Canon XF305 HD camcorder on a fast two-step out the newsroom door. Shooting a four-alarm fire in the dark of night can be a challenge for a lot of cameras, but not the XF305. With long reach, fantastic low-light sensitivity and the great image quality that comes with the Canon nameplate, you'll be bringing back all the impact and drama — again.

Or try this: the bride's family has hired you to produce the video of her wedding. It's the social event of the season. Missing the shot is not an option. But you've got the XF305. With its three modes of image stabilization and the top Canon telephoto optics, you'll get every smile and teary eye in tack-sharp HD resolution.

Reporting directly from the fast lane

This camera has it all. Canon's acclaimed XF codec uses an MXF file format for quick and easy importing into today's industry-standard professional editing software. Terms like "4:2:2 color sampling" and "50 megabits-per-second data rate" may not mean much to everyone, but they make pro engineers sit up and take notice. And then there's Canon's legendary glass and signal processing. Add that to an ergonomic design that owes its superiority to a relentless pursuit of customer feedback and you've got a camera that is ready for everything you throw at it.

The XF305 has several refinements that make it ready for the broadcast world. BNC-outfitted SDI, genlock, and SMPTE time-code in/out spigots make this camera a snap to integrate into a switched, multi-camera environment. Three dedicated CMOS sensors, one each for the red, green, and blue components of the video signal, will guarantee that your image remains vibrant and sharp. And pro-rated audio connections are designed to pair up with the latest in microphone and audio support technology. Cue those pro engineers one more time, they're probably cheering by now.