Thanks for starting this thread back up cause I was about to anyway. My GL2 just acquired the same eject tape problem. It's 15 months old. Of course it started a few days before a wedding shoot, but it would only do it right after I started recording. Once it got going it was fine. So I was real careful to only change tapes during longer stretches of unimportant time (peace be with you...). Thankfully, I made it through, but what a test of faith that was. I know this is like real demanding of me and all, but I kind of expect a multi-thousand dollar camera to be reliable. There's enough uncertainties recording a live event. I don't need to wonder if my camera will be working. So thanks for the pinch rollers thing. I'm going to send it in with this thread and I'll post what happens when I get it back.

If you wanted to send it to my tech we are located in Wisconsin and they do take repairs from out of state. At least he knows how to fix it. If you are interested in that path the company is Full Compass (www.fullcompass.com) . Call and ask for Keith in Service. Make sure to tell him Philip from Frogman Productions sent you!

I am both relieved and upset to see this thread. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one experiencing this frustrating problem, but also dismayed to see how widespread it is and how difficult to fix.

Has anyone had success with this method posted by Steven Graham?

"I solved this problem in my camera by:
1. Turning camera off completely.
2. Removing battery from camera.
3. Exercising the Main Power switch by repeatedly sliding the switch back and forth between CAMERA, OFF and PLAY a few dozen times. (Possibly exercise the Standby Lever between STANDBY and LOCK as well.)
4. Ensuring Main Power switch off.
5. Reattaching battery.
6. Turning camera back on."

I tried this over the weekend and went out to shoot a soccer team and had no shutoff problems. Well, maybe one. The sound in my headphones cut out while I wasn't looking at the camera but by the time I looked down it was back on so it may have just been the shotgun mic.

I think y'all should try this method and see if it works for you.

Thanks,
Mike

It may work on occasion but from what the repair tech told me the pinch rollers go bad and proper tension is not maintained on the tape drive mechanism and causes the eject tape message. This can also partially be a cause for the camera to stop recording but not sure about the actual shut off of the camera.

I had a problem where a cam was going into standy whenever it felt like it with not rhyme or reason....it just shut off and came on. Luckily my tech got it to happen while in the shop and it wouldn't come back on. He found a faulty micro fuse on the main board and replaced it. I haven't had the problem since. If the lock/standy switch is going bad it is possible that could cause problems...don't know how to properly diagnose it without a tech that knows what is going on take a look at it.

Good luck....I had written off ever getting another Canon but when the new HDV cams were announced I may reconsider....much more for the money than the Sony's. Now I have to rethink my position. :-)

As I wrote above, I had the same shut-off-problem. My dealer was unable to reproduce it, but sent it to Canon with my description of the error, the possible solution described by Philip and a link to this thread. After about three months, they sent it back stating they had found nothing! Nevertheless, the cam works properly ever since. Perhaps they cleaned it and fixed the problem by the way. In fact, I'm glad that the cam works properly and don't care much why...

Has anyone used these guys to do repair on there cameras? The camera just shuts off by itself when recording for no reason! Sony Camcorder Repair | Canon Camcorder Repair (http://www.videoonerepair.com/index.htm)