I have been reading this page for a long time now. I have read about picture quality, sharpnes, number of pixels, and so on. I use the Canon because it it is tough. I have dragged mine through the Amazon river, Africa, and all over the USA. I have dropped it from 10 feet off a bamboo bridge, had it in 100% humidity, snow. rain, heat and cold. I have had it on EPA hazardous waste sites, exposed to chemical fumes, had it kicked, stomped and gone through DECON and yes, it is still working. Oh, by the way, this past weekend I had a friend slip and fall on it and snap off the coupler for the viewfinder and mic. and with plastic tie's and duck tape IT STILL WORKS. And that is why I have a Canon XL1.

Go you good thing. My viewfinder was held on with gaff tape for a couple of months in country NZ. What ever you need to get the job done I say.

It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

I had a horse headbutt mine.

hahahahha

sorry that came from left field and really made me laugh!!

heh heh

now please tell me how a horse was able to get that close to a camera and headbutt it?

Stupid horses. I saw friendly horses in the field next to a trailer I was staying at. I ran up and popped up the XL1S to video horses. The first one saw it and charged me. I don't know why it thought it was a good idea to headbutt my camera. All I know is that I saw it coming close, closer, closer and then it filled the frame. Fade to black. I got a lensful of snot too.

I guess we won't buy any used gear from you...! :-)

My viewfinder got bent and the Lightwave mic mount got torn after a wire-arrest landing in a "Cod" aboard the USS Abe Lincoln. It wasn't in a case and was probably strapped atop a pile of equipment on the plane. Stood up well to the powerful surveillance radar aboard ship, too!

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

For what it's worth, I don't think it was damaged. Only my butt and the horse's nose.

re; this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3682

My partner and I were on a 1 day shoot alone with no crew other than ourselves……..

On a river in Alaska’s Matanuska Valley…….we had filmed the footage that we needed for the day, and were pretty much packed up to hike back to our vehicle (approx. 2 miles). We still had an XL1s out and ready……just in case we ran across anything…..(boy, what karma)

About ½ way back while making multiple river crossings and beating through the bush for shortcuts……. we ran across two grizzly cubs…….they started whining the second we walked up on them. We immediately heard the sow crashing bushes down stream, and “eye balled” her about 50 yards away. I pushed record pointed it her way and we took off running like a couple of dummies.

Lucky for us she came to her cubs full bore, stopped, sniffed them, and stared us down………..at that time we were about 20 yards away (do the math, bears are faster than humans who need to change their underwear =).

During this whole ordeal….we splashed the camera with water, used it as a climbing aid to make it up a river bank, and used it as a secondary aid to crash through the dew filled brush that was over 6’ tall in some places.

After we got to the truck and settled down, we reviewed the tape on another camera, and it looked like footage from Blair Witch.
Out of focus, filming the ground, and bushes etc…………..

Hmmmm…..I wonder if they need any footage for their upcoming addition to the series =)

Let’s just say…..it will make our bloopers for sure……

After a good professional cleaning…..the XL1s keeps on a tick’n….

Bob,

I know I'm picking up a rather old amusing thread here but I haven't got much else to go on.

How did the Canon XL1/s bear up when using it in the Amazon or anybody else if you have experiences of shooting there?

Thanks

Gareth

Funny this thread should start, but I was setting up tripod and lights the other day and the camera itself, how the hell it happened I will never know, but the camera decided to fall off a table leavng all 5 of us gobsmacked! Luckly it fell onto the forward handgrip part that seemed to cushion the impact. I did some tests and it seems to be working as per usual. I almost died when it happened, damn scary!

I wish I could answer you Gareth, but I'm very likely going to be in Mexico in January, so cannot answer your quite to the Amazon, and I live in a really high humidity area over there, and go into the Jungle out there, Not quite the Amazon but close enough.

From past experience and that of other Mexican and South American shooters I have chatted to, we share same idea that Sony tapes handle the humidity very well. I used Sony cameras primarily with Sony tapes and they took the heat and very high humity very well. Plus Sonys are a bit easier to get over there, so I have only ever used Sony and never had any problems in both Continents. If your going to high humid area I would pack lots of silica gels in case and bags and be very careful about switching between car/buildings with air-con and outside humidity. I would leave the camera a while to adjust, before trying to shoot. And look after stuff carefully cos in hot high humid areas theres a kind of fungus/mold that seems to attack metal parts/objects on equipment, or even get into lenses over time if not stored properly. So I would very periodically clean gear. Even after not having taken my Minidisc player to Mexico for 3 years and cleaning it, this strange mold seems to be on non-brushed/coated metalic parts. Its like little faint whiteish specks.

I'm thinking of getting a Pelican case for this purpose of being good sturdy and air/water tight cases. Anyone have a Pelican case??? If so what size you use? I'm looking to get one to fit Xl1s with standard lens, MA200 spare battery and AT shotgun mic. Anyone have one - what size and what you fit in?????

Hi Christopher,

Thanks for the reply and what a start! I know I probably shouldn't have but you made me laugh with that opening paragraph. Joking aside I'm glad your camera is okay but I couldn't help visualizing the look on your faces and the comments that probably went with it. I think many of us have had at least one big scary moment.

