Strange Canon dynamic stabiliser, is this faulty or normal?

[Bencuri]

I have just purchased a new Canon HFM406 camcorder, and I am a bit worried about the stabiliser. It has 3 stabiliser modes: normal, dynamic and power mode. With the normal mode, there is no problem, but in the dynamic mode the stabiliser behaves strangely. When the view is moving to the right, for example, and I stop, then the picture stops too, but it jumps back right away a little to the left. When I am moving the view to the left and stop, the picture stops and jumps back a bit to the right. It is quite strange that the picture doesn't stop at the point where I stop moving the camcorder. I have attached a file to demonstrate this. In Auto mode, the dynamic stabiliser is the default, you cannot choose the normal one, so this strange behavior disturbs me, because you can only use that mode and the power mode. I never had a camcorder with such stabiliser modes, so I don't know if this is normal from the dynamic stabiliser or it became faulty. Anyway, when I zoom in the picture to a great distance, the stabiliser holds the object well, it doesn't shake, so in that sense there is no problem with the stabiliser. Only those situations when I am panning are problematic.

By the way, when the camcorder is switched off, and I tilt it forward, I can hear a click or a kind of rattle from the machinery. When I tilt it backwards, that click is audible again. When I switch the camcorder on, there is no noise like that at all. Is it possible the stabiliser got damaged? The camcorder repair service is 200km from me, I wouldn't take the machine there in case this is not a fault.

[intracube]

The stabiliser on my Canon HFS21 does the same. But the image 'rollback' is only noticeable if the camera is panned relatively smoothly. I think the Dynamic option is meant to be used when you can't avoid shaking the camera - the stabilisation is quite aggressive. Standard option is better for general use.

If you're using a tripod, you'll want to turn all stabilisation off as it can give adverse effects.

I also get the camera rattle you describe when mine is switched off - it sounds like a loose ball bearing. There's lots of comments online saying this is completely normal.

Hope that helped.

[Bencuri]

Thank you for your comment. This thing was quite strange for me, because so far I haven't met these kind of stabilisers. My other camcorders don't have that strong stabiliser, though. I thought of the rattle that the camcorder has fallen on the floor while it was inside the box, and the optical stabiliser got broken. I read somewhere if you drop the camcorder, the optical stabiliser is usually the first thing that will break.

[hech54]

I thought of the rattle that the camcorder has fallen on the floor while it was inside the box, and the optical stabiliser got broken. I read somewhere if you drop the camcorder, the optical stabiliser is usually the first thing that will break.

If you have your receipt, just take it back....stop looking for excuses.

I also get the camera rattle you describe when mine is switched off - it sounds like a loose ball bearing. There's lots of comments online saying this is completely normal.