GL2 self-inflicted pauses while recording

[Philip Hinkle]

I have a GL2 that has decided to go from record mode to pause mode when it feels like it. Sometime if it is already in pause mode it will just black out for a second, power itself backup and continue one with no problem (till the next time). When it is recording it will stop, the card mode indicator will quickly flash, it will go black and come back on. Push the record and off you go. What a pain. At last nights wedding it decided to exit record mode and go to pause just at the bride let go of the bouquet during the pause. I was back recording after the girl caught it and her name was announced. Luckily my wife is filming backup in case these events happen.

I tried removing the media card and it still does it. If you are in playback/vtr mode it works fine.

Any ideas on what this could be? Anyone else experienced this before?

I will be taking this to the repair facility tomorrow and was hoping I may have some ideas to give the repairman so he can duplicated it or have a direction to start troubleshooting.

I tried searching for this problem here but had no luck. This forum was very valuable when I had the Remove Cassette error though (on a different camera)

Thanks,
Philip

Philip,

Thank God! I thought I was alone!!! I've been searching and looking for anything related to my problems and I just read your post!

Anyway, what you described is EXACTLY what has been happening to me, WITH TWO GL2's! I have a fleet of 4. The first one I bought two years ago has been doing it since day one... some day's worse than others. The second two I purchased I have never had a problem with. The fourth, which I bought last month, has the same problem as the first.

I've sent one back THREE times! Once to Canon and the other two times to MACK camera. All three times I got back a camera with the same problems. Today in fact, I was filming a wedding with one of the problem cameras that was supposed to be 'fixed' by Canon, and sure enough, during the procession it did it three times in a row... power down while recording and fire right back up again. Screen goes black, power 'ding' goes of, and it comes back on.

It's very frustrating to say the least. Have you had any luck since your problems with finding out what causes it?

Any info you can offer would be appreciated.

<<<-- Originally posted by Philip Hinkle :I have it back in my technicians shop for repairs. He thinks it is
either the on/off switch or the record button. I may have him replace
both switches just to see if it solves my problem. I will try and let
you know as we go forward. I don't need the cam for a few weeks now and
I am hoping he can duplicate the problem. It doesn't happen in VCR mode
only camera mode.

I have 2 GL2s and the other had the eject tape problem that is common
and has been fixed. I have had lots of trouble with the GL2 and would
like to throw them out the window. I got a used VX2000 for use as a
backup and for low light at wedding receptions and I love it. I won't
be purchasing another canon anytime soon. I hate them now but don't
have the money to replace them.

Philip Hinkle

Frogman Productions
Wedding Video That Will Make Your Heart LEAP!
-->>>

Hi Philip,

The first time I sent it in they told me it was a bad battery connection, that the leads were dirty and cleaned them. I've been doing the same with all of my cameras since day one so they basically blew me off it seemed. The second time I sent the camera in they said it had 'loose connections' that were tightened and it would operate fine at that point. Nope. The third time they "Replaced gear idler gear assembly and drive gear assembly. Performed Tape Path Adjustment. Cleaned Tape path and head. General checked and cleaned. All good working order." Still, no luck.

You may want to pass this onto your tech. I'm in the process of getting new cameras under their warranty. If canon can't do it this week, I'll be forced to get two new Sony's by weeks end for a busy weekend of events for me.

Matt

ps- keep me posted on your situation.

Here's footage from the grassy knoll:

http://www.buerhausdesign.com/problem.html

[Philip Hinkle]

This is similar to my problem yet different. When mine shuts down you can hear the internal motors closing down just like turning it off and then it comes right back on just like when turning it on and displays the city, time and date screen that shows on startup.

It appears your display just goes blank. The GL1s had lots of problems with the display connections going bad and many were repaired for this problem. Our local cable access station had this happen to their GL1s after they said too many people turned the screens around and closed the to use as a monitor. Anyway that is what it appears your problem is. In your clip I don't hear the motors powering off or anything. I just see your screen go blank. Does it do this if the screen is closed and you are looking through the eyepiece? If not I would bet on the screen connection being the problem. When this happens do you still get data recorded to tape? This looks duplicatable on your cam so the techs should be able to fix it. I wish my tech could duplicate my problem as easily as you are. He could then fix it.

Philip

Actually, it powers down completely. The screen comes back on as the internal motors rev back up. If you look closely at the clip, you'll notice it's in 'REC' before, and 'PAUSE' after (red/green). It's doing the exact same thing as described in your description of the problem above. The sound isn't so great in that clip.

I only wish it was a display issue, I could live with that.

Heard anything from you tech Philip? My two are on their way back from Canon, again, and I'll be using both this weekend so I'll know what's up. They did something with the tape deck on one, did nothing on the other. They couldn't duplicate the problem... of course. I guess they think I'm nuts. A nice lady at Canon customer support who's been walking me through the repair process said that one they didn't even touch. So, I wonder what I'll miss this weekend:) Hopefully it doesn't cut out on me during anything important. I completely missed one bride coming down the aisle a couple weeks ago thanks to this problem... she's real happy to say the least. In two years this is the FIRST complaint I've ever had about my work, and it's thanks to a technical issue with my 'professional' cameras that basically shut down whenever they want! I feel like, with these two cameras, I have two naughty kids that will act up around me and my crew but behave fine around the people that count (Canon repair).

