So good that I can even forgive you for spelling my name wrong in the end credits!

might be easier if you change your spelling for me?

no thanks. It took me long enough to learn to spell it the right way.

see my problem. but now thousands of people think you are kubaklsy might be best for you in your film career.

well first you'll have to decide on which of your -NOW TWO! spelling mistake to go with, kubalksy or kubaklsy?

they all look fine to me mr klubaksy.

will change the credits when i get a chance

my ex1 has gone off to Sony in Paris to be fixed.

The LCD just died, it was intermittent for a few hours then packed in, anyone else come across this?

Whilst there it is getting most of the body replaced as the paint has come off, which i am assured is now fixed, also the handle has become loose, the screw doing nothing to tighten it.

Hope it comes back soon! At least I have my original one which also needs to go in for the paint, got a nice new Letus Ultimate Prototype Mark 2 to try out on it this weekend!

The LCD just died, it was intermittent for a few hours then packed in, anyone else come across this?


This is a disturbing development. Really makes me suspicious of Sony's QC. These cameras seem to be all over the map as far as build quality is concerned. Here's to hoping mine's not a lemon as well. So far so good (fingers crossed).

it is hopefully a one off. My other one has done about 180 hours and has no problems

Was this camera the first one you got, therefore a very early production model?

no this was the second one i got. But sony prime support are superb so am certain it will be back better than ever. Maybe they will turn it into an ex3 for me...

Maybe they will turn it into an ex3 for me...

Then I'll be hoping my lcd goes out as well!!

would get these little problems out of the way~ paint hum! Ultimate 2 should be an improvement and the first one wasn't bad at all. I always said you deserve an EX3 ~ free!

I had to pack my EX1 up today and ship it back to Sony.....after only 2 weeks. I had one of the older serial numbers (102393) and the paint was coming off of the roller/select control already in spite of my trying to use the joystick instead. However, yesterday I found a piece of crud somewhere inside the lens. I never noticed it earlier but discovered it by shooting into an open blue sky, stopping down to around f11 to f16 and zooming all the way to the widest setting. Shooting wide open and zoomed all the way to telephoto would hide the crud or render it so blurry that you couldn't see it. When I viewed it on a larger monitor, I saw even more dust on the image. Depressing.

Also, what amount of Chromatic Aberation is considered "normal" with this lens? I can see very, very slight red and green fringes in some of my shots were there is a hard edged object in the frame. I'm guessing they will replace this lens or, like Philip, they will wave the Sony wand over it and magically change it into an EX3. ;)

Phil
do you think you lcd dying has anything to do with the firewire issue? Thats how mine died.

Andrew, what firewire issue are you speaking of...I have not heard of this nor seen a thread about it...

I plugged a firewire cable into the camera while it was turned on, and proceeded to fry a circuit and my LCD and EVF died. Sent it back to Sony, when it came back I had a polite note warning about this.

A post on Blooms blog about it, http://tinyurl.com/6paztg

That is SO weird. It must be something else causing these shorts as there is no power on the 4-pin end of the cable.

@Dave: 4 pin no power - THATs exactly what I said!

But Mark on Bloom's blog said it was a result of static charge. Pointing us to an ESD firewire protector...

BUT Bloom said that his Mac wouldn't recognize his 350 with the Kramer spike protector in line

UGH. This all happened to me the first month I had my EX1. AND the LCD and EVF died the night before a big 2 camera shoot. Again, thanks to Adobe OnLocation and its holy-crap thats a long delay for bailing my ass out of a jam.

I was really surprised that the EX1 only uses the Firewire for streaming output. I was hoping to speed up some of the file transfers out of the camera by using the FW port. I even tried hooking it up but my Mac did not see the camera nor the cards. Oh well, it's USB for me unless I'm sticking the cards into my MacBook Pro.

it would have to be FW 800 to make a sh!t of difference, FW400 is actually a tiny bit slower than USB 2 (480)

The FW port IMO is quite useless, unless someone like Focus Enhancements delivers a Firestore with a huge hard drive... AND Sony updates the firmware to send all flavours of resolution beyond 1080i

Phil
do you think you lcd dying has anything to do with the firewire issue? Thats how mine died.

never used the firewire on me ex1. the evf was still working, just the lcd died

it would have to be FW 800 to make a sh!t of difference, FW400 is actually a tiny bit slower than USB 2 (480)

The FW port IMO is quite useless, unless someone like Focus Enhancements delivers a Firestore with a huge hard drive... AND Sony updates the firmware to send all flavours of resolution beyond 1080i

This thing gets kicked around quite a bit, but these speed differences are SO hardware dependent. Here's the Wikipedia entry on the comparison of USB and FW 400:

