GL2 locked up

[Rich Stone]

That sounds great. These things are bound to happen, too bad it had to happen to you. At least it is being resolved.

[Jerry Keener]

Sorry for the delay in posting a followup:

I received the new, replacement GL2 from ZGC on Tuesday of this week. I have been busy testing it since. In a nutshell, it is working well.
There is a bad (green) pixel near the bottom of the flip-out LCD panel, but I am not really worried about it at this point. I realize that Canon says there is likely to be a bad pixel or two. I also occasionaly notice a dark spot (pixel) on the main viewfinder. It is really hard to notice when you are shooting video, and is really only seen on very close inspection of footage with a lite background during playback. (I noticed it because I was doing test footage against solid background colors to check for things like this.)
None of these anomolies occur on playback to an external monitor, so I know the camera is shooting good video.
I've tested the camera out about as thoroughly as I can at this point, and aside from the minor annoyances already noted, it is working great. I am glad that other GL2 users haven't had the "Journey of trouble" that I have had with my first GL2. Now that I have one that is almost perfect, it seems that I finally got rid of the "lemon"
I've really only shot some low light footage indoors, so I am really looking forward to seeing what the camera is capable of when I take it outdoors and shoot in good lighting. I did some quick captures to my pc via firewire tonight and I am already impressed with how good the video looks on a sharp computer monitor over my several year old magnavox 19" tv. (no svideo inputs)

Many thanks to all who have followed this thread and offered advice along the way. I look forward to posting in the future after I spend some more time with the camera.

Jerry

[Hilary Cam]

Hey, as someone set on buying a GL2 (almost), it is very disconcerting to hear of stories like these. The other camera I’m looking at, coming a close 2nd, the Sony VX2000 is constantly referred to as a sturdy workhorse which can be "dropped from a height and bounce back like nothing happened". Obviously I would take a bit more care of my camera then that, but I was wondering what peoples’ opinions where of the sturdiness and longevity (only been on the market a little while I know) of the GL2 as I’ve heard nightmare stories of Canon’s less then perfect manufacturing.

Thanks.

[Bill Hardy]

-And I am still hearing stories of VX2000 hum. If you are a member you should check out this thread:

http://dv.com/forums/showReplies.jhtml?sid=1&fid=2&tid=31300015

If not you should become a member of dv.com.

Just my advise. The GL2 is built very well for durability; just don't drop it with the LCD door open; it does not feel as sturdy as the GL1 door. Presently my GL2 is in perfect condition with no dead LCD or CCD pixels.

[Jeff Donald]

Hilary,

Supercow was unfortunate to purchase and be shipped a camera with a defect. It is impossible to know if the defect was a manufacturing defect or damage caused in shipping. Either way, the manufacturers warranty provides a remedy. Unfortunately the timing of the required warranty repair could not have been worse. The Holiday season is by far the busiest time of year for repair agencies. Starting the middle of November and ending the middle of December, the daily volume will increase 8 to 10 fold. It is not possible to get adequate additional help for such a short time. The only remedy is to work incredibly long hours, seven days a week. During that time mistakes happen as a result of human error. It is unfortunate, but it is the reality of the situation.

I have been in the camera, photography, video business for over 23 years. In that time I have learned that the repair business is a thankless and tiring job. It takes a special personality to deal with complaints on a day to day basis. Supercow had the good fortune to purchase his camera from a very reputable and service oriented retailer. Believe me, most retailers would have told Supercow to send it back to Canon to have it adjusted again. ZGC, on the other hand, values Supercows patronage and replaced the camera. They did the right thing by the customer.

No manufacture is in a position to replace every product that a customers feels does not meet his or her expectations. That is why warranties exist. Canon is a leading camera manufacture that makes outstanding products. They are known for the quality of their construction, reliability and performance. I would match a Canon product against any leading manufactures product in the same price range. The GL2 is no exception. It is very rugged (as video cameras go) and manufactured to the highest standards. However, defects or damage can occur in manufacture and shipping of the product. The GL2 and its predecessor have an above average repair record (based on my contacts and queries in the independent repair agency industry) and should be considered for purchase and use by anyone looking for a high performance video camera.

On a personal note, I do not work for Canon USA or any other manufacture, distributer or retailer in any capacity. Any of the cameras in the GL2's class should give you years of use given reasonable care and protection. I would base my decision on purchasing a camera based on the features, benefits, and ergonomics (fit, finish, feel) of the camera. The GL2 is such a camera and is well worth your continued consideration. I would not make a decision based on a few isolated reports on repair issues. Good luck on your quest for the ideal camera.

Jeff

[Hilary Cam]

Thanks for your quick replies.

Buddy1065, Yes the infamous hum/hiss in the background sound recording on the VX2000 was one of the flaws that pushed me to seriously looking into the GL2, and the more i looked, the more impressed i became. The low light excellence of the VX2000 was the main sticking point for me that kept the VX2000 in the running. But in all seriousness I am aimed at getting GL2 (or XM2 as they are for PAL down here).

