Re: Disable auto shuttoff on GL1?
 

If you use the power adaptor instead of the battery it shouldn't power off...

Jack

Poor Audio W/ GL1 and Wireless mic
 

This is a very general question but has anyone experienced a general problem (audio hiss and crackling) when using their GL1 and a wireless mic? A friend of mine called me with this problem and asked me to check it out. I’m going to look at his set up in a few days and wanted to know if there were any people who have had this problem. (sorry for the lack of information) but he's using a Canon GL1 and a Azden dual mic setup.
-pat

The output of the wireless mic may be too high for the GL1 input at MIC setting, try MIC ATT.

Most economical wireless mics do have a high noise (hiss) level.

try a samson
 

We had a 2 channel azden and found it to be unaceptable due to it's hiss...we've since swithed to 2 samsons with sony mics are use it with an XL1 and DV500 with good results.

GL1 Maintenance - sending in to Canon.
 

I am wondering what the average cost of sending a 3 year old GL1 in for a checkup/cleaning/minor repair(battery release broken)?

Ben

It's very hard to say. They're pretty good at calling you with an estimate before they start work, so perhaps you could report back to us and let us know how much it is. Thanks,

minimum costs
 

I recently had my little ZR10 repaired after i dropped it. They said it would be $250 minimum and that's what they charged me in the end. This may not apply at all to the GL2 but a quick phone call to Canon may turn up some generalities like this minimum charge. I would guess that for a standard clean and adjust they have a set fee.

How to keep the gl1 running
 

Hi every one i need a little help?

I have a Gl1 and gl2, the cl2 works great and stays on if you put a svideo into it. My qustion is how do you keep the gl1 running when your not taping and your only plugging a s-video to it for use with a switcher. the gl2 works great and doesnt shut off. can any one point me in the right direction here.

The GL1 pre-dates the power saving features of the GL2. So it will automatically power-down.

Try opening the tape door. I've not owned a GL1 for quite some time but I think this might defeat the power-down.

run a tape
 

This probably isn't the answer you're looking for, but if you record to tape during your shoot, it won't power off. This has the added advantage of giving you a backup for switching mistakes.

I used my gl1 for shoot to a betasp deck 2 hours, it did not shut down at all, if you have the manual there should be info about it in there, i don't remeber but i did not have a tape in the gl1 as teh shoot was two hours and it was uninterrupted..

Filter to Soften Image on Gl1
 

Hi,
Was wondering what kind of filter can i buy for my gl1 that will help soften the image to make it appear more film like?
thanx,
-Kris

Tiffen, and others, make a variety of diffusion and contrast control filters for this purpose. See the Tiffen site for examples.

Ofcourse you can also soften an image by turning down the
sharpness in the camera or do it in post (longer rendering times,
but perhaps more control).

What NLE are you using? If it's Final Cut Pro then have a look at Joe's Diffuser. It really gives you a lot of control and can produce some very nice effects. It's true that you will have to do rendering, but the problem with physical filters is that it can be very difficult to see what they're doing on location unless you're using a good monitor. The viewfinder and flip-out LCD aren't high enough resolution to really show that kind of detail. And if you don't like the effect, you're out of luck. That's why I personally prefer doing this sort of thing in post.

GL1 LCD Self Destructs
 

I was a strong believer in Canon quality for the longest, despite reading about the problems that some people had with their GL2's/GL1's. Then my friend's GL1 failed to playback tapes correctly. Eventually he replaced it with a GL2 that also had to be sent into Canon's repair factory twice for similar problems.

Then just last week my LCD screen quit working on my GL1 (unless you flip it all the way to "portrait mode" which is when the LCD faces the lens - which is of little use unless you're cheesin'). The reason for this? I have no idea. I've taken care of my camera like it was my own child. It always resides right side up in my dry kata bag when not in use, and is never lent out to anyone.

So, my point in this thread is to ask: has anyone else had this problem?

Sounds like an issue with the two ribbon cables that connect the LCD to the rest of the camcorder. Pivoting stresses the cables, may have loosened one of the connectors.

Your freind's problem sounds a bit like his video life is star-crossed. One or two problem could be mgfr. defects, but three times implies his use of the gear is unusually severe.