<begin quoted text>
Comparison to USB

Although high-speed USB 2.0 runs at a higher signaling rate (480 Mbit/s) than FireWire 400, typical USB PC-hosts rarely exceed sustained transfers of 35 MB/s (280 Mbit/s), with 30 MB/s (240 Mbit/s) being more typical (the theoretical limit for a USB 2 high-speed bulk transfer is 53.125 MB/s). This is likely due to USB's reliance on the host-processor to manage low-level USB protocol, whereas FireWire delegates the same tasks to the interface hardware. For example, the FireWire host interface supports memory-mapped devices, which allows high-level protocols to run without loading the host CPU with interrupts and buffer-copy operations.[17]
<end quoted text>

I don't really care either way. All I'm looking for is the fastest/safest way to xfer files from the camera to my desktop Mac without having to buy the reader. I'm loving the speed of the xfers using the ExpressCard slot on my MacBook Pro, however.

FireWire 800 is substantially faster than Hi-Speed USB.[18]

There is a new short up called "love from southend..." you can see it on my website and on my blog here: http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/5/17_Letus_Ultimate_Protype_MK2_%26_Southend_Film.html

Made using the new Ultimate prototype and it also talks about my failed attempt to do a dolly timelapse...that is the next challenge!

I have decided to run a little film short competition. To get people away from talking about specs and stuff and actually go out there and film.

Find out how to enter here:

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/5/21_Bloom_Forum_Film_Competition.html

interview with me about the ex1 and letus ultimate here

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/5/23_Interview_with_me_about_the_EX1_and_Letus_Ultimate.html

interview with me about the ex1 and letus ultimate here

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/5/23_Interview_with_me_about_the_EX1_and_Letus_Ultimate.html

Hi Phil,
like the interview - especially you are very true with your last comments about the Internet...
Indeed it is a great chance bringing people and communities together (like on this forum) and meeting real faces at NAB instead of just know an e-mail adress is for sure exiting...
I always enjoy such meetings during NAB and IBC for seeing people. (although I wasn'y at NAB this year)

So IBC will be next occasion...

Ulli

Dear Phil,

I work with a large broadcaster, that edits on Avid Symphony. They ingest tapes 1/50th of the quality and then do a conform at the end. Is there anyway this can be done with XDCAM? I called the machine room and they say that tapeless systems are really complicated and so they'll continue only working on tape for the time being. Archiving to Blu-ray or XDCAM doesn't work for them.

I'd love to buy the camera, but can't see how I can get the work-flow to work. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed.

All the best.

JJB

not with the ex1 i dont think as there are no proxies, unless you ingest real time through hd sdi. The f355 and f350 have proxies which can be edited with like this

This is a must read!

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/6/8_Lets_make_this_the_Ultimate_wedding_list!!.html

If everyone on this thread could help out we could make their day pretty special and set them up for the future

Dear Phil,

I work with a large broadcaster, that edits on Avid Symphony. They ingest tapes 1/50th of the quality and then do a conform at the end. Is there anyway this can be done with XDCAM? I called the machine room and they say that tapeless systems are really complicated and so they'll continue only working on tape for the time being. Archiving to Blu-ray or XDCAM doesn't work for them.

I'd love to buy the camera, but can't see how I can get the work-flow to work. Any suggestions would be warmly welcomed.

All the best.

JJB
low size Proxies are "automatic" with XDcam HD, when working with blueray recorders.
You will not have any other solution than recording the SD quality out of the camera or re-compress you HD footage to something smaller, which could be time and computer ressources consuming.
Maybe you should use the componant output connected to a DV recorder and send them the tape so they can work in their 10 years old editing solution :)
by the way, importing your footage in final cut server and creting a proxy should do the trick but I don't know if they have the same thing in Avid. Pretty sure they do have the same thing :)

just ordered this new shoulder mount. Looks great

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GLIDERS-Shoulder-stand-stabilizer-support-pad-new_W0QQitemZ140242175995QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140242175995&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

My love affair with my EX1 has hit a large snag

Basically my beloved camera with serial number 3 has been lost after it was being sent in for repair.

UPS picked it up, it got lost. Sony say I need proof that UPS picked it up. The tracking number says it was picked up but that isn't enough for UPS incredibly!!!

Not very nice really!

My love affair with my EX1 has hit a large snag

Basically my beloved camera with serial number 3 has been lost after it was being sent in for repair.

UPS picked it up, it got lost. Sony say I need proof that UPS picked it up. The tracking number says it was picked up but that isn't enough for UPS incredibly!!!

Not very nice really!

time to get an EX3 dude :)

this web site doesn't work....

Don't you have a hard copy receipt from UPS?
Did you insure it?
Tracking number should track whether it's delivered or not.
If not, UPS is responsible but they only cover the insured amount.

