Robustness of GL2? at DVinfo.net

Dorothy Engleman · November 8th, 2003, 12:34 PM

After reading about recurring problems some folks are having with their GL2s, I'm beginning to wonder how sturdy and reliable and prone to major breakdowns the GL2 is compared with a Sony VX2000 or PD150?

Dorothy

Rob Wilson · November 8th, 2003, 12:46 PM

Dorothy

Pretty tough to say or compare unless you can find a GL2 owner and a PD150 owner who are both willing to subject cams to a drop test!!

Can only tell you that my GL2 popped out of a saddle bag on a horse at full gallop. Landed on the dirt road. Couple of scratches but dusted it off and it worked fine!

Dorothy Engleman · November 8th, 2003, 03:36 PM

"Can only tell you that my GL2 popped out of a saddle bag on a horse at full gallop. Landed on the dirt road. Couple of scratches but dusted it off and it worked fine!"

Thanks, Rob, that's reassuring to know if I get a GL2 AND a horse!!! :-))

The GL2 sounds like a great camera for indie video artists like myself. I'm waiting to January to see whether Canon introduces a GL3.

But with all the zoom problems that have been mentioned of late,
I'd hate to wind up with a camera that has recurring defects.

Does anyone know whether the GL2 has more documented defects than the VX2000?

Dorothy

November 8th, 2003, 04:31 PM

im not an expoert nor am i a vx2000 owner, but i know a lot of people w/ vx's and ive heard more problems from them than from gl2's. the viewfinder ribbon, moreso on the vx1 than 2, has been a real big problem in sony cameras and ive heard a lot of complaints about their weak bayonet mounts

Steve Urban · November 8th, 2003, 07:03 PM

I've had the GL2 since June 2002 and it has performed with flying colors. I rate myself a beginner with this camcorder as I'm still trying the different features 16 months later....

A few examples of performing like a champ:
1) Salt sprayed from surf on beaches of Puerto Rico last year in bright sun no problems, just needed to clean lens...
2) 16 days in Bolivia this year from 14,000 feet and 20 degrees to jungle and 102 degrees and performed like a pro....
I did tighten my 2x teleconverter a little too tight once and when taking it off I noticed my lens cover falling to the ground. I picked it up, cleaned and screwed it on a 1/16 of a turn and all was fine...

Able to even get video of 6 social spiders in the dark, they appear as glowing green globs in black on video but the green globs came out just like I saw them in person....

Did extensive video at night of night birds and animals using 3 million candle power spotlight: http://www.ccrane.com/3_million_spotlight.asp
and video came out excellent...

Focusing perfect through the window of the jet at 35,000 feet to get two other jets heading at each other by probably a mile from each other....

I have been unable to keep birds, mostly hawks, in focus when zooming too much but when I zoom out to maybe 5 x they seem to stay in focus (was using 2x).

I lugged in the GL2 on the tripod most of the time with nothing covering the camcorder so I was ready at an instant moment to start videoing a bird, etc...

When I get some time I'll post a video on my website of all the extremes that I shot at.....

Many talk about adding a mic to the camera but I was just amazed at the sounds the stock mic picked up.....
I had a pair of horned screamers on the top of a tree about a 1/2 mile away and the sound on video is like they are right next to you....

Had a pair of Toco Tucans on top a a tree over a mile away and the GL2 with 2x worked great given the conditions.... (undulating heat waves through the lens)

I just burned my first CD with Plextor PX-708UF using S8 at highest burn resolution and was amazed at how crystal clear the video looked on the 32" tv....

Enough raving about the GL2 for now.....
I rate the GL2 a 9 on a scale of 1 - 10 for what I use it for.....
a hobby camcorder to capture whatever you fancy....

Steve

Ryan Krga · November 9th, 2003, 10:22 PM

Steve, would it be possible to post a couple stills of the birds using that spotlight? I was thinking about purchasing one, but wasn't sure how it would perform.

To add to the topic...

I was shooting at a college campus and was standing on the sidewalk holding my GL2 very uncatiously. A couple minutes into shooting, a student bumps into me and the camera falls lens first onto the hood. I picked up the camera immeadiately and what do you know, not one scratch, except for the lens hood. I think the student was more worried about the camera than myself, but it showed me how sturdy the camera was after thinking the same thing as you Dorothy.

Hank Freeman · November 10th, 2003, 08:11 AM

I own 5 GL2s. We use them every day for television since June 2002. They are our primary cameras for sports, football and such. We've never had a robust problem, but we have had the infamous, 'rewind wont work' on 2 of them.

Dorothy Engleman · November 10th, 2003, 09:37 PM

Thanks, guys! I'm heartened to learn how robust the GL2 is. But I'm still curious to know whether there are recurring defects with this camera, like the zoom and rewind problems.

Dorothy

Frank Granovski · November 10th, 2003, 11:07 PM

That's why cams come with a warranty, and Canon's warranty is probably one of the best ones in North America.