Anyway, the info is much appreciated because I know nothing about shooting in that type of environment.

I've done Kenya but the main problems there were lots of light and dust.

It's the humidity and fungus thing that worries me. I won't be going until this time next year so plenty of time to plan and be educated on what to expect.

Let us know what pelican case you go for if you do, especially if it can accomodate several lenses.

Thanks again

Gareth

Man I would hate to see an XL1s kicked around. To me, an Xl1s seen broken is like a watching a train hit a Ferrari.... *Cringe*

From one of my previous posts...

"I documented the aftermath of the boiler room explosion on the S.S. Norway on Memorial Day weekend here at the Port of Miami. The interior temperatures of the ship were well above 150 degrees farenheit. The operating temp for the camera, as specified in the manual is 120 degrees F. I was in the ship for the better part of two hours with the temperature constant and a very high degree of humidity. The XL performed admirably."


From another post...

"Of these six cameras [two: XL-1 & four: XL-1s], we have had to repair five of the eyepieces due to stripping of the screw wells or overall catastrophic failure of the same.

We all have our own personal shoot kits and I treat mine with kid gloves. Yes we do get into some tough situations but the gear is constantly and meticulously maintained.

I could not believe it when I went to pull my camera from its KATA bag and wound up with exactly the same dilema, a useless viewfinder. All of the screws that secure the eyepiece housing to the metal dovetail plate were loose and the plastic wells where they anchor were completely broken."

I also had one drop about four feet and land on the right side of the 3X wide angle lens. The tape door and carriage were damaged to the point where it would not operate and was sent to Canon for a complete tape transport replacement. The lens was also sent out to replace a bent focus ring.

While these cameras seem to operate very well under adverse conditions, I feel that they still have a long way to go in the "ruggedness" department. WAY TOO MUCH PLASTIC!!!

CHRISTOPHER...

Pelican cases are tremendous when it comes to protecting your gear. One of the best things about Pelicans is the fact that they are air and watertight.

This can also become one of your biggest problems when shooting in severe environments and then storing your camera in what is, in essence, a hermetically sealed container.

The same traits that keep dust, moisture and other contaminants out are the same traits that will seal them in and turn your camera into a biology experiment.

We use our Pelican cases, for cameras, stricltly as a mode of protection when in transit, other than that the cameras are kept on a shelf or in soft-sided cases where air can circulate.

Two very inexpensive words that will save you alot of expensive repair bills...Silica gel.

RB.

Keith...


I don't suppose you'd upload the video of the occasion for us to enjoy? Was film rolling?




Fig

Yes Silica Gel is a great invention isnt it!!!

And I know all about the Lab experiments that occur in those sealed up cases. I once saw a lens in Mexico stored in an airtight container and the stuff that was there NASA is still trying to identify! I'm just looking for the Pelican for transport and protection in back of pick-ups and cars and general transport. They are great cases and even have military order numbers and match military specs and standards. What size or model case do you use? And what XL1 and general gear do you fit in generally? I just have no store nearby that sells them, so I will have to order online, so I cannot up close see the bigger ones up close.

Any help would be great!

Christopher,

We have various Pelican 1650 cases and they hold a basic XL package very nicely.

If you want something bigger, the 1660 is the biggest case that Pelican makes.

One of of the nicest features of both cases is that they have wheels and pull handles which makes it alot easier to move around.

RB

Ruggedness--

The plastic doesn't bother me. I don't think Canon designed the XL1s to go through what Bob puts it through, we're talking about a camera here not a tank.

Sorry Corey, I disagree.

If Canon is really going to target the "Pro" side of the ProSumer market, they should make a more rugged product than they do now. If you look at some of my other posts, you will see that my main complaint is that the camera, although beautiful to look at, is pretty damned delicate.

And before you ask, "then why did you choose to go with Canon?"... the answer is that there were certain features we were looking for that we found in the Canon, one of which was interchangeable lenses.

Anyone who truly uses a camera in the field, and I don't mean your typical weekend warrior, I am talking about people who use it as a daily tool of their trade, need a product that can take a certain amount of abuse and punishment on a daily basis.

We put our XL cams through much worse than Bob. As a matter of fact, we will be deploying 2: XL-1 systems and 4: XL-1s systems, one of them in a helicopter, in what is anticipated to be a pretty vilolent riot situation next week during the FTAA conference here in Miami. This is in addition to 3: SONY TRV-950s. 2:SONY VX-2000s, and 2: SONY BetaCams. Our 950s and 2: Panasonic AG-EZ30s are used underwater almost exclusively, so yes, we do push the envelope with our gear.

While all cameras are inherently delicate instruments, you have to remember that not all video documentation takes place under controlled or nominal conditions. In my line of work and it seems pretty close to Bob's, I am not waiting around for a flower to bloom or a bird to feed its young, (No disrespect to nature photogs as you guys do some pretty hairy stuff to get the perfect shot, with sometimes spectacular results!), I am many times going into the Lion's den with no idea of what awaits inside. That is just the nature of my job.

