Hi Folks,

My girlfriend just came back from the states and she bought me a FU-1000 NTSC. It just dawn on me that its an NTSC model. My camera is a PAL model. BUMMER!! Right now my camera is out on location for the week end and the suspense is killing me.

Hmm, first I have to say that I REALLY don't know anything about these cams, exept what I read here from time to time, so don't believe what I say, I'm only guessing... but I read that the lens of a PAL or NTSC system will also work on a cam from the other format so why wouldn't the FU-1000?
Isn't it only the cam itself and the tape that's different?

But I really have to remind you that my knowledge of the FU-1000 is zero, so it's only a guess.

I hope it works for you, though.
bye

with DV tapes it doesnt matter. You just buy Mini Dv tapes, no matter which country you are in. Lens I am sure they work.

The thing about the FU-1000 finder is that its NTSC. where I am here in the Uk with a PAL XL-1. PAL runs a 25fps displaying 720x576 lines. NTSC is I think from the top of my head is 30fps displaying at 680x480, I made those NTSC numbers up.

So the finder displaying the image is quite important. lenses and cassettes are all the same until data is record on the tapes, then it will become NTSc or PAL. well I assume that you can over record with different formats? I only ever use a tape once since they are so cheap and my XL-1 is quite expensive to replace.

So anyone using a FU-1000 finder NTSC on a PAL camera ot vice versa? Please let me know it works. Damn should of looked into this. But Looking around on info about the FU-1000 the documents seem to suggest that its the same, there are no reference to either NTSC or PAL formats.

Yes, could be about the tapes, didn't know that though. Thanks for the information. I hope it works out fine with the FU-1000.
bye

David,
We recently had someone try to use an NTSC FU-1000 on a PAL camera with bad results. He reported that it kinda worked for a while and then...poof. So I don't think it's a good idea to try it.

Thanks Ken for your reply.

I just got an email from Zotz digital, they say that "Greetings David; alas, of. the camera and viewfinder are format specific.

I don't have access to the PAL gear, they aren't sold in the US by
Canon.


luckily, these are the only things that are format specific.

Thanks brian"

Brian didnt mention anything going poof. God I am so tempted to put the finder on. the FU-1000 is so much nicely made than the standard finder. Well we`ll see my camera is coming back today. i will let you guys know if I decide to put it on or not or I am gonna put it on ebay.

Thansk Ken, the reason I bought the FU-1000 was after reading your article about it. Thanks good aticle too.

My advice is to call the Canon office for their guidance before you do this!

OK finally got my camera and my finder to mate. Its worked without going poof!!! But as I suspected its out of sync. Searching the web for info, I have heard that you can modify the FU-1000 from NTSC to PAL. Anyone know how? Well Also as I suspected canon and any other Help desk are rubbish in terms of support. They told me that there is only "1" FU-1000 and it should work fine. well it didnt and no knows how to modify the thing, guess its going back to B&H or on Ebay unless I can figure out a way to mod it.

ok, here my report from myself:

i have a "ntcs" labled version and own a pal xl-1. it works. i don't even think the monitor is ntsc or pal, i think its multisync and just tuned pal or ntsc.
always remember: never pull out a cable while the camera is on, or put cables in while it is on, it will burn the fuse!
the modification. inside the big part of the viewfinder, the metal part you will find 5 small i think... white (?) round, screw like parts, the potentiometers.
you need to do it while the camera is on and the viewfinder is attached correctly. i dont think they are named so there you need to try what is what. you need to turn HSYNC, VSYNC, HPOS, VPOS to sync it with pal. use a very small, the best would be a non metal screwdriver (i used a metal cause i havn't had a non metal) and turn the screws a little bit in this or that direction and watch what the picture is doing. make the same on all screws until the picture is fine enough. turn the camera off, wait a minute so there is no energy anymore and turn it on again. it could be that it needs a few seconds to syncronise (i dont know what this is coming from) but the picture runs down and then stops, i think its because how good you adjusted the potentiometers. my needs a few seconds to sync but i don#t wanna open it again for that now.
well, thats what i did and it worked. but do it on your own risk when you think youre able to do it. otherwise better send it back before you damage more

Hi I decided to go for it, I am having trouble getting the mount off. the part that connects the body to the finder.

yes the screws to open it are very tight ! we had to use a spray so it works better, it was the hardest part of the thing

THANKS ELMAR,

Figure it out one happy bunny. THANKS A BUNCH!!

cool :-)

I've found this topic because I had the same problem: FU-1000 NTSC on PAL XL1S. And I have to say: Thank you, Elmar. It works with no problem!

Hi,

I have used a NTSC FU-1000 for years on my PAL XL1S. I had to do this conversion myself similar to above fiddling with the potentiometers to retune it to PAL frequencies. It has worked fine ever since.

p.s. did you not notice underneath the 4 red leds at front is a sticker that specifically says "NTSC" on it :-)

Gaven

I've been looking for a PAL variant of the FU-1000 here in Switzerland for my XL2 and was told that Canon have recently discontinued this unit and was offering no alternative. I haven't managed to find someone who still had this in stock so I've bought the NTSC one from B&H photo and will try this conversion. Thanks Elmar.

Has anyone heard why Canon have done this? Is this a sign they will stop with the evolution of the XL line of cameras? I was told by one dealer who spoke to Canon Switzerland that Canon said it was because of the new lineup of cameras which the FU-1000 would no longer be compatible with.

Can't give you any answer about any plans to discontune the FU-1000, but I've used the FU-1000 on my XLH1 without any problems.
Did the conversion from NTSC to PAL that Elmar says, works like a breeze :-)
I bought the viewfinder from B&H, seems like they have the NTSC model in stock: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=fu-1000&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t and the good news is that this is halv the price of the price in Norway, tax included!

Oddly enough Canon USA still lists the FU-1000 on their website while Canon Europe does not. I just got mine from B&H and it says it was made in 2004 which seems like a long time ago for a new unit.

I'm off to buy a small screw driver.

Worked a charm! Cheers again Elmar!

I got an electrical scheme from Ikegami an attached it as VF15 45 46 schematic.pdf
Which potentiometers are needed to trim for PAL operation.
Please advise by return

Awesome resource, yet again!! So I bought myself a new FU-1000 which came from the states, connected it up and the screen is flickering. It then dawned on me that it would be NTSC and not PAL, and one quick search bought me here. Out comes my tools from the days when I did electronics, and the tool of choice was the pot tuner, and presto, a PAL version has been configured!!

Thanks to Elmar and all who have contributed.

Just out of interest, this is the second FU-1000 I have. One on the XL2 and one on the XLH1. I would love to get another XLH1 but interestingly, with careful setup and use, the XL2 still is an awesome camera. All the new breed of DSLR camera ops don't know what they are missing, especially when it comes to a decent viewfinder.

Plenty more life in retro kit yet!!