Handle held in place by 8 screws, and there are two ribbon cables as well.

To open the handle, remove the accessory shoe spring with tweezers (it has a sort of horse shoe shape), there are two screws under it. There are abotu 7 other screws under the handle holding its top cover in place.

And another 11 screws inside the handle holding the pieces in the top half, including the key PC board.

GL1 just shut off and wont go back on!!
 

Well in the middle of filming a race it just went and shut off, Ive tried everything! Different battery, made sure the lock switches were off and nothing. Anyone have anything like this happen?

No indication of problems with the battery contacts?

There are three fuses inside the camcorder, one may have blown. Generally not user replaceable.

i know in the gl2 there are several conectors near the tripod mount on the camera...if the mount is loose it could have knocked on loose...or just over time one could become loose...other than that i havent a clue

GL1 Repair Manual
 

Anyone know where to get a factory service manual for the GL1? I figure I would like to have one since I have 3 cameras, that way i can fix the "little stuff" myself. I know its not much of a comparison, but I use to be able to get the FSM for my cars from different place (legally of course). Thought maybe someone here would know where to get one for the GL.

Unless you have an "in" with an independent service person, you won't find a repair manual on any Canon Camera. You must send the camera to a Canon repair center. Follow the online instructions to the letter, and Canon will respond to you with a "brought up to factory specifications" repair within two weeks on the average. It may or may not cost a lot. Canon is responsive in many ways.
Canon may not service cameras older than seven years, so be prepared for a message in this regard. They will let you know before you ship.

As a rule, Canon factory service manuals are very difficult to obtain. There aren't any parts that are user-serviceable anyway. Your best bet, as Waldemar points out above, is to use the Canon factory service centers in Irvine, CA and Jamesburg, NJ.

As Chris notes, there isn't anything inside the camcorder that is end-user repairable or adjustable - but someone with strong technical abilities and specialized test equipment might be able to put them to use. And for most folks, the risk of damaging their camcorder would be rather high.

That said, at one time you could buy the GL1 service manuals from Canon, cost was about $60 for the camcorder. To get one you had to sign a warranty waiver (no warranty coverage for camcorders you worked on) and you had to go through a gatekeeper at Canon USA as well. Reasons for this are pretty clear if you think about it. Given the age of the GL1 and original XL1 they might be more inclined to release the manuals to a buyer these days.

GL-1 Zoom Issues
 

Hi, All.......

I've started to notice a problem with my GL-1's zoom system. Too often, especially when hand-held shooting, the zoom starts automatically, especially after hitting the record button. Then, when I zoom back out to full-frame, the camera hesitates a few seconds then automatically starts zooming back in again.

I'm not sure of the rocker switch needs cleaning, or if it an internal electronics issue. If anyone has had similar problems, let me know.

Thanks!
James

GL1 w/ infrared like image in viewfinder Need Help
 

Well I don't think it's been dropped but now I am getting a infrared like image in my viewfinder not sure why.

So am I screwed?

Any help would be grateful.

Thanks
Mike

Hers a pic
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...s/IMG_6737.jpg

The picture you posted leads me to ask, does the image we see in the LCD screen also appear in the viewfinder? Does this same image appear on the tape? If both answers are "No", then it's probably just a bad LCD screen.

If that's the case, my answer would be "NO, you're not screwed." You just have to decide to put up with a bad LCD screen or have it fixed.

Good luck!

mmmm.. unfortuantely it does appear in both the LCD and the viewfinder..

Any ideas?

Thanks
mike

Any chance some effect or preset (e.g., ART) is turnd on?

Does it show up on tape?

GL1 odd pixel problem
 

My GL1 has two stuck pixels, but they only show up at shutter speeds slower than about 1/200. It's definitely in the imaging system, as I tested it by hooking it to the TV and running it on "camera" with the lens cap on. As I dial through the shutter speeds, the bright pixels just fade away. Is this something that will get worse over time, or can this camera be relied upon when shooting brightly lit conditions. It was used almost exclusively outdoors, so I don't know how long the pixels were like this.

I had hoped to sell the camera now that I'm more or less committed to getting an XH A1, but I don't want to sell something that will crap out on someone. Still, if someone can get some use out of it, it's better off in their hands than in the back of my closet.