Thanks for the suggestion of turning off Marco. This is one of the first things I did after noticing the issue. The back focus problem is there if marco is left to its default "on" or turned off.

Thanks again . . .

Ian

Carefully inspect the lens-mounting flange and lens, then a check must be made on the rear element of a lens for any mis alignment to the camera focal plane

I don't understand why people are trying to make this problem out as a back focus problem, my understanding of back focus doesn't have anything to do with the problem described by the users on this thread. Mounting the lens correctly doesn't have anything to do with an anomaly that renders part of the frame softer than other parts of the frame. To me, this describes a lens that is fundamentally malfunctioning and isn't up to spec.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but from Bruce's and Marshall's description, zooming out full wide doesn't exhibit any noticeable anomaly, that it is in the range of 70-80% tele. Also, doing the back focus flange adjustment as per described by the manual in camera doesn't fix the problem. That would eliminate the possibility of a back focus issue, and thus we have a lens that isn't working the way any of us would expect it too.

As for me, this issue is the only thing that is holding me back from buying this cam and I am not really interested in any other cameras at the moment. I would greatly appreciate any update on this. Thanks in advance.

We've had our Z7U for a little over a month now but had not come across this problem yet since we haven't really stretched it's legs yet. We've got a shoot booked next week where we were are needing to employ narrow DOF. So this issue makes me a bit nervous.

I've been keeping my eye on this thread the last couple of days and finally got around to doing the test myself. Below is are links to the stills including an enhanced comparison of the left, center and right areas of the frame.

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z7ucamtestpi7.jpg
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z7ucamtestcomparesg1.jpg

I guess you can count me in as one of the problem cases. I'll be talking to my local reseller but I would appreciate being kept in the loop on any response from Sony.

Thank you Bruce and Marshall for spearheading this issue for us.

My prediction is that Sony is going to say this is normal for the lens and they will not do anything about it. Marshall has been working 25/7 on some of these issues and I appreciate it, but I would be pleasantly surprised if Sony even agrees there are any issues or problems.

Bruce

Got the "repaired" cam in.... The left side does not blur, but now any blacks on the right side are grey. Move the focus chart to the left and the black is black move it to the right and it turns hazy grey.

Hmmm... having said I thought the problem had gone away, I did some more tests and found it's still there. (The blur at wide end of the zoom, exactly as outlined in this thread.) I sent some stills to Sony PrimeSupport in the UK and they accepted it was a problem over the phone. They are forwarding the tests to Japan for comment. I should hear on Tuesday/Wednesday.

Thanks to all those pushing to get this sorted.

Below is are links to the stills including an enhanced comparison of the left, center and right areas of the frame.

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z7ucamtestpi7.jpg
http://img370.imageshack.us/my.php?image=z7ucamtestcomparesg1.jpg


Left object, upper-left spoke has more CA than any other part of the image.

While it's normal for there to be CA -- it should be symetrical around the center.

anything new on this thread, i have been seeing a overall softness to our images and i am trying to think if i should change manufacturers or is there a "sony" fix
joe

This thread appears to have died... Any news on what is going on with the lens issue? I'm pretty sure my camera has the same problem, there is definitely some blurring on the left side of the lens when zoomed all the way out. Has SONY acknowledged the problem? and are they fixing it?

Max Carlson,

Register you camera on Sony's website, if you haven't already, with the model number, serial number, etc. Then contact Sony Repair service center (for you, in California) and ship your camera to Sony for lens repair. I am told it only takes a couple weeks and Sony will repair the lens focus problems that have plagued the early versions of this camera. Good luck.

This thread appears to have died... Any news on what is going on with the lens issue? I'm pretty sure my camera has the same problem, there is definitely some blurring on the left side of the lens when zoomed all the way out. Has SONY acknowledged the problem? and are they fixing it?

Sony has had both of my Z7 cams back several times. They have had 1 of them right now for 2 weeks and are supposedly sending me a new replacement, we'll see if it fares any better. I actually just went back to the Z1 as my primary cam on the last 2 shoots since the Z7 hasn't shown much benefit over the Z1 to me up to this point.

Sony has had both of my Z7 cams back several times. They have had 1 of them right now for 2 weeks and are supposedly sending me a new replacement, we'll see if it fares any better. I actually just went back to the Z1 as my primary cam on the last 2 shoots since the Z7 hasn't shown much benefit over the Z1 to me up to this point.

how did you find going back to your Z1 Bruce

how did you find going back to your Z1 Bruce

Off the top of my head.....

Image wise they have seemed to be pretty much the same except in dark situations at telephoto where the Z7 stops to 2.0 and Z1 stops to 2.8. The built in lens of the Z1 zooms and focuses manually on servo MUCH faster than the Z7 which is a necessity for Lanc and run and gun use. I find on shoots I am getting to my composition and sharp focus several seconds or more faster than the Z7 which is big for me. I can use the CO zoom thru WA bayonet mount on the Z1 and the fact that Sony changed the 72MM bayonet mount on the Z7 so you can't use Z1 72MM adapters is bullcrap in itself much less the fact that you still can't even get a proper WA adapter for it months after release.

Z1 uses color peaking and Z7 downgrades to Wite/Black only which is virtually useless on the tiny & glossy LCD screen. Yeah it is nice that there are more pixels on the screen, but with the small size, gloss and useless black peaking all the screen does is trick you into thinking you are in focus when you are not. IMO the larger LCD on the Z1 and red peaking trump the Z7 yet again.

I like the CF recorder, but SONY Vegas doesn't work well at all with them, so even though I was one of the first to take delivery of these cams I still have to capture all the tapes anyway. The CF also gets hot as fire, which is why I think the extended batteries run time is significantly shorter than on the Z1.

Actually on the last 2 shoots the only thing I recall missing from the Z7 is the live histogram.

I noticed on the Z1 when zoomed in the iris decreases i have had it go below 2.8 i wonder is there anyway to disable this so you can open the iris all the way
I have always been using a pro lens and could always zoom in and open the iris to what i liked so when i picked up a z1 or z7 for the first time i thought i was doing something wrong but i guess i wasn't

Rob

I had some general concerns as well, however, after purchasing and watching the Z7U Instructional video from Vortex Media, I felt real comfortable with the camera.

I noticed on the Z1 when zoomed in the iris decreases i have had it go below 2.8 i wonder is there anyway to disable this so you can open the iris all the way
I have always been using a pro lens and could always zoom in and open the iris to what i liked so when i picked up a z1 or z7 for the first time i thought i was doing something wrong but i guess i wasn't

Rob

I think thats how it is, the more you zoom in the darker it gets.