November 8th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#1
Dorothy Engleman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Monica, California Posts: 146	Robustness of GL2? After reading about recurring problems some folks are having with their GL2s, I'm beginning to wonder how sturdy and reliable and prone to major breakdowns the GL2 is compared with a Sony VX2000 or PD150? Dorothy

November 10th, 2003, 08:11 AM	#7
Hank Freeman Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 37	GL2 I own 5 GL2s. We use them every day for television since June 2002. They are our primary cameras for sports, football and such. We've never had a robust problem, but we have had the infamous, 'rewind wont work' on 2 of them.

November 8th, 2003, 12:46 PM	#2
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Dorothy Pretty tough to say or compare unless you can find a GL2 owner and a PD150 owner who are both willing to subject cams to a drop test!! Can only tell you that my GL2 popped out of a saddle bag on a horse at full gallop. Landed on the dirt road. Couple of scratches but dusted it off and it worked fine!

November 8th, 2003, 03:36 PM	#3
Dorothy Engleman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Monica, California Posts: 146	"Can only tell you that my GL2 popped out of a saddle bag on a horse at full gallop. Landed on the dirt road. Couple of scratches but dusted it off and it worked fine!" Thanks, Rob, that's reassuring to know if I get a GL2 AND a horse!!! :-)) The GL2 sounds like a great camera for indie video artists like myself. I'm waiting to January to see whether Canon introduces a GL3. But with all the zoom problems that have been mentioned of late, I'd hate to wind up with a camera that has recurring defects. Does anyone know whether the GL2 has more documented defects than the VX2000? Dorothy

November 8th, 2003, 04:31 PM	#4
Guest Posts: n/a	im not an expoert nor am i a vx2000 owner, but i know a lot of people w/ vx's and ive heard more problems from them than from gl2's. the viewfinder ribbon, moreso on the vx1 than 2, has been a real big problem in sony cameras and ive heard a lot of complaints about their weak bayonet mounts

November 8th, 2003, 07:03 PM	#5
Steve Urban Contributor Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Barrington, New Hampshire Posts: 32	I've had the GL2 since June 2002 and it has performed with flying colors. I rate myself a beginner with this camcorder as I'm still trying the different features 16 months later.... A few examples of performing like a champ: 1) Salt sprayed from surf on beaches of Puerto Rico last year in bright sun no problems, just needed to clean lens... 2) 16 days in Bolivia this year from 14,000 feet and 20 degrees to jungle and 102 degrees and performed like a pro.... I did tighten my 2x teleconverter a little too tight once and when taking it off I noticed my lens cover falling to the ground. I picked it up, cleaned and screwed it on a 1/16 of a turn and all was fine... Able to even get video of 6 social spiders in the dark, they appear as glowing green globs in black on video but the green globs came out just like I saw them in person.... Did extensive video at night of night birds and animals using 3 million candle power spotlight: http://www.ccrane.com/3_million_spotlight.asp and video came out excellent... Focusing perfect through the window of the jet at 35,000 feet to get two other jets heading at each other by probably a mile from each other.... I have been unable to keep birds, mostly hawks, in focus when zooming too much but when I zoom out to maybe 5 x they seem to stay in focus (was using 2x). I lugged in the GL2 on the tripod most of the time with nothing covering the camcorder so I was ready at an instant moment to start videoing a bird, etc... When I get some time I'll post a video on my website of all the extremes that I shot at..... Many talk about adding a mic to the camera but I was just amazed at the sounds the stock mic picked up..... I had a pair of horned screamers on the top of a tree about a 1/2 mile away and the sound on video is like they are right next to you.... Had a pair of Toco Tucans on top a a tree over a mile away and the GL2 with 2x worked great given the conditions.... (undulating heat waves through the lens) I just burned my first CD with Plextor PX-708UF using S8 at highest burn resolution and was amazed at how crystal clear the video looked on the 32" tv.... Enough raving about the GL2 for now..... I rate the GL2 a 9 on a scale of 1 - 10 for what I use it for..... a hobby camcorder to capture whatever you fancy.... Steve

November 9th, 2003, 10:22 PM	#6
Ryan Krga Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 116	Steve, would it be possible to post a couple stills of the birds using that spotlight? I was thinking about purchasing one, but wasn't sure how it would perform. To add to the topic... I was shooting at a college campus and was standing on the sidewalk holding my GL2 very uncatiously. A couple minutes into shooting, a student bumps into me and the camera falls lens first onto the hood. I picked up the camera immeadiately and what do you know, not one scratch, except for the lens hood. I think the student was more worried about the camera than myself, but it showed me how sturdy the camera was after thinking the same thing as you Dorothy.

November 10th, 2003, 09:37 PM	#8
Dorothy Engleman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Santa Monica, California Posts: 146	Thanks, guys! I'm heartened to learn how robust the GL2 is. But I'm still curious to know whether there are recurring defects with this camera, like the zoom and rewind problems. Dorothy

November 10th, 2003, 11:07 PM	#9
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	That's why cams come with a warranty, and Canon's warranty is probably one of the best ones in North America.