I have Video Camera issues.

Canon XF 305 Full HD Video camera issues?

• I purchased Canon XF 305 video camera from Singapore But after unpacking the box and checking the camera, I noticed some moving part sound (like a piece of plastic) when I shake camera. Though this is sound is changed (when camera is On) to small screw moving freely inside the camera body. I am little bit nervous and talked to the Singapore store and salesperson checked the another camera and told me that there is same sound. After contacting local Canon tech persons He further assured me that: The camera (XF305) is made this way. Very Interesting but true. My another issue is related to Zoom. Canon says this camera has 18x zoom lens but I have already a Sony Z1 HDV camera with 12x zoom. I compared both cameras on same location but both camera have same zoom range. Actually I buy this camera for good zoom range, but this is very disappointing that Canon's 18x is equal to Sony's 12x. If anyone is using the same camera, I would request to put some light on both these issue and want to hear their camera experience.

• Answer:

  congratulations on getting such a fine camera. the motion sound is probably the OIS moving. the "power" of a zoom lens is the ratio of maximum focal length to minimum. the lens on the 305 is indeed 18x. however this is what is called a wide angle zoom, at the minimum zoom it is the equivalent of a 35mm wide angle lens on a 35mm film camera. At the maximum power, it is the same as the Sony 12x zoom because the Sony lens starts at the normal focal length (50 mm equivalent). to get a longer reach, you can put a teleconverter on the lens. a 1.4x teleconverter will give more power and still allow the zoom to adjust over all or most of its range.