I'm told by Canon, once again, to keep an eye on the battery packs I use. I have 4 BP-945's and use them all on any one of the 4 GL2's on the same day frequently, mixing up the order in which I use them with the different cameras to rule out that theory. The SAME TWO CAMERAS continue to have the problem, under the same shooting conditions with the same battery's with the same DV tapes used on the other two GL2's that work perfectly (that I love by the way).

How many times does it take to send something back in for a problem before Canon replaces the camera? It's not my problem that they can't diagnose what's causing this issue, and why I got stuck with two of these lemons, I don't know. What is my problem is when these cameras don't operate as advertised and have an affect on my business like it did a couple weeks ago with missing a bride come down the aisle.

Not only does it seem like Canon doesn't care about my technical problems with these cameras, they don't seem to care about these brides and grooms in my video's. Missing something like a brides's processional can't be recaptured. It's lost forever.

That's not cool.

[Philip Hinkle]

My camera should be done soon. Funny thing about when I took it back to the tech a few weeks ago. When he went to power it up it wouldn't come on. Turns out a completely unrelated problem occured and a micro-fuse burned out. He has that fixed and can't duplicate my problem as usual. I am going to get it back soon and try it at a wedding in non-critical times. He feels it may be the lock/standby switch but isn't sure. Based on the nature of the operation of twisting it up and down continually it could end up where we don't turn it all the way. Anyhow....I am going to get the cam back soon and try it on a wedding next week and if it happens again he is pre-ordereing the lock/stanby switch to have on hand in the event I need it since I have a 3 camera wedding the week after that. I am getting frustrated and have vowed not to buy another canon camcorder. Sony's all the way now. I don't care if they cost a few hundred more. Unfortunately I can't sell these canons because I just don't know if they will continue working for the buyer.

Keep me posted.3
Philip

Well mine are back and I decided to test one out of the box. Within one hour I was able to duplicate the problem three times (all happened within a few minutes of each other). Once with one of my BP-945 batteries, twice with another BP-945.

One camera I don't think was even looked at. I tightened up the hand grip on the thing so a child couldn't even get their hand in there, and it came back the same way. You would think the service people would have had to loosen it up to 'test' it out properly.

Now I'm stuck with two cameras again that still have the same problem, and I'm going to be forced to use them this weekend and take my chances, again.

I don't think Canon really cares at all. I contacted my lawyers and they told me to file a complaint with the BBB on the grounds that one of these cameras have been in for service for the same problem four times and Canon has still not replaced the camera. Just becuase they can't duplicate the problem, doesn't mean there's nothing wrong with it. I have it caught on film for goodness sakes. I guess Canon thinks I'm crazy or doing this for a laugh?

I just want camera's that won't fail me. That's all. $2300.00 for a professional camera that I can't trust on a professional shoot is not a good investment. And Canon ignoring the problem isn't good business.

[Philip Hinkle]

I got mine back but won't have an opportunity to use it for awhile. When I do it will be in non-critical situations.

If I was you I would take the 2 suspect cameras and put them to work in non-critical places. If you know it is going to cut out on you don't use it for the processional and you won't have to worry about it.

Let me know if you have any luck with Canon or the BBB or a lawsuit. If mine is still doing it after my next shoot I will let you know.

Why don't you take it to a tech and show them the problem. I have a place locally here in Wisconsin that does the work for me. If they can't duplicate a problem they will allow me to come in the shop and show them first hand what is happening. Forget Canon and see if you can find an independent shop to do the repairs. I am lucky....I have one here. If you wanted to send it to my repair facility they would probably duplicate the problem if it is as easy as wobbling the camera as you showed in your clip. If this is what it takes they will try it. With any luck they should duplicate it and be on to something. Let me know if you are interested in this?

[Eric Chan]

Philip and Matt

Just want to let you 2 know that you are not alone on this one... I have had the same problem that my camera shut down itself and turn back on again. It happened to me 3 times in a minute once. To minimize footage lost, when it happens, I keep pressing the rec button so that when it starts back up, it is recording again. Unfortunately, I wan't able to reproduce it and before I try to do something to it, I run into another issue - the famous "remove cassette" problem that is.

Sorry to hear about your woe's Eric. Although this situation sucks, it's nice to know there's others out there with the same problem. It's obvioulsy not just isolated to a couple of users. When it first started happening to me, I thought it was normal for the camera. Six months went by like that. I wonder how many more are out there with this problem. Let's keep on top of it. Eventually we're going to figure out what's wrong.

Philip, I'm seeking all out replacement at this point. I can't afford to send these cameras away anymore. I need them for shoots all month long. I'll keep you both posted on the BBB stuff and what goes down with that.

[Philip Hinkle]

Matt....

Keep me posted if you are able to get a replacement so I can perhaps attempt the same thing. Mine is not as reproducible but a pain never the less.....I just need another job to give it a shake down and see what is up. If I got a replacement from Canon I would turn around and sell it with out using it and get a Sony. I have a 4 year old Sony D8 that has never been service and never had a problem.

Eric......

At least the solution to the dreaded "Eject Tape" message has been figured out. Canon will fix that one easy if you send it in.

I sure wish Canon could read this thread and some of the others here.

[John DeLuca]

I didnt read all the other posts, but I had the same problem only when I used the smaller(stock) battery.


John

Lucky for you John... really. I wish that was my problem. I've experienced it with the battery that came with the camera, and any one of four BP-945 Canon branded batteries.

I really, really wish Canon would read this thread. They're basically treating me like a moron.