum Illumination:
  • Auto Mode: Approx. 1.2 lux (shutter speed 1/30 sec. and with auto slow shutter on)
  • Low Light Mode: Approx. 0.1 lux (shutter speed 1/2 sec.)
• Image Stabilization:
  • Optical system (lens shift) + electronic stabilization
  • Control Modes:
  • Dynamic IS Powered IS* Macro IS Tripod Mode * During Intelligent IS (Auto Mode), Powered IS can be set to On or Off.
  • IS Modes other than Intelligent IS:
  • Standard IS IS Off
• Filter Diameter: 58mm
• Viewfinder: 0.24- inch, TFT Widescreen color LCD (Equivalent to approx. 1.56 million dots; 100% field of view)
• LCD Screen: 3.5” OLED, Capacitive Touch Panel (Approx. 1.23 million dots)
• Recording Media: 2 x SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card slots
• USB Terminal: mini-B receptacle and Hi-Speed USB supported (output only)
• Video Terminal: 3.5mm diameter 4-pole mini-jack (video/audio output only)
• Accessory Shoe: Cold Shoe
• HDMI Terminal: HDMI OUT mini connector
• Microphone Terminal: 3.5mm diameter stereo mini-jack, MIC/LINE switching possible
• AV Mini Terminal/Headphone Terminal: 3.5mm 4-pole mini-jack (video/audio output only)
• Headphone Terminal: 3.5mm stereo mini-jack
• Remote Control Terminal: 2.5mm stereo mini jack (input only)
• Operating Temperature Range:
  • Approx. -5 - 45°C, 60% relative humidity (operation)
  • Approx. 0 - 40°C, 85% relative humidity (performance)
• Dimensions: 4.3” x 3.3” x 7.2” / 109mm x 84mm x 182mm (Not including lens hood, grip belt, microphone holder and handle unit)
• Weight: approx. 1.7 lb / 765g (includes grip belt)