One-stop solution: first shoots with the Canon XF605

"In documentary and journalism, you've got to be able to shoot at the click of a button because you don't know where the action is going to happen," says Nina Stevens, who has shot for major broadcasters from the BBC and Channel 4 through to the Discovery Channel and Sky.

For Charles Rare, a DoP, colourist and co-founder of a topical debate show who turned to cinematography to give life to the stories people shared, a camera is a tool for storytelling. "I'm always looking for new ways to redefine creativity," he says.

Both self-taught filmmakers who have learnt on the job, Nina and Charles were the first to try out Canon's latest flagship camcorder, the XF605. The new generation XF series camera is one of the industry's smallest three-ring 4K camcorders, with a large 1.0-type CMOS sensor and DIGIC DV7 processor delivering exceptional image quality, a 15x zoom lens and Dual Pixel AF with EOS iTR AF X, an intelligent deep learning technology that tracks a subject's head, even when they are looking away from the camera.

Charles is no stranger to filming roundtable discussions but has previously used cinema cameras. "I'd never thought of using a camcorder in this setting, so I didn't know how much time it would save me," he says. "When it comes to this kind of work, things like depth of field don't matter too much and I don't need a Super 35mm or Full Frame sensor. I'm looking for a clean image that looks great straight out of camera, supports the right codecs and is easy to work with in post.

"With this camera, everything is compact, you've got the XLR inputs and built-in ND filters. I could use it for filming talking heads, documentaries – that zoom range gives you so many options – and for roundtable discussions."

When filming three subjects in conversation, Charles was particularly impressed with the scope of the 15x zoom range, which increases to 30x (in FHD) when using advanced zoom. "There have been scenarios when I've hired a lens kit for a job and wished I had a bit more range," he says. "Being able to punch in so much creates new creative possibilities, because you don't usually get that range in a DSLR or cinema camera setup."

Despite working with a limited team, Charles also wanted to be able to shoot interviews on multiple cameras, so he paired the Canon XF605 with two PTZ cameras controlled with a Canon Remote Control RC-V100. "This setup made me realise I could shoot a roundtable discussion with a very small crew, knowing everything is being monitored behind the desk," he says.

As a colourist, Charles is always considering post-production when shooting. "The band performance was quite a low-light situation, which can result in artefacts in the shadows and noise in the image," he says. "Whatever processing was happening in the camera, to me there was no visible noise. That sensor was working magic. When I started to use false colour to see what was happening in the blacks and shadow area, I was quite surprised – I had to use other tools to double check my exposure just to make sure I was looking at the image that false colour was telling me.

"We shot in 4K and HD. What's useful about 4K is the flexibility it gives you in post if you're going to deliver in an HD timeline. I've also found in colour grading that having more pixels to work with helps keep the integrity of the image when you start to push or pull things in different directions or sharpen the image – 4K is great for image fidelity."

As well as gain, white balance, focus and iris buttons, the Canon XF605 has 11 assignable buttons and settings can be adjusted through the LCD vari-angle touchscreen. "When you're looking through the screen and think, 'Oh, I should change the settings for this', you don't have to look somewhere else," says Nina. "It sounds really simple, but it's really nice to have that in one place."

When recording interviews, clear audio is vital, so Nina welcomed the camera's multiple XLR inputs. "Four-channel audio means I have multiple options for mics," she says. "Sometimes I'll be shooting a conversation and it's great to have the option to shoot more than just two people and still get good sound."

With a lightweight design, 600g lighter and 10% smaller than the Canon XF705, the XF605 is a compact yet durable camera for use in the field. "It's definitely a camera for journalistic work," says Nina. "It's really light and easy to take wherever you need to go, but you've still got all the functions of a larger format camera. It's often just me shooting, so I don't want a lot of kit to worry about, but I need kit that's going to get me the results I require. The convenience of the Canon XF605 was great."

Across their diverse shooting scenarios both filmmakers made use of the camera's powerful autofocus capabilities. The Canon XF605 combines Dual Pixel CMOS AF with head detection and tracking via EOS iTR AF X, 'deep learning' autofocus technology which keeps subjects in sharp focus even when they turn away from the camera. It's also the first XF series camera to feature Eye Detection AF.

"The head tracking kept my subjects in focus as they were moving," says Nina, who used it when filming people, but also to lock onto bees from a metre away. "To be able to watch and make sure the AF stayed in focus, as opposed to actually following and finding focus, was really handy. Quite often I'll be filming but also having to think about what I have to do next, who is walking into the back of my shot or my next question. If you let those things consume you, you can miss the shot."

For Charles, an "avid manual focus person", using the advanced AF and 5-axis IS allowed him to focus on other elements of his filmmaking. "Having that element removed because the AF does its job very well, saves so much time. You can focus on things like composition. When shooting a band with multiple camera setups, I like to roam with the camera handheld. The flexibility to move and know that the camera is just going to nail focus is great."

Using the AF in combination with intuitive controls on the vari-angle touchscreen made for a particularly seamless experience. "The touchscreen is so responsive, and you can tap focus to the left or right of frame and the camera will change focus," says Charles. "You still have that level of flexibility and control – it's not locked in AF. The face tracking in combination with the tap focus made it feel like manual focus. You don't have to sacrifice the outcome of your creativity."