I gotta agree with Kyle. First we need to know what's wrong. Even then, your best bet is to contact Canon. Once you've contacted them, you'll be sending in the camera for an estimate. When you approve the estimate, (and pay the fee) they'll send it back relatively quick. THEN, you'll see on the packing slip/invoice copy exactly what was done...At least that's been my experience with them.

Good luck!

Mark

Jack, are you a member of the XL owners club? That may reduce the cost somewhat on routine maintenance service by Canon. If all it needs is routind service/cleaning (i.e., no repair) the cost is moderate, but I'm not sure what the going rate is this year.


Call Canon at their toll-free number, follow the prompts to the camcorder section, and they can tell you what you need to do to send it for service by Canon.

Canon does seem to be secretive about repairs. My most recent experience suggested to me that how you phrase the description of your problem when you make the online repair request might help. I probably did a dozen or more hand written descriptions and revisions before submitting a repair request. My goal was to provide an accurate as well as succinct description of my camera's malady. Because cleaning heads had not helped, I was sure I had a tape transport issue, but couldn't decide where. Was it capstain, pinch rollers, push-pull drive motors, tension, or alignment? I understood the concepts, but knew nothing regarding adjustments.

The end result was a return authorization email quoting a repair cost of $62.00. Having often read the $400 minimum repair fee too many times to count I didn't really believe that quote, but I went along, and sent the camera in for repair (followed the instructions to the letter).

Camera came back two weeks later with an intersting invoice. Basic repair fee: $400. Credit: ($338). Amount due: $62. Detailed description: nothing.

My camera either needed the most basic of adjustments or it's serial number indicated a known mfg problem.

Perhaps my multiple revisions regarding wording and phrasing paid off? Or did my camera simply need a few more passes of the cleaning tape?

Another thing to do is include a tape with a sample of the problem, if it is one that shows up on tape.

Mine seems to want to be cleaned all the time. It has been requesting the cleaning tape too often for my liking, now it started eating tapes. I tried a few new tapes and it ate them. I tried the head cleaner tape and had the same result. Being a sucker I thought I would waste one more tape. I put in it and hit rewind and it didn't eat the tape. I then cleaned it and the cleaning tape was fine also. I used the cam for an hour after, but cetainly don't trust it anymore. Thoughts? New head? Drum shot?

Mine seems to want to be cleaned all the time. It has been requesting the cleaning tape too often for my liking, now it started eating tapes. I tried a few new tapes and it ate them. I tried the head cleaner tape and had the same result. Being a sucker I thought I would waste one more tape. I put in it and hit rewind and it didn't eat the tape. I then cleaned it and the cleaning tape was fine also. I used the cam for an hour after, but cetainly don't trust it anymore. Thoughts? New head? Drum shot?

Sounds a whole lot like the issues I had to deal with last year. It is a Canon repair thing. Here is what I had done (quoted from Canon invoice):

Examination/Request details...
"Camera shows eject cassette on FFWD or Rewind. Check all functions."

Service Details ...

"Replaced slide chassis assy, idler gear and drive gears, audio PCB assy, cleaned and adjusted tape pathj and torque. Tested all funcions oof lens and camera to gwo".

My camera has worked flawlessly upon return.

Hope this helps.

That might help, How much did the service cost and how long was the turn around?
Thanks

That might help, How much did the service cost and how long was the turn around?
Thanks

Turn around was two weeks. See my post of April 30 in this thread for cost.

Thanks a bunch.
Camera will be in the mail today. I was thinking of getting the drums replaced just for peace of mind. I do not want any problems this summer while filming.

Hello,
i'm a video camera repair technician in a consumer and professional JVC authorized service center and i'm in terrible need of a DM-XL1S service manual.
Can anyone tell me where can i find this? I've made some search in internet but it seems impossible to find.

Thanks in advance

if you find one let me know ;)

Ok, i'll let you know!
I think yout comment says it all...

