Uploaded December 2015 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Both the Canon GL1 and GL2 series MiniDV camcorders aimed to blur the line between professional and consumer grade offerings for video recording. Both models had a very long production run, and for good reason!
They might not be HD, but the quality of the video and audio is exceptional. The quality of the internal stereo microphones rivals that of PCM field audio recorders. Both camcorder share many features such as: the capability to record 16:9 video with 16 bit audio, two independent recording and zoom control, and connections for external microphones and headphones. The GL2 has a few more advanced features which the GL1 lacks: manual microphone gain controls, audio level meters, and an SD card slot for still photos, just to name a few.
Each model has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. One feature I really fancy is the hybrid manual focus ring found on the GL1; if at any particular point does the camcorder struggle to automatically focus, you can simply adjust the focus ring to manually correct the focus.
I originally intended for this to be two separate videos, but soon realized such a thing would be rather redundant as there already is an abundance of review videos showing each specific model.
*Bonus: a quick demonstration of the Canon DM-50 stereo shotgun microphone is included with the price of admission.
Both the Canon GL1 and GL2 series MiniDV camcorders aimed to blur the line between professional and consumer grade offerings for video recording. Both models had a very long production run, and for good reason!
They might not be HD, but the quality of the video and audio is exceptional. The quality of the internal stereo microphones rivals that of PCM field audio recorders. Both camcorder share many features such as: the capability to record 16:9 video with 16 bit audio, two independent recording and zoom control, and connections for external microphones and headphones. The GL2 has a few more advanced features which the GL1 lacks: manual microphone gain controls, audio level meters, and an SD card slot for still photos, just to name a few.
Each model has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. One feature I really fancy is the hybrid manual focus ring found on the GL1; if at any particular point does the camcorder struggle to automatically focus, you can simply adjust the focus ring to manually correct the focus.
I originally intended for this to be two separate videos, but soon realized such a thing would be rather redundant as there already is an abundance of review videos showing each specific model.
*Bonus: a quick demonstration of the Canon DM-50 stereo shotgun microphone is included with the price of admission.
