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gl2 rewind/ zoom troubles
Bought my GL2 new about 3 years ago. 1/12 years and 30 – 40 tapes later the camera refused to rewind (sometimes) When it’s “cold” it seems to work but after awhile ( 20 minutes…it varies) it refuses to rewind and tells me to eject the tape. When I do sometimes I can put it right back in and it will work but 90% of the time it gives me the same message and I can’t do any thing. If I just record it seems to work and I never get that message. At that time I looked up the problem on the net and found a significant number of others were having the same trouble and folks seem to think Canon’s transport mechanism was not what it shoud be but Canon was’t acknowleging that. Anyway since I was past warrenty bought a auto rewinder and put up with it.
More recently the zoom hasn’t been working correctly. In fact it won’t work at all but then all of a sudden when pressing the rocker it begins but then it doesn’t quit until it’s gone all the way in or out depending on which way you’re going. Buttons on the handle do the same.
This is real frustrating. I haven’t used the camera for several months because of these problems. I am wondering whether others have had similar problems and if they have had them fixed. If so how much did you end up spending. Were they long term fixes? Wondering whether I should put out the $. I like the camera except for it’s low light capabilities.
I take pretty good care of my equipment. In working with students these past years I have used some old sony digital8 cameras and these things have been tanks. Are GL2s delicate?
Really don’t want to put out much $. Suggestions on what to do?
Thanks
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4 Replies
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anyone out there have any thoughts on this subject?
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I have a GL2 nad have never had the problems you’re describing, so I really don’t know what to suggest other than to find a reputable repair facility in your area and have them do a repair estimate. For what it’s worth, the problems with the rewind/zoom issues you’re having sound like intermittant electrical switch contact troubles as opposed to having to replace rewind or zoom motors, if that’s any consolation. The camera would probably still have to be taken apart to get things fixed, though.
Hope this helps in your decision about what to do.
– Don
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My advice. Run. As fast as you can. I’m not kidding.
I had the exact problem with the tape transport on my GL2 last year. I called around, looking for a validated repair facility. However, Canon doesn’t validate repair shops. You have to call customer service and send the camera back to one of the two factory service centers.
I sent the camera back, to have the transport repaired. When the camera was shipped back to me, the transport was repaired, and worked fine. However, it was now stuck in card mode, and refused to record to the actual tape. I sent the camera back a second time, after calling. Since Canon screwed up, they offered to fix it for free.
When I received the camera back from the second repair, it worked for about a week. The transport wasn’t working again. I had spent about $400 for the original repair, and now I was back to the original problem. When I called the service center a third time, they claimed to have replaced both the circuit board and the tape transport, and refused to fix it for free, even though they still hadn’t solved the original problem. On top of this, they actually had the tenacity to blame me for the problem.
To keep things short, it got ugly. I had to call a local customer service bureau, who threatened them with a lawsuit. Needless to say, they fixed it at no cost.
Sorry to be a downer.
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I had a zoom control problem on my GL2 as well. Started as an intermittant thing, but became more regular. I’d begin a zoom and it would not stop until I tapped the control in the other direction. Or it would begin to zoom on its own.
Good news. I had the problem repaired at a shop in San Diego. They’ve been around awhile and another Canon using friend gets his stuff taken care of there. It’s $100 deposit towards repair to check it out. The total repair cost me about $200 including the part. (they replaced the zoom control switch). Nice guys too, been doing pro video repair for something like 20 years. They’d be able to help you figure out if there is a contact issue as was mensioned by someone else.
Con-Pro Video
4646 Convoy St # 113
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 495-0392
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