VanDaven

While I was also rather skeptical about the XC10, I ordered it and I am definitely going to keep it. While it is definitely true that the lens performance in regards to shifting aperture is annoying, there are enough positives about this little camera that make it a keeper for me. 
• Image quality: Absolutely stunning and in all regards a "baby C300". At 1080p, I don't like the 35 mbps 25p too much, but the 50 mbps / 50p looks absolutely gorgeous. I own a 4K-upgraded F5 and a GH4 (speedbooster / Canon glass and the inevitable 12-35). Looks definitely much nicer "out of the box" than my GH4. 
• Lens: Only wide open gives you f2.8, the higher the focal length the less the f-stop up to f5.6. That is a bummer, but else the optical performance of the lens is excellent. No focus breathing and it's parfocal. Other than most the Canon L-glass I use, the T-stop is also the same at any focal length. Also worth mentioning: The lens will maintain the (higher) aperture if you set it, meaning if you set it to f5.6 it will also stay on the same f-stop at wider zoom stages. The camera electronics maintain this constant f-stop in a pretty quickly, only a full crash-zoom will shortly lead to a slightly brighter image (nothing like the flashy Panasonic 12-35). Manual focus is fly-by-wire, the camera offers three different modes for that (slow / normal / fast). The lens only closes to f11, but a built-in ND filters makes up for that. 
• IS: Optical & digital (only at HD recording) image stabilization is pretty effective and makes handheld shooting without adding additional weight a breeze. 
• Sensor crop: In case you're still fine with recording HD, sensor crop mode can also be activated in 2 different ways: First off, you can select a 2x crop mode that is not quite as sharp as the downsampled, but hey, you at least get 50mm focal length @ f2.8. Second way to crop in is to use the dynamic digital image stabilization which crops into the image by about 13,5%.
• Body, controls and loupe: The design of the body with the rotating hand-grip is very smart and well-balanced, much easier for handheld operation in comparison to a regular still image camera. Only three user-assignable buttons mean that a number of functions (like ISO, audio gain etc.) have to be assigned from the menu via the (very precise) joystick, but at least for me it was easy to get used to this. Imho still better than the tight layout of the C300 (where you can accidentally touch a couple of buttons by just picking up the body). The included loupe solution that you just stick on the viewfinder is a very good idea. It distorts a little bit, but I prefer this solution any day when shooting outside on the GH4 (without an additional EVF unit). It tilts really easily and is very comfortable. 
Personal Usage: 
Working with heavier camera setups (PDW700 ENG, F5/55 etc.) makes me often wish for something lightweight and versatile, especially for news / report / documentary B-roll shots. That's what I got the GH4 for, but I never really liked the image (and I experimented a lot with different settings). Now that I bought the XC10, the GH4 will stay in the storage more often. Even though it has some drawbacks and might not appeal to some users, the form factor, zoom range, image quality etc. is ideal for my applications. I could even imagine shooting documentaries and reports purely on the XC10. 
Price: Here in Europe the XC10 sells for a little bit less than 2K €. What you get for the money is an interesting design of a "DSLR-like" fixed-lens camera. If you don't need 4K and want to use expensive Cfast media, choose the cheap SD alternative and work in HD. The 1" sensor still gives you sufficient bokeh even at f5.6. 
While the XC10 might not be the best solution for many users, it does not deserve the bashing it gets on the web. And just a reminder: One of the most practical lenses in the "affordable" range for DSLRs is the Canon L 24-105, which has a constant f4 (definitely not a constant T), is not parfocal, has focus breathing, much inferior IS, is less sharp and still costs about 860 €. The XC10 stays on f4 until about 70mm. 
 
 

Thank you very much for your input on this matter. While I understand that all sensor designs have their aliasling limitations, real-world testing of a C300 (large format single sensor) vs. XF305 (3-chip design) a while back showed that the C300, even though utilizing oversampling via a 4K sensor for HD recording, was way more sensible towards moiré and aliasing than the XF305. 
In regards the XC10, I can only tell you and the rest of the community that it has been the most versatile addition to my image gathering tools  in a long time. The footage, no matter if 4K or FullHD, is easier to work with than whatever comes out of my GH4 and color-wise (especially in regards to reds) it's also more forgiving than my F55 (which, on the other hand, is 10 bit footage which is undoubtedly an advantage). 
One could argue all night whether it's "true" 4K or not, but in the end, it's a magnificent little camera that makes my work easier. 

