I bought an XF605 in November 2021 for News and run and gun and it's brilliant. Canon doesnt claim it's a cinema camera or for use in super low light, but it's brilliant for news gathering and one person shooting. I have delved into the settings, creating a Custom Profile based loosely on the WideDR profile but tweaked for noise reduction, sharpness, gamma and chroma and i'm very happy with it. In most good/average light settings I just don't get the noise in the image that you say has bugged you. It's image to my eyes on a big monitor is way more detailed than both my C100's and EOSR with various lenses including the Sigma 1.8 zooms (18-35 & 50-100) and i'm betting than the R6II i'm planning on aquiring. Yes the nice super 35mm sensor on the C100II has a lovelly look and great for interviews, but for out of the car fast news shooting, the XF605 is a smart choice It has some short comings but for news it's really very very nice and reliable. I run Card A as 35mb MP4 1080 50p and Card B as Proxy MP4 1080 9mb. A favourite feature is the 30x zoom in HD along with the deep learning Eye/Face/Object Dual Pixel AF. It sounds to me your soloution was always to go either a Cinema camera C100/C200/C300/C500/C70 or an EOSR5/R6II particularly for shooting 4K high bit rate with lushous full frame and wide open apertures. I have used my XF605 for live crosses on 9 News and Today Show and also ABC News24 HD as well as lots and lots of news stories, for Metro and Regional news and it's just a great workhorse, Within days of aquiring it it was feeding through a satelite truck and just worked. It was the opening shots on a 4 Corners story late last year and ABC ran stills off some of the shots as the main promo images. I have the colour where I need it, it's punchy without being too contrasty and holds up well in backlit and difficult lighting settings. I get you may be dissapointed, and I do miss the shallow Super 35 depth of field but all in all I like the XF605

Hi Derek, I'm sorry to hear about your issues with the XF 605. I've been seriously thinking about getting one myself. I currently have the Canon R5 and as a Hybrid Photo/Video shooter, it works really well for me appart from the over heating. This has been sort of resolved with the lattest firmware update. A few months ago I nearly bought the R5C but it eats through batteries with the extra Video Functions and built in fan. I thought the R5 was bad, so hearing that was a deal breaker for me. A 1" Sensor will never compete with the full frame R6. I'm sure there are some settings you can tweak on the XF 605 to reduce the noise from what you are seeing.

Great video and review and some really interesting and surprising information. Good work mate

I really listen to your words carefully - very wise recommendations - thanks for sharing!

I really appreciate your videos. Thank you for sharing.

Hi, thanks for doing this video. What video camera are you using now as your primary? Did you keep the 605 or send it back?

i appreciate the nuances you dwell on when your explaining different factors.

I would never dismiss anyone who has actually used the XF605 in the field and understand if it's not for you. I got one of these around six months ago having previously been a Panasonic man when it came to camcorders (I also have a URSA mini pro G2 but that's too heavy for a lot of run and gun work). There's a lot to like about this camera, as long as you recognise that's it's not a cinema camera but a camcorder. I saw someone on here complain the colours are dull. I shoot in C-log 3 and make a very simple LUT in Resolve from my colour checker. Bring the LUT into Premiere and the colours absolutely pop. The workflow is very quick. You may be right about the IS - I'm in my 50s now and the hands are definitely not that stable - it seems hit and miss, although I've never seen the drift you got. Overall though, the best all rounder camera I've used. My next plan for it is to use the IP streaming capabilities at an event. If the latency isn't too bad that will be another massive tick for it. Good video Derek, always good to hear from other experiences.

Hi Derek, thank You for Your great video. I am so sorry for this. What do You think abput the new Panasonic HC-X2 Camcorder?

Please let me know which camcorder in the xf605 pricd range has the best picture quality? Is dslr the way to go?

You have any cameras you wanna sale or get rid of?

