Zoom Button Sticking at DVinfo.net

Brian Maier · May 8th, 2004, 04:46 PM

Has anyone had trouble with their zoom button randomly sticking? Mine has been doing that lately. I havent spilt anything on the camera, or even abused it, it has been babied. Im just wondering of this is "normal" or if I need to send my camera in for a checkup.

Brian

Michael Connor · May 8th, 2004, 05:06 PM

yes most certainly you have a camera problem if it is sticking. No i have not had those problems and not heard of it being a common problem. Unless your on about the in handle zoom, for which there is a lock you may of caught, beside the record button. You could try Menu-zoom grip- variable. Try another speed setting and see if it sticks, then go back to the one your on and try again. Blow around the toggle switch incase theres any grit trapped down side. If all fails then im afraid its off to canon...

Brian Maier · May 8th, 2004, 05:16 PM

Nope im not using the handle zoom. And just to clarify i dont believe that the actual button is sticking, but the camera will keep zooming after i have let off the button.

Michael Connor · May 8th, 2004, 05:23 PM

Unless you have it set to high speed...tho no that wouldnt do that, you have an electronic problem.

Federico Dib · May 8th, 2004, 08:01 PM

There´s an older thread about this issue. Mine used to do that. Then one day stoped doing it for a long time.
Did it again once.. and stopped doing it again. ?...

I´m sending mine for repair before my warranty expires...

I think you should too.

Brian Maier · May 8th, 2004, 08:58 PM

That is basically the same situation that I am in but unfortunatly my warranty expired March 5th. :(

Alan Craven · May 9th, 2004, 12:45 AM

There is an old thread on this subject at http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14341&highlight=Zoom.

I have had my XM1 repaired to cure this. They replaced the entire outer cassette door assembly complete with the zoom rocker switch. It cost me £200 in the UK.

I was told by the engineer that the problem arises at the point where the ribbon cable emerges from the zoom rocker switch. With age and use this can crack resulting in intermittent contact. He suggested that the probable cause was physical shock - to be fair, the camera had had a couple of knocks, the second one just before I first noticed the problem.

It is apparently not possible to repair the cable at this point.

Once the problem occurred on my camera, it gradually got worse, until ultimately the camera was unusable. I managed for a time to work around it by slipping a small piece of plastic into the gap between the rocker switch and its housing - on the side away from the centre of the camera body. I had noticed that pushing the rocker inwards towards the centre line of the camera body stopped the "auto-zoom".

Since the repair the camera has been fault free.

Graham Bernard · May 9th, 2004, 01:04 AM

XM2 here. Went in for under warranty repair .. got the same issue back now . . hey ho .. . My Lanc zoom and "handle2 zoom are fine . . so I DO have a type of temporary "fix" until I have a break in my fiming schedule. Would I buy another XM2? You haven't asked but I'm asking this of myself to feedback to you what this COULD mean for me . . hmmmm .. borderline decision now .. But again, £200 quid for "the" repair must be seen within the cut and throust of an active filming routine. But then again c'mon Canon! this isn't good enough. Zoom cables and cabling have been around for a long long time . .what ARE you doing wrong!! Whatever it is STOP it!! It is very scary . . phew!

Grazie

Brian Maier · May 9th, 2004, 10:38 AM

You know I questioned the durability of this camera when I first got it cause it seemed very flimsy compared to my single chip sony. But a few people convinced me that this was a very durable camera and that i should not worry. I beat the pants off that sony, and even after 5 years of nasty weather, rock climbing, mtn biking, and being tossed around it still worked with out issue. I have babied this canon and after 13 months (just as the waranty runs out) im having trouble. ARGG!!

And im not bashing on Canon cause I have a number of other canon cameras that i am more than pleased with but this GL2 has definatly been a exception.

Alan Craven · May 9th, 2004, 10:55 AM

The really sad thing is that the fault occurs in the GL2/XM2 as well as the GL1/XM1 - to this day as far as I am aware.

Canon UK insist that they have no knowledge of this fault occurring on a regular basis. The main problem with the repair was finding someone willing to carry it out.
Three of the approved Canon repairers in England ignored repeated requests to quote for the job.

Michael Connor · May 9th, 2004, 12:06 PM

this is concerning. Is there anyone out there that can pass this page on to a canon representative? (someone at canon must want to put this right? I must admit, i love my camera but am fearing the day i need to request support! I had a problem with the photo capturing software, and gave up trying to contact them)

Graham Bernard · May 9th, 2004, 12:25 PM

Michael, I'm with you .. perhaps we need a Michael Moore on our side!

