The Canon XA10 HD Professional PAL Camcorder is a fully featured, ultra-compact pro video camera that shares nearly all the functionality of the XF100, but in an even smaller, run-and-gun form factor. Sporting a 64 GB internal flash drive and two SDXC-compatible card slots, the XA10 can record literally for days without running out of memory.
Able to capture AVCHD video at bitrates up to 24 Mb/s, the camcorder's native 1920 x 1080 CMOS sensor also lets you choose 50i and PF25 frame rates for customizing the look of your footage (PF25 is 25 progressive frames per second recorded as 50i.). Bringing further professional oomph to that footage is a Genuine Canon 10x HD video lens, with lowlight sensitivity to f/1.8 and a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 30.4-304mm.
Like the larger XF100, the XA10 also provides full image customization, cinema looks, infrared recording (for night shooting), and HDMI/component/composite output. Other professional features include dual XLR inputs, relay recording, waveform, color peaking, and zebra patterns.
But the camera has a few extra tricks up its sleeve, including a detachable handle to allow for truly low-profile shooting, and a 3.5" touchscreen LCD that adds the extremely useful Touch & Track, Touch Focus, and Touch Exposure functions, which make pulling focus and adjusting exposure dramatically easier. Combined with its other focus, exposure, and composition aids, this makes the XA10 an ideal blend of portability and professional control – the perfect tool for nearly any on-the-go production.