So removing this = bad idea?

Removing anything = bad idea. Everything's there for a reason. The smallest part is probably the result of hard-fought engineering and manufacturing battles. If something wasn't absolutely needed it wouldn't be in the camera.

If you have no suitable protection for the viewfinder outside - then yes it is probably asking for trouble.

However you can buy a self closing eyecup that replaces the existing one from Optex in England - you press your eye to open it and when you remove your eye it closes - it was infact designed sepcifcally to protect the evf pixels when film in bright sun.

Regards.

Batteries and viewfinder
 

I think I know the answer to both of these questions but will ask them anyway.

I have an old XL1, one of the first UK issues, with which I have always been delighted and have found no reason to replace as yet.

Question 1 - (probable answer - send to Canon for complete service)
My viewfinder has developed burnt-in red, green and blue pixels which do not affect record or playback but are obviously a bit of a nuisance. What could have caused this?

Question 2 - (obvious answer - dispose of sensibly and replace)
One of my many batteries, which is old but not excessively over used, shows up as being discharged by the camera and a battery tester but will not accept a charge as the charger indicates that it is fully charged.

Sorry to be so boring but I am curious and will ask more interesting questions in future.

Best wishes, JL

You're definitely on the right track, John... you've correctly answered both of your questions. Good luck,

I would say your view finder deteriorated as a result of age, heat, shock etc. Direct exposure to sun light can cause severe damage, but even indirect sun light can cause the Vf to get very hot. Batteries just get old and won't hold a charge. Heat is the worst enemy to batteries.

The colour viewfinder gets loose
 

the FU-500 viewfinder is housed on a rail and is secured in place with a screw knob. The knob always comes loose. I enjoy getting creative with my angles, and that means I twist the camera at times. The viewfinder always seems to slacken, and flops around. Very annoying.

Any ideas? I wonder if the ahrdware store has a similar knob, but with rubber washer around it to 'bite' the railing a little.

I got this one daddio. It's kind of complicated. I asked for a rubber grommet, at a local hardware store. The one I used was to thick (not circumference-wise, but the other way, know what I mean? Anyway, I cut it in half (not into semi circles, but two thinner, whole circles know what I mean?) and put one of those between the wheel that you use to tighten and loosen the viewfinder slider (sure that's not the right term) and the little piece that juts off the handle. You have to do some unscrewing, so if this makes you nervous, don't do it. Anyway, the bastard stays in place now.

See also the "Cheap Trick" on this page.

CP2 Message in viewfinder
 

Hello there. Looks like a great forum. Nice to be a part of it.

I have an XL1S (PAL). There is a flashing "CP 2" message in the viewfinder that I cannot get rid of.
I ave tried Custom Preset menu options to no avail.

Anyone have any ideas.

Thanks in advance

Bob, the flashing CP2 message indicates that you have selected Custom Preset #2 but it has not been activated. Press the Custom Preset Select Switch (second button from bottom behind red sliding door) to select the desired preset or to turn presets off completely. Use the Custom Preset On/Off switch (bottom button behind red sliding door) to activate the selected preset. This is explained on page 70 in the NTSC manual but I don't know about the PAL version.

CP2 Flashing Fixed
 

Thanks Ed.
It was in the PAL manual (Page 68).
Those cycling menus get me all the time.

Thanks again.

Bob Glover

Black Bars in viewfinder
 

I was wondering if there was an option on either the XL-1 or XL-1S to see the black bars on the top and bottom when shooting in 16:9 mode. Right now it just stretches it. Thanks.

Nope. Sorry.

Get an external monitor that has a Vertical hold knob.

Then you can compress the picture on the monitor and it should look normal and have black bars on top and bottom

ya, I have a monitor that has underscan button that allows me to do that, but for some reason I thought there was an option to do it in the viewfinder. Thanks though.

Rigging an external monitor through viewfinder out.
 

What exactly would it take to rig an external monitor through the viewfinder out? Im thinking if I could find the cable used for the viewfinder, then I could experiment with riggin it up. I would very much like to avoid using a viewfinder, as I rarely do run and gun stuff, but I would like to be able to get the zebras on screen. Any input would be awesome.

Stephen

Information on the pin-layout can be found here

Be careful if you are going to make cables etc. yourself!

thanks, ill get to work. Im not sure ill be able to do anything with it, but that is more than I was expecting to get.

