GL2 self-inflicted pauses while recording

Philip Hinkle · September 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM

I was just reading John's reply and wondering if it might be the battery in my situation then I realized that if it was the other GL2 would be doing the same thing but it works fine.....I won't say the other camera works flawlessly because it is a Canon and if I say anything good about it it will probably hear me and break again.. :-)

October 6th, 2004, 10:17 PM

Got my TWO cameras with this issue back from the Canon FSC, again, and again they said they couldn't find anything wrong with them... cleaned this, cleaned that, put a shipping label back on them and sent them back to me. One wasn't even touched I don't think. I tightened up the hand strap so a normal sized hand couldn't fit in it. It came back the same way. Canon said they extensively tested the camera. How so? Do little people work at Canon who can handle the camera to test it? Wouldn't you think they would have to loosen the hand strap to get a hand in there to 'extensively test' the camera?

I guess they think I'm crazy... that we're all crazy. That video I posted of the problem must be bogus in their mind... done with mirrors or something.

To top things off, I've used both cameras on several shoots since getting them back, and BOTH continue to experience the problem. It's like playing russian roulette with these things, it's a matter of time before they go out on me during something important, and hurt my business again.

Canon refuses to do anything about it. They're asking me to send one of them in AGAIN. Again they're asking me to send in a detailed letter of the problem (done that 4 times now to the tune of two pages long each time).

I guess because they can't get them to do it, there's no problem.

Well it's a problem when it hurts my business. It's a problem when the camera doesn't work as advertised.

It's NOT my problem that they can't get it to do it when they have it.

I'm thinking about filing a lawsuit. I mean, I have video of the problem! I can get more video of the problem! I could get them to do it in a court room!

What is it going to take? I'm not a bitter man and I do not by nature get angry over things easily, but to be treated like a moron by Canon who refuses to do anything about this problem is completely uncalled for and completely unprofessional.

October 13th, 2004, 06:51 PM

Philip,

Have you had any luck with your technician/camera?

Pascal Grondin · November 22nd, 2004, 01:12 PM

I have the same problem.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&postid=245677#post245677

It happened again last night while filming a show.

I called Canon last week, it will cost at LEAST 240$ to fix it. But now I'm not sure they will be able to fix it.

Philip Hinkle · November 22nd, 2004, 02:23 PM

I think mine is fixed. I had it in the shop recently and when they went to work on it it wouldn't power up. They replaced the microfuse internally and it has been fine since. I actually am trusting it again for main use.

Perhaps the solder joints of the original fuse were faulty and would cut in and out. I don't know but for now (knock on wood) mine is good to go.

Philip

Steven Graham · November 25th, 2004, 05:41 PM

I think it might be the same problem, the following is copied from the other thread:

Hello Pascal,

I had a problem that sounds similar with my XM2. It started with the camera very occasionally shutting down and after a few weeks it was happening all the time. Sometimes it seemed to be related to movement of the camera other times not. It turned out to be a intermittent electrical contact problem in the Main Power switch on the top of the camera.

I solved this problem in my camera by:
1. Turning camera off completely.
2. Removing battery from camera.
3. Exercising the Main Power switch by repeatedly sliding the switch back and forth between CAMERA, OFF and PLAY a few dozen times. (Possibly exercise the Standby Lever between STANDBY and LOCK as well.)
4. Ensuring Main Power switch off.
5. Reattaching battery.
6. Turning camera back on.

I have not had any subsequent power problems since.

Regards,
Steven.

November 28th, 2004, 10:47 PM

Well guys, persistance pays off. After sending in both of my cameras numerous times over the course of the last 3-4 months to Canon, sometimes one at a time... other times both at a time (depending on when I needed them), they finally replaced them with 'new' cameras. If they're actually new or not, I don't know. They work, and that's all I'm worried about. I used both replacements on two shoots so far with extensive use with no problems. It is so nice to have some confidence now knowing I don't have to worry about one or both of them cutting out on me.

I feel bad in a way because a real nice lady at the FSC in Jersey apparently worked really hard on trying to get them to duplicate the issue several times wasting hours of her days to no avail. With one of the cameras, I had no problems getting it to do it several times an hour with my batteries or Canons (the same battery packs she was using for her own testing--which subsequently were the same model I had anyway- BP945's). However, Jane (as we'll call her) at the FSC just could not get them to do it. It's like having two bad kids that act up with the parents but act like little angels around anybody else. It was a frustrating process. I feared they didn't believe me at all, but at the same time I couldn't keep dealing with the problems I was having.

