Zoom messed up?

Federico Dib · February 13th, 2004, 08:31 AM

Im sorry to inform myself that my XM2 zoom passed away during act of duty last night. It leaves behind wife, two children, 40 hours of taping, and a big annoying feeling to the owner.

I guess it´s time to check Canon Service here in Barcelona...
oh well...

Jim OMalley · February 13th, 2004, 09:05 AM

As a temporary "workaround" for this zoom problem, have you tried using the ZR-1000 zoom remote control? Anytime I do a "formal" shoot on a tripod, it's the only zoom control I use.

I recognize that this is not a cheap (or permanent) solution to the problem (also not too good for handheld situations) -- but possibly a quick way to keep the camera working in an emergency.

Federico Dib · February 13th, 2004, 09:31 AM

Well when using handheld I can manage to use the top handle zoom controll, as long as I dont have to focus and zoom at the same time... I had to do it last night.

And when on a tripod If it´s a zoom while recording I usually try to use the remote control anyway... BUt sometimes I miss a third arm...

The ZR-1000 zoom remote control is one of those items that stays permanently on my shopping list... I allways manage to send the money somewhere else...
And I guess this time I´ll be sending the money to the Canon Repair Service..

Oh well...

Marco Leavitt · February 13th, 2004, 09:52 AM

Interesting thread. The zoom on my GL1 has recently started acting strangely. Never had a complaint before. Is there some kind of camcorder flu going around?

Graham Bernard · February 13th, 2004, 11:04 AM

Yup, me too . . Zoooooom in . .does not stop, until I "back" zoom the toggle. ^Thought Canon had this beat the last time it went in for service . . . Yes, my ZR 1000 beats the Zoom Flu Blues!

Grazie

Alan Craven · February 24th, 2004, 08:22 AM

Unfortunately my XM1 was effectively dead on return from my New Zealand trip. All my efforts were being devoted to trying to stop it zooming. The LANC remote does not help - I use it all the time when the camera is on a tripod - the fault overrides the remote.

It has taken me six weeks to get an estimate for repair! This is for £204, and I am promised a maximum of ten days before the camera is back with me. We shall see.

My repairer tells me that the entire cassette compartment door will be replaced, as the zoom rocker and its ribbon cable to the main circuit board are not available separately. The fault is in the ribbon cable where it exits the rocker switch. Unfortunately this is not a soldered joint, but switch and cable are a sealed unit.

It looks as though one needs to be gentle when opening and closing the cassette compartment door. It certainly has a tendency to flex when you do.

Canon UK tell me that they have never heard of the fault, and none of their service network in the UK have even bothered to reply to a query about a repair.

Alan Craven · March 5th, 2004, 06:36 AM

Finally got my XM1 back yesterday. They have replaced the complete cassette compartment door assembly as promised, and all is now fine. The new rocker switch has a very different feel to the old one - much smoother and more progressive resistance to pressure.

The engineer's report states that the problem was caused by cracking of the ribbon cable where it emerges from the rocker switch, and that as this is a sealed unit, it cannot be repaired - I wonder?

They also say that the most probable cause of the failure is physical shock.

John C Heid · March 6th, 2004, 08:24 AM

This common zoom problem makes me question my decision to buy a GL2 as a travel cam (I plan to do so Monday 3/08/04).

Are there steps to take in using the GL2 to reduce the chances of encountering this common problem, or has Canon solved it with their latest shipments?

Do you recopmmend buying a 4 year (Mack) extended warranty with the GL2?

Jim OMalley · March 6th, 2004, 08:47 AM

I wonder how "common" this zoom problem actually is. We certainly can't determine that from just reading these posts. Is there an online resource that can give repair rates and histories for the GL2? (Kinda like what Consumer Reports does?)

Federico Dib · March 6th, 2004, 01:06 PM

I´m sending mine this week for repair... (I´ve been using the handle zoom meanwhile)..
The guy at the store I bought my camera from (the biggest in sales in Barcelona) told me he has only heard once about something similar...
And the guys at canon repair here told me that they have never heard of or had to fix this problem...

So it might not be that common...
BUt who knows if they are telling the truth...

Just keep in mind that the XM2 or GL2 are very common.. and the sample rate in this forum is not enough to be a valid statistic indicator.

Alan Craven · March 7th, 2004, 04:48 AM

John C,

My XM1 is over three years old and has had a lot of use, always in the great outdoors.

To be fair it has had two hard knocks, one when nearly new and the second about the time this zoom fault first occurred. At this time I cannot be certain whether I had the "auto-zoom" before the second knock or not. I certainly saw it straight after the knock.