Regards

Hi Bruno, it's usually difficult to obtain these manuals. You probably have a good chance though, considering your background. I think you should contact the local / regional Canon office in your area, and begin from there. Please let us know how it works out for you. Hope this helps,

Hi Chris,
unfortunatelly, the Canon dealer here in Portugal (it's not Canon directly) in very closed, they don't give anything to anybody. The only way is send them the cameras for repair. I heard that Canon is preparing to come directly to Portugal, i hope that things change then.

Thanks anyway

Try contact the Canon office (not dealer) covering your part of Europe directly. They may be able to help you. The contact information may be on the back page of the user manual.

My XL1S tape mechanism stopped working recently (after years of recording/playing back on mechanism). I kept getting "Eject Tape" message when i tried to put in tape. I was dreading sending the camera back for servicing because I have plenty of experience with Canon UK and EOS 1D and L-series lens servicing - in my experience it always cost over €500 no matter what they did (replacing shutter mechanism on 1DMKii after only 80,000 shots cost €700, fixing jammed manual focus ring on 100-400L IS cost over €600). So when i eventually sent it in and it came back from the Canon service center in Ireland i was surprised that the bill for repair similar to above "replaced clutch/cleaned" or something, was only €150.

In the middle of a shoot the other day the XL1s I was shooting with died. In other words, I was in the process of shooting and all of a sudden the viewfinder screen started acting up and showing some weird lines and flickering and then the next thing I knew the camera appeared to be off and would not power on. At the time of this incident I was shooting with a battery. I then connected the camera to its wall adapter power source and still the camera would not power on or show any signs of life. I then tried another battery to see if that would help, but still the XL1s appeared to be dead. Has anyone else experienced this type of situation?

Regardless of the cause Carrie (sounds like the master fuse has blown), your only recourse is to send it in to Canon factory service: http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/skinny.php#service

That happened to my XL1S years back and Canon repaired it quickly and I had it back in my hands within 4 days!
The PCB board (something like that) was damaged and replaced under warranty.

Hi everyone, here is my problem. I have a Canon XL1 that I bought back in 1998 (yes, it is almost 10 years old). I have been living in Costa Rica for the past 3.5 years. I have noticed some fungus growing on the window of the camera body. The fungus appears to be on the other side (not the outer surface) of the bluish looking glass, but I am not sure if this is part of the prism assembly or a separate piece of glass. I went to a Canon authorized service center in Costa Rica (there is only one) and they told me the prism assembly (Part No. DYI-7997-000) needs to be replaced. They said the cost to replace the part, not including labor, would be $926. I called Canon USA to find the cost of the part in the US and I could get it for $551.12. Cheaper but still very expensive. Canon would not let me speak to a service technician to confirm that replacing the prism was my only option.

So my question is, has anyone experienced this problem and do I need to replace the prism? It sure would be nice for my budget if I could just remove the glass piece and clean it.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Kurt
Costa Rica
www.tranquilocostarica.com

P.S. By the way, there was also some fungus on the inside of the 16x lens which the service center said they could clean for $140. I am currently having this taken care of.

The prism assembly is shown as a single unit. No separate glass shown, and no indication that it has a serviceable protective cover glass. BTW, the part number may start with DY1, not DYI.

If the "fungus" is not on the exposed surface, it is likely in one of the many other surfaces in the prism block or the CCDs attached to the block, and not much you can do about it without risk of messing up the alignment of the CCDs, and back focus setting of your lens.

Given that you can see through the prism to the three CCD, it could be a bit of a trick to determine where it really is, if not on the exposed outside surface.

Also a DIY cleaner of sufficient strength to clear the fungus just might damage the optical filter coatings in the block.

Is it messing up your the image noticeably?

I have heard for many many years... Canon use Palm Hand Cleaner to clean fungus from lenses.....

I'd try it on a filter first though... :-) just to make sure

I have a noticeable blemish on some shots depending on zoom, light angle, and background color and texture. Once I get the 16x lens back from cleaning I will know just how bad the fungus is on the prism assembly. If it is bad enough it looks like I will be purchasing one from the US and shipping it here to our Certified Canon Service Center.

Asi es la vida.