Well, Jane finally told me she got clearance for me to keep on of the loaner cameras they had sent me in exchange for one of the 'bad kids', and that she was going to send me another replacement for the other bad camera.

My confidence with Canons customer service has been restored. I've had great experiences with Canon before this when it came to service and what not, and although a slow process, this problem (knock on wood) for me has finally been resolved.

Just in time for the slow season...lol.

Alex Maldonado · January 15th, 2005, 10:41 PM

well i have had my GL2 for about 8 months when it suddenly started doing this to me, sometimes it does fine other tiems it goes nut with the on off thing, i was about to try and send it off, but thought i'd look for others like me before i did. this thread didn't give me much "hope" i will be trying Steven Graham's method in the morning, but if no luck, then i'll call cannon on monday. my initial warenty is about to go out, so i am eager to resolve this.

i was also looking to purchase another GL2, but since i do alot of "timed" multi camera shoots, i can't really afford to have diffrent automatic cuts in the middle of my shoots :)

anyone out there still dealing with this issue? or know of other recomendations?

January 15th, 2005, 11:57 PM

Turns out the replacement cameras were brand new... no problems since... if that helps. Have whoever you talked to at Canon to refer to this thread. It might help.

Alex Maldonado · January 27th, 2005, 09:26 PM

what is the average turn around time from cannon. i need to get this in and back between projects

Greg Boston · January 27th, 2005, 10:35 PM

Gentlemen,

On a related note, I had an intermittent scraping noise coming from the rear wheel of my truck after it had been in the dealer for service. Same thing happened in that it would never mess up for them. The solution was to carry my pana 953 until it started acting up. I hung the cam out the window pointed backwards and drove around the block. I burned it to CD and then handed it and the keys to my truck to them and said I don't want it back until it's fixed. Amazingly, it was fixed in a couple hours and has been okay since.

The moral of the story, have a backup cam pointing at the GL-2 so that you have an external view of the problem on tape along with the target camera's own tape. Then it's hard for them to call you crazy, even if they can't figure out what the cause is. Personally, as an electronics tech for the past 25 yrs., I am suspecting cold solder joints in a large batch of the GL-2's. The circuit boards are wave soldered (they pass over a bath of molten lead) and if the temp is not right, or there is contamination from a lack of proper degreasing before soldering, you can get cold solder joints. They are a pain to track down because just a change in environment can make or break the joint seemingly at random.

Anyway, maybe Canon service will see this thread and realize there are many folks having the same issue. That's the power of the internet. No more telling us that we are the only one having a particular issue.

Good luck,

=gb=

January 27th, 2005, 10:43 PM

Did that... and after two attempts of sending it back, since they couldn't 'reproduce' the problem, they would not replace the camera. It was mind baffling at the time. Here it is, on tape (www.buerhausdesign.com/problem.html), for them to see, and since they couldn't reproduce it, the camera was fine.

Fortunately, after working with a real nice Canon representative, they finally replaced both cameras I had that had the problem. Most of the time it's just a matter of persistance.

Greg Boston · January 27th, 2005, 11:02 PM

Saw your video Matt. Good work. I didn't realize you had done that as I read through the whole thread.

=gb=

January 27th, 2005, 11:10 PM

Yea, this is all old news to me anyway. It's frustrating to see other folks having the same issues, so I stay subscribed to this thread to help out best I can. It's funny really... after getting back two brand new cameras, one of the other four I have in my fleet had an audio problem! If just kept cutting in and out after downloading it. I noticed it while actually using the camera and not having any soundbars on the LCD... using no other audio device other than the built in mic on the camera (which is great BTW for picking things up). So I know it wasn't an import problem, cause it happened on the shoot! Now I have it mixed up with the other camera and can't remember which one it was...lol. So I have to do some trial and error with both and see if I can get it to happen again. Very disheartening. These cameras are wonderful otherwise, but now I'm constantly worried about either one shutting down on me, or losing sound. Not good for the grey hairs...lol! I hope the next generation 'prosumer' Canon camera, which will probably be HD and released sometime this year, does not have these issues. I'd jump ship to Sony or Panasonic if it weren't for the impending release of the new Canon lineup. I pray, pray many of these 'weird' issues, to say the least, are resolved.

Alex Maldonado · January 28th, 2005, 07:23 AM

anyone have a good contact number for cannon on this issue.

or do i jus dial 1-800-brokegl2.

seriously, what is the best way to reach them?

