Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Corporate Greed and My Canon XL2





About two years ago I purchased a new Canon XL2 at B&H Photo in NYC, intending on using it for broadcast documentaries and shows in Jamaica, West Indies, my home. I was happy paying the $4000+US for the camera, as I was helping to care for my aged aunt, 92, who had just lost her brother at 87, who was a lifelong Canon enthusiast and accomplished photographer. The sight of my new Xl2 and beautiful optical lens brought a wise smile from her aged eyes.


I was soon on my return to Jamaica, and after paying $1200US customs duty to get the camera into Jamaica, I settled back in Cousins Cove, Hanover.


This July, 2008, well, unfortunately, I end up being too nice and bailing out a former dancehal queen for $50,000JA and foolishly using my Canon Xl2 as collateral. In an further unfortunate set up circumstances my true bredren of over 20 years and neighbour gets shot in the head and dies two days before the dancehall queen's trial for two spliff of ganja.


In my confusion, realizing how foolish I have been in risking confiscation of my camera, and under extreme duress from my friends murder, I decide to take the lens and viewfinder and microphone off before bringing the camera to court, just in case the queen doesn't show.
Well, the 'planned obsolesence' geniuses in Japan seem to have acquired new skills and applied them in the Canon XL2, a camera touted for world-wide travel and documentaries. The genius have designed an extremely sensitive main fuse.
Fine. But you see, it is really easy to trip, as I did when taking off my viewfinder. Now here is the killer. Canon wants me to send the camera back to America just to change the fuse. And they also refuse to give me any advice on how I can change the main fuse.
Well, dealing with Canon Customer service reminds me of iving in a world that has George Bush as a leader. Disheartening at best. They end up shuffling me off to some XL2 fan club rather than giving me the VP of marketing for the XL2.
After Googling for 'XL2 main fuse' and finding that no one has posted any self-help,I am now on my way to going where no man has gone before, changing my own fuse on my XL2.
There are some tiny allen screws on the outside, I am going to try an loosen them and will update you afterwards.

2 comments:

  1. Bastards! My XL2 also has a blown fuse, peice of crap design. Good luck friend! Peter

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  2. Did you work out how to do it. I have an old XL2 where the fuse has gone and i dont want to pay to repair it.

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