I always insure, always get paper receipt, always ship some method which requires proof of delivery (in other words I don't ship ground).

Basically if you UPS doesn't show it as delivered it's their responsibility, if they do, it's Sony's.

My love affair with my EX1 has hit a large snag

Basically my beloved camera with serial number 3 has been lost after it was being sent in for repair.

UPS picked it up, it got lost. Sony say I need proof that UPS picked it up. The tracking number says it was picked up but that isn't enough for UPS incredibly!!!

Not very nice really!

My love affair with my EX1 has hit a large snag

Basically my beloved camera with serial number 3 has been lost after it was being sent in for repair.

UPS picked it up, it got lost. Sony say I need proof that UPS picked it up. The tracking number says it was picked up but that isn't enough for UPS incredibly!!!

Not very nice really!

that's insane! how can you prove it any more? Damn, even if its replaced its not the no.3.

If UPS shows the pickup, and you are insured, it is there issue, hands down.

Been through this a few times. They have always reimbursed.

Scott K.

just ordered this new shoulder mount. Looks great

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GLIDERS-Shoulder-stand-stabilizer-support-pad-new_W0QQitemZ140242175995QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140242175995&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Indeed looks great for the price. Please keep us informed how it performs!

Judging from the pictures, the camera tends to aim downwards a bit - and I can't see any adjustment for the tilt angle...

My love affair with my EX1 has hit a large snag

Basically my beloved camera with serial number 3 has been lost after it was being sent in for repair.

UPS picked it up, it got lost. Sony say I need proof that UPS picked it up. The tracking number says it was picked up but that isn't enough for UPS incredibly!!!

Not very nice really!

If you've got a receipt of pick-up, you'll be fine! It's just a hassle to deal with this kind of madness. Follow the paper work!

Indeed looks great for the price. Please keep us informed how it performs!

Judging from the pictures, the camera tends to aim downwards a bit - and I can't see any adjustment for the tilt angle...

just got it. Will try it out over the week

also check out this http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Blooms_Blog/Blooms_Blog/Entries/2008/6/30_Sony_Roadshow.html

you can see me AND buy me drinks. How cool is that?

If you've got a receipt of pick-up, you'll be fine! It's just a hassle to deal with this kind of madness. Follow the paper work!

UPS admit picking it up and losing it. Ho Hum. Got a loan unit finally

Just heard that Letus is going to post the Ultimate for sale on their site tonight with some other goodies.

I just posted 3 new blog entires with the infamous "Ultimate Autopsy" as one of those entries. Check out the inner workings of the Ultimate. @
http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve_Cahills_Blog/Blog/Entries/2008/6/29_Ultimate_Autopsy.html

Oh man. I'm tempted to use my credit card now....

Just heard that Letus is going to post the Ultimate for sale on their site tonight with some other goodies.


It does look nice, but $4500 is a ball buster, the internals looks like the adaptor cost wise
to manufacture around $500...

Looks like a great opertunity from that Company in India copying all the other video goodies
and putting them on Ebay to be able to copy the Ultimate and sell it for less than $1000 ...

You may be correct in that assumption, but you have to find all the parts, spec them and or manufacture them. The time to do all this is $$$. Not to mention copyright issues, patents, intellectual property of Letus and taking food from the table of the inventors.

I challange you to purchase the adapter and then supply a list of the vendors that manufacture the parts that make up the Ultimate. Not a easy task.

Wow Steve, that is one hell of a video! So sharp! unfortunately i'm never gonna be able to afford one =(

Wow Steve, that is one hell of a video! So sharp! unfortunately i'm never gonna be able to afford one =(

Yes its a great clip, and the adaptor seems to work perfectly. But the price is way over the top for the majority of shooters on here. I personally feel they are alienating many of their customers by charging so much for it.

Sell 200 at $4500 = $900,000, or sell 2000 at $1800 = $3,600,000

Keep the price down and make bigger bucks.

Steve

Yes, I'm not condoning the practice, but its not hard to see that India and China do this type of stuff every day....

If your in the manufacturing business its not hard at all to find all of the pieces you need
for this setup...

In my industry there are " second source " companies that come around every week with
exact copies of hardware that are very very hard to produce, offering the second source
product at drasticly reduced prices... it suprises me how good some companies are at reverse engineering.

If the Ultimate was being offered at a price point where a second source company could not
make much of a profit then it wouldn't be such an easy choice for a knockoff as the profit
margin wouldn't be enough incentive...

But with a price differential of $4500 assembly to ~ $500 in parts... I think you get the picture... I'm betting it wont take long...

Steve nice piece on Life Lion they are great people.

When you used the Century Fisheye in the chopper was it on the EX1? And no problems? I am ready to order and your video could push me over.