September 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM	#16
Philip Hinkle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Stoughton, WI Posts: 169	I was just reading John's reply and wondering if it might be the battery in my situation then I realized that if it was the other GL2 would be doing the same thing but it works fine.....I won't say the other camera works flawlessly because it is a Canon and if I say anything good about it it will probably hear me and break again.. :-)

October 6th, 2004, 10:17 PM	#17
Guest Posts: n/a	Got my TWO cameras with this issue back from the Canon FSC, again, and again they said they couldn't find anything wrong with them... cleaned this, cleaned that, put a shipping label back on them and sent them back to me. One wasn't even touched I don't think. I tightened up the hand strap so a normal sized hand couldn't fit in it. It came back the same way. Canon said they extensively tested the camera. How so? Do little people work at Canon who can handle the camera to test it? Wouldn't you think they would have to loosen the hand strap to get a hand in there to 'extensively test' the camera? I guess they think I'm crazy... that we're all crazy. That video I posted of the problem must be bogus in their mind... done with mirrors or something. To top things off, I've used both cameras on several shoots since getting them back, and BOTH continue to experience the problem. It's like playing russian roulette with these things, it's a matter of time before they go out on me during something important, and hurt my business again. Canon refuses to do anything about it. They're asking me to send one of them in AGAIN. Again they're asking me to send in a detailed letter of the problem (done that 4 times now to the tune of two pages long each time). I guess because they can't get them to do it, there's no problem. Well it's a problem when it hurts my business. It's a problem when the camera doesn't work as advertised. It's NOT my problem that they can't get it to do it when they have it. I'm thinking about filing a lawsuit. I mean, I have video of the problem! I can get more video of the problem! I could get them to do it in a court room! What is it going to take? I'm not a bitter man and I do not by nature get angry over things easily, but to be treated like a moron by Canon who refuses to do anything about this problem is completely uncalled for and completely unprofessional.

October 13th, 2004, 06:51 PM	#18
Guest Posts: n/a	Philip, Have you had any luck with your technician/camera?

November 22nd, 2004, 01:12 PM	#19
Pascal Grondin New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Quebec Canada Posts: 8	I have the same problem. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&postid=245677#post245677 It happened again last night while filming a show. I called Canon last week, it will cost at LEAST 240$ to fix it. But now I'm not sure they will be able to fix it.

November 22nd, 2004, 02:23 PM	#20
Philip Hinkle Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Stoughton, WI Posts: 169	I think mine is fixed. I had it in the shop recently and when they went to work on it it wouldn't power up. They replaced the microfuse internally and it has been fine since. I actually am trusting it again for main use. Perhaps the solder joints of the original fuse were faulty and would cut in and out. I don't know but for now (knock on wood) mine is good to go. Philip

November 25th, 2004, 05:41 PM	#21
Steven Graham New Boot Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Australia Posts: 6	I think it might be the same problem, the following is copied from the other thread: Hello Pascal, I had a problem that sounds similar with my XM2. It started with the camera very occasionally shutting down and after a few weeks it was happening all the time. Sometimes it seemed to be related to movement of the camera other times not. It turned out to be a intermittent electrical contact problem in the Main Power switch on the top of the camera. I solved this problem in my camera by: 1. Turning camera off completely. 2. Removing battery from camera. 3. Exercising the Main Power switch by repeatedly sliding the switch back and forth between CAMERA, OFF and PLAY a few dozen times. (Possibly exercise the Standby Lever between STANDBY and LOCK as well.) 4. Ensuring Main Power switch off. 5. Reattaching battery. 6. Turning camera back on. I have not had any subsequent power problems since. Regards, Steven.

November 28th, 2004, 10:47 PM	#22
Guest Posts: n/a	Well guys, persistance pays off. After sending in both of my cameras numerous times over the course of the last 3-4 months to Canon, sometimes one at a time... other times both at a time (depending on when I needed them), they finally replaced them with 'new' cameras. If they're actually new or not, I don't know. They work, and that's all I'm worried about. I used both replacements on two shoots so far with extensive use with no problems. It is so nice to have some confidence now knowing I don't have to worry about one or both of them cutting out on me. I feel bad in a way because a real nice lady at the FSC in Jersey apparently worked really hard on trying to get them to duplicate the issue several times wasting hours of her days to no avail. With one of the cameras, I had no problems getting it to do it several times an hour with my batteries or Canons (the same battery packs she was using for her own testing--which subsequently were the same model I had anyway- BP945's). However, Jane (as we'll call her) at the FSC just could not get them to do it. It's like having two bad kids that act up with the parents but act like little angels around anybody else. It was a frustrating process. I feared they didn't believe me at all, but at the same time I couldn't keep dealing with the problems I was having. Well, Jane finally told me she got clearance for me to keep on of the loaner cameras they had sent me in exchange for one of the 'bad kids', and that she was going to send me another replacement for the other bad camera. My confidence with Canons customer service has been restored. I've had great experiences with Canon before this when it came to service and what not, and although a slow process, this problem (knock on wood) for me has finally been resolved. Just in time for the slow season...lol.