Stephen

Where did he get the cable? Is it possible to get it from Canon, or is it a standard?

Stephen

Quote from the actual article:

I found the part. If anyone is interested it is the CVF Cable Assembly part #dg12924 and it costs 31.56. You can order it at 732-521-7230.

Stephen

One thing I did not research when I did the article is the output impedance and levels of the signals at the CVF jack. Depending on what you are trying to drive, you may need to buffer them.

Has anyone actually successfully rigged an external display via the 6-pin EVF output? I would like to see pictures if possible, as I am very interested. Also, has anybody succesfully utilized the RGB out from the 6-pin EVF output? Again, I would love to know!

- don

Note that the RBG output of the EVF jack is not the video image; it is the various icons (and probably messages) that overlay the image in the EVF.

Don,
Do you think this would be a difficult task?

Stephen

Probably not difficult for a competent electronics technician, but not something for the average user to attempt.

Viewfinder mods
 

About a year ago I came across a dutch site on DV that had an interesting article about a DP that modified his XL1S into a frankenstein XL1S. I do not know what site it was or if it is still out there, yet the DP was discussing a cop show shot on an XL1S and he had adapted a Ikegami viewfinder, similar to the FU-1000, to his XL1S. At the time this fascinated me to no end, and I have since spoken to several electronics fellas over at the local university about converting over a B&W viewfinder to an XL1S.

I am curious to know if anyone else read such an article, and if anyone knows the process for adapting an late-model Ikegami viewfinder to an XL1S? The Fu-1000 is an Ikegami Viewfinder with Canon labeling, and some nifty stepping around for power up. Does anyone currently own an older Ikegami viewfinder for purchase, so I can perform some R&D?

Just Curious,

Dick Steele
3rd Coast Cinematics

let us know how you make out.

I use the Canon B&W viewfinder with a Tiffen Tele-2X, which magnifies the CRT image significantly - giving the camera a very "flip-out LCD panel-like" feel.

http://www.tiffen.com/tele2x.htm

- don

<<<-- Originally posted by Don Berube : let us know how you make out.

I use the Canon B&W viewfinder with a Tiffen Tele-2X, which magnifies the CRT image significantly - giving the camera a very "flip-out LCD panel-like" feel.

http://www.tiffen.com/tele2x.htm

- don -->>>

may be a silly question but does the tiffen tele-2x work with the stock xl1s color viewfinder as well?

No, unfortunately. Tiffen is aware that many people would like a TELE-2X for the color EVF and I do believe they are working on one.

- don

I read the XL-1 "Frankenstein" article in the XL-1 watchdog a while back. I don't know if it's the same one you're asking about, but here's the link anyway:

Frankenstein Meets the XL1 by Daniel Kohl

Yeah, its a really neat contraption. The only thing I would worry about is whether you could 'sunburn' your EVF by moonlight???

The series you are mentioning was called "blauw blauw" (blue blue)
and was indeed a local police series here.

the article

Was it a good series by local standards?

Never saw it myself... <g>

Contact Tiffen....
 

Called them about the possibility of a Tele2X for the existing color XL1S viewfinder.

They said they have thought about it, but they need to hear from people to see if the market is there.

IN THE U.S. AND CANADA: 1-800-645-2522, or 1-631-273-2500

email - techsupport@tiffen.com

I need color or i carry my LCD monitor, but i also need better focus and this just might do it.

Thanks for all the good stuff i learn in here.

Dirt In Viewfinder? How To clean?
 

I looked in my viewfinder during a shoot the other day and I was shocked to see a piece of dirt there.

At first I thought it was on the lens, but I cleaned that. Then I thought it was on the gate to the CCD's, but it didn't show up in the footage. It's behind the glass on my FU-1000 viewfinder.

Goodness knows how it got there, but how do I get it out?

Hi,
Well I think I know what you're talking about, but I no longer have an XL1, so my explination won't be too specific. The actual eyepiece can be detached by twisting it off. You might want to check out the picture at Canon FU-1000 Monochrome CRT Viewfinder for the XL1 / XL1S a review by Ken Tanaka . Sorry I can't be more specific about it, but I hope this helps!!

Robbie

Thanks. I cleaned it out. A nice blow at an downward angle with compressed air made it good as new. Have an idea how that little particle got in there.