The plastic, while effective in reducing weight does very little to protect the camera system itself. Sorry if this sounds a little crass but, if I lose a camera system due to damage incurred while in the line of duty, it is little more than an incovenience as I am not the one who pays for the equipment. Do I feel a certain sense of loss and responsibility if it happens? Definitley, whether it is my fault or not. Any true technician will tell you the same thing. It is just very frustrating when something breaks with very little usage and no mistreatment.

Unfortunatley, sh*t happens, and it always happens at the most inopportune time. The need for a rugged product is great and the manufacturers should take this into consideration when designing them, especially when tartgeting a higher end market.

RB

:::Reads post:::


:::Hides stack of nature footage:::


:::Smiles:::


Nothing to see here. Move along.

Teague,

Checked out your site...very cool stuff!!!

RB

We...well somebody in our studio dropped one of our XL1s's out of a 3 story press box. Hit the ground top first and only cracked the lens connector and the front piece of glass on the lens. Yes that's an expensive repair but the camera itself is in 100% working condition minus the dent in the handle from where it hit on the rocks. We never found the lens hood.

: (O)


Dude...ouch.





About the site....thanks! I taught myself HTML to code that all by hand, myself. I'm a stickler for persistance, I suppose. I've been sucking at my molar all day to get rid of this damn popcorn kernel. (: ))

Ouch! But hey if you recorded it all then u could have sold it to Canon as an advert...haha! But know matter how tough you make a camera or any piece of equipment there is always something that comes along and never makes perfectly tough and finds the little chink in the armour somewhere.

I laughed at an advert for a Laptop that was made robust, drop proof, they even ran over it with a Landrover and it worked fine, great if ur a scientist in the rough, but the chink in this armour is the Laptop ran at the time on Windows 98SE or 2000...no Landrover proof gear can protect you from Microsoft and the dreaded "performed an illegal operation", "program not responding", and any other crash screen message.

We would have gotten it on tape but he pressed the rec button right as he dropped the camera - to stop the recording!. I did get footage of my PC100 falling off my 6ft tall SUV. I had it on the back recording and forgot aobut it and backed up and it made a 6ft plunge into asphault...never faltered though or did anything funny after that, worked as the day I got it!! Gotta love sony for that. Unfortunately the footage broke up about half way through the fall, still you hear me backing up and then "OH $%&*" and boom.

Gareth, It worked like a dream. Definately beautiful video and sound. I was on a 12 passanger boat and several times a day we got into a small flat bottom John boat and go into really remote areas. We were there 14 days. The first 5 days were at a researsh station with no electricity other than a generator two hours a day. This is where we got to go up into the canapy and video. On the boat I had regular power. All the humidity, heat, sun reflexions on the water, vibration, NOTHING bothered it. I cleaned the lens all the time, and used a head cleaner maybe twice. Bring a rain cover for it and some ND filters and a polarizing and you will have the time of your life. Oh , also, bring some close up filters for insects and flowers. I just finished editing my 6 hours down to 25 min. Oh, I only used Fuji tape. My wife and I recently returned from South America where we took a 100 passanger boat trip through the Straights of Magellan and down to Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. Damn cold and windy and the Canon worked perfectly. Next stop, Brazil!! Bob

One of my producers took a spill while caryying a brand new (under 2 hours of tape through it) XL-1s today.

The results, although not pretty, could have been worse.

Cracked lens shade on a 16X manual lens...also brand new.

Focus now sounds and feels "gritty".

Anton Bauer UltraLight 2 ripped off.

Mounting plate, lens to CCD block loosened to the point of not being able to focus at the tight end of the lens. Also run the risk of tearing the plate off the body.

Camera gives a "check lens" error message...probably due to the loosening of the plate.

Should be a pretty hefty repair bill. Thinking of buying some NERF cameras for risky work!

RB

My 2 month old XL took a 5 foot drop while mounted on a jib when it slipped off the case used to support the head end because the counter weights were removed. I didn't see it, but I heard it and I just closed my eyes and took a deep breathe before I turned around. I just knew that lens had snapped off. Luckily it was perfectly level when it fell and it was on grass. The only thing that happened was some dirt and grass on the hood.

I know these are not made of cast iron, but I have to say that with reasonable care I have managed so far to get three years of travel all over the USA out of my XL1, which was used when I got it (built in 1998).

It certainly has more than paid for itself, which I might not be able to say had I bought a more high-end cam (which might be just as delicate).

Problems? Well, I made the mistake of taking it out into the 200% humidity pre-dawn air of South Florida after bringing it right out of my air-conditioned hotel room. A half hour with a hair dryer couldn't revive it; a $350 tuneup at the factory did. (oh well, it was more than ready for its "annual" checkup.) Now, if I'm gonna repeat that scenario, I'll leave it plugged into 120VAC and pre-warm it before going out.

Oh, and recently my viewfinder developed a big crack down the front of it, probably the result of forgetting to turn the eyecup forward in my soft-side bag. I repaired that (maybe the subject of a new thread) and now it's stronger than ever before.

I'm not sure I'd want to risk bringing a really expensive camera into these crowded nightclubs and rock concerts and some of the other crazy run-n-gun situations I find myself in.