MA-200 XLR audio adapter questions

Edward Troxel · February 27th, 2004, 03:31 PM

I still have the piece. We glued it on once (about 1 hour before taping so it only had about 30 minutes to dry and didn't really have time to set) but it broke off again. So, you think just cleaning that off, gluing it back on again (and giving it time to set this time) and all should be well?

I think I'll just leave it permanently attached to that camera from now on. I used to remove it to put it in a case and we had another one without a case. I think they may have just gotten switched!

Jeff Donald · February 27th, 2004, 03:55 PM

I leave mine on all the time, even when I travel.

Rick Bravo · February 28th, 2004, 10:30 AM

This is another unfortunate flaw in the Canon line as once again, the engineers that designed it made it very pretty but failed to reinforce certain stress areas on it.

We have had to replace 2: MA-100s and 1: MA-200 due to the failure of the "tab".

One of them failed in the middle of a shoot as the camera was rolling. No undue force or craziness, just tilting down over the side of a building when the whole thing went to S**T!

If you have not yet experienced it, the next weak link in the system is the dovetail on the eyepiece where it attaches to the camera. All those little screws attach to some of the most brittle and flimsy plastic you can imagine. We have had to send in two for repair (replacement of the plastic assembly), very frustrating.

If you are transporting your camera in a soft case, I would strongly urge you to detach the eyepiece to avoid straining the mount.

RB

Edward Troxel · February 28th, 2004, 07:52 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Rick Bravo : We have had to replace 2: MA-100s and 1: MA-200 due to the failure of the "tab".
RB -->>>

So, did you just purchase new ones?

Rick Bravo · February 28th, 2004, 11:24 PM

We also tried everything from expoxy to Krazy Glue with no real, long term success.

Fortunately, we have an open repair contract with a local vendor.

They tried to fix the problem, as did we, failing that, the next step is to just order another unit. Not very cost effective for a piece that should last the life of the camera.

I realize that this is not an acceptable alternative for someone who is paying out of his or her pocket, which makes it even the more dissapointing that Canon has not addressed and corrected these problems.

RB

Ken Tanaka · February 29th, 2004, 12:08 AM

This discussion is giving me the shivers.

During a shoot last year someone's foot caught on an XLR cable attaches to the MA-200 on my camera. Because the camera was low and the tripod was splayed it did not tip the camera. But it certainly must have stressed that little tab. I checked it at the end of the shoot and it appeared to be unharmed. But I have long since wondered what would happen if that tiny plastic detail broke.

Now I know. Yeesh.

Edward Troxel · February 29th, 2004, 01:30 PM

As far as I know, this one was not even put under any undue stress! Guess I'll probably just end up buying a new one.

Alexis Vazquez · February 29th, 2004, 03:13 PM

Edward had you considered reconstructing that part . Lets say with a metal piece?

AV

Edward Troxel · February 29th, 2004, 10:17 PM

The question is how to attach it to the current unit. I'd love to "repair" this unit in some way.

Dean Sensui · March 1st, 2004, 12:57 AM

Repairing such a small piece can be tricky, but here's how I'd do it:

Drill a small hole in the broken piece, and drill a matching hole in the part from which it came. The holes should match up fairly closely but it doesn't have to be perfect.

Then make a steel pin that will fit in the hole. Doesn't have to fit perfectly, but fairly close. You will probably need to allow for a slight mismatch of the holes you drilled.

The steel pin should be rough. Use a dremel tool or something similar to give it a definite texture.

Next, find some slow-set epoxy. The quick set epoxies won't cure as hard as the slow-set type.

Use the epoxy to set the pin in place as well as adhere the broken pieces. The epoxy will fill any void so that the pen will end up being a perfect fit, of course.

Once this is set in place, and secured with masking tape or something similar to keep it from shifting, leave it alone for at least 24 hours. Epoxy actually takes a couple of days to come to full strength, although most of its strength generally develops in the first 24 hours.

This should work. The steel pin is what will give it strength and the epoxy, besides being a really good glue, will tightly bind the steel pin to the plastic.

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions.

Edward Troxel · March 1st, 2004, 08:24 AM

Thanks for the suggestion. However, there's no place to drill "matching holes". Think of the capital letter "L" where the part of the "L" that sticks out has broken off. The try to reattach that.

