GL / XM assorted posts, 2003

Frank Granovski · September 8th, 2003, 02:25 PM

John,

The GL2 is better in low light plus its very well balanced, making it easy to hold. It also has 20X zoom and frame mode.

The PDX10 is a dog to hold, tilting forward and pulling to the left, but has XLRs, better 16:9 and also DVCAM---which potentially means less drop-outs.

Depending on the features which are more important for you, either cam is a good choice. Personally, I like the GL2 more.

Alan Tran · September 8th, 2003, 08:05 PM

is the wd-58 compatible with century optics products...namely a sunshade?

Noah Posnick · September 9th, 2003, 02:23 PM

Is there a tutorial or something for building a matte box, or even a sunshade for that matter for the gl1?

John Fitch · September 9th, 2003, 09:06 PM

When I finally end up buying a new camera in the near future, I'm really thinking about purchasing a Mack 4-year extended warranty. I'm certainly not the type to buy an extended warranty for every single electronic device I own, but I think having an extended warranty for the new camera might be a good move. Regardless of whether I choose the PDX10 or the GL2, I could pick up a Mack 4 year extended warranty from B&H for $169. So with the warranty issue in the back of my mind, I thought I'd ask for some of your opinions on the subject, and maybe some of you could even share your experiences with Mack extended warranties.

Also, if I end up buying my camera from someplace other than B&H, would I still be able to buy the extended warranty through B&H and apply it to the new camera? I believe I recall reading on the Mack website that this can be easily done, but I'm wondering if anyone has actually been able to do this easily and successfully. And if I were to order the warranty alone, what exactly would I receive...is there some type of warranty certificate with a registration card that must be mailed to Mack?

Thanks to anyone who might be able to comment on this topic!

Jeff Donald · September 10th, 2003, 06:28 AM

Generally the previous responses posted here have been favorable of Mack service. If you search Mack you find many references.

Ryan McCrary · September 10th, 2003, 07:26 AM

bump this up.. i'm curious..

theres some pictures of a few at http://www.homebuiltstabilizers.com

sorry thats not much help.. i'd like to know about this as well..

-ryan

Craig Hollenback · September 10th, 2003, 07:27 AM

I dropped to off MAC a 2 year old JVC DV500 that I had an extended MAC warranty on. The camera was showing head problems in audio playback. They sent it to JVC and new heads were installed, no charge. I paid the shipping back to me from MAC. The entire process took about 5 weeks...that was the downside. However, I plan to purchase a GL2 and will pick up a 4 year MAC plan from B/H as well. One repair will pay for it easily...again, the downside will be the time delay. Craig

Allen Danze · September 10th, 2003, 07:23 PM

Ok so i've been hearing people say that the main problem with switching tape brands is switching after a "steady diet" of one brand. I've gone through about 10 sony premiums, and since I use my gl2 as a deck as well, it probably has around 12-15 hours of use total.

The sony tapes use wet lube, while most other tapes use dry. How conflicting are sony tapes with other brands these days? Has anyone switched between Sony and another brand?

Anyways...

Would it be sufficient if I ran my head cleaning cassette, and then went ahead and switched to fuji DVC tapes?

Would i expect to experience head clogs or dropouts, or is it quite likely i'll be fine as long as i clean the heads first?

Thanks,

-Allen Danze

Jeff Donald · September 10th, 2003, 10:00 PM

No one can predict the future, but with only 10 tapes total used, I would feel safe cleaning the heads and switching brands. If you want to be extra cautious, have the heads cleaned professionally.

You can also search this question, it has been asked many times.

Don Palomaki · September 11th, 2003, 04:42 AM

Sony and most other "consumer" brands use a "wet lub", including the common Panasonic tape.

Some of the profesional tapes use "dry lube" and they often will list that information on their packaging or advertising material. I believe that Panasonic introduced the high-end "dry lube" to ensure interoperability in their DVCPro equipment and to grab some of the DVCAM tape market.

The issue to day is not so much one of incompatible tape lubes as it is of the characteistic wear deposits that will build on tape guides, etc. up over time. A change in tape brand can result on the deposits moving if the new brand tape has somewhat different physical characteristics, e.g., stifness or roughness.

K. Forman · September 11th, 2003, 04:57 AM

I am considering the WD58 for my GL1. Thing is, I have no idea exactly what it would do for the footage, or do to the image. Could someone maybe post a couple frames with the W.A. and a couple without?