Derek, I'm shooting with it right now doing a doco for the Aus army/navy. I'm hating using it so far. About to switch back to my 1Dx and 24-105 with a variable ND. The screen is so dim and the focus has been incredibly slow and unreliable. I doubt I'll use it again for anything involving much movement or low light. When it does work, the image looks good. It just doesn't work for me often enough

was just looking for some info on this camera but i gotta tell you: this was the most entertaining and useful equipment video i’ve seen in years 🫡

I'd highly suggest the xc15. It's a great camera with the teleconverter for wildlife

That stabilization thing happens to me quite often when I'm filming! Its really annoying!! My XF400 did the same thing. I thought it was me.

Thanks for you frank review. I was fascinated by the "reviews" all around the websites until now. Yeah, its parameters are nice but its actual performance may be questionable. My alternative choice is Panasonic HC-X2 whose colour depth is just 4:2:0 @ 4K60P, making me hesitate to buy. However if Panasonic HC-X2 performs really better in the field than Canon XF605, I will choose X2 instead, despite of the 4:2:0.

Wow, that stabilization jerk is a total deal breaker.

I loved my 400 until I picked it up one date and felt something sliding around. A lens element came unglued or something. Canon wanted more to fix it than the camera was worth used. Since then I've heard several other people have had the same thing happen

would you recommend iPhone for instagram

Always good to hear from someone who actually uses the cameras rather than talking about it on day of release. Good video mate

Oof! Sorry about that one. That said, I'm impressed with your eye for quality picture, and I hope you can find a piece of equipment that's worthy of it!

Thanks for making this!

The problem is all the current camcorders are alike, exhibiting similar image quality issues. If you need a servo lens for smooth zooming you're stuck they these type of cameras. For static shots like interviews mirrorless cameras are the way to go, but for event type work often camcorder is needed. The camera manufactures have put all there R & D into mirrorless. Camcorders have largely made no improvement for 5+ years.

Longer zoom on 605, yes?

Check page 125 of the old maual or 127 of the newer manual. There are noise reduction settings for the camera in the custom picture settings. If you're concerned about low light I'd probably suggest getting a Sony FX6 (if you can find one for sale at the moment) or an FX3.... the XF605 is not great in low light, in part because of the sensor size, I suppose. The noise with eh XF605 is a problem, though... I'd agree.

Someone suggested the noise may be the result of a defected unit, might be worth checking up on. It is strange there is no noise reduction settings, although depending on your view not having the camera do noise reduction could be a good thing to leave to post production for better control of it, again depending on workflow preferences. I know some log profiles also tend to show more noise sometimes, I have no experience with Canon logs though. I'll say I did notice a pretty significant difference in picture quality in the 10bit footage from the 605 to the 405. If it were me I would see if I could deal with the noise in post suitably for the benefit of the 10bit codecs and better dynamic range, you can see it clearly on the bright sun on your face. As far as the R5c, it sure is a great camera. You're going to lose image stabilization, aside from the lens IS, and you're going to lose the reach of the camcorders servo zoom, not to mention form factor and built in NDS. There's no doubt the image of the R5c will be the best out of any of the cameras mentioned but will it match well with whatever you choose to keep, will your current lenses give you the range you want, are you ready for the storage requirements and post workflow, and is it possibly overkill? All things I'd consider. High end wildlife is shot on cinema cameras like Reds these days so the R5c would get a closer look to that, just got to decide if it's practical for you monetarily as well as for workflow sake.

Excellent review. And I agree it has a very noisy, unspectacular image

Honesty appreciated!

Have you considered the new Panasonic HC-X20 (or HC-X2, if you need the streaming and broadcast features)? They look pretty good, at least from the reviewers' initial reactions. Of course, these same reviewers absolutely LOVED the Canon XF605 so, until we can actually test one ourselves, who knows? Good luck and keep these great videos coming!

Biggest issue I’ve found… you can’t use the magnifier and view what your outputting to sdi, it’s one or the other making operating live impossible without a video assist.