I've often contacted Canon when they had my cammie .. it wasw as if I was try to get info from a 30 year old "other service agency" or . .whats the American version . .not wanting to say it here . .yer never know who or WHAT is listening . . .

Perhaps we could organise a March to their Bunker in Canonville UK! - Maybe that would have them "zooming" all over us . .

But yes the zoom thing is a real pain . .

Grazie

Michael Connor · May 9th, 2004, 01:18 PM

ha ha. Yea folks, hear that everybody, a march! Maybe we could film their responses with xm2s and flog em to watchdog! ha ha.

Graham Bernard · May 9th, 2004, 01:58 PM

. . yeah . . don't get too close you wont be able to zoom out .. and if you did YOU'D BE ZOOM SO FAR YOU'D BE way behind yerself!!!

Grazie

that is GrAzoooomie

Hagop Matossian · May 13th, 2004, 05:00 PM

hey yeh lets do a march! we could make a day out of it, tell reporters, media websites, broadcast magazine etc, could be good PR for all of us! we could present them with a petition, do the watchdog thing etc.

I'm up for it!! my zoom rocker started screwing up about 8 months after I got the camera, still in warranty but I was using it so much I just couldnt part with it.

Now I use it far less, and have access to other cameras, I could have it repaired, but I think it should be free : ) there should be a recall!!

there's 3 locations listed on their UK site:

Canon U.K. Ltd
Woodhatch
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 8BF

Telephone
+44 (0)1737 220000
Fax
+44 (0)1737 220022

Canon Support Helpdesk
Customer Services
P.O. Box 431
Wallington
Surrey
SM6 0XU

Telephone
08705 143 723
Fax
08705 143 340

Canon Europe Ltd
6 Roundwood Avenue
Stockley Park
Uxbridge
UB11 1JA

Telephone
+44 (0) 208 5888 000
Fax
+44 (0) 208 5888 001

I guess Uxbridge is the nearest site to London? anyone know which is biggest?

anyone interested in going down email me at xm2protest@undeadarmy.org!!

lets make it big!!

May 8th, 2004, 04:46 PM	#1
Brian Maier Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 42	Zoom Button Sticking Has anyone had trouble with their zoom button randomly sticking? Mine has been doing that lately. I havent spilt anything on the camera, or even abused it, it has been babied. Im just wondering of this is "normal" or if I need to send my camera in for a checkup. Brian

May 8th, 2004, 05:06 PM	#2
Michael Connor Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Durham, England Posts: 138	yes most certainly you have a camera problem if it is sticking. No i have not had those problems and not heard of it being a common problem. Unless your on about the in handle zoom, for which there is a lock you may of caught, beside the record button. You could try Menu-zoom grip- variable. Try another speed setting and see if it sticks, then go back to the one your on and try again. Blow around the toggle switch incase theres any grit trapped down side. If all fails then im afraid its off to canon... __________________ StMichael

May 8th, 2004, 05:23 PM	#4
Michael Connor Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Durham, England Posts: 138	Unless you have it set to high speed...tho no that wouldnt do that, you have an electronic problem. __________________ StMichael

May 8th, 2004, 08:01 PM	#5
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	There´s an older thread about this issue. Mine used to do that. Then one day stoped doing it for a long time. Did it again once.. and stopped doing it again. ?... I´m sending mine for repair before my warranty expires... I think you should too. __________________ 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.

May 9th, 2004, 01:04 AM	#8
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	C'mon Canon! Sort it! and Sort it now!! XM2 here. Went in for under warranty repair .. got the same issue back now . . hey ho .. . My Lanc zoom and "handle2 zoom are fine . . so I DO have a type of temporary "fix" until I have a break in my fiming schedule. Would I buy another XM2? You haven't asked but I'm asking this of myself to feedback to you what this COULD mean for me . . hmmmm .. borderline decision now .. But again, £200 quid for "the" repair must be seen within the cut and throust of an active filming routine. But then again c'mon Canon! this isn't good enough. Zoom cables and cabling have been around for a long long time . .what ARE you doing wrong!! Whatever it is STOP it!! It is very scary . . phew! Grazie

May 8th, 2004, 05:16 PM	#3
Brian Maier Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 42	Nope im not using the handle zoom. And just to clarify i dont believe that the actual button is sticking, but the camera will keep zooming after i have let off the button.

