Magnet trick on the A1?
 

Does anyone know if the magnet trick to flip the lcd image works on the A1? Or even better, does it have a on-camera "image flipper"?

Oh you don't need a magnet, just detach the lcd with a hammer and chisel and then turn it upside down. Besides, the canon service helpline is very understanding if anything should end up not going according to brilliantawesome plan.
Seriously though, I assume this is for a 35mm adaptor? I'd say pay extra for the letus flip and peace of mind.

There is no built-in image flip feature in the Canon XH series camcorders.

While a magnet might distort the image on a CRT based viewfinder (FU1000) I doubt that one could get a perfect flip. In any event there is no electron beam to deflect in a LCD based viewfinder and hence no distortion of the image should occur if a magnet is placed close to one.

This is very bad news :-( I was used to the FX1's huge lcd that could easily be flipped with a magnet. I just spent a lot of money on new equipment. An external monitor is totally out of the question.

It's the same kind of screen the Sony has, only a little smaller. I don't see why the magnet wouldn't work on it too.

Does that mean it doesn't flip when you face the LCD forwards, or are you just talking about no software feature for turning the image upside down...?

I'm talking about no internal software feature for turning the image upside down. It *does* flip when you face the LCD forwards, just like those on all other camcorders do.

Rafael, since you brought up FX1, where do you put the magnet on it to get the flip ??

On the FX1 you don't put the magnet directly on the lcd. You put it on upper left side of the control menu that is displayed when you open the lcd. You know, the menu where you check the batt status, control the lcd and stuff. I did it many many time and it works beautifully.

On a different not, I made many many tests with magnets and tapes and you would need a huge powerful magnet to damage a tape. Actually, the very reason why the magnet trick works is because some cameras have a magnet near the lcd, hence when another magnet is put near the on-camera one, the polarities are inverted and so is the image. Of course, if when the A1's lcd is turned upside down the image is flipped by a electronically system, then the magnet trick won't work...but if it's mechanical it's more than likely that they are using a magnet and then it would be just a matter of finding the hot spot.

Thanks. I will give it a try.

You'll give it a try with the FX1 or the A1. If you're going to give it a try with the FX1 then it's a given. It HAS to work. If you're going to give it a try with the A1 be sure to let me know. I wouldn't like to spend more money on an external monitor when a 1$ magnet would work.

The magnet doesn't distort the image, it fools the level sensor in to thinking that the LCD is facing forward, thus enabling the built-in flip to let you see the image right-side up when you are looking at it from the front of the camera instead of the back.

As for having it as a built in feature... I'm sure the number of people who use adaptors is so low compared to their full audience that it's not worth the risk of having a consumer accidentilly flip that menu switch and be stuck with an upside-down image.

OK - I get it. There is a little weight in there which signals to the microprocessor that the display has been turned upside down (facing forward). The trick with a magnet will therefore work if the weight is made of magnetic material and not otherwize. There are other ways to implement this signalling of course. For example a cam and microswitch at the rotary joint. If it's done that way a magnet isn't going to help.

I tried magnet trick on my XH-A1 a few days ago and it did not work.
I guess Canon does not use the same technique as Sony. It's probably done with microswitch or rotary contact, as A. J. mentioned.

So, I give up this idea and will not be trying stronger magnets. It's not a big deal anyway, though it would be very sweet to have LCD/EVF flip in the camera. Anyone serious about 35mm adapter uses external monitor anyway, even with Letus Flip or Mini35. No camera in this range offers full image flip funtion and it sort of makes me feel better.