What a terrible day. I finally get a chance to use my new GL2 to shoot the test firing of a new board we design for a paintball gun manufacturer and it takes a dump on me. The video looked awesome on the on camera screen and I could not wait to get it on my powerbook. Unfortunately canon tech support tells me my firewire connector is no longer working as it should on my GL2. Something about the connector working its way lose? This was determined after a few hours of swapping cables between every mac and PC at my shop.

We are heading to Orlando in a few days to work a huge paintball tournament and i was really hoping to get some video of our sponsored players to use in our marketing. Tech support tells me I might be lucky and get it back in 3 weeks :( Very very unhappy at this point.

So do we pick up a another GL2 and risk the tape transport issue with another one along with this new problem or head over to sony? That FX1 really looks tempting but I spent so much time researching these canons (XL2 was my first choice but the wife got involved) so I hate to start over.

I guess I am not looking for advice but only a few "that sucks" from some fellow "my crap broke" folks.

Decisions decisions....

If the camera is basically functioning fine why not just pick up (borrow, buy) a relatively inexpensive DV camera with a good Firewire port to use as a capture deck? Seems like the most expedient temporary solution and it would even give you a back-up camera (in case a close-up of a paintball war gets a little too close).

Oh, sorry, almost forgot..."That sucks".

Can't you record to tape? If so do you need to down load right away or can you record 8-10 hours (tape) and down load when you get back home? I know it does suck, I bought a small palm size mini DV that my wife uses and we use it as a playback deck, (saves the GL2 playback time that everyone is so worried about!). Change to Sony? my old hi8 Sony must be a one of a kind. It is about 8 years old and has been through HELL well cared for tho never really babied. Lots of playback hours and lots of use in the hunting woods and to Scotland twice. If Sony would have had a 20x zoom I would still be a Sony owner. Damn that sucks about your GL2. Good luck!!

Steve

Good advice above. Get another cheapo cammie, use as the tape shuttle. I can't remember when I last used my XM2 to actually "send" to my NLE deck? It really IS better to take the pressure off your shooting camera. Maybe you've done the right thing in the wrong order? You are forced to getting a deck to transport. . . and yes, nasty result! Get it fixed, move on. I betcha once you've got another way to transport your DV you wont be using your XM2 anyways!

Grazie

some good ideas, particularly for getting a cheapo mini to use as a deck.

grazie, do you have any particular suggestions for this??

I have been considering this myself and i have had zero problems with my gl2.

Gus

Dale I bought my wife a Canon ZR200 so she can take vids when she is not using her still camera. Works great for a playback deck. The 200 is a real nice camera for the price. I'am happy with it.

Steve

Dale, no I can't recommend, as I had the good fortune to acquire a 2nd-hand Pannie deck, which also does full size DV tapes too.

I guess if I was "pushed", it would be the lowly priced SD Panasonic 3 chip. I have picked this one up and played with it, and I think the picture is astounding. Having the 3 chips - granted smaller than my XM2 - would give me a "similar", not the same, as my XM2. And the Pannie 3-chipper has a decent magnification optical zoom ability. Yup, it aint HD, and yup Sony do have an entry point 16:9 HD at an amazing "Come and get me price". I am not "stuck" to SD, although SD is dying, there is a seductive wink towards a lowly priced HD cammie. Slap a Rode Video mic on this Panasonic - I'm assuming it DOES have a mini jack for inputs, haven't checked that out - and I reckon you got a more than decent Tape Deck/2nd camera buddy to the Canon and a way in the future, if needs be, to do a reality check on your XM2! Oh do check out the AV<>DV and straight thru' options with this Pannie? Yes?

I found this review on the web: http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/panasonic-pv-dv953-camcorder-review.htm

I just wanted you to consider that a "deck-camera" could be of more worth to you than just a work-horse - which ultimately it wont be. You also have to realise that even something "other" than a proper "deck" could be prone to falling over too, yeah? IMHO, these relatively keenly-priced cameras were never meant to do the work of a proper deck. However, reducing the "load" on your XM2 HAS to be a good thing - especially if "one" can't use its fire-wire out.

Hope this helps,

Grazie

i have a Canon ZR100 which i use as a deck, and it seems to capture timecode better than my GL2, even. i like it. i've also used it to shoot personal stuff, home video of my daughter, because it is small enough to tuck in my jacket pocket. it's a sacrifice in image quality, but for trips to the zoo, it's fine.

right now my ZR100 is on its way to Bhutan for a month. i lent it to a Buddhist monk who is shooting video of monasteries, which i'll help him to edit when he returns. it's also the camera i can lend to friends without worry. i'll be too busy playing with my new FX-1 this month to miss it....i wish i had an HDV deck/camera for the FX-1 which i love as much as the ZR100!

there are a lot of advantages to owning a cheapie as a back-up.

Great ideas and I wish I would have thought of that before hurrying the camera off to canon. I was also getting some odd message about the tape and that was giving me some trouble as well so maybe it is a good idea just to get it back to canon to get it all taken care of.

Chapter 2 of this problem:
Got a letter in the mail today stating that our $250.00 rebate is not valid because we did not include the serial number. Well it was included along with EVERY bar code we ould find on the box. The wife has been through this with every large rebate we have tried to cash in so she is really good at this. It appears that by the time the package got to the intended location the info was misplaced and canon will not do anything. After a call to canon concerning this matter and getting bumped up to a supervisor we were told that we have to take a picture of the serila number on the bottom of OUR GL2 and they can use that. Wait !! Canon has it and it might not be back before the rebate has expired.....LOL Now we have to try and get in touch with the service department and see if they can get a copy of the serial number via photo or get the camera back to us so we can get the copy of it to the right people. God I love this. After another call they will note our account to make sure we will get the rebate when the camera gets back to us. This is great...but it is coming from a company that LOST the original serial number info....hahaha

Anyway.....I keep looking around for a camera to see if somsone is trying to pull something over on me. It appears we will not have the camera back before we go to World Cup in Fla so I have to rent or buy another camera for the event. I have about 4 days to make a decision which is not going to be easy considering it to me months to determine that this GL2 was the right camera for my business. I really do not need to cameras of this quality but I fear I will end up with 2 by the time this is over.

Ya know....after typing all of this is actually seems a bit comical and I am nto quiet as mad as I was. I really wish companies would handle me the same way we "take care" of our customers. I know I ma asking way to much but this one was pretty darn important to us.

Time to google some rental companies......thanks for the input folks.

sincerely,

Bob "The GL'less" Sandifer

tiny update.....
Canon said they would fix my GL and ship it next day air back to me on the 19th so we will have it for our business trip. I thought this was a nice gesture and should be noted. ;)

Good to hear, people seldom remember the good and good to hear Canon steped up to the plate for you on this one. Steve

and the fat lady has sung.......

First thing this morning (18th) my GL2 shows up with a fixed firewire connector and the transport repaired. This was a day early and we even got a call yesterday from canon to make sure we were ok with everything. Oh yea...Canon did cover the next day air shipping.

The rebate issues is resolved and the 2 and a half bills are on the way to us.

Am I happy? You better believe I am.