Dean Sensui · March 1st, 2004, 12:56 PM

"Think of the capital letter "L" where the part of the "L" that sticks out has broken off. The try to reattach that."

Yep, I have an MA-100 and it's quite small, but it's doable. You'll need to use modeler's tools such as a Dremel to drill the holes. As for a steel pin, you'll need something about the diameter of a paper clip. But I wouldn't use paper clip wire. I'd use piano wire or something fairly stiff.

Another approach is to clean off any leftover adhesive from the broken parts and glue it with slow-set epoxy. After the epoxy sets, drill through the broken piece and into the main part of the mount, then insert the steel pin and secure those with epoxy. I would recommend at least two pins as that little piece gets shear stress and even the best adhesives won't tolerate that kind of force, not for something that small.

Doing it this way will take a little longer, being a two-step process, but it'll make drilling the holes easier.

The trick is to use a slow bit speed and constantly draw the bit out to avoid building up any plastic filings in the hole you're drilling. Attempting to drill it in a single pass will cause the bit to bind and it'll mess things up pretty quickly.

Another option: After initially gluing the plastic part back into place, hollow out most of that tab along with an equal portion of the MA-200. Drop in an L-shaped piece of steel and seal it in with epoxy. You'll end up with the steel piece taking all the stress, and the plastic will serve only to provide the bulk needed to fit the slot in the XL1.

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions.

Michel Brewer · March 4th, 2004, 12:34 AM

to get canon to fix this? I have the same problem with a ma-100 and called canon they said send it in gave me a address to mail it to. I just have not got around to doing it....(its on a bcam so no rush for me) but reading this it sounds like they may not fix it, it was just a guy on the phone I talked to....or no one tried to send it in for repair?

M

Edward Troxel · March 4th, 2004, 09:47 AM

Actually, no, I have not called Canon and asked them about fixing it.

Allan Phan · March 8th, 2004, 09:56 AM

Hi folks.

Does any one know if I can plug any type of 4 pin XLR light into the MA-200 audio adapter for the XL1s.

I know the MA-200 is for audio only but can it be done thought?

February 27th, 2004, 03:55 PM	#122
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	I leave mine on all the time, even when I travel. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

February 28th, 2004, 10:30 AM	#123
Rick Bravo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 574	This is another unfortunate flaw in the Canon line as once again, the engineers that designed it made it very pretty but failed to reinforce certain stress areas on it. We have had to replace 2: MA-100s and 1: MA-200 due to the failure of the "tab". One of them failed in the middle of a shoot as the camera was rolling. No undue force or craziness, just tilting down over the side of a building when the whole thing went to S**T! If you have not yet experienced it, the next weak link in the system is the dovetail on the eyepiece where it attaches to the camera. All those little screws attach to some of the most brittle and flimsy plastic you can imagine. We have had to send in two for repair (replacement of the plastic assembly), very frustrating. If you are transporting your camera in a soft case, I would strongly urge you to detach the eyepiece to avoid straining the mount. RB __________________ "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra. www.rbravo.com

February 28th, 2004, 11:24 PM	#125
Rick Bravo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 574	Yes we did. We also tried everything from expoxy to Krazy Glue with no real, long term success. Fortunately, we have an open repair contract with a local vendor. They tried to fix the problem, as did we, failing that, the next step is to just order another unit. Not very cost effective for a piece that should last the life of the camera. I realize that this is not an acceptable alternative for someone who is paying out of his or her pocket, which makes it even the more dissapointing that Canon has not addressed and corrected these problems. RB __________________ "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra. www.rbravo.com

February 29th, 2004, 12:08 AM	#126
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	This discussion is giving me the shivers. During a shoot last year someone's foot caught on an XLR cable attaches to the MA-200 on my camera. Because the camera was low and the tripod was splayed it did not tip the camera. But it certainly must have stressed that little tab. I checked it at the end of the shoot and it appeared to be unharmed. But I have long since wondered what would happen if that tiny plastic detail broke. Now I know. Yeesh. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 4th, 2004, 12:34 AM	#133
Michel Brewer Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Ventura California Posts: 179	has anyone tried? to get canon to fix this? I have the same problem with a ma-100 and called canon they said send it in gave me a address to mail it to. I just have not got around to doing it....(its on a bcam so no rush for me) but reading this it sounds like they may not fix it, it was just a guy on the phone I talked to....or no one tried to send it in for repair? M __________________ milking the celebrity criminal trials thank god for the freaks

February 27th, 2004, 03:31 PM	#121
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	I still have the piece. We glued it on once (about 1 hour before taping so it only had about 30 minutes to dry and didn't really have time to set) but it broke off again. So, you think just cleaning that off, gluing it back on again (and giving it time to set this time) and all should be well? I think I'll just leave it permanently attached to that camera from now on. I used to remove it to put it in a case and we had another one without a case. I think they may have just gotten switched!