Thanks for the comparison, the DR is clearly top notch in comparison to the two other cameras. I don't know what you think about the low light test, but with a bit of post work (sharpening and NR), I daresay that it even produces usable results beyond ISO4000. 
Up to now I haven't noticed any moiré or aliasing (unlike the C300, which would show aliasing in many fine detail shots). 
From the time the XC10 was announced to actually trying it out in the field for a couple of weeks now, my opinion about this camera has turned 180°. 

I do not even dare to ask why the designers of the FS5 have included a gain / ISO switch in their plans... I remember the times I was shooting ENG material on this extremely robust Canon XF305 that was REALLY not intended for low light shooting. I bought it back in 2010, and it had a gain switch. If you'd switch the camera to +12 dB of gain you would see noise. Mainly noise. It didn't have any macro-blocking-squaredance party to put some relief on the codec in order to break the image whatsoever. It also didn't have much banding. It was using a codec very similar to the C300, 50 mbps for 25p of 1920x1080. The BBC bought lots of them if I remember correctly. When there was noise in the image, you would either leave it because it fit the situation it was shot in or you would try your best with NEAT (which often worked). 
Honestly, from deep in my heart, the FS5 is the most disappointing product I bought in a very long time, especially after reading some of its defender's statements recently. It's good enough for what I use it for, so I will keep it (as I have already sold the tools I used for those specific jobs before). Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good things about it apart from the image problems (the hot topic of yesterday): Ergonomics, 
But from the rattling handle (sorry: smart grip) to the incompatibilities with certain 3rd party batteries and the "built-in fixed non-removable" noise reduction it makes the "worst camera of 2015" quite a star.

If the colours are so 'puke' like, then surely Blondini you will have no problem telling these 1D C and FS5 4K frames apart...

Ummm... no macro-blocking, nope. That is the way shallow DOF looks on a S16 sensor. In comparison, a S35 sensor has a much larger area, while S16 of XC10 is closer to the "traditional" 2/3" PDW sensor. Very nice for TV news or mini-docs. 

As an owner of both the XC10 and the Sony FS5, the only thing that I can tell you is that the XC10 is way less disappointing than the Sony. Not that the FS5 is a bad camera, but the expectations were much higher...

Ummm... no macro-blocking, nope. That is the way shallow DOF looks on a S16 sensor. In comparison, a S35 sensor has a much larger area, while S16 of XC10 is closer to the "traditional" 2/3" PDW sensor. Very nice for TV news or mini-docs. 

Makes sense. Well, I almost purchased a C300 last year for exactly the same purpose that I got the XC10 now (cheaper and more portable than the F55). I would be quite annoyed if I would have. Btw, I delivered (sundown / rather low-light) 4K b-roll footage from a regional event to a well-known Austrian broadcaster a while ago and everyone thought it was from the F55... 'nuff said.

It's not soft, it's just that the Canon Log picture style does not add any in-camera sharpening, so you need to sharpen in post. If you use any of the other picture styles, it is as sharp as my 3-chip XF305. 
The (original) Beachtek version is actually stronger than you might think it is. Using this one every day and if you tighten them screws you can beat someone with that setup  

This was a nice read
http://www.4kshooters.net/2015/08/20/new-footage-from-the-canon-xc10-4k-hybrid-camera/

Finally I could spend some (very limited) time outside and also some time to hack it together: 
Not the best that I could do but gives some additional impression over the capabilities of the XC10 in bright daylight. 
Here's a photo of my XC10 ENG configuration that has been tested and hopefully soon will see some real action for a report:

Cheers!

Quick Test of the Rode Stereo Videomic X.
Make sure to use headphones or good speakers.
The unboxing is about a minute long if you want to jump ahead.
(excuse the "grade", didn't have time so I just slapped some Osiris on it)

Quick run through of all the picture profiles in the Canon XC10 and also a DR shootout against a 5Dii with ML Raw and the BMPC4K.
DR looks good imo.
In the DR comparison I exposed all three a hair from zebra. Adjusted lift, gamma, gain.
In the first set of picture profiles I adjusted lift, gamma, gain and added saturation to the C-Log.
Second set is straight from camera, untouched.
All ETTR.

