Critical : Grip Belt Broken !!!! at DVinfo.net

Antonio Guarnieri · July 10th, 2008, 05:00 AM

XH-A1 has a manufacture defect :

http://www.assars.it/public/1215636271.jpg

Colin McDonald · July 10th, 2008, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio Guarnieri

XH-A1 has a manufacture defect :

http://www.assars.it/public/1215636271.jpg

Thanks for the heads up and sorry to hear about this happening to your camera. I just checked mine to make sure it looks OK.

I think it would be more accurate to say YOUR XH-A1 has (may have?) a manufacturing defect. Just like my Rode SM3 shockmount which is being replaced under warranty.

Maybe I seem just a bit pedantic, but until I'm aware of evidence of hundreds of people with failed grip belt mountings, I don't think it's appropriate to imply that this is a major issue with Canon XH-A1s in general.

I like to use the shoulder strap for security when it's not on sticks - and yes I know what many pro users think about that.

Chris Hurd · July 10th, 2008, 06:45 AM

If it really is a manufacturing defect and the camera is less than a year old, then it should be submitted to Canon factory service as a warranty repair issue.

Marcel D. Van Someren · July 10th, 2008, 06:50 AM

Is your camera still under waranty? If so, Canon may resolve this for you. If not, try a little J-B Weld (the normal stuff, not the Kwik weld). It's an amazing epoxy that will probably be stronger than the plastic itself.

Mark Fry · July 10th, 2008, 09:12 AM

How did it break? What were you doing at the time? Not implying you were doing anything silly - just wondering what the circustances were so we know what sort of a margin for error we have. Cheers.

Chris Soucy · July 10th, 2008, 03:14 PM

If this really was a generic fault with the XHA1, then I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be the first time an instance got reported here on DVinfo.

I'm not aware of any other report of such a failure.

That said, a close inspection of my A1 does bear out that which shows so clearly in your photo, that plastic piece really doesn't look man enough for the job asked of it.

I'd be interested to hear the camera's history and circumstances of the failure.

CS

Antonio Guarnieri · July 11th, 2008, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Fry

How did it break? What were you doing at the time? Not implying you were doing anything silly - just wondering what the circustances were so we know what sort of a margin for error we have. Cheers.

Thanks to everyone.

I was just shooting a wedding ceremony with my right hand, that's it.

Nothing on top of the camera, I mean Lights or additional Microphones....just the camera.

Bride was entering the Church and suddendly the grip belt broke.

Canon cannot replace the camera, 'cause it is not a warranty repair issue.

I'm so sad.....
It's so frustrating!

Chris Hurd · July 11th, 2008, 06:42 AM

Well even if it were under warranty, they wouldn't replace the entire camera, so that should not have been expected. What they would do is simply replace the right half of the body shell. Even though it's not a warranty repair, you can still have this service performed; it's just a standard charge for opening up the camera body and the cost of the right side body shell. In other words, you don't have to live with this problem -- Canon service will perform the work for a reasonable fee, or you can try a self-repair using the previously mentioned J.B. Weld (or similar product).

Bill Pryor · July 11th, 2008, 08:55 AM

Mine seems solid.

Bill Watson · July 11th, 2008, 06:10 PM

Quite possibly it had a knock at some time and you may not have noticed at the time.

Doesn't look like it would be too hard to repair though, either with epoxy resin or a plastic weld.

Dave Blackhurst · July 11th, 2008, 06:57 PM

I don't know that I'd rate that as a "manufacturing defect", more like a design flaw... using unreinforced plastic on a high stress point like that is not a bright idea - everything I've got (Sony) has METAL reinforcements at the strap ends...

That said, the plastic probably is spec'd pretty high, which is of course fine until it fails... and then it's a problem.

Alan Craig · July 12th, 2008, 11:20 AM

I am sure that another member had a problem with the grip belt on an XHA1 but can't remember the exact circumstances.

regards Alan

Nancy Stefanovic · August 19th, 2009, 03:36 PM

This just happened to me this past weekend! All I did was put my hand through and get ready to film, when all of a sudden it snapped right off!! It is definitely a defect, or a cheap way to make the camera. My 2nd assistant showed me the metal piece on his Sony, apparently it is much more robust than the Canon grip belt.

Nancy Stefanovic · August 19th, 2009, 03:51 PM

By the way, I have only had the camera for less than a year and a half, and I am still paying for it. Interesting that things always seem to break just after the warranty expires....

