XH-A1 handstrap support broken at DVinfo.net

Antonio Ricca · May 1st, 2009, 04:31 AM

Hi there.

From an italian FORUM dedicated to video professional I have found two peoples here in Italy with the handstrap support broken, as you can see from the attached image

Anyone of you have experienced this nightmare? Do you agree with me this is a SERIOUS issue?
Bye

Richard Hunter · May 1st, 2009, 06:12 AM

Yes it is very serious. It is an obvious design flaw that the strap attachment point is so flimsy. Not sure what needs to be replaced in order to repair this, but I expect it is quite expensive. Think I should stick some gaffer tape over mine to cushion it a bit in case of any knocks.

Richard

Antonio Ricca · May 1st, 2009, 06:25 AM

It is absolutely necessary to use both hands and to loose a bit the handstrap. Use the neckstrap should be a good insurance. If possible, it is better using a shoulder support or a steadicam rig.

Richard Hunter · May 1st, 2009, 06:28 PM

My cam is off and on a tripod all the time, so I don't even have the neckstrap fitted because it just gets in the way. If the attachment broke it would be a disaster for sure.

Richard

Chris Soucy · May 1st, 2009, 07:05 PM

Don't need to go to Italy to find this, it's right here on DVinfo.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-xh-...lt-broken.html

Is it serious?

Guess it would be if it happened whilst using it single handed, not a particularly smart way of using it.

Is it a "design flaw"?

Suppose it depends how you define the term. My understanding is that any component is designed not to fail in 99.99 % of units in a three year period from manufacture.

Given the number of XH units out there in the big wide world, the length of time they've been out there and the fact that I have only seen 2 documented cases of this item failing, I would have to conclude - no.

Of course, it is possible it's more common than reported here on DVinfo, but there's one heck of a lot of XH' ers here (I happen to be one of them) and if it was a weekly occurence someone would have raised the alarm long ago.

Don't panic and don't use it single handed.

CS

Richard Hunter · May 1st, 2009, 07:44 PM

Hi Chris. Maybe design weakness is a more accurate term. Definitely it could be more robust than this.

I've done a lot of work in the design field and in product reliability over the years and have never come across the 99.99% in 3 years criterion before. Mind sharing where you get this from? There are many products out there that would not meet this.

Richard

Allan Black · May 1st, 2009, 07:58 PM

If you're worried about knocking or bumping it, put a blank XLR mic plug in CH2 to protect it.

Cheers.

Chris Soucy · May 1st, 2009, 11:00 PM

From memory (and mine is NOT to be relied on) it came from an exceedingly large and to many, utterly inpenetrable, text book on the subject of product reliability, how to achieve it, measure it and predict it.

No idea who wrote it or when but for reasons that quite possibly mark me out as a prime candidate for "Geek of the Month", I found utterly riveting.

Amongst many, many other things, it explained how a manufacturer can, pretty accurately, assign a MTBF (mean time before failure) to something like a pc hard drive or, in fact, anything manufactured.

To answer your specific question however: I don't know why that 99.99% figure stuck in my mind, it just did and it's quite possible it relates to a specific manufacturer or product or case highlighted within the text for demonstration purposes.

I suppose the bottom line from the book was this:

No matter how well you design every component in a product, there will be random failures in an extremely small percentage that are at the extreme low end of their expected life that result in premature failure of the entire product.

As for products that do not meet the 99.99% criteria?

Guess the official description is "junk".

CS

Galen Rath · May 2nd, 2009, 10:55 PM

If you don't want to trust a glue job, you still have some plastic left on the camera to work with. Use a fine drill bit, drill a hole through the top plastic part left sticking out, and another through the bottom plastic sticking out, run a single strand wire (the kind you hang pictures with) through the holes and loop it through the hand grip. May last forever, may not.

Drill the holes as close to the camera body as possible!

Noa Put · May 3rd, 2009, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antonio Ricca

Do you agree with me this is a SERIOUS issue?

Never understood why Canon made that strap support out of flimsy plastic, this should not break, period. There is no excuse for it. That strap support is for handycam type of camera's on of the most stressed parts and should be made of strong materials. It should be a part of the camera internal case and not a part of the external plastic casing.

Galen Rath · May 3rd, 2009, 03:26 PM

Another possible fix--if you look under the pod where the XLR inputs are, looks like there may be enough gap to slip a black cable tie through to re-secure the hand strap, assuming it won't interfere with the iris ring usage.

Russell Hughes · May 20th, 2009, 04:04 PM

I just found this forum doing a google search for broken XH A1 strap mount. Howdy, Has anyone tried to send this back to Canon yet for a fix? Mine got snapped taking it out of the bag this weekend. I'm pretty meticulous with my gear and pretty surprised this broke.

Allan Black · May 21st, 2009, 05:25 PM

Very poor show on the A1, I leave a dummy XLR plug in CH2 as a buffer.

I noticed Canon have redesigned it on the A1S.

Had a thought, wonder if it's worthwhile coating that A1 fixture in super glue as a sort of
shock absorber...?

Cheers.

