GL2 - Do I risk and buy one? Problems still?
 

I was all ready to order a GL2 next week, until I found this forum along with a few others. I was confident that it filled my needs, although had the VX2100 been offered with the $250 rebate, that most likely would have been my choice.

Now, it seems like the Canon $250 is a "future maintainance gift certificate" - at least after reading about the Eject and Tape issues.

I am really tossing and turning on this one. What is the latest advice? I have loaded my "shopping cart" with the Sony gear and it is c.$425 more....but I don't feel worried about the product. (But I would miss the GL2's 20x zoom and more compact size....)

Help, please.

JW

You may notice that people come to places like this to ask for help, not to report their lack of trouble. The GL2 is a good camera and a good value.

You've not stated anything about what you need to buy a camera to shoot or what you intend to use it for. The nature of your need should be a primary factor in your decision.

Every piece of electronic equipment has the potential to have something go wrong with it! I'm a happy owner of a GL2, even though I have only had it for a few months I have had no problems and have no complaints. It is a great camera.

It was the 20x zoom that got me - fab framing options from a distance on a tripod. PLUS the extras are a tad cheaper than the SOny Equivs.

In the past 2 years I've paid for my equipment;, bought other stuff; bought and paid for a second XM2 - yes 2ND XM2! - and have a had my Sony-Centric Boss get very excited about the output from this cammie.

Apart from the zoom going flaky and other issues that ARE there, no point in denying this, this camera has made me money, allowed me to really get going in this craft - and without the pricing of the kit I think I still may NOT have got started. Oh, the audio is fab too! Many audio controls and ways to monitor - in eyepiece AND on the LCD.

Oh did I say I got a 2nd XM2? Well, that should tell you something!

Grazie

Canon is not handling this well...
 

I'm a GL2 owner and fan. A post I wrote recommending the GL2 became a sticky at the top of the GL2 forum at camcorderinfo.com and is approaching 3500 views.

I wouldn't rescind the recommendation at this point (not that I matter that much), but I'm increasingly uncomfortable with Canon's handling of this issue. I just wrote a rant about it at the other site which I won't reproduce here.

Bottom line: All sophisticated equipment has unexpected failure modes. But if they occur with any frequency within the warranty period, the company has a strong implied responsibility for occurrences outside the warranty period, and must treat its customers right.

I call upon Canon to review its policy.

I've had mine for over 2 years. Never a problem of any real sort at all. Still going well.

Aaron

Yo! Kools! Howzit? .. . Well? . . .G-Man

I know some folks had problems with their GL2's (XM2's here), but overall lots of them still hapily use that camera. I have XM2 one year now, and made lots of recordings, and only issued few dropouts since, but I'm blaming poor quality tapes, not the camera.

I read the same repair reports problems about the GL2 so to be fair I checked what users had to say about other brands and model cameras - they all had some kind of brag or nag it's all part of doing business I guess.
I just purchased my GL2 a few weeks ago for seveal reasons. The most important the lens allows me to get in close for candid shoots from a distance adding to the emotional impact of the event. So as you can imagine this comes in handy for weddings, anniversaries etc. most folks are not even aware of my presents and act naturally. The OIS works well enough for me to hand hold the camera in most cases. The custom preset feature and manual controls are excellent.
All the best,
Steve

GL1 and GL2 still going strong after 4 years with the GL1 and 2 with the 2. The GL1 is a workhorse. Only complaint is a small hairline crack in the plastic casing around the viewfinder, not sure how it got there other than perhaps age since I baby the thing always. But it's not the first or only camera I've ever had that develops these sorts of cracks in the plastic housings. Not really an issue however, does'nt affect performance.
I have always been a bit concerned about the supposed and many times reported bad pixel problem in the GL1's CCD, but so far, none found. If it does crop up I'll gladly send the cam back in and gladly pay for it to be fixed after all this time.