The XL1S went on sale in July 2001 as the successor to the XL1, and Canon built it from what XL1 owners had asked for. The body, the three 1/3-inch CCDs, the color viewfinder and the XL lens mount stayed the same. What changed was control. Custom Preset lets you store your own picture settings, Custom Keys put the functions you use on buttons, and white balance, zebra level and gain got finer adjustments. For sound, the optional MA-200 adapter added four channels of XLR input, while the two-channel MA-100 still fits. EF still-camera lenses mount through the EF Adapter XL, though Canon says they act 7.2 times longer on this sensor. Canon replaced it with the XL2 in 2004.
Tape check
Should come with it
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. A missing piece should come off the price.
Canon's manuals say to clean the heads only with a dry cleaning cassette, since wet ones can damage them. Like any twenty-year-old tape camera, the transport, batteries and lens need checking more than the electronics.
New to old camcorders? How to check a used camcorder covers the tape transport, heads, screens and power, and getting footage off a camcorder explains FireWire and analog capture.
Buying guide
No XL1S here is both titled tested and clearly NTSC for a US buyer, so we'd start with the $281 US listing titled with the 16x zoom, about $170 under the $453 median, and ask for a clip of a MiniDV tape recording and playing back in the viewfinder. There are at least 13 for sale, most asking $310 to $525 delivered, and a UK seller has two titled tested at $503 and $555, but neither says NTSC and Canon sold the XL1S under the same name worldwide, so ask which version it is. Check the photos for a lens first, since a bare body can't record, then look for a BP-900 series battery with the CA-910 adapter and DC-900 coupler. Its 4-pin DV jack copies tapes to a computer, so plan on a PC or an older Mac with FireWire. Skip the 97.1% and 95.5% sellers, the Lens & Accessories title two accounts share, and the $1,776 Ikegami rig unless you want that pro setup.
$281.20est. delivered
The lowest-priced XL1S from a 100% seller, at $281 delivered from the US and titled with the 16x zoom. The title makes no test claim and names no battery or charger, so ask for a clip of a tape playing back and budget for a BP-900 pack and the CA-910 adapter.
Canon XL1S Canon XL Series 3CCD MiniDV Handheld Camcorder 16x Zoom
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 15, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$281.20est. delivered
$250.00 + $31.20 shipping
Buy It Now$250.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Good buy
Titled with the 16x zoom. No test claim.
Seller: lost-x-found-gallery
100% positive
Used$360.00est. delivered
$300.00 + $60.00 shipping
Buy It Now$300.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
No test claim and no accessories named.
Seller: gemsplacejm
99.4% positive
Open box$510.95est. delivered
$500.00 + $10.95 shipping
Buy It Now$500.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Titled NTSC with an attachment, no battery. Lens in the photo, no test claim.
Seller: wywil_70
100% positive
Used$203.78delivered
$203.78 · free shipping
Buy It Now$203.78
Check the seller
Titled read, no test claim. Seller at 97.1%.
Seller: samedayships
97.1% positive
Used$406.57est. delivered
$349.99 + $56.58 shipping
Buy It Now$349.99
Check the seller
Lens, case, remote and strap in the photo, but another account uses the same title.
Seller: weirdjay1
99.9% positive
Used$499.00delivered
$499.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$499.00
Check the seller
Titled working, but the seller is at 95.5% and it ships from Greece without saying NTSC.
Seller: outletvideo
95.5% positive
Used$502.66est. delivered
$433.07 + $69.59 shipping
Buy It Now$433.07
Check the seller
Titled tested, but it ships from the UK without saying NTSC. Ask which version it is.
Seller: analogue_video
100% positive
Used$1,776.00+ shipping
$1,776.00 · shipping not stated
Buy It Now$1,776.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Priced high
Pro rig with an Ikegami B&W finder, a manual-focus lens, XLR gear and support. No shipping quoted; ask.
Seller: macracer
100% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 15, 2026.
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Canon
MiniDV$290–$675 typical ask
Canon
MiniDV$220–$290 typical ask
Sony
MiniDV$875–$1,025 typical ask
Panasonic
MiniDV$430–$650 typical ask