Thanks Jeff, although I might normally expect to get biased feedback on a GL2 forum section, your experience in this field has been reassuring. Just seems theres not much focus on sturdiness of these cameras in the good 100-odd reviews and user opinions I've read from people who recently bought the GL2. It is all too often overlooked unless you are the unfortunate one who experiences a failure firsthand. It would be great to hear some good news stories, but seeing as the GL2 is a fairly recent release, I guess I'll have to judge this aspect by listening to long time GL1 owners.

Thanks again.

[Jeff Donald]

Hilary,

Hopefully Barry Goyette, a member, will respond. Above anyone else I would trust Barry's opinion as to the ruggedness of the GL2 (he's a former GL1 owner, too). I don't know of anyone who has put as much time and effort into not only learning the GL2, but helping others get the most out of their GL2.

Jeff

[Barry Goyette]

did I hear my name?....

I've run about 50 or so tapes through my gl2 in the past 5 months, and so far I've had no problems with the camera. While the camera has a slightly less solid feel than the gl1, I am not known for being kind to my equipment, and I've handled it plenty, with at least 20 or so outings hiking in our local mountains, plus a few rowdy clubs and the occasional fashion shoot---it still looks and feels brand new. I'm not sure I would drop it from any height...but then again I think this statement about the vx2000 might be slightly exaggerated---as it's build seems very similar to me.

Hillary, I've bought a substantial number of cameras over the years, both still (film and digital) and video. My experience is that digital camera's have a somewhat higher failure rate than their analog predecessors. I've owned 4 canon camcorders over the years, and have had a significant problem with only one of them. Canon's service has been extremely good, and with excellent dealers like zgc, zotz, and others, problems like the one discussed in this thread are atypical, and when they do occur, my impression is that they are dealt with in a satisfactory manner.

Any forum like this will bring to light the occasional problem with a particular camera, but I have rarely seen anything close to a "nightmare" regarding canon's build quality. In fact, the gl2 thread has been one of the most active on this site, since the introduction of the camera, and there has been little reporting of problems...especially something that would indicate a trend...other than the occasional dead pixel on the LCD. Typically product introductions are followed by a raft of complaints about a particular problem with the product (ie the above mentioned noise issues)...but with the gl2, this hasn't been the case.

As has been said before on this site many times, all of these cameras have a lot more in common (including internal components) than not. The best way to make a choice is to decide what features and qualities you value most, and then pick the camera that gets closest to your ideal. Good luck with your choice.

Barry

[Mark Austin]

I hope it is one of the very few GL2's that is a turky. I have had nothing but great luck with mine, but you never know do you...trouble can come anytime. Thanks for keeping up to date with this thread. Even though you are going through some crap, it's nice to know it's going to get resolved in your favor.
Mark

[Craig Peer]

I accidently " thwacked " my GL2 against a rock while hiking with it in the Sierras last August - no problems. I also dropped my Optura 100mc in a parking lot before hiking up Mt. Lassen. It was in a nylon bag and took a good hit. The tape door is now slightly tweaked and hard to open, but it functions fine other than that. That Optura and another went up a 1000' ice and rock climb on Mt. Dade. I've been dragging small Canon camcorders up mountains for about 4 years now - they're a lot tougher that you would think. I believe the GL2 is also! And if you do have a problem, I have found Canon service to be fast and priced fair!

[Jerry Keener]

Another 2 cents of my own.....

I would agree that with the grief that I endured with my first GL2, it doesn't bode well for GL2's track record. But......

I am thoroughly convinced that my first camera was a true "lemon" and was made more of a lemon by Canon's repair haste during a busy season. As Barry and others pointed out, Canon does seem to have a good product. I trust that their service is normally good, although my experience was an exception. I happened to be the user who got to experience the rare bad camera and bad repair service at the same time.

As I use my new GL2 more, I am appreciating the quality of picture, control of picture, and depth of features that have made the GL2 a very good performer. I do have 1 bad pixel on the LCD screen and a spot or two in the EVF that look a little odd in certain shooting situations. But, these are minor, if not picky, annoyances. For me, recorded picture quality is the objective. This quality is flawless from my testing thus far. The camera has worked flawlessly from a mechanical standpoint as well.

I would also add that I am very glad to have bought from ZGC. If one has to get a bad camera, it better come from a place like ZGC that can and will "Make it right."

The fact is that electronic devices will always have the "lemon" amoung them, no matter who makes it.

I didn't intend to make this a long thread, but I think it is good to discuss these things and, if nothing else, prove the importance of buying from a reputable dealer when things go bad.

Now I want to focus on making good video with my GL2.
Enough said.


Jerry

[Robert Knecht Schmidt]

I recently learned the etymology of the usage of the word "lemon" to mean a malfunctional product while listening to NPR. On the original slot machines fabricated before the times of Las Vegas or Atlantic City, getting a lemon meant losing your money regardless of what other fruit shapes appeared.