Marco Leavitt · September 11th, 2003, 10:45 AM

Keith,
I just sent you three screen grabs of footage taken with this adapter. I don't have comparable shots without it on, but they should still give you an idea of the kind of distortion you would get with this adapter. The footage was also shot on a GL1. I highly recommend the WD58 for the GL1.

John Fitch · September 12th, 2003, 09:20 AM

I'm probably going to purchase a Mack 4 year extended warrany when I order my GL2 sometime in the next week, but I'm wondering if some type of extended warranty would be available directly from (and serviced through) Canon. I haven't been able to find any information on extended warranties on Canon's website, so at the moment it looks like the only time I would have service directly through Canon would be if I needed a repair during the 1 year manufacturer's warranty. Not that I think I wouldn't get good service through Mack, but I'm just curious if an extended warranty directly from Canon would be available.

Thanks!

Neil Slade · September 13th, 2003, 07:48 PM

Edmund Scientific recently added a new base lens which I use in my DIY wide angle adapter design. It gives an even wider view than previous- probably about .5X

this design takes about an hour to make, and will cost you under $40. It offers several advantages over the OEM $200 wide angle adpaters.

Complete free instructions here
http://www.neilslade.com/lens.html

Also, if you like to make your own SUPERIOR equipment, see the recent MIKE BOOM POLE DIY $20 instructions at
http://www.neilslade.com/Papers/pole.html

Thanks and have fun!
Neil

Steve Nunez · September 14th, 2003, 07:46 PM

Did anyone notice the use of film cameras during the shooting of 'Living with Tigers'- then notice the "video" look of certain scenes?....

...in case you missed it- there was a quick scene that showed the filmamkers using GL2's as the "video" camera...kinda shows just how good these GL2's are!

The "video" scenes looked great....thumbs up to GL2's everwhere!

September 8th, 2003, 08:05 PM	#617
Alan Tran Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 121	wd-58 combatibility is the wd-58 compatible with century optics products...namely a sunshade?

September 9th, 2003, 02:23 PM	#618
Noah Posnick Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 64	Matte Box Is there a tutorial or something for building a matte box, or even a sunshade for that matter for the gl1? __________________ Noah Posnick http://www.posnick.com

September 9th, 2003, 09:06 PM	#619
John Fitch New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 17	Your Experiences with Mack Extended Warranty When I finally end up buying a new camera in the near future, I'm really thinking about purchasing a Mack 4-year extended warranty. I'm certainly not the type to buy an extended warranty for every single electronic device I own, but I think having an extended warranty for the new camera might be a good move. Regardless of whether I choose the PDX10 or the GL2, I could pick up a Mack 4 year extended warranty from B&H for $169. So with the warranty issue in the back of my mind, I thought I'd ask for some of your opinions on the subject, and maybe some of you could even share your experiences with Mack extended warranties. Also, if I end up buying my camera from someplace other than B&H, would I still be able to buy the extended warranty through B&H and apply it to the new camera? I believe I recall reading on the Mack website that this can be easily done, but I'm wondering if anyone has actually been able to do this easily and successfully. And if I were to order the warranty alone, what exactly would I receive...is there some type of warranty certificate with a registration card that must be mailed to Mack? Thanks to anyone who might be able to comment on this topic!

September 10th, 2003, 06:28 AM	#620
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	Generally the previous responses posted here have been favorable of Mack service. If you search Mack you find many references. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

September 10th, 2003, 07:27 AM	#622
Craig Hollenback Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Key West Posts: 247	worked out ok for me I dropped to off MAC a 2 year old JVC DV500 that I had an extended MAC warranty on. The camera was showing head problems in audio playback. They sent it to JVC and new heads were installed, no charge. I paid the shipping back to me from MAC. The entire process took about 5 weeks...that was the downside. However, I plan to purchase a GL2 and will pick up a 4 year MAC plan from B/H as well. One repair will pay for it easily...again, the downside will be the time delay. Craig

September 8th, 2003, 02:25 PM	#616
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	John, The GL2 is better in low light plus its very well balanced, making it easy to hold. It also has 20X zoom and frame mode. The PDX10 is a dog to hold, tilting forward and pulling to the left, but has XLRs, better 16:9 and also DVCAM---which potentially means less drop-outs. Depending on the features which are more important for you, either cam is a good choice. Personally, I like the GL2 more.

