My camera won't turn on
 

Hi

I just set up my XHA1 to shoot something for a project and when I turn the knob to manual mode, nothing happens. In fact, none of the shooting modes turns the camera on. At first I thought it was the battery, so I popped in a freshly charged one. No luck.

The odd thing is that the VCR and External Control modes both turn the camera on and the LCD screen turns on as well. I can also playback footage I've shot already.

Anyone know what might cause this? I have to get this sucker working again to meet my deadlines ;)

Thanks

D

Hi Darren,

Turn the Lock/Standby switch from Lock to Standby and that should solve it.

Regards

Colin

If you have an A1 and not an A1s, check the lock/standby switch adjacent to the record button on the right side of the camera to see that it's not in the "Lock" position. Many have fallen into this crevice.

The A1s doesn't have this switch, probably because all of those who have had this problem.

Does this happen to others all that often? The first time it happened to me (about a week after I got my XH-A) I was in a panic because my new camera stopped working! I almost took it into a repair shop before I found out the problem by finally reading the manual. It has happened one other time, but I remembered to check the standby/lock switch first. I'm more careful to avoid accidently moving it now.

Along those lines, I found myself changing a lot of things accidently and without realizing it until I noticed something different in the functioning of the camera. For instance, I've locked the handle zoom controls without realizing it. Once again, though, I learned something that I should have learned before by reading the manual.

I think it's happened to everybody at least once. In my case I was set up to shoot an interview with Billy Bob Thornton and Virginia Madsen. They were plugging that movie that really bombed. It was a red carpet style interview, with every TV station or critic positioned along the area where they would come and stop and talk for 5 minutes to each person. We got there over an hour early and I had been doing some crowd cutaways and exteriors.

I had been taking the camera on and off the tripod and was prepared to do a handheld shot as the actors walked in from downstairs. I had set it on the floor for a few minutes. When I picked it up suddenly it wouldn't come on. I was in quite panic mode...first thing I did was change out the battery, still nothing. I switched it to play mode and it worked. So obviously something had changed. I sat there on the floor just looking at it and finally noticed that pesky switch. I felt appropriately stupid but also lucky that I hadn't inadvertantly moved the switch a minute before the dignitaries arrived. I'm glad the S model did away with that useless thing. And yes, Virginia Madsen is hotter in person even than on screen.

Somethng else that's easy to move when going on and off the tripod, or handing the camera to another person to hold while you climb up on someting, etc., is the shutter control. Mine stays at 1/48 for 24F, but on a recent shoot I suddenly noticed I had moved it to 1//60 by accident. The solution to that is to go into the menu and turn on the shutter lock.

The Standby lock button scared me to death. It shipped with the lock already applied, and I thought I purchased a dead item. After contacting the guy, he explained that he always leaves his lock on cause it was easier for him, and he told me how to correct it. This definitely happens at least once to everyone. Canon should have put a warning sticker next to the lock. "Might make you $h!t your pants!"

That's just about how I felt when it happened the first time!

standby.................
 

OK - so I did it too...... about sent me to the Dr.! Just the tiny standby switch.... and you know the rest.

Hmmmm. Am I the only one who really likes the standby/lock button?

I think it's a great feature. I do a fair bit of filming where it's set up the camera, set the standby switch, and wait for the action. A quick flick of the switch and I'm ready.

Bill, I love the standby switch too. I put the camera to standby anytime I'm waiting more than two to three minutes between shots.. Once you get used to using it on a regular basis, you'll never get caught by wondering why the camera won't turn on again. Using it is such a force of habit now..

Same here, use it all the time, one thing I still don't understand. When I stop filming by pressing the rec button and placing the camera in standby modus I always flip the switch to standby as well, as far as I can hear the camera stops operating (I don't hear the tapeheads spinning) but do they or is the camera still drawing power from teh batteries? Is the standby switch not turning of the power completely? During a full weddingday I actually don't turn the wheel on the side to "off", I always leave it in "tv" mode.