Loosing the ability to focus with Sony EX-3

[Terje Rian]

Hello,

I have to agree with Mr. Wilkinson. In my opinion the Sony EX-3 is by far the most exiting camcorder out there (in it´s price range, of course). The focus issue is something Sony needs to address, and they know it. It´s the lack of response to this issue that´s my main concern, not the quality of the actual product. The EX-3 is, for anyone who has spent some time with it, a unique and superb product. (But I guess it helps to recognize it´s potential if you have experiences with other camcorders and different types of work challenges.)

Best,
Terje Rian

[Andrew Stone]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

Try as I might I was unable to reproduce this fault again on my EX3 this morning, it all worked perfectly as I went to and from macro to longer shots where I was using either full AF or (more typically for me) full manual. Focus behaved exactly as it should. I definitely had this issue late last week as reported above so it looks like it's intermittent on mine.

Rarely with computers are crashes random. The embedded operating system in the EX series cam is fouling up with the focus. The exact nature of the bugs haven't been determined for certain. It seems the only thing consistent about the (software) bug is that in happens when the camera has been in record mode for a long time. I think this business about switching back and forth between macro mode is a red herring along with the pulling of the focus ring from assisted manual to full manual and back again.

All the freezes I have had occurred shooting in one mode, say assisted manual and then after an hour or so the auto focus button wouldn't work and when I went to use the focus wheel, it didn't work as well.

I am sure Sony's software engineers are busy trying to reproduce the bugs with repeatable conditions so they can eliminate the issue ASAP. An issue like this has huge implications to a lot of departments in Sony's video division. I do think they will have a lot of difficulty selling this software fix as something the users will have to pay for given it makes the camera unsuitable to many in a production environment where big bucks and reputuations are at stake.

[James Dierx]

This happened to me twice yesterday on my 2nd shoot. It's a shame to have to turn the camera off. I thought it was broken.

[Stuart Boreham]

I have swapped lenses - the issue comes from the camera body. It disengages the servo clutch in the lens so that the ring spins and does not pick up and move the lens elements. Ours does it pretty much full time. Sony did not say they knew about it and I only found this thread after having called them but the service we have had from them so far has not exactly been good so quelle surprise.

So far, my issues are ex1 - battery drain, remote control not working , ex3 - 48v phantom not working, random renumbering of clips, focus not working. I am not feeling too chuffed at the moment.

s

[Andy Wilkinson]

Stuart, thanks for the useful, if very worrying information. Sony better get their Techies to cancel their Xmas holidays until this is sorted.

[Andrew Stone]

Originally Posted by Stuart Boreham

I have swapped lenses - the issue comes from the camera body. It disengages the servo clutch in the lens so that the ring spins and does not pick up and move the lens elements. Ours does it pretty much full time...

Really good info Stuart for the users and Sony.

[Markus Bo]

When I had the problem in early September they told me to disconnect and reconnect the lens but the problem wasn't resolved. Therefore they decided to change the camera. It's not that funny having a new cam with those failures but I am really glad to deal with Sony folks in the EU because they really want to help. With Canon I never had this service level. Maybe today or tomorrow I will report about another Sony service help concerning EX3.

Markus

[Kenny Cowburn]

Originally Posted by Ian Planchon

anyone notice if this is hapenning while coming out of the macro setting? cause it just happened to me three times, and every time it was when I would either turn the macro on or off.

its three days old, so I am just gonna send it back. hopefully the next one doesnt do it too!


edit--

I should describe it better, its when I slide the focus ring forward, then back that will get it to stop focusing. but not every time. I just spoke to someone else here in des moines who has the ex3 and theirs does it too. if a firmware update is coming out, might just be better to wait for that, rather then send it back twice. right?

Once again, I had the focus problem yesterday and this time, I had just switched out of macro mode.
knowing that the quick-fix is "power-down and reboot", I didn´t panick....
but like you´re all saying, this is a real pain in the @$$....

dunno if a petition to SONY would change anything...
any ideas?

[Ian Planchon]

Originally Posted by Kenny Cowburn

Once again, I had the focus problem yesterday and this time, I had just switched out of macro mode.
knowing that the quick-fix is "power-down and reboot", I didn´t panick....
but like you´re all saying, this is a real pain in the @$$....

dunno if a petition to SONY would change anything...
any ideas?

for me it seems to be strictly based on the macro mode. so I am good if I steer clear of that, or at least understand if I DO switch to macro, I WILL have to reboot.

cant wait for the new firmware though!

[Chris Clifton]

I sent my EX3 in to Thomas at Sony service for a back focus issue in Manual Focus mode. I had it back in 3 days. I'd set up the back focus via the manual instructions, but I was in Full MF mode when I did it. He set it up while in Auto Focus mode and it seems to have fixed the problem in any mode I'm in now. He did, however, say that there is a firmware update coming out Dec 6 for everybody---meanwhile, try doing the back focus procedure in Auto Focus mode and see if that works for you.

[Ian Planchon]

just heard back from a guy I used to work with who has an ex3, he said that he heard from some one else who spoke with a sony rep that turning off the manul focus assist in the menu will fix the focus issue some of us are having.

worth a shot at least.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Thanks Ian for the information! Will give it a try next time my EX3 decides to act up again on this one (it's still acting perfectly, I've only ever had this issue once so far, unlike some on this thread who have been much more unlucky.)

[Dave Tyrer]

Anyone heard any more about this supposed firmware upgrade that was due to appear on the 6th...or was the info innacurate?

[Andy Wilkinson]

I think the news today that Sony is cutting 8000 jobs may have delayed this one (and no doubt other imminent things in the Sony camp)....but that's only a guess. I've been in big multi-nationals when things like that hit and it's chaos for a while! Now I'm self employed I can create my own chaos......

[Barry J. Anwender]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

I think the news today that Sony is cutting 8000 jobs may have delayed this one (and no doubt other imminent things in the Sony camp)....but that's only a guess. I've been in big multi-nationals when things like that hit and it's chaos for a while! Now I'm self employed I can create my own chaos......

Endgaget is reporting 16,000 jobs cut, 8k permanent positions and 8k contract workers as well as 1/3 of manufacturing output. Then in January 09 major price increases to compensate for high Yen as well as high EU and US dollars. Pretty bleak news :-(