Howdy,

Well I had an exciting adventure at the last sizable production that we did over Labor Day weekend. Without getting into the specifics of craziness that can go on in the crowd at a rock concert lets just say my GL2 had a little misadventure of its own.

Before filling out the police report I ran through a battery of test to see what sort of damagae the GL2 had sustained and the main issue was that the auto and manual focus don't seem to work once I zoom past 40 to 50%.

I'm assuming that this means a lens or motor got knocked off track internally. Otherwise, the camera powers up and I am going to see if it can still pull tape.

Does anyone know what the inability to focus at zoomed levels would mean?

Are there any more specific tests I can run to see the extent of damage?

Is it worth fixing or would it be more expensive than buying a new camera?

Thanks,
Kevin

Also, assuming that I get paid for the damages, can anyone recommend a replacement camera? I've been shooting with the GL2 for almost 3 years now and would consider an upgrade.

If I were looking in the $3000-3500 range what cameras would any of you coming from a GL2 frame of mind consider? I'm not sure it's time to go to HDV for me yet but I'd consider a camera that can shoot in standard and high def if the quality was as good as or better than the GL2.

Thanks,
Kevin

Hard to say what the issue is with focus, but the fact that it works somewhat may mean that the problem is in the lens mechanism, but there could be other issues as well. You may be able to get a precise statement/quote from Canon.

The following comment is more appropriate as a desperate measure when miles away from any repair service, no self-repair tools or skills handy and a working camera is needed.

Sometimes, products supported by plastic structures, if they take a pretty solid knock and get bent at an almost microscopic level, loosening off the the case screws then retightening them will sometimes allow the structure to spring back to its original form.

Something which may be binding a mechanical movement may spring away enough to release it.

If the unit fell face down, then internal gearing in the lens or a cam pin may have jumped or a cam slot may have cracked or had a decent groove gouged into a travelling surface which would normally be smooth.

The moving glass elements are a heavy mass.

In the offchance that something may have cracked off and got jammed in the system somewhere or there is a small gouge in a travelling surface, try turning the cam upside down and working the lens controls a few times to see if it frees up when loadings move to another surface.

If it successfully moves full travel a few times, then a gouge may smooth over. A loose object is going to continue to cause trouble again sooner or later.

This is no substitute of course for competent dealer servicing or repairs and I would recommend that intervention because trying to operate a damaged appliance can do more damage.

But if the lens and servo motor assembly is a non-repairable sealed unit, then there is no harm in trying except maybe to internal power supply circuitry if motors overload whe jammed.