lens making sound
 

I want to some informtion regrading the XL 2 pal which i bought a few days back.
When i switch on the camera to [A}, i hear some mechanical sound in
the lens like ( Kitik, Ktik...Ktik) apart from the noise of movement of
lens and then the camera shows the picture in the veiw finder.Along
with this if i look into the lens while switching on the power.The internal lens optics move back and then comes to the same position and there is shiver in this process inside the lens .This happens only at the initial power on for a couple of seconds and then the camera shoots perfectly.
I removed the lens and then switched the camera on .There was no
sound.I presume that the sound is coming from the lens. Is this
normal? Is is sofeware corrupt.Or did i buy a wrong peice.
Hope to get replies from new XL users as well.
Thanks

Hi Dharma,

The sound you hear in the lens is simply the various mechanisms inside going through a calibration procedure. This always occurs on initial power-up and is quite normal -- nothing to worry about. All is well with your camera. Hope this helps,

Thanks Chris ,
I already got your reply regarding this .So the sound part is no more a worryI would appreciate if you could tell more about the shiver which i see in the lens during initial start up.Why does the lens move back and then come back to its initial position shivering. Thanks again for looking ito this.

Well I'll check my sources on that lens travel. Rest assured though that *all* of 'em do it -- your camera is behaving just like every other XL2 ever made. In other words, there's no problem associated with what you're seeing in the lens on power-up. I'm not geeky enough to know why exactly it does that (beyond the generic "calibration" answer), but I'll try to find out for you.

I used to work with CNC, Computer Numeric Controlled equipment, such as industrial milling machines.

The first thing all of these servo controlled devices have to do during start-up, is to find "Home." They have to know where they are before they can go anywhere. There is a limit switch somewhere just past the limit of movement or travel. Once that limit is reached, the servo knows where it is, then it moves to a predetermined start location. You might find that each time you turn on the camera, that the focus, zoom, and iris are at the same location each time.

Just for your thought.

Mike

Awesome answer, Mike! That's it. Much appreciated,

Thanks Chris & Mike,
I am now confident that my camera is perfectly ok. Mike's explanation about the servo devices is exactly what the lens does.
I had discussed the same topic with the Canon service guys in India and they could nt give me a confident answer to it. They started suggesting a software problem and i am sure they have never bothered to see into the lens or hearing the sound in the lens.And further suggested that if one buys the camera and lens seperately, there is compatibality problems.Is it true?
I presume XL2 is still new for them in India.

Sincerly
Dharma Singh

Absolutely FALSE. The whole point behind the XL2 is its interchangeable lens system, and any other lens you buy would be a separate purchase, wouldn't it? The XL2 doesn't care which XL lens is mounted on it. Mix and match, trade with friends, swap out those lenses to your heart's content.

I think the lens "shivers" and shakes like that only when the lens has the image stabilizer switch on (?) That is why I never use the image stabilizer.

Yes Ben,

That would be why it 'shivers' at power up. The VAP is being initialized by the IS gyros at power up. Why would this keep you from using the image stabilizer?

-gb-

Sorry, incorrect -- the "shiver and shake" happens at initial power-up regardless of whether the image stabilizer switch is on or off, or whether the focus is set to manual or auto. Simply put, this calibration process occurs every time at power-up, no matter what buttons or switches you've pressed on the lens. It's very much a standard, normal part of the camera's power-up procedure.

I'm as confused as Greg Boston is by this statement. Why would this keep you from using your stabilizer?

If the lens movement does *not* happen at power-up, then that would be cause for concern. It would indicate that something isn't working right, and that you have either a sick XL2 or a broken 20x lens in your hands.

To recap:

20x lens elements move on initial power-up: GOOD
20x lens elements do NOT move on power-up: BAD

16x manual lens: no OIS, no AF on that lens, so no movement on power-up.

Hoping this helps,

Sorry, correction: that shiver is not why I don't use the image stabilizer, I don't use the image stabilizer at all...period. I don't like it. Plus I was born with steadicam© hands and arms.

Hi Ben. Can you please explain what you don't like about the IS? I'm not challenging you or anything, I am just very curious about what effect the IS is giving that you prefer not to have. For example, on my Sony VX2000, I sometimes get jerkiness due to the IS when I try to do a slow pan, but I haven't noticed this on the XL2 so far.

Richard

you know, I haven't really given it a great test. When I have had it on in the past, there is a delay when I pan around, kind of a slight drag and I think it throws off the smooth movement that I like to control myself. I'll try it out on some more tests and get back to you.

Hi Richard, is it true that the XL2 can do panning in IS mode on tripod without the jerkiness like the XL1s does?