With hindsight, perhaps I could have claimed on my insurance. It would barely have been worth the hassle as the repair was only £55 more than my excess. I think I get a no claims discount too!

Hagop Matossian · March 8th, 2004, 04:35 PM

I have exactly the problem Federico Dib describes... It started happening about 10 months after I got the camera. I debated whether to send it off while still under warranty, and decided against it, as I was using it too much and would be unable to complete some projects without it.

The only way to get it fixed would be if someone provided me with a loan camera... I still use my GL2 every other day, the dodgy zoom grip has just become a resident evil of my work, luckily I havent missed any sweet shots due to excessive zoom, and as I'm usually the only person to see my rushes no-ones the wiser. I use the handle whenever i can. I tend to avoid zooming when possible, after 2 years of solid camerawork I have a very steady hand & prefer to dolly (walk!) back and forth

It does piss me off though. I loved the 3 stages of sensitivity the zoom grip had

John C Heid · March 8th, 2004, 05:47 PM

I ordered a GL2 today from B-H Photo, with a 4 year MACK Camera warranty extension. Thanks for tipping me off about this potential problem. The smaller size, common menu / batteries to the XL-1S, and 20:1 lens w/OIS won me over despite the problems.

Cosmin Rotaru · July 28th, 2004, 09:23 AM

Yea, I got the zoom rocker issue... :(
I guess my XM2 sit to close to a sick fellow! :)

It was a hot wedding - I thought it had to to with the vapors...

Oh well. When it'll be so bad that I won't be able to use it anymore, I'll fix it myself! (got just the right hammer for that)

Graham Bernard · July 28th, 2004, 09:53 AM

Sorry Cosmin . . mine comes and goes .. I can often overifde it with my LANC . .. I think there is a radio interference issue. I've had this happen twice around a friend's house - mind you he ONLY likes SONY kit - but leaving mine on in my house for 4 hours . .nothing . .not a problem at all .. totally weird ..

.. .sorry again .. it is a real bummer too!

Grazie

February 13th, 2004, 08:31 AM	#16
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	Im sorry to inform myself that my XM2 zoom passed away during act of duty last night. It leaves behind wife, two children, 40 hours of taping, and a big annoying feeling to the owner. I guess it´s time to check Canon Service here in Barcelona... oh well... __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

February 13th, 2004, 09:31 AM	#18
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	Well when using handheld I can manage to use the top handle zoom controll, as long as I dont have to focus and zoom at the same time... I had to do it last night. And when on a tripod If it´s a zoom while recording I usually try to use the remote control anyway... BUt sometimes I miss a third arm... The ZR-1000 zoom remote control is one of those items that stays permanently on my shopping list... I allways manage to send the money somewhere else... And I guess this time I´ll be sending the money to the Canon Repair Service.. Oh well... __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

March 6th, 2004, 01:06 PM	#25
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	I´m sending mine this week for repair... (I´ve been using the handle zoom meanwhile).. The guy at the store I bought my camera from (the biggest in sales in Barcelona) told me he has only heard once about something similar... And the guys at canon repair here told me that they have never heard of or had to fix this problem... So it might not be that common... BUt who knows if they are telling the truth... Just keep in mind that the XM2 or GL2 are very common.. and the sample rate in this forum is not enough to be a valid statistic indicator. __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

March 8th, 2004, 04:35 PM	#27
Hagop Matossian Woodyfang Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London/Nicosia Posts: 125	I have exactly the problem Federico Dib describes... It started happening about 10 months after I got the camera. I debated whether to send it off while still under warranty, and decided against it, as I was using it too much and would be unable to complete some projects without it. The only way to get it fixed would be if someone provided me with a loan camera... I still use my GL2 every other day, the dodgy zoom grip has just become a resident evil of my work, luckily I havent missed any sweet shots due to excessive zoom, and as I'm usually the only person to see my rushes no-ones the wiser. I use the handle whenever i can. I tend to avoid zooming when possible, after 2 years of solid camerawork I have a very steady hand & prefer to dolly (walk!) back and forth It does piss me off though. I loved the 3 stages of sensitivity the zoom grip had __________________ 10 films online http://www.undeadarmy.org STOP PRESS!! http://www.honeyweasel.com STOP PRESS!! Lighting Cameraman / Director / Producer / Music Producer / DJ / Web Designer / Visualist / Media Student / IT Tutor / Digital Artist W00dy See, W00dy d00...