February 28th, 2004, 07:52 PM	#124
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	<<<-- Originally posted by Rick Bravo : We have had to replace 2: MA-100s and 1: MA-200 due to the failure of the "tab". RB -->>> So, did you just purchase new ones?

February 29th, 2004, 01:30 PM	#127
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	As far as I know, this one was not even put under any undue stress! Guess I'll probably just end up buying a new one.

February 29th, 2004, 03:13 PM	#128
Alexis Vazquez Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: USA Posts: 188	Edward had you considered reconstructing that part . Lets say with a metal piece? AV

February 29th, 2004, 10:17 PM	#129
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	The question is how to attach it to the current unit. I'd love to "repair" this unit in some way.

March 1st, 2004, 12:57 AM	#130
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Repairing such a small piece can be tricky, but here's how I'd do it: Drill a small hole in the broken piece, and drill a matching hole in the part from which it came. The holes should match up fairly closely but it doesn't have to be perfect. Then make a steel pin that will fit in the hole. Doesn't have to fit perfectly, but fairly close. You will probably need to allow for a slight mismatch of the holes you drilled. The steel pin should be rough. Use a dremel tool or something similar to give it a definite texture. Next, find some slow-set epoxy. The quick set epoxies won't cure as hard as the slow-set type. Use the epoxy to set the pin in place as well as adhere the broken pieces. The epoxy will fill any void so that the pen will end up being a perfect fit, of course. Once this is set in place, and secured with masking tape or something similar to keep it from shifting, leave it alone for at least 24 hours. Epoxy actually takes a couple of days to come to full strength, although most of its strength generally develops in the first 24 hours. This should work. The steel pin is what will give it strength and the epoxy, besides being a really good glue, will tightly bind the steel pin to the plastic. Dean Sensui Base Two Productions.

March 1st, 2004, 08:24 AM	#131
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Thanks for the suggestion. However, there's no place to drill "matching holes". Think of the capital letter "L" where the part of the "L" that sticks out has broken off. The try to reattach that.

March 1st, 2004, 12:56 PM	#132
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	"Think of the capital letter "L" where the part of the "L" that sticks out has broken off. The try to reattach that." Yep, I have an MA-100 and it's quite small, but it's doable. You'll need to use modeler's tools such as a Dremel to drill the holes. As for a steel pin, you'll need something about the diameter of a paper clip. But I wouldn't use paper clip wire. I'd use piano wire or something fairly stiff. Another approach is to clean off any leftover adhesive from the broken parts and glue it with slow-set epoxy. After the epoxy sets, drill through the broken piece and into the main part of the mount, then insert the steel pin and secure those with epoxy. I would recommend at least two pins as that little piece gets shear stress and even the best adhesives won't tolerate that kind of force, not for something that small. Doing it this way will take a little longer, being a two-step process, but it'll make drilling the holes easier. The trick is to use a slow bit speed and constantly draw the bit out to avoid building up any plastic filings in the hole you're drilling. Attempting to drill it in a single pass will cause the bit to bind and it'll mess things up pretty quickly. Another option: After initially gluing the plastic part back into place, hollow out most of that tab along with an equal portion of the MA-200. Drop in an L-shaped piece of steel and seal it in with epoxy. You'll end up with the steel piece taking all the stress, and the plastic will serve only to provide the bulk needed to fit the slot in the XL1. Dean Sensui Base Two Productions.

March 4th, 2004, 09:47 AM	#134
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Actually, no, I have not called Canon and asked them about fixing it.

March 8th, 2004, 09:56 AM	#135
Allan Phan Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 95	Can I use any 4 pin XLR lighting with my MA-200? Hi folks. Does any one know if I can plug any type of 4 pin XLR light into the MA-200 audio adapter for the XL1s. I know the MA-200 is for audio only but can it be done thought?