Thanks for the inputs.

Kurt
Costa Rica

I've got an XL1 that needs servicing. Playback is always very badly pixelated, I've tried cleaning the heads and it hasn't fixed the problem. Tapes shot in my other camera (XM1) play back fine in the XM1, but not the XL1. Tapes shot in the XL1 only play back in the XL1 if played immediately after shooting, thereafter they playback with pixelation in both cameras.

So all of this suggests the tape heads are misaligned, so I'd like to send my camera in for servicing. But I have no idea where I can take it. I live in North Wales and don't think there's anywhere local that could do it, but I'm not adverse to sending it away. Does anyone know where I can send it and how much a service would cost?

I'm also looking for accessories, as I really need a shoulder pad for it, and I'd like to add a suitable radio mic and maybe even an LCD screen.

Ok, I need some help with some info, I want to send my XL-1 off soon to get a checkup, nothing wrong with it I think, but I've read the post about this rountine maintenance and think it's a good idea.

Anyway does anyone have any advice on good reputable service for my camera, canon no longer will do it so I need some info that could guide me in the right direction. I don't want someone jacking me on something I don't need for this camera.

Somewhere in the North East would be good since I live in WV,

THANKS

OoooK,

My take:

"nothing wrong with it I think" - erm, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"canon no longer will do it" - erm, who says?

Do you have a positive quote on that?

If you have an issue with the cam that you think needs attention, then I cannot see why Canon will not address said issue.

On an XL1, if it's working perfectly without problems, do not touch, do not play and do not fiddle, just use till it falls apart.

That could take some time.

I would really like an explanation of the "Canon won't" thing, doesn't sound right to me.


CS

I called Canon Factory Service in NJ yesterday and they said they no longer are servicing the XL-1. They gave me the number of a company in NY who is Canon Authorized, They told me they don't work on them either.

Now, go figure?

The reason for the service tune up is for preventive maintenance and or peak preformance. If you read the Watchdog Skinny on the XL-1 it is recomended to do this. Canon supposedly would check all calabrations, back focus etc. etc. and you would be happy with the results.

Problem with me is the camera functioning at it best? Since I bought this camera used I don't have any comparison from when it was new. I have a gl -2 which is a great camera and it has a little better picture than the XL-1 I'm willing to spend a few bucks to find out. Maybe I'm nuts but I'm not a hammerhead either, I will take good advice.
thanks

If you read the Watchdog Skinny on the XL-1 it is recomended to do this.I haven't updated the XL1 Watchdog Skinny page in years -- guess it's time to do that. Like every other camera manufacturer, Canon are required to service a model in the U.S. for seven years past its date of discontinuance. They have fulfilled that obligation and are now recommending an outsourced service provider. Can't see anything wrong with that. You're not going to find any other manufacturer that will service in-house a camcorder that's been discontinued for more than seven years.

The XL1S isn't far behind.

The XL1 was introduced back in 1997 which makes it a certifiable antique by today's standards. If you're using digital video for any kind of business application, you owe it to yourself and your customers to get into something much newer and more contemporary. I'm constantly amazed by the number of folks still shooting with an XL1 but it's time to let go, people.

And yes the GL2 is an improvement in image quality over the XL1. That's to be expected since the GL2 is about four years newer than the XL1.

Ok, I'm going to let go and move up.
Thanks

I called Canon Factory Service in NJ yesterday and they said they no longer are servicing the XL-1. They gave me the number of a company in NY who is Canon Authorized, They told me they don't work on them either.

That's too bad. I liked taking my XL-1 there every year for a cleaning...the girl who works at the counter is CUTE! Good thing I just bought a H1!

I still use my XL-1 and it still works great. If your XL-1 is still working fine...stick with it (unless you need 24p or HDV).

...it's time to let go, people.
Sometimes there's nothing quite like a gentle kick in the pants. I ordered the XH A1 today. :)

Is the place that took over Canon XL1 service still in Irvine, or even around? I have an XL1 and XL1-s in need of some love, and can't find their info anywhere. Thanks in advance!