Wondering if anyone has had any word about delivery dates for the EX3 yet? Ordered mine but B&H have had no word from Sony yet. Trying to time flights around collection from NY.

TIA,

Jus.

IF this was Apple you would hear - JULY 22nd at 9AM !!
.. and well in advance.
Alas, it's Sony. No news whatsover. Very poor customer information as usual.

But I do keep hearing the 22nd from my dealer.

As it happens, I just got an email from BH saying the following:

"Please be advised that we are expecting in the “SONY PMW-EX3 XDCAM-EX HD CAMCORDER” you have on backorder by the end of next week."

YEY!!! Triple YEY!!! [Don't ask me what YEY means, I'm just happy]. Hope the back focus is okay, the paint doesn't flake off, the microphone mount doesn't break, there are no vignetting issues, I'm not too bothered by rolling shutter, the lens seals are adequate...

Justin,

Please report when your camera is listed as "shipping" or anything other than backorder. Also, how long ago did you purchase yours from B&H? I'm curious about how long I might need to wait for mine - just purchased yesterday.

Thanks,

Ted

IF this was Apple you would hear - JULY 22nd at 9AM !!
.. and well in advance.
Alas, it's Sony. No news whatsover. Very poor customer information as usual.

But I do keep hearing the 22nd from my dealer.

I though that if it were apple we wouldn't even be talking about an EX3 since no information would be available about it until the end of the month when they started taking orders and had already shipped some to retail locations... and then we would all have to sell our EX1's (that we bought since we didnt know to wait for an EX3) at a loss to buy an EX3 when it came out without notice and the EX1 price went down because of it. no? :)

Is this the iPhone forum? 'cause I have a few questions...

Is this the iPhone forum? 'cause I have a few questions...

Don't start me on iPhones.... AT&T stores have no idea when they will receive stock and my closest Apple store with stock was out of stock by a few minutes after 10 am.

But I do know that EX-3 shipments have started. I ordered mine today but my dealer does not know when they are scheduled to receive their first shipment.

Ned Soltz

That's awesome news! I was looking for confirmation of them shipping. I ordered mine a couple days ago and have absolutely no patience for this sort of thing. You know, the waiting part.

I think I will stick my neck out and also stick with the 22nd July still.

I ordered my Ex-3 three weeks ago and my dealer is still thinking the end of next week for taking delivery. If it's earlier great!

As for the iPhone, I sold my old iphone on ebay on Monday - so now I have to line up for an hour tomorrow morning - the things we do for the latest stuff heh!

I think I will stick my neck out and also stick with the 22nd July still.

I ordered my Ex-3 three weeks ago and my dealer is still thinking the end of next week for taking delivery. If it's earlier great!

As for the iPhone, I sold my old iphone on ebay on Monday - so now I have to line up for an hour tomorrow morning - the things we do for the latest stuff heh!

Chat with Dallas Northpark Apple Store:
Hi, do you have any iPhones?
No., we've been sold out for two days.
When do you expect another shipment?
We're not allowed to release that information to the public.
I'm not the public-- I'm a stockholder and a journalist.
Click

EX3's though are definitely on the way.

We're not allowed to release that information to the public.
I'm not the public-- I'm a stockholder and a journalist.
Click

Ha! Nice try Ned. I missed the meeting last week as I was in Houston.

-gb-

Justin,

Please report when your camera is listed as "shipping" or anything other than backorder. Also, how long ago did you purchase yours from B&H? I'm curious about how long I might need to wait for mine - just purchased yesterday.

Thanks,

Ted

I had my order confirmed on June 26th.

Jus.

Got my iPhone today...

and hopefully the EX-3 the end of next week

Ned

Ned, I got my iPhone yesterday on Miami Beach, after a one hour wait in the heat and then another hour inside the store - was it worth it? Of course !!

My local Sony dealer, Midtown Video now tell me my Ex-3 will arrive tomorrow - What a week.

I had absolutely NO WAIT at Dallas Northpark store. There was a sign outside saying No iPhones today. I went in and asked anyway. They had just unboxed shipment which arrived moments before and I got the last one in the box. In fact, they waited for me as I had to call wife on old phone to tell her I was porting number.

Your dealer must be higher on the allocation list than mine since I was told end of next week! Please post your initial impressions and good luck.