Compared to the 5dmkii it's the same amount of buttons and actions to change the iso. And its much easier than on a bmpcc or D16 type of camera so no biggy imo.

I can clarify how I do it just for the heck of it.
On 5D
Click ISO, Scroll to new iso, Click iso.
On xc10
Double click fn, Scroll to new iso (using the same fn stick), Double click Menu.
So on both cameras you can change the iso using one finger that always sits close to the two controls needed. Loupe doesn't get in the way either. 
 

Went to a race track. Only had about two hours, no tripod, no credentials to get closer to the track or a decent microphone.
But I still wanted some video from it.
Thank god for the camcorder
Would be really fun to bring a good mic next time, get credentials and do some reporting as well. 
Simply didn't have the time for preparation or at the track.
Oh well maybe by winter I have time for my hobby again

Finally I could spend some (very limited) time outside and also some time to hack it together: 
Not the best that I could do but gives some additional impression over the capabilities of the XC10 in bright daylight. 
Here's a photo of my XC10 ENG configuration that has been tested and hopefully soon will see some real action for a report:

Cheers!

Finally I could spend some (very limited) time outside and also some time to hack it together: 
Not the best that I could do but gives some additional impression over the capabilities of the XC10 in bright daylight. 
Here's a photo of my XC10 ENG configuration that has been tested and hopefully soon will see some real action for a report:

Cheers!

I bought a Lexar too, the CFast 2.0 cards work "right out of the box" and I would recommend them to anyone who wants to have less trouble than I had. In comparison to what I paid for the Sony SxS PRO+ cards for my larger camera, even CFast 2.0's are a steal ;). 

I will try as soon as I have some time off work!

While I was also rather skeptical about the XC10, I ordered it and I am definitely going to keep it. While it is definitely true that the lens performance in regards to shifting aperture is annoying, there are enough positives about this little camera that make it a keeper for me. 
• Image quality: Absolutely stunning and in all regards a "baby C300". At 1080p, I don't like the 35 mbps 25p too much, but the 50 mbps / 50p looks absolutely gorgeous. I own a 4K-upgraded F5 and a GH4 (speedbooster / Canon glass and the inevitable 12-35). Looks definitely much nicer "out of the box" than my GH4. 
• Lens: Only wide open gives you f2.8, the higher the focal length the less the f-stop up to f5.6. That is a bummer, but else the optical performance of the lens is excellent. No focus breathing and it's parfocal. Other than most the Canon L-glass I use, the T-stop is also the same at any focal length. Also worth mentioning: The lens will maintain the (higher) aperture if you set it, meaning if you set it to f5.6 it will also stay on the same f-stop at wider zoom stages. The camera electronics maintain this constant f-stop in a pretty quickly, only a full crash-zoom will shortly lead to a slightly brighter image (nothing like the flashy Panasonic 12-35). Manual focus is fly-by-wire, the camera offers three different modes for that (slow / normal / fast). The lens only closes to f11, but a built-in ND filters makes up for that. 
• IS: Optical & digital (only at HD recording) image stabilization is pretty effective and makes handheld shooting without adding additional weight a breeze. 
• Sensor crop: In case you're still fine with recording HD, sensor crop mode can also be activated in 2 different ways: First off, you can select a 2x crop mode that is not quite as sharp as the downsampled, but hey, you at least get 50mm focal length @ f2.8. Second way to crop in is to use the dynamic digital image stabilization which crops into the image by about 13,5%.
• Body, controls and loupe: The design of the body with the rotating hand-grip is very smart and well-balanced, much easier for handheld operation in comparison to a regular still image camera. Only three user-assignable buttons mean that a number of functions (like ISO, audio gain etc.) have to be assigned from the menu via the (very precise) joystick, but at least for me it was easy to get used to this. Imho still better than the tight layout of the C300 (where you can accidentally touch a couple of buttons by just picking up the body). The included loupe solution that you just stick on the viewfinder is a very good idea. It distorts a little bit, but I prefer this solution any day when shooting outside on the GH4 (without an additional EVF unit). It tilts really easily and is very comfortable. 
Personal Usage: 
Working with heavier camera setups (PDW700 ENG, F5/55 etc.) makes me often wish for something lightweight and versatile, especially for news / report / documentary B-roll shots. That's what I got the GH4 for, but I never really liked the image (and I experimented a lot with different settings). Now that I bought the XC10, the GH4 will stay in the storage more often. Even though it has some drawbacks and might not appeal to some users, the form factor, zoom range, image quality etc. is ideal for my applications. I could even imagine shooting documentaries and reports purely on the XC10. 
Price: Here in Europe the XC10 sells for a little bit less than 2K €. What you get for the money is an interesting design of a "DSLR-like" fixed-lens camera. If you don't need 4K and want to use expensive Cfast media, choose the cheap SD alternative and work in HD. The 1" sensor still gives you sufficient bokeh even at f5.6. 
While the XC10 might not be the best solution for many users, it does not deserve the bashing it gets on the web. And just a reminder: One of the most practical lenses in the "affordable" range for DSLRs is the Canon L 24-105, which has a constant f4 (definitely not a constant T), is not parfocal, has focus breathing, much inferior IS, is less sharp and still costs about 860 €. The XC10 stays on f4 until about 70mm. 
 
