Error/eating tape
 

Hi, I just recently had my camera flash "EJECT TAPE" and then I popped it out and found the tape eaten by the camera. I then quickly put a head cleaner through it and let it sit for a couple of days. I am still weary of using it. What should I do?

I have a film being shot in less than a week as well. So the timing isn't that great.

Hi Dave,

Well, it's not like you've got anything to lose by trying another tape, right? And I sympathize--the timing isn't that great.

Last year I had an XL1s eat a tape upon rewind. Rather than wonder about it, I sent it to Canon service. It took them well over a week, but they replaced the slide chassis assembly, drive gear assembly, and idler gear assembly. That part of the camera has worked fine since then (darn it--I hope I didn't just jinx the thing. :)

Because of your upcoming shoot, I think I'd try testing it over and over to see how it does. If the problem doesn't crop up again, MAYBE you could trust it on the shoot. But it might need to go in for a checkup soon, if not now.

I also had an XL1s eat a tape on rewind just the other day. It's going in for service.

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions.

I just had a simmilar problem on rewind, only the tape is still stuck in the camera


The real pain is its a very important tape of someone's wedding and the tape needs to be salvaged somehow... Is there any way I can both get the tape out and repair whatever might be left?

Please help

Hi Josh,

If you don't want to take a chance on breaking the tape, I'd send the camera straight to Canon service. Ask them to remove it and send it back after they check and service your camera. It's no fun wondering if your camera is going to act up again, so the money spent on a service/repair is well worth it.

If, by chance, you were able to get the tape out yourself, here's some advice I received on a thread like this one a couple of years ago. Hope it's helpful:

"As for the damaged tape...you CAN salvage the footage. Flip the tape upside down, pop open the top, make sure you stick something in the little indentation in the middle (so the tape moves freely) and, using a pencil, rewind the tape far enough that the damaged section won't go through the heads on the camera when you insert it, and you should be able to get any footage at the beginning of the tape back without much difficulty. Just make sure you don't try and play the damaged part again."

Dave, I am in the same boat. I do a wedding in Colorado over the 4th and when I took the XL-1s out yesterday I got the "Romove Cassette" warning. This happened about 4 times. In a panic I read the manual and it said this may be do to moisture in the camcorder. I live in Atlanta and I took the Camcorder for AC to 97% humidity. I let it sit with the door open for 1/2 hour and all seems to be well now. Just an idea for you to think about. Bob

Thanks for the reply Lorinda.

Yeah I will call canon service tommorow, hopefully I can sort it out.

This is a pretty well documented xl1 problem.. we had an XL1 in thepast that would eat tapes occasionally on rewind. Eventually i just stopped using the camera to rewind (about the time it ate the 3rd tape on me). It would happen sporadically, for no appearant reason.. but was otherwise fine, so i'd just use it to shoot and use another camera/deck for rewind.