I really dont understand how when people have a real problem with a camera there's other who write it off or defend it like they work at Canon. My camera is un useable at this time and was sent out. It had a ton of noise before and now it's even worse after the update. I get that some people dont have this problem but I do and this camera was way to expensive vs other brands to have this issue.

I’m going through the same testing process. I’ve had the XF400 for 18 months and purchased the XF605 a few weeks back. Now I am no videographer and so I’m learning as I go, but on first pass, the XF605 offers no image improvement - even in 10 bit - save for Log, which I’ve no experience of and have yet to test. I am finiding more noise in low light. For for £4.2k, we get an L lens (which offers no improvement) and manual rings/buttons. That appears to be it? Plus the connectivity stuff that many won’t use.

I find this review a bit confusing. I own both a 605 and a 405. I use them mainly for theatre show and awards recordings. I find the 605 a good step better than my 405. I see it in your footage as well. There is a crispness, a clarity a pop that is on the 605. I may be more discerning but I see it to the point of wanting another 605 to match the two camera shoots better! I thought I could match with the two but the 405 just doesn't have the details and range I need when working with both in post. I have to pull down on the 605 to get them to meet in the middle. Now another possibility is I am NTSC and I'm assuming you are Pal. Maybe this effects things?

This is exactly the issue I was getting and it got me so confused. I had to record something for a job and decided to rent a XF605 because the specs were so good and so were the reviews I read. I went an entire day of shooting, plenty of light, 0db gain, etc. Footage looked brilliant on the external viewfinder I had. But then I came home and watched to footage on my 4K monitor. Non of the footage was usable. It was waaay too noisy. I thought I did something wrong for sure. But it turns out I am not the only one with the problem. Such a shame.... Otherwise it could've been the best pro-sumer ENG camera out there for sure.

THANK YOU

Hello. Why, when you have such a high-end technique, your output on YT is only 1440. I would expect a full 4k resolution when we want to talk about the quality comparison and the details of the recording.

great video

I can't believe there are actual differences between ISO and gain mode except in the display and controls.

I don't know, I'm eyeballing the Canon XF100 or the XF105. I really like the size of those camcorders and image quality. Classics never die, they only age like fine wine over time.

To me it seems they come close with their ENG / pro camcorders, but miss obvious (to us) aspects. Now they have a few "new" models in the XA series, that seem very similar, but nothing much new in terms of generation. The XF605 seems like a better priced, more compact and repackaged XF705. Would be great if they did a full refresh, with key aspects of their cinema cameras, in a pro camcorder form. Of course they can do it, but it seems they prefer to hold back.

I came in here because I've watched a whole bunch of reviews for the xf650 and everyone seems suspiciously the same, no one show actual fotage or if they do its hastly done outside the door so no love or passion. I suspect all the vids are secretly sponsored. Your video kinda confirm this. This seems like a crap camera no where near the price tag. I'll stick wth my fujifilm xt4 for a year longer. it definitely blow the image quality out of the water compared to this one but i do want a camcorder when the quality is good enough.

Can you imagine creating a product that all comes down to the mov output, and no video editor can import it? That's incompetence.

There's too much analysis without subject deep analysis, I used Canon C200 and C300 II, those are of course Cinema Camera. I was also lucky my first camcorder was Canin XF100, most camcorder need proper lighting. Here is my view Canon XF605 is the best camcorder, compatibility especially for events and News gathering. Camera is a light, Light Light and do proper White balance, if you depend on auto, a mess will happen.

Hi, Have you looked at the information on page 127 of the manual? There is Noise reduction settings on the xf605 with several settings available to you that you were not able to find. Also note that per the manual on page 60 it seems there really is only gain. They call it ISO/Gain (maybe to help people find it who are making the transition from DSLRs as they would not know to search for gain ?) But In the end it seems to be doing the same thing to the sensor in terms of trying to make it more sensitive. Hope you are able to dial in the settings and get a really nice image you are happy with. Also worth noting that if its really far out there sometimes bad systems get out and Canon has been pretty good at sorting that stuff out. I have several of the XF-705s along with Canon Professional Services accounts and they are a call away for issues and repairs.