Ned

As it happens, I just got an email from BH saying the following:

"Please be advised that we are expecting in the “SONY PMW-EX3 XDCAM-EX HD CAMCORDER” you have on backorder by the end of next week."

YEY!!! Triple YEY!!! [Don't ask me what YEY means, I'm just happy]. Hope the back focus is okay, the paint doesn't flake off, the microphone mount doesn't break, there are no vignetting issues, I'm not too bothered by rolling shutter, the lens seals are adequate...

Justin,

Did you receive your EX3 this week?

My supplier, a friendly Chicago company, is shipping my EX3 this afternoon.

My Ex-3 is here !!

Just picked it up from my local dealer - the camera is already out of the box and I am drooling all over it. I can confirm that it does ship with a 8G card - though it does not appear on the pick-list.

Well, the weekend is here, so you all know what I will be doing for two days!!

Have fun! Hopefully, in 2 weeks time I'll be doing the same (hope our awfull English summer improves by then!)

"First week in August" was the last I heard (a few weeks ago) from Jigsaw24, my supplier and DVinfo's UK sponsor.

I'm shaking with excitement! I can't wait!! Jon, thanks for confirming the 8GB SxS - I was concerned about that one.

Jon, and Mike - did you pre-order? If so, how long was the wait?

Thanks

Justin,

Did you receive your EX3 this week?

No - and I'm a bit pissed off to say the least. B&H were entirely non-committal about 'the way forward' so I guess I'm down to waiting. I was there personally today.

Still, did some shopping at Calumet and Fotocare (Sunbounce reflectors - nice!), and did a lot of (sweaty) walking around town.

Anyone else get any B&H joy? I thought I was high inthe queue...


Jus.

My Ex-3 is here !!

I can confirm that it does ship with a 8G card - though it does not appear on the pick-list.


Hope that's included with all of them - or will B&H take them out (since they are no longer listed as included although I swear they were originally)?

I'm off to sulk.

Jus.

Justin

Sorry to hear that. Not just for you, but for me as well. I didn't get mine ordered until last week, so there's no telling how long I'll need to wait. Though, I hope B&H ordered a couple hundred and they'll be able to fill all our orders at once!

My last four cams all came from B & H, but I went local for my EX-3, mainly for the Sony support I may need. My local dealer had 4 units on order and I put a deposit on #3 about 5 weeks ago. They told me deliveries will be small and limited for a few weeks. I am not holding too much hope for B & H to receive huge supplies. A realistic delivery date if you ordered in the last week, would be end of August...but you never know. I do know my local dealer was one of first to receive the EX-3.

Not sure why the 8g Card is not listed with the parts manifest, and Sony would not confirm it's inclusion when I first ordered. So it's nice to see the card included.

My concern is that my lovely Kata backpak does not hold the EX-3. I have taken this Kata bag all over Asia (where I mostly film) - so I am bummed. I really like this bag. It's the big square shape with rolling wheels that detach. The EX-3's large viewfinder is mostly to blame. So recommends on a backpak would be great. I cannot use hardcases, as I often film in hostile locations with limited gear.

Good luck on your orders - keep pestering them!

A realistic delivery date if you ordered in the last week, would be end of August...but you never know. I do know my local dealer was one of first to receive the EX-3.

Well I ordered mine almost immediately in late June once I was informed that the books were open. In fact, I ordered the same morning I was told (June 26th I believe) so I'm hopeful that I might receive one sooner rather than later. I guess even large firms like Sony are no better at pinning down production deadlines than anyone else!

Hope everyone who got theirs this weekend is enjoying getting to know the rig. As for bags, I went Petrol for now.

Jus.

Normally I like to get my camera when they first come out but I am more than happy at the moment with my EX1 so I am holding onto it for this year. I do a lot of handheld at weddings and the EX1 is a pain in the ass after a while, but I use a monopod and it solves the problem most of the time, unless I am walking aling and snag the base of the monopod on the ground and ruin a shot!!!

I will sell my EX1 on ebay around Chrismas and buy the Ex3 before next years wedding season starts. The price would have dropped a fair chunck by then and any teething problems hopefully ironed out.

I paid £4500 for my EX1 the week it came out. Today I can buy a new EX1 for £3800.

I expect a similar sized drop for the EX3 once it's been out a few months.

So wait I will.