May 8th, 2004, 08:58 PM	#6
Brian Maier Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 42	That is basically the same situation that I am in but unfortunatly my warranty expired March 5th. :(

May 9th, 2004, 12:45 AM	#7
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	There is an old thread on this subject at http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14341&highlight=Zoom. I have had my XM1 repaired to cure this. They replaced the entire outer cassette door assembly complete with the zoom rocker switch. It cost me £200 in the UK. I was told by the engineer that the problem arises at the point where the ribbon cable emerges from the zoom rocker switch. With age and use this can crack resulting in intermittent contact. He suggested that the probable cause was physical shock - to be fair, the camera had had a couple of knocks, the second one just before I first noticed the problem. It is apparently not possible to repair the cable at this point. Once the problem occurred on my camera, it gradually got worse, until ultimately the camera was unusable. I managed for a time to work around it by slipping a small piece of plastic into the gap between the rocker switch and its housing - on the side away from the centre of the camera body. I had noticed that pushing the rocker inwards towards the centre line of the camera body stopped the "auto-zoom". Since the repair the camera has been fault free.

May 9th, 2004, 10:38 AM	#9
Brian Maier Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 42	You know I questioned the durability of this camera when I first got it cause it seemed very flimsy compared to my single chip sony. But a few people convinced me that this was a very durable camera and that i should not worry. I beat the pants off that sony, and even after 5 years of nasty weather, rock climbing, mtn biking, and being tossed around it still worked with out issue. I have babied this canon and after 13 months (just as the waranty runs out) im having trouble. ARGG!! And im not bashing on Canon cause I have a number of other canon cameras that i am more than pleased with but this GL2 has definatly been a exception.

May 9th, 2004, 10:55 AM	#10
Alan Craven Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: York, England Posts: 518	The really sad thing is that the fault occurs in the GL2/XM2 as well as the GL1/XM1 - to this day as far as I am aware. Canon UK insist that they have no knowledge of this fault occurring on a regular basis. The main problem with the repair was finding someone willing to carry it out. Three of the approved Canon repairers in England ignored repeated requests to quote for the job.

May 9th, 2004, 12:06 PM	#11
Michael Connor Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Durham, England Posts: 138	this is concerning. Is there anyone out there that can pass this page on to a canon representative? (someone at canon must want to put this right? I must admit, i love my camera but am fearing the day i need to request support! I had a problem with the photo capturing software, and gave up trying to contact them) __________________ StMichael

May 9th, 2004, 12:25 PM	#12
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Do it Right Here AND Do it RIGHT NOW! Michael, I'm with you .. perhaps we need a Michael Moore on our side! I've often contacted Canon when they had my cammie .. it wasw as if I was try to get info from a 30 year old "other service agency" or . .whats the American version . .not wanting to say it here . .yer never know who or WHAT is listening . . . Perhaps we could organise a March to their Bunker in Canonville UK! - Maybe that would have them "zooming" all over us . . But yes the zoom thing is a real pain . . Grazie

May 9th, 2004, 01:18 PM	#13
Michael Connor Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Durham, England Posts: 138	ha ha. Yea folks, hear that everybody, a march! Maybe we could film their responses with xm2s and flog em to watchdog! ha ha. __________________ StMichael

May 9th, 2004, 01:58 PM	#14
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	*. . now I'm ZOOMED off ?@%&$ !** . . yeah . . don't get too close you wont be able to zoom out .. and if you did YOU'D BE ZOOM SO FAR YOU'D BE way behind yerself!!! Grazie that is GrAzoooomie

May 13th, 2004, 05:00 PM	#15
Hagop Matossian Woodyfang Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London/Nicosia Posts: 125	XM2 Protest!! hey yeh lets do a march! we could make a day out of it, tell reporters, media websites, broadcast magazine etc, could be good PR for all of us! we could present them with a petition, do the watchdog thing etc. I'm up for it!! my zoom rocker started screwing up about 8 months after I got the camera, still in warranty but I was using it so much I just couldnt part with it. Now I use it far less, and have access to other cameras, I could have it repaired, but I think it should be free : ) there should be a recall!! there's 3 locations listed on their UK site: Canon U.K. Ltd Woodhatch Reigate Surrey RH2 8BF Telephone +44 (0)1737 220000 Fax +44 (0)1737 220022 Canon Support Helpdesk Customer Services P.O. Box 431 Wallington Surrey SM6 0XU Telephone 08705 143 723 Fax 08705 143 340 Canon Europe Ltd 6 Roundwood Avenue Stockley Park Uxbridge UB11 1JA Telephone +44 (0) 208 5888 000 Fax +44 (0) 208 5888 001 I guess Uxbridge is the nearest site to London? anyone know which is biggest? anyone interested in going down email me at xm2protest@undeadarmy.org!! lets make it big!! __________________ 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...