 

While I was also rather skeptical about the XC10, I ordered it and I am definitely going to keep it. While it is definitely true that the lens performance in regards to shifting aperture is annoying, there are enough positives about this little camera that make it a keeper for me. 
• Image quality: Absolutely stunning and in all regards a "baby C300". At 1080p, I don't like the 35 mbps 25p too much, but the 50 mbps / 50p looks absolutely gorgeous. I own a 4K-upgraded F5 and a GH4 (speedbooster / Canon glass and the inevitable 12-35). Looks definitely much nicer "out of the box" than my GH4. 
• Lens: Only wide open gives you f2.8, the higher the focal length the less the f-stop up to f5.6. That is a bummer, but else the optical performance of the lens is excellent. No focus breathing and it's parfocal. Other than most the Canon L-glass I use, the T-stop is also the same at any focal length. Also worth mentioning: The lens will maintain the (higher) aperture if you set it, meaning if you set it to f5.6 it will also stay on the same f-stop at wider zoom stages. The camera electronics maintain this constant f-stop in a pretty quickly, only a full crash-zoom will shortly lead to a slightly brighter image (nothing like the flashy Panasonic 12-35). Manual focus is fly-by-wire, the camera offers three different modes for that (slow / normal / fast). The lens only closes to f11, but a built-in ND filters makes up for that. 
• IS: Optical & digital (only at HD recording) image stabilization is pretty effective and makes handheld shooting without adding additional weight a breeze. 
• Sensor crop: In case you're still fine with recording HD, sensor crop mode can also be activated in 2 different ways: First off, you can select a 2x crop mode that is not quite as sharp as the downsampled, but hey, you at least get 50mm focal length @ f2.8. Second way to crop in is to use the dynamic digital image stabilization which crops into the image by about 13,5%.
• Body, controls and loupe: The design of the body with the rotating hand-grip is very smart and well-balanced, much easier for handheld operation in comparison to a regular still image camera. Only three user-assignable buttons mean that a number of functions (like ISO, audio gain etc.) have to be assigned from the menu via the (very precise) joystick, but at least for me it was easy to get used to this. Imho still better than the tight layout of the C300 (where you can accidentally touch a couple of buttons by just picking up the body). The included loupe solution that you just stick on the viewfinder is a very good idea. It distorts a little bit, but I prefer this solution any day when shooting outside on the GH4 (without an additional EVF unit). It tilts really easily and is very comfortable. 
Personal Usage: 
Working with heavier camera setups (PDW700 ENG, F5/55 etc.) makes me often wish for something lightweight and versatile, especially for news / report / documentary B-roll shots. That's what I got the GH4 for, but I never really liked the image (and I experimented a lot with different settings). Now that I bought the XC10, the GH4 will stay in the storage more often. Even though it has some drawbacks and might not appeal to some users, the form factor, zoom range, image quality etc. is ideal for my applications. I could even imagine shooting documentaries and reports purely on the XC10. 
Price: Here in Europe the XC10 sells for a little bit less than 2K €. What you get for the money is an interesting design of a "DSLR-like" fixed-lens camera. If you don't need 4K and want to use expensive Cfast media, choose the cheap SD alternative and work in HD. The 1" sensor still gives you sufficient bokeh even at f5.6. 
While the XC10 might not be the best solution for many users, it does not deserve the bashing it gets on the web. And just a reminder: One of the most practical lenses in the "affordable" range for DSLRs is the Canon L 24-105, which has a constant f4 (definitely not a constant T), is not parfocal, has focus breathing, much inferior IS, is less sharp and still costs about 860 €. The XC10 stays on f4 until about 70mm. 
 