I spoke with a somewhat helpful B&H customer service person today. He indicated the following:

They haven't received any EX3's yet, but they are expecting a shipment of EX3's soon. He can't say for sure when the shipment from Sony will arrive, but this week is expected.

Their earliest pre-order was seven weeks ago - and that customer will recieve the first and so forth.

As of today, thrity-six have been pre-ordered by customers (I'm toward the end of that list). The order that they are awaiting includes more than enough cameras to cover all the pre-orders.

So, if Sony delivers the whole order to B&H (as B&H currently expects), then all the pre-orders will be filled immediately. That means this week.

On the other hand (there's always another hand), Sony could ship them a parial order instead of a full order.

So, this week is most likely, but there is a chance of a indefinite delay.

Justin, not sure where you are on the list, but probably pretty high. You're more likely than I am to get yours in the next few days. Try not to drool on it when you unpack it!

I spoke with a somewhat helpful B&H customer service person today. He indicated the following:

They haven't received any EX3's yet, but they are expecting a shipment of EX3's soon. He can't say for sure when the shipment from Sony will arrive, but this week is expected.

Their earliest pre-order was seven weeks ago - and that customer will recieve the first and so forth.

As of today, thrity-six have been pre-ordered by customers (I'm toward the end of that list). The order that they are awaiting includes more than enough cameras to cover all the pre-orders.

So, if Sony delivers the whole order to B&H (as B&H currently expects), then all the pre-orders will be filled immediately. That means this week.

On the other hand (there's always another hand), Sony could ship them a parial order instead of a full order.

So, this week is most likely, but there is a chance of a indefinite delay.

Justin, not sure where you are on the list, but probably pretty high. You're more likely than I am to get yours in the next few days. Try not to drool on it when you unpack it!

Thanks. I spoke again today and got someone happier to talk to. He indicated that Wednesday looked likely and that if not, he would have Sony email me and suggest a delivery date (which would be amazing if he could pull that off).

I find it hard to believe that someone pre-ordered 7 weeks ago although I don't doubt that was what you were told. I booked the day they opened the books on June 26th. In any case, I'll shut up for now and allow due process to take place. Guess I'm keen to get on with things. Given the range of gear I've just got, I've a lot to live up to as it is so its time stop blabbing and time to conserve energy for creativity.

OT: Has anyone else picked up any of the 'Wholphin' DVDs lately? They're collections of short films and vary wildly in content and treatment and are right up my street, so to speak. Just discovered them and managed to snag the first 5 volumes today to wade through.

Jus.

So where are all the production EX3 hands on reviews? There must be quite a few out there now. Enquiring minds want to know :D

I am surprised by the lack of news on EX-3 deliveries - am I the only one who took delivery?

And no in-depth reviews so far as I can see. It is quite a low-key debut for the EX-3.

I havent managed to spend too much time this weekend with the EX-3 unfortunately. I can say that the ergonomics are great - the right balance, and the tools I use are all there right on the camera instead of being buried deep in a menu.
Although I am in Miami, I do not shoot here - but the new viewfinder is incredible in strong sunlight. In fact, this is one of my main reasons for the upgrade to EX-3, among many others of course.
I am looking into other lens options along with the supplied adapter. I will not pick another lens for a while yet though - my dealer was shooting some EX-3 stuff with a long Canon lens and may post the results.

The LCD does make the EX-3 a handful for carrying and the bag options out there are a worry. I thought my old Kata bag could hold it, so that's a pain. Again, havent seen any EX-3 specific bags yet.

When I ordered in early June, my dealer was very accurate with the delivery date and kept to it - in fact he was 4 days early. No idea why B & H are still without stock but they must be on their way this week.

The LCD does make the EX-3 a handful for carrying and the bag options out there are a worry. I thought my old Kata bag could hold it, so that's a pain. Again, havent seen any EX-3 specific bags yet.

Jon, I guess that with a delicate thing like the LCD always unfolded, the best choice would be some hard case.

As to the EX3 ergonomics: with the camera on your shoulder, does your right arm feel comfortable? I mean, from the early photos and Phil's video, it requires the elbow to get extremely "tight", if you know what I mean...

Also, how is the weight spread - with the semi-shoulder design, does your shoulder take enough of the camera gravity, or is it front-heavy?

Jon,

I have a Petrol and a Porta-Brace bag sitting empty. If they work at all, they'll be too large, I'm afraid as they were designed for large ENG cameras with removeable lenses, not this much more compact one.