July 28th, 2004, 09:23 AM	#29
Cosmin Rotaru Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Romania, Timisoara Posts: 453	Yea, I got the zoom rocker issue... :( I guess my XM2 sit to close to a sick fellow! :) It was a hot wedding - I thought it had to to with the vapors... Oh well. When it'll be so bad that I won't be able to use it anymore, I'll fix it myself! (got just the right hammer for that) __________________ Cosmin Rotaru

February 13th, 2004, 09:05 AM	#17
Jim OMalley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 81	As a temporary "workaround" for this zoom problem, have you tried using the ZR-1000 zoom remote control? Anytime I do a "formal" shoot on a tripod, it's the only zoom control I use. I recognize that this is not a cheap (or permanent) solution to the problem (also not too good for handheld situations) -- but possibly a quick way to keep the camera working in an emergency.

February 13th, 2004, 09:52 AM	#19
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Interesting thread. The zoom on my GL1 has recently started acting strangely. Never had a complaint before. Is there some kind of camcorder flu going around?

February 13th, 2004, 11:04 AM	#20
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Yup, me too . . Zoooooom in . .does not stop, until I "back" zoom the toggle. ^Thought Canon had this beat the last time it went in for service . . . Yes, my ZR 1000 beats the Zoom Flu Blues! Grazie

February 24th, 2004, 08:22 AM	#21
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	Unfortunately my XM1 was effectively dead on return from my New Zealand trip. All my efforts were being devoted to trying to stop it zooming. The LANC remote does not help - I use it all the time when the camera is on a tripod - the fault overrides the remote. It has taken me six weeks to get an estimate for repair! This is for £204, and I am promised a maximum of ten days before the camera is back with me. We shall see. My repairer tells me that the entire cassette compartment door will be replaced, as the zoom rocker and its ribbon cable to the main circuit board are not available separately. The fault is in the ribbon cable where it exits the rocker switch. Unfortunately this is not a soldered joint, but switch and cable are a sealed unit. It looks as though one needs to be gentle when opening and closing the cassette compartment door. It certainly has a tendency to flex when you do. Canon UK tell me that they have never heard of the fault, and none of their service network in the UK have even bothered to reply to a query about a repair.

March 5th, 2004, 06:36 AM	#22
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	Finally got my XM1 back yesterday. They have replaced the complete cassette compartment door assembly as promised, and all is now fine. The new rocker switch has a very different feel to the old one - much smoother and more progressive resistance to pressure. The engineer's report states that the problem was caused by cracking of the ribbon cable where it emerges from the rocker switch, and that as this is a sealed unit, it cannot be repaired - I wonder? They also say that the most probable cause of the failure is physical shock.

March 6th, 2004, 08:24 AM	#23
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	This common zoom problem makes me question my decision to buy a GL2 as a travel cam (I plan to do so Monday 3/08/04). Are there steps to take in using the GL2 to reduce the chances of encountering this common problem, or has Canon solved it with their latest shipments? Do you recopmmend buying a 4 year (Mack) extended warranty with the GL2?

March 6th, 2004, 08:47 AM	#24
Jim OMalley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 81	I wonder how "common" this zoom problem actually is. We certainly can't determine that from just reading these posts. Is there an online resource that can give repair rates and histories for the GL2? (Kinda like what Consumer Reports does?)

March 7th, 2004, 04:48 AM	#26
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	John C, My XM1 is over three years old and has had a lot of use, always in the great outdoors. To be fair it has had two hard knocks, one when nearly new and the second about the time this zoom fault first occurred. At this time I cannot be certain whether I had the "auto-zoom" before the second knock or not. I certainly saw it straight after the knock. With hindsight, perhaps I could have claimed on my insurance. It would barely have been worth the hassle as the repair was only £55 more than my excess. I think I get a no claims discount too!

March 8th, 2004, 05:47 PM	#28
John C Heid Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 54	I ordered a GL2 today from B-H Photo, with a 4 year MACK Camera warranty extension. Thanks for tipping me off about this potential problem. The smaller size, common menu / batteries to the XL-1S, and 20:1 lens w/OIS won me over despite the problems.

July 28th, 2004, 09:53 AM	#30
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Sorry Cosmin . . mine comes and goes .. I can often overifde it with my LANC . .. I think there is a radio interference issue. I've had this happen twice around a friend's house - mind you he ONLY likes SONY kit - but leaving mine on in my house for 4 hours . .nothing . .not a problem at all .. totally weird .. .. .sorry again .. it is a real bummer too! Grazie