I figured it was only a loose connection. Unfortunately I'm now at the mercy of canon repair. My friend did treat his equipment well, but he did lend it out to some fellow students - that's the catch 22. I figured it got man-handled out in the field. Anyways, thanks for the post!

GL1 purple color shift in blue hot spots
 

We have a GL1 on permanant loan which I've been using to tape our dance company, so I'm using it only in theaters with theater lighting. There was one particuar lighting setting we used recently that caused what I would cause a bizarre color shift. In summary blue areas shifted to purple as the blue intensity increased to overexposure.

I'm gained up 9db and shooting nearly wide open. As you know there is huge dynamic range in theaters so where the footers hit the white cyc there is an overexposed hot-spot.

The Let's go to the examples:

1) The reference, a far shot from a PD150
http://homepage.mac.com/bowenmccauleydance/farpd150.jpg

2) The same shot from the GL1 http://homepage.mac.com/bowenmccauleydance/fargl1.jpg

3) A close-in from the GL1 shot earlier that day http://homepage.mac.com/bowenmccauleydance/closegl1.jpg

4) A close-in from the PD150 http://homepage.mac.com/bowenmccauleydance/closepd150.jpg

Those purple spots should be overexposed whites. All settings in the GL1 for color shift are default (no CP in the viewfinder). Unfortunately, I can't easily set up tests to see if the color shifter will help as these theaters are not readily available. But it doesn't seem to me that the color shift adjust has a huge latitude.

So my questions is dose this GL1 look normal or at least "yeah, funky, but GL1's do that?" I probably need a VX2000 but hate to give back this freebie GL1.

It's Mainly an Overall Color Shift
 

I shoot dance and theater with a GL-2 and sometimes additional Optura Pi's, so your shots sure did look familiar!

I think the shots will match up fairly well once you do color correction. Notice that not only the blue cyc but also the skin tones are dramatically different - warm and golden in the GL-1.

Using the 3 color wheels in Vegas, my own "Warm Corrector" preset is 310 degrees with setting with darks at .150, midtones at .300 and brights at .600. Try applying this to the GL-1 footage.

The GL-2 (and the GL-1 as well) seems to run quite red. Try rolling down towards Green on the custom preset by one or two notches. Also try using the tungsten white balance rather than automatic white balance or setting the white balance.

Hope this helps.

-Tom-

Which reminds me that I forgot to mention that the GL1 and the PD150 were manually white balanced to the same white target prior to the show.

gl1 and mosaic-like noise on tape- HELP!
 

I returned from vacation and I have mosaic -like noise on playback of a panasonic DV tape. I cleaned the playback head and I now realize that the problem is with the video tape after checking the playback on other tapes. Is there a professional method of "cleaning" this tape?

No. If the footage has been corrupted during recording due to contamination on the camera's heads (most likely) it's just gone. Sorry.

GL1 - Viewfinder problem - please help
 

I took out my GL1 (Euro model XM1 actually) today after not using it for a few months (everything worked fine last time I used it). There is a problem with the viewfinder/LCD screen. The camera is not detecting that the screen has been shut, and therefore does not switch the LCD off and the viewfinder on. I can tell this is the case because I know that normally if you close the screen almost all the way you can see it switch off, which is not happening now. If I turn the screen right around to face the subject, the viewfinder comes on as normal, so it's definately the hardware that detects the screen being closed that is faulty.

So, is there anythign I can try before taking it to be repaired, or would I risk messing it up even more?

Thanks.

It's been a while since I've had a GL1, but I suspect that the basic lcd mechanics have not changed with the GL2. The switch that enables/disables the lcd is not user-accessible. You'll have to send the camera for service if it does not fix itself.

Line in on GL1?
 

Lately I've been wondering about the "line in attenuator" listed in the menu of the GL1. The manual isn't much help, but does mention that it is for use when dubbing from a VCR. Is there any way to record audio using the line in when shooting regular footage? Would there be any advantage to this?

I have used this setting when feeding sound from the line-out of a public address system so I could pick up the audio directly without a separate microphone. This basically allows you to input a "high-level" audio signal into the microphone mini-jack without overpowering the circuitry.

Since the mini-jack is a stereo input, you will probably need a Y-connector to split such a mono signal to feed both left and right channels into a stereo mini-plug (I did). I assume, without having tried it, that a mono-plug would short one channel.

