I haven't put a whole lot of time into figuring this one out so it could be something minor but I have noticed that (quite frequently) the recorded footage sometimes flickers for a moment between light and dark. also, I sometimes see those digital blocks break up the frame every once and a while. Could this just be the tape, the heads, some kind of interferance? I'm not sure why but the flicker is what I'm most worried about. Any help? Please.


thanks, Dave

only a trip to canon servicing will be able to tell

Digital blocks at playback may be a sign of dirty heads among other issues, so a head cleaning might help or at least rule that source out.

Not sure what you mean by "flicker." Does it appear in live video as well, or only on playback?

I don't notice any problems just viewing from a monitor so I'm sure it's just in playback. The flicker I'm noticing happens mostly when I'm shooting handheld. While I'm viewing the playback, the image will for a moment darken (2-frames maybe)

Do cleaning tapes do an adiquate job of cleaning the heads?

I use the tapes regularily and I've had no problems w/ my XL1s. It had started to do the blocks thing once, but I ran a cleaner and the problem went away. I believe in them...I think they work better if you use them on a schedule. I use once every 20 hours of shooting or so. I always use the same tapes stock as well.

all good things must come to an end....Or at least be sent back to the factory for a good cleaning and alignment. under 100.00 and worth it.

Under $100? You must know something/someone I don't! :) Even when mine was a baby XL1s, still under warranty, me belonging to the XL1s owners club (oooh!), it cost me $252.00 just to have them check it out and clean it. And that's what it's been every other time, as well. What the heck am I missing?

yeah, could you tell me how you get it cleaned for $100. Because I remember thinking it was around $250 too. thanks