Great review. Canon is a real let down.

I've used a Canon XA20 for seven years without the slightest problem. When I decided to switch to 4K, I was seduced by the XF605. Now I regret it. On the XF605, Auto Focus is random and Image Stabilization works poorly. After six months of problems, I was happy to find somebody to buy it from me and I switched to DJI. To film wildlife, DJI Ronin 4D is fantastic.

Hi, I have the same camera as you and I use it as a TV journalist. You are completely right, XF5605 is very disappointing because of the noise. Even my other 6 year old standby camera is better. I don't understand how Canon can release this product. And I don't understand how people can find it good with so much noise.

Hi Derek, me again! I'm having trouble editing my observations. So, a bit more added here. For image quality it would be better to have a bigger sensor - see my comment below. Something like a C70 for example is sort of the same price - if you have the lenses - but will give much better quality images. It's not just down to the bigger sensor size either. The sensor technology is more suitable for what you are looking for. Have a read up about them. Others have suggested Sony cameras and they would be well worth looking at. I suspect what you really want is going to cost rather more than an XF605 by the time you kitted it out with suitable lenses, batteries, heavier tripods etc etc. What concerns me is the difference you are seeing (or is that not seeing?) between the XF605 and the XF400. Without doing my own tests, and I have not, I can't usefully comment. Yet.

Dear Derek ... I know how much you were looking forward to the new camera and how upsetting it would be to have the issues you have encountered. Hope your way ahead gives better outcomes for you. Regards Rob

I wanted to buy a canon xf305 but seeing the very poor video quality I rather buy a canon xlh1 and an external recorder it will be cheaper

Hi folks, I came back to look at any replies. I'd like to babble a bit more. Ss yet there is no such thing as the perfect camera. They can be absolutely awful or very good for some jobs but not others. I suspect Derek wants a range of attributes that with present technology are incompatible. Great quality images, low light performance, and a nice long zoom with a wide aperture, oh yes, and good stabilisation. Also, like all of us, at a 'reasonable' price - whatever that means. Sadly, as far as I know that lot are not available in one package - yet. One day perhaps, one day, as technology evolves - sensors get better and large aperture zooms with a wide image circle get cheaper to manufacture. The art and the science is not there yet. So, we have to cut our cloth according not just to our needs but to what is available. Dream on Derek - we need dreamers - they tempt others to try and achieve that dream. Meantime, I'm busily charging camera batteries .... I'm intrigued by the reported differences between the 400 and the 605 and for once I'm in a position to investigate them. I have a theory, but I'll keep that to myself, my theories often turn out to be wrong so I want to test first and babble after.

Go for the Sony Z280. You won't regret it.

thanks for this...you are so passionate about capturing wildlife...so ...is the video noise even in daylight an issue with this specific camera or a common issue with the XF605? wow...the actual video quality is really good...the issue with the jerk in stabilization is not good at all...not many people talk a bout this issues.I skipped the XF400...still keeping my XF300...but a camcorder would be so useful and it must have 4k capability...I confess I'm still on the fence about buying this overpriced camcorder (over $6k Cdn!) But there isn't very much out there with at least a 1" sensor in a camcorder shape. Thanks for the video. Stay angry! but not for too long. Maybe Canon will take it back...

Your review is way off. Your settings or something is not right. I have two of these cameras and not getting noise and all as you state. Does it match the XF400, could be but you have the opportunity with the log profiles, different formats, range and more.

I love to work with the XF605...its probably the best camcorder canon has ever released....beside the funktions and features the 605 offers, the ergonimics are close to perfect...the XF405 ist not a professional camera, cause the work in post is very limited...

Ill buy the 605 from you -

I got teeth missing, I won't judge ya

These cameras are duds. Get a canon cinema camera, you will be alot happier.

Get a real camera, a c500.