V1 and MN523Pro

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Guys, I need a very quick answer to this one, sorry for not putting it into the more general subforum:

Does the Manfrotto MN523Pro lanc controller work flawlessly with the V1, with all functions (eg. Push Auto Focus) active? If not, do the earlier models (like the MN521 or 522) work?

Thanks in advance

Piotr

[Piotr Wozniacki]

If the Manfrotto MN523Pro has problems with all functions working on the V1 (and I think I've heard something about the lanc voltages being incompatible), how about the new VCT-PG11RMB tripod? Its lanc controller certainly does work, but is the head quality comparable with the Manfrotto 503/525 "classic"?

I'd appreciate some feedback, as I'm making decisions right now!

[Zsolt Gordos]

Bebob's Zoe works perfect for me if that helps.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Just an update: the Manfrotto MN523Pro does NOT work with the V1E (it switches it off). Next Tuesday I will receive a revised unit from Manfrotto's design center here in Poland; I will be beta-testing it. Will update accordingly.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

I got three revised LANC cotrollers for testing from Manfrotto design center in Poland: the 521, 521Pro and 523Pro. The engineers informed me the voltages in the LANC hardware of V1E have been changed and didn't match with the original controllers, causing them to shut the camcorder down. Will be testing them; so far so good!

[Bob Grant]

For what it's worth we tried our V1 today with our rather ancient Varizoom LANC controllers, all worked as expected.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

For what it's worth we tried our V1 today with our rather ancient Varizoom LANC controllers, all worked as expected.

Same on our end; several LANC controllers here, and everything has a record/pause/standby indicator, and all of the cameras work identically. Other than Piotr's posts, there is nothing anywhere to indicate Sony has changed any aspect of their LANC protocol, including the LANC database website.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Guys, I think I mentioned it earlier (or maybe I didn't) - the problem with ALL Manfrotto controllers appeared only after the 25p fix has been applied. With earlier cameras, there was no problems at all. The Manfrotto guy has told me they had to move the voltages range down; with the orignal design, the voltage from the fixed V1E LANC socket is sending signals that are interpreted by the Manfrotto controllers as out of range, indicating error and causing the controller to switch the camera off in order to avoid damage to the LANC electronics.

Right now, I have the revised MN523Pro fixed to my Manfrotto 503/525 rig, and the small MN521Pro model - to my shoulder support. They both work flawlessly.

After several weeks of my testing - if all is well - the revised Manfrotto firmware will be put on all new controllers, and those who bought theirs in the meantime will be asked to send them for re-programming (if they have the bug).

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Good to hear the rest of the story, Piotr, as your original posts in other threads intimated the problem is with the V1, where the problem lies with a third-party vendor.
These threads become very confusing, so it's important to delineate specifically where the problem lies. Looking at the past post and looking at this one, one gets the impression that the problem is in the camcorder when it's actually in the Manfrotto controller, apparently only in Europe.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Douglas Spotted Eagle

Good to hear the rest of the story, Piotr, as your original posts in other threads intimated the problem is with the V1, where the problem lies with a third-party vendor.
These threads become very confusing, so it's important to delineate specifically where the problem lies. Looking at the past post and looking at this one, one gets the impression that the problem is in the camcorder when it's actually in the Manfrotto controller, apparently only in Europe.

Spot, perhaps you could change this thread title to "V1E after 25p fix, and the Manfrotto LANC controllers"?

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Piotr,
The issue has nothing to do with 25p. Nothing to do with updated firmware or software from Sony. Sony has changed nothing on the camcorder at any point in time that would have or does affect LANC functionality.
There is no point in changing the title of the thread, but it *is* important to note that the camera is not in any way responsible for changes that Manfrotto made within their controller system, that would have likely also had problems with other camcorders utilizing the LANC protocol as well.

To clarify, for those that might stumble upon this thread through Google or other search;

The LANC issue lies within design/component changes in the Manfrotto manufacturing process which Manfrotto has since corrected. There is no connection between LANC and 24p, 25p, 30p, 50i, or 60i from the V1 or any other camcorder, with or without regard to the Manfrotto MN523.
Canon's LANC controllers, Sony's LANC controllers, Bebob's LANC controllers, Giottos, Zoe, HypEye, HyperCam, CamEye, HiPod, Varizoom, Signvideo LANC controllers all function as expected with the V1.

LANC is a protocol, licensed by Sony to Canon and other devices. Sony hasn't changed the protocol for the V1.

[Chris Hurd]

Sorry for not catching this earlier -- moved to Remote Lens Controllers where it belongs.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Douglas Spotted Eagle

Piotr,
The issue has nothing to do with 25p. Nothing to do with updated firmware or software from Sony. Sony has changed nothing on the camcorder at any point in time that would have or does affect LANC functionality.
There is no point in changing the title of the thread, but it *is* important to note that the camera is not in any way responsible for changes that Manfrotto made within their controller system, that would have likely also had problems with other camcorders utilizing the LANC protocol as well.

To clarify, for those that might stumble upon this thread through Google or other search;

The LANC issue lies within design/component changes in the Manfrotto manufacturing process which Manfrotto has since corrected. There is no connection between LANC and 24p, 25p, 30p, 50i, or 60i from the V1 or any other camcorder, with or without regard to the Manfrotto MN523.
Canon's LANC controllers, Sony's LANC controllers, Bebob's LANC controllers, Giottos, Zoe, HypEye, HyperCam, CamEye, HiPod, Varizoom, Signvideo LANC controllers all function as expected with the V1.

LANC is a protocol, licensed by Sony to Canon and other devices. Sony hasn't changed the protocol for the V1.

Spot, I never said the issue had anything in common with 25p as such. I said what I could witness myself, and what was later confirmed by Manfrotto: all Sony cameras, including the latest FX7E and V1E before modification, work well with Manfrotto controllers.

All modified (because of 25p flaw) V1E's are being switched off after a couple of seconds by Manfrotto LANC controllers, which still work fine with all the others.

[Cees Vermeulen]

Originally Posted by Piotr Wozniacki

Spot, I never said the issue had anything in common with 25p as such. I said what I could witness myself, and what was later confirmed by Manfrotto: all Sony cameras, including the latest FX7E and V1E before modification, work well with Manfrotto controllers.

All modified (because of 25p flaw) V1E's are being switched off after a couple of seconds by Manfrotto LANC controllers, which still work fine with all the others.

I found this thread because I was having problems with my Sony FX7-E and the Manfrotto 521 PRO.

My experience is, that the FX7-E also is having problems with the LANC controller from Manfrotto.
It switches the camera off, however the first time after using it for about 30 minutes, and then when you try to continue, it then takes about 10 and 5 minutes to switch off. When filming without the remote, the camera does not switch off.
I was filming outdoor, with about 10 degrees Celsius, so maybe the sensitivity of the safety switchoff threshold may be temperature sensitive as well.

So in my opinion,the Sony FX7-E in combination with the Manfrotto 521 pro is definitely having problems and the problem is not exclusively a V1 problem.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Cees, thank you for your feedback - I'll report this back to Manfrotto!