 

While I was also rather skeptical about the XC10, I ordered it and I am definitely going to keep it. While it is definitely true that the lens performance in regards to shifting aperture is annoying, there are enough positives about this little camera that make it a keeper for me. 
• Image quality: Absolutely stunning and in all regards a "baby C300". At 1080p, I don't like the 35 mbps 25p too much, but the 50 mbps / 50p looks absolutely gorgeous. I own a 4K-upgraded F5 and a GH4 (speedbooster / Canon glass and the inevitable 12-35). Looks definitely much nicer "out of the box" than my GH4. 
• Lens: Only wide open gives you f2.8, the higher the focal length the less the f-stop up to f5.6. That is a bummer, but else the optical performance of the lens is excellent. No focus breathing and it's parfocal. Other than most the Canon L-glass I use, the T-stop is also the same at any focal length. Also worth mentioning: The lens will maintain the (higher) aperture if you set it, meaning if you set it to f5.6 it will also stay on the same f-stop at wider zoom stages. The camera electronics maintain this constant f-stop in a pretty quickly, only a full crash-zoom will shortly lead to a slightly brighter image (nothing like the flashy Panasonic 12-35). Manual focus is fly-by-wire, the camera offers three different modes for that (slow / normal / fast). The lens only closes to f11, but a built-in ND filters makes up for that. 
• IS: Optical & digital (only at HD recording) image stabilization is pretty effective and makes handheld shooting without adding additional weight a breeze. 
• Sensor crop: In case you're still fine with recording HD, sensor crop mode can also be activated in 2 different ways: First off, you can select a 2x crop mode that is not quite as sharp as the downsampled, but hey, you at least get 50mm focal length @ f2.8. Second way to crop in is to use the dynamic digital image stabilization which crops into the image by about 13,5%.
• Body, controls and loupe: The design of the body with the rotating hand-grip is very smart and well-balanced, much easier for handheld operation in comparison to a regular still image camera. Only three user-assignable buttons mean that a number of functions (like ISO, audio gain etc.) have to be assigned from the menu via the (very precise) joystick, but at least for me it was easy to get used to this. Imho still better than the tight layout of the C300 (where you can accidentally touch a couple of buttons by just picking up the body). The included loupe solution that you just stick on the viewfinder is a very good idea. It distorts a little bit, but I prefer this solution any day when shooting outside on the GH4 (without an additional EVF unit). It tilts really easily and is very comfortable. 
Personal Usage: 
Working with heavier camera setups (PDW700 ENG, F5/55 etc.) makes me often wish for something lightweight and versatile, especially for news / report / documentary B-roll shots. That's what I got the GH4 for, but I never really liked the image (and I experimented a lot with different settings). Now that I bought the XC10, the GH4 will stay in the storage more often. Even though it has some drawbacks and might not appeal to some users, the form factor, zoom range, image quality etc. is ideal for my applications. I could even imagine shooting documentaries and reports purely on the XC10. 
Price: Here in Europe the XC10 sells for a little bit less than 2K €. What you get for the money is an interesting design of a "DSLR-like" fixed-lens camera. If you don't need 4K and want to use expensive Cfast media, choose the cheap SD alternative and work in HD. The 1" sensor still gives you sufficient bokeh even at f5.6. 
While the XC10 might not be the best solution for many users, it does not deserve the bashing it gets on the web. And just a reminder: One of the most practical lenses in the "affordable" range for DSLRs is the Canon L 24-105, which has a constant f4 (definitely not a constant T), is not parfocal, has focus breathing, much inferior IS, is less sharp and still costs about 860 €. The XC10 stays on f4 until about 70mm.