Has anyone tried fixing it themselves or is it better to take it to a shop

Jim Martin · August 19th, 2009, 05:19 PM

My guess is that you accidently bumped it quite recently and this time when you put your hand in the stirrup, it had enough force to break it free. You said you have had the camera for 1 1/2 years....if it was flawed, it would have gave way a while ago. With my experience with the A1's since they were introduced, the very few that did break, were bumped or hit.
Canon will do a good job fixing it for you.

Jim Martin

July 10th, 2008, 05:00 AM	#1
Antonio Guarnieri New Boot Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Taranto, Italy Posts: 5	Critical : Grip Belt Broken !!!! XH-A1 has a manufacture defect : http://www.assars.it/public/1215636271.jpg

July 10th, 2008, 06:45 AM	#3
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	If it really is a manufacturing defect and the camera is less than a year old, then it should be submitted to Canon factory service as a warranty repair issue. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 10th, 2008, 09:12 AM	#5
Mark Fry Major Player Join Date: May 2004 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 425	How did it break? What were you doing at the time? Not implying you were doing anything silly - just wondering what the circustances were so we know what sort of a margin for error we have. Cheers. __________________ Steam Age Pictures - videos in aid of railway preservation societies.

July 10th, 2008, 03:14 PM	#6
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,689 Images: 18	Hi Antonio............ If this really was a generic fault with the XHA1, then I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be the first time an instance got reported here on DVinfo. I'm not aware of any other report of such a failure. That said, a close inspection of my A1 does bear out that which shows so clearly in your photo, that plastic piece really doesn't look man enough for the job asked of it. I'd be interested to hear the camera's history and circumstances of the failure. CS

July 11th, 2008, 06:42 AM	#8
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Well even if it were under warranty, they wouldn't replace the entire camera, so that should not have been expected. What they would do is simply replace the right half of the body shell. Even though it's not a warranty repair, you can still have this service performed; it's just a standard charge for opening up the camera body and the cost of the right side body shell. In other words, you don't have to live with this problem -- Canon service will perform the work for a reasonable fee, or you can try a self-repair using the previously mentioned J.B. Weld (or similar product). __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

July 10th, 2008, 06:50 AM	#4
Marcel D. Van Someren Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 325	Is your camera still under waranty? If so, Canon may resolve this for you. If not, try a little J-B Weld (the normal stuff, not the Kwik weld). It's an amazing epoxy that will probably be stronger than the plastic itself.

July 11th, 2008, 08:55 AM	#9
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Mine seems solid.

July 11th, 2008, 06:10 PM	#10
Bill Watson Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noosa Queensland Australia Posts: 248	Quite possibly it had a knock at some time and you may not have noticed at the time. Doesn't look like it would be too hard to repair though, either with epoxy resin or a plastic weld.

July 11th, 2008, 06:57 PM	#11
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	I don't know that I'd rate that as a "manufacturing defect", more like a design flaw... using unreinforced plastic on a high stress point like that is not a bright idea - everything I've got (Sony) has METAL reinforcements at the strap ends... That said, the plastic probably is spec'd pretty high, which is of course fine until it fails... and then it's a problem.

July 12th, 2008, 11:20 AM	#12
Alan Craig Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Warrington England Posts: 143	I am sure that another member had a problem with the grip belt on an XHA1 but can't remember the exact circumstances. regards Alan

August 19th, 2009, 03:36 PM	#13
Nancy Stefanovic New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 8	Grip belt broken too...figures it is a defect This just happened to me this past weekend! All I did was put my hand through and get ready to film, when all of a sudden it snapped right off!! It is definitely a defect, or a cheap way to make the camera. My 2nd assistant showed me the metal piece on his Sony, apparently it is much more robust than the Canon grip belt. Last edited by Nancy Stefanovic; August 19th, 2009 at 04:36 PM.

August 19th, 2009, 03:51 PM	#14
Nancy Stefanovic New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 8	By the way, I have only had the camera for less than a year and a half, and I am still paying for it. Interesting that things always seem to break just after the warranty expires.... Has anyone tried fixing it themselves or is it better to take it to a shop Last edited by Nancy Stefanovic; August 19th, 2009 at 04:37 PM.

August 19th, 2009, 05:19 PM	#15
Jim Martin Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Burbank, CA 91502 Posts: 949	My guess is that you accidently bumped it quite recently and this time when you put your hand in the stirrup, it had enough force to break it free. You said you have had the camera for 1 1/2 years....if it was flawed, it would have gave way a while ago. With my experience with the A1's since they were introduced, the very few that did break, were bumped or hit. Canon will do a good job fixing it for you. Jim Martin