January 15th, 2005, 10:41 PM	#23
Alex Maldonado New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 20	well i have had my GL2 for about 8 months when it suddenly started doing this to me, sometimes it does fine other tiems it goes nut with the on off thing, i was about to try and send it off, but thought i'd look for others like me before i did. this thread didn't give me much "hope" i will be trying Steven Graham's method in the morning, but if no luck, then i'll call cannon on monday. my initial warenty is about to go out, so i am eager to resolve this. i was also looking to purchase another GL2, but since i do alot of "timed" multi camera shoots, i can't really afford to have diffrent automatic cuts in the middle of my shoots :) anyone out there still dealing with this issue? or know of other recomendations?

January 15th, 2005, 11:57 PM	#24
Guest Posts: n/a	Turns out the replacement cameras were brand new... no problems since... if that helps. Have whoever you talked to at Canon to refer to this thread. It might help.

January 27th, 2005, 09:26 PM	#25
Alex Maldonado New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 20	what is the average turn around time from cannon. i need to get this in and back between projects

January 27th, 2005, 10:35 PM	#26
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Gentlemen, On a related note, I had an intermittent scraping noise coming from the rear wheel of my truck after it had been in the dealer for service. Same thing happened in that it would never mess up for them. The solution was to carry my pana 953 until it started acting up. I hung the cam out the window pointed backwards and drove around the block. I burned it to CD and then handed it and the keys to my truck to them and said I don't want it back until it's fixed. Amazingly, it was fixed in a couple hours and has been okay since. The moral of the story, have a backup cam pointing at the GL-2 so that you have an external view of the problem on tape along with the target camera's own tape. Then it's hard for them to call you crazy, even if they can't figure out what the cause is. Personally, as an electronics tech for the past 25 yrs., I am suspecting cold solder joints in a large batch of the GL-2's. The circuit boards are wave soldered (they pass over a bath of molten lead) and if the temp is not right, or there is contamination from a lack of proper degreasing before soldering, you can get cold solder joints. They are a pain to track down because just a change in environment can make or break the joint seemingly at random. Anyway, maybe Canon service will see this thread and realize there are many folks having the same issue. That's the power of the internet. No more telling us that we are the only one having a particular issue. Good luck, =gb=

January 27th, 2005, 10:43 PM	#27
Guest Posts: n/a	Did that... and after two attempts of sending it back, since they couldn't 'reproduce' the problem, they would not replace the camera. It was mind baffling at the time. Here it is, on tape (www.buerhausdesign.com/problem.html), for them to see, and since they couldn't reproduce it, the camera was fine. Fortunately, after working with a real nice Canon representative, they finally replaced both cameras I had that had the problem. Most of the time it's just a matter of persistance.

January 27th, 2005, 11:02 PM	#28
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Saw your video Matt. Good work. I didn't realize you had done that as I read through the whole thread. =gb=

January 27th, 2005, 11:10 PM	#29
Guest Posts: n/a	Yea, this is all old news to me anyway. It's frustrating to see other folks having the same issues, so I stay subscribed to this thread to help out best I can. It's funny really... after getting back two brand new cameras, one of the other four I have in my fleet had an audio problem! If just kept cutting in and out after downloading it. I noticed it while actually using the camera and not having any soundbars on the LCD... using no other audio device other than the built in mic on the camera (which is great BTW for picking things up). So I know it wasn't an import problem, cause it happened on the shoot! Now I have it mixed up with the other camera and can't remember which one it was...lol. So I have to do some trial and error with both and see if I can get it to happen again. Very disheartening. These cameras are wonderful otherwise, but now I'm constantly worried about either one shutting down on me, or losing sound. Not good for the grey hairs...lol! I hope the next generation 'prosumer' Canon camera, which will probably be HD and released sometime this year, does not have these issues. I'd jump ship to Sony or Panasonic if it weren't for the impending release of the new Canon lineup. I pray, pray many of these 'weird' issues, to say the least, are resolved.

January 28th, 2005, 07:23 AM	#30
Alex Maldonado New Boot Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Texas Posts: 20	anyone have a good contact number for cannon on this issue. or do i jus dial 1-800-brokegl2. seriously, what is the best way to reach them?