September 10th, 2003, 07:26 AM	#621
Ryan McCrary Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: chapin sc Posts: 41	bump this up.. i'm curious.. theres some pictures of a few at http://www.homebuiltstabilizers.com sorry thats not much help.. i'd like to know about this as well.. -ryan

September 10th, 2003, 07:23 PM	#623
Allen Danze New Boot Join Date: May 2003 Location: Arlington, Virginia Posts: 11	"Steady Diet" Ok so i've been hearing people say that the main problem with switching tape brands is switching after a "steady diet" of one brand. I've gone through about 10 sony premiums, and since I use my gl2 as a deck as well, it probably has around 12-15 hours of use total. The sony tapes use wet lube, while most other tapes use dry. How conflicting are sony tapes with other brands these days? Has anyone switched between Sony and another brand? Anyways... Would it be sufficient if I ran my head cleaning cassette, and then went ahead and switched to fuji DVC tapes? Would i expect to experience head clogs or dropouts, or is it quite likely i'll be fine as long as i clean the heads first? Thanks, -Allen Danze

September 10th, 2003, 10:00 PM	#624
Jeff Donald Warden Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 8,287	No one can predict the future, but with only 10 tapes total used, I would feel safe cleaning the heads and switching brands. If you want to be extra cautious, have the heads cleaned professionally. You can also search this question, it has been asked many times. __________________ Jeff Donald Carpe Diem Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Where to Buy? From the best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

September 11th, 2003, 04:42 AM	#625
Don Palomaki Wrangler Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Northern VA Posts: 4,487	Sony and most other "consumer" brands use a "wet lub", including the common Panasonic tape. Some of the profesional tapes use "dry lube" and they often will list that information on their packaging or advertising material. I believe that Panasonic introduced the high-end "dry lube" to ensure interoperability in their DVCPro equipment and to grab some of the DVCAM tape market. The issue to day is not so much one of incompatible tape lubes as it is of the characteistic wear deposits that will build on tape guides, etc. up over time. A change in tape brand can result on the deposits moving if the new brand tape has somewhat different physical characteristics, e.g., stifness or roughness. __________________ dpalomaki@dspalomaki.com

September 11th, 2003, 04:57 AM	#626
K. Forman Capt. Quirk Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Middle of the woods in Georgia Posts: 3,596	Wide Angle on GL1? I am considering the WD58 for my GL1. Thing is, I have no idea exactly what it would do for the footage, or do to the image. Could someone maybe post a couple frames with the W.A. and a couple without?

September 11th, 2003, 10:45 AM	#627
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	screen shots Keith, I just sent you three screen grabs of footage taken with this adapter. I don't have comparable shots without it on, but they should still give you an idea of the kind of distortion you would get with this adapter. The footage was also shot on a GL1. I highly recommend the WD58 for the GL1.

September 12th, 2003, 09:20 AM	#628
John Fitch New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 17	Does Canon Offer Extended Warranties? I'm probably going to purchase a Mack 4 year extended warrany when I order my GL2 sometime in the next week, but I'm wondering if some type of extended warranty would be available directly from (and serviced through) Canon. I haven't been able to find any information on extended warranties on Canon's website, so at the moment it looks like the only time I would have service directly through Canon would be if I needed a repair during the 1 year manufacturer's warranty. Not that I think I wouldn't get good service through Mack, but I'm just curious if an extended warranty directly from Canon would be available. Thanks!

September 13th, 2003, 07:48 PM	#629
Neil Slade Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Denver Posts: 131	NEW WIDER DIY wide angle lens, $40 Edmund Scientific recently added a new base lens which I use in my DIY wide angle adapter design. It gives an even wider view than previous- probably about .5X this design takes about an hour to make, and will cost you under $40. It offers several advantages over the OEM $200 wide angle adpaters. Complete free instructions here http://www.neilslade.com/lens.html Also, if you like to make your own SUPERIOR equipment, see the recent MIKE BOOM POLE DIY $20 instructions at http://www.neilslade.com/Papers/pole.html Thanks and have fun! Neil

September 14th, 2003, 07:46 PM	#630
Steve Nunez Trustee Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 1,418	Living with Tigers- Discovery Ch. Did anyone notice the use of film cameras during the shooting of 'Living with Tigers'- then notice the "video" look of certain scenes?.... ...in case you missed it- there was a quick scene that showed the filmamkers using GL2's as the "video" camera...kinda shows just how good these GL2's are! The "video" scenes looked great....thumbs up to GL2's everwhere! __________________ Steve Nunez-New York City www.stevenunez.com