May 1st, 2009, 04:31 AM	#1
Antonio Ricca Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Napoli, Italy Posts: 41	XH-A1 handstrap support broken Hi there. From an italian FORUM dedicated to video professional I have found two peoples here in Italy with the handstrap support broken, as you can see from the attached image Anyone of you have experienced this nightmare? Do you agree with me this is a SERIOUS issue? Bye Attached Thumbnails

May 1st, 2009, 07:05 PM	#5
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Hi................... Don't need to go to Italy to find this, it's right here on DVinfo. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-xh-...lt-broken.html Is it serious? Guess it would be if it happened whilst using it single handed, not a particularly smart way of using it. Is it a "design flaw"? Suppose it depends how you define the term. My understanding is that any component is designed not to fail in 99.99 % of units in a three year period from manufacture. Given the number of XH units out there in the big wide world, the length of time they've been out there and the fact that I have only seen 2 documented cases of this item failing, I would have to conclude - no. Of course, it is possible it's more common than reported here on DVinfo, but there's one heck of a lot of XH' ers here (I happen to be one of them) and if it was a weekly occurence someone would have raised the alarm long ago. Don't panic and don't use it single handed. CS

May 1st, 2009, 11:00 PM	#8
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Hi Richard.......... From memory (and mine is NOT to be relied on) it came from an exceedingly large and to many, utterly inpenetrable, text book on the subject of product reliability, how to achieve it, measure it and predict it. No idea who wrote it or when but for reasons that quite possibly mark me out as a prime candidate for "Geek of the Month", I found utterly riveting. Amongst many, many other things, it explained how a manufacturer can, pretty accurately, assign a MTBF (mean time before failure) to something like a pc hard drive or, in fact, anything manufactured. To answer your specific question however: I don't know why that 99.99% figure stuck in my mind, it just did and it's quite possible it relates to a specific manufacturer or product or case highlighted within the text for demonstration purposes. I suppose the bottom line from the book was this: No matter how well you design every component in a product, there will be random failures in an extremely small percentage that are at the extreme low end of their expected life that result in premature failure of the entire product. As for products that do not meet the 99.99% criteria? Guess the official description is "junk". CS

May 21st, 2009, 05:25 PM	#13
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,931	Very poor show on the A1, I leave a dummy XLR plug in CH2 as a buffer. I noticed Canon have redesigned it on the A1S. Had a thought, wonder if it's worthwhile coating that A1 fixture in super glue as a sort of shock absorber...? Cheers. Last edited by Allan Black; May 21st, 2009 at 10:05 PM. Reason: mmmm!

May 1st, 2009, 06:12 AM	#2
Richard Hunter Trustee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lipa City Batangas, Philippines Posts: 1,110	Yes it is very serious. It is an obvious design flaw that the strap attachment point is so flimsy. Not sure what needs to be replaced in order to repair this, but I expect it is quite expensive. Think I should stick some gaffer tape over mine to cushion it a bit in case of any knocks. Richard

May 1st, 2009, 06:25 AM	#3
Antonio Ricca Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Napoli, Italy Posts: 41	It is absolutely necessary to use both hands and to loose a bit the handstrap. Use the neckstrap should be a good insurance. If possible, it is better using a shoulder support or a steadicam rig.

May 1st, 2009, 06:28 PM	#4
Richard Hunter Trustee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lipa City Batangas, Philippines Posts: 1,110	My cam is off and on a tripod all the time, so I don't even have the neckstrap fitted because it just gets in the way. If the attachment broke it would be a disaster for sure. Richard

May 1st, 2009, 07:44 PM	#6
Richard Hunter Trustee Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lipa City Batangas, Philippines Posts: 1,110	Hi Chris. Maybe design weakness is a more accurate term. Definitely it could be more robust than this. I've done a lot of work in the design field and in product reliability over the years and have never come across the 99.99% in 3 years criterion before. Mind sharing where you get this from? There are many products out there that would not meet this. Richard

May 1st, 2009, 07:58 PM	#7
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,931	If you're worried about knocking or bumping it, put a blank XLR mic plug in CH2 to protect it. Cheers.

May 2nd, 2009, 10:55 PM	#9
Galen Rath Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 323	If you don't want to trust a glue job, you still have some plastic left on the camera to work with. Use a fine drill bit, drill a hole through the top plastic part left sticking out, and another through the bottom plastic sticking out, run a single strand wire (the kind you hang pictures with) through the holes and loop it through the hand grip. May last forever, may not. Drill the holes as close to the camera body as possible!

May 3rd, 2009, 03:26 PM	#11
Galen Rath Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 323	Another possible fix--if you look under the pod where the XLR inputs are, looks like there may be enough gap to slip a black cable tie through to re-secure the hand strap, assuming it won't interfere with the iris ring usage.

May 20th, 2009, 04:04 PM	#12
Russell Hughes Tourist Join Date: May 2009 Location: Austin, TX. Posts: 1	I just found this forum doing a google search for broken XH A1 strap mount. Howdy, Has anyone tried to send this back to Canon yet for a fix? Mine got snapped taking it out of the bag this weekend. I'm pretty meticulous with my gear and pretty surprised this broke.