Have an opportunity for GL1
 

Hi, I see that on ebay I can get a GL1 in used but good condition for about $1,000. I have about $1250 saved up. Do you think I should go for a used GL1, PV-DV953, or save for something else?

Thanks

Riley,

That's not a bad price if it is in really good or mint condition. I have had my GL1 for 2.5 years now and although I was never really impressed with its construction I have always been pleased with the image quality. I know it's pretty tough shelling out a grand for something you can't put your hands on and try out but that's pretty much how it is if you want it cheap. I would be asking the seller a lot of questions like how many hours on it, if it has ever had tape dropouts or tracking problems, if it has every been factory serviced etc. The sellers response and attitude may give you some better insight as to what you are bidding on. Also check this forum since I have seen a few for sale.

Best of luck

Mark Williams

Yes, we all know about the eBay link...however if you are smart its EXTERMELY easy to spot these people and scam artists. I got a GL1 for $860, resold it for $1125 so I'd say $1000 is a good deal especially if it comes with the original accessories (the older the cams get...the less original accessories they tend to come with).

i think im going to get a pv-dv953 and save a tad bit more and get a glidecam 2000

GL1 Firewire problems
 

Hi all,

Recently my GL1 Firewire port stopped communicating with my PC. I tried another device to the PC and it communicated well.

Contaced Canon they wanted $900 to replace the board.. Kind os steep considering the age of the camera.

What I want to know is if anyone else has had this problem and is there a less expensive way to repair it. Apart from getting a cheap DV cam to capture with or a deck maybe someone knows what can be done.

Thanks
in Advance

Dan

Had a similiar problem with a Sony camera and it ended up being a connector problem on the camera. Try a different firewire cable or slightly adjust the current cable by flexing ever so slightly while in the camera to see if that is it. I wouldnt send the camera in for repair at the current repair price. Sell it as a 'studio only' camera on ebay.

Used XM1: Good deal?
 

Hey everybody

I'm writing from the cold wasteland that is Iceland (only plusses being Bjork, Sigurros and PAL).

I don't have alot of expirience working with video (at least not in practice), but have had the plesure of working with 3 different kinds of 3 CCD cameras: The Sony PD100a, PD150 and the Canon XM1 on various short film projects.

I preferred the XM1 over the PD100 but found the PD150's resolution to be superior (although I preferred the XM's color reproduction over all of them).

I have now been offered to buy the XM1 for a relatively low price of 80.000 icelandic kronas (around $1000). The camera is in good condition. It opnly has about 50 hours on its head and looks realatively unscathed except for a dent in the casing of the built in micraphone (which otherwise works fine) and one dead green pixel on the LCD screen (doesn't display in the recordings). I loved the images that I got out of it but the only thing that really bugged me was the lack of XLR inputs. I was shooting an Interview-docu thing and it was farily annoying to be lumbering around with a phantom power mixer for the microphone work.
I will mostly be using the camera for short film and documentary work so the XLR inputs are pretty important.

The problem with living on an island (espeially this island) are the ridiculously high customs and generally high pricing of electronics. So the going rate for DV cameras is alot higher here than on mainland europe and in the US (A new PD150 going at over $5000, the DVX is similar) so the only sane choise is to bend the law and get them from mainland europe.
I've had my eye on the DVX100EA (is the advanced pal veriosn out yet?) but am now having second thougts about it.

Should I go throught the extra hassle and price to get the DVX100EA from europe (probably could get it for about $3800) or should is this XM1 deal any good for a 2 year old camera with few hours on it? can I get an XLR adapter for the XM1? are they pricey?

Or should I maybe get a XM2 from the ariport dutyfree for $2250?

Just bought a Gl1
 

I just bought a Gl1 in awesome condition and I wanted to know your opinion on what type of minidv tapes work best with this camera? Also looking to buy some filters and wanted to know what are the "must-have" filters, what brands to look for and what brands to stay away from. thanx

Oscar,

I have used Sony DVM60 Excellence tapes in my GL-1 for the past 3 years with no problems.

Regards,

Mark

Know of any place to get em cheap?

I use mostly Panasonic, but if they have none at Best Buy switching to Maxell has not jammed the cam. I always stay away from JVC. I have had 3 of their consumer cams which have broken down prematurely and their tape has messed up my cam.

Tip: once you choose a brand it is best not to switch; jamming can result.

get the xm1, it's a good camera for the price