My point, though, is that they have built in hard pockets for the viewfinder. This worked great on the JVC-HD100/HD200 series cameras, and even though this viewfinder might be too large, this type of design should serve the EX-3 well.

Also, I'm in Tampa - who is your Miami dealer?? Can't seem to find a dealer from the Sony website.

Jon can you please keep us updated on any findings on the EX3? Have you checked for any possible back focus issues or the battery drain problem?

And when you mentioned ergonomics - did you shoot handheld for a long time? How did it feel?

The world out there is waiting for some answers......

Is not a HB-207 but it fits the XL-H1 with mattebox attached

http://16x9inc.com/products/16x9/169-cb2.html

When I used the EX3 I found it easier to hold for long periods than my EX1. Although only a small amount of the weight is taken by your shoulder the fact that you are not using your muscles to balance the camera makes it less fatiguing. Also in effect you use both arms to support the front end of the camera while your shoulder takes the weight of the rear. With a heavier lens it will be a different story as the center of gravity of the camera will be further forward.

Take a look at the DVMultiRig Junior (www.dvtec.tv) as this should be an excellent way of providing more balance and support to the EX-3 when using the shoulder mount. I shot an EX-1 using the Junior and it something wonderfully simple but a definite improvement of shooting hand-held.

I'll give it a shot on my EX-3 whenever it arrives (this week, I hope).

Ned Soltz

Also, how is the weight spread - with the semi-shoulder design, does your shoulder take enough of the camera gravity, or is it front-heavy?

So far so good - I love it. It's night and day in terms of hand-held. With my right arm and should hugging the cam, it is not much effort supporting the front to get a steady shot for a few minutes. For long periods I think I will attach the steady-bar, as shown in the photo. Not sure where I got this from - it cost $50, but with the Ex-3 it works very well for long hand-helds.

I put a battery at 80% charge on the Ex-3 on Friday night and it is fine today, though I havent shot anything much yet, but I have been running through menus and set-ups quite a bit. It shows 115 mins left and approx 70% charge!

Ted, I will check port-a-brace. I like Kata bags, as I have plenty of their accessories already.

I havent noticed a back-focus issue but it is too early to tell, as I have only shot through my studio windows, as I am on crunch editing a movie right now. Any more news I will post as the week progresses - so far I am in heaven with this - a real leap forward for me.

Well I ordered mine almost immediately in late June once I was informed that the books were open. In fact, I ordered the same morning I was told (June 26th I believe) so I'm hopeful that I might receive one sooner rather than later. I guess even large firms like Sony are no better at pinning down production deadlines than anyone else!

Hope everyone who got theirs this weekend is enjoying getting to know the rig. As for bags, I went Petrol for now.

Jus.

Justin,

Did your camera ship?

B&H received twenty from Sony the other day and they've all shipped - I imagine one of them was yours.

I'm still in cue - #8 in a list awaiting Sony's next delivery. According to B&H, they are expecting the next shipment Thursday and will ship out immediately.

Too bad Sony only shipped them a partial order to begin with, or mine would be on the way.

Anyway, looks like good news for you, so enjoy!

Can anyone confirm is the EX3's microphone bracket is any stronger than the EX1? I'm trying to determine if I need to order any add-ons for the mic.

My EX 3 arrived yesterday. I was a bit worried about the sturdiness of the viewfinder. But it seems built well enough that it will withstand all but the worse abuse. In all this camera takes care of all the issues for those of us born, weaned and raised on the traditional broadcast camera configuration. I got this one from Roscor/Lee Drady and I believe he may have some more.

You know the guy who keeps changing lanes in traffic to jockey for a better position but actually just keep getting further behind everyone else? Man, I hope that's not me.

I cancelled my B&H order yesterday.

They were no longer expecting their shipment yesterday (latest), they were now saying by August 1st. They said mine should ship by the 5th and I should get it by the 11th.

I called TapeworksTexas. They have tracking on a shipment from Sony due to arrive on the 29th. They plan to ship mine on the same day, or the next if the order comes in too late. I should receive it on August 1st, same day B&H gets theirs.

As of closing time yesterday, TapeworksTexas still had more unsold EX3's coming in. If you are on a waiting list, you might want to give them a call. Ask for Scott.

Camera price is $8320, same as B&H.

Almost forgot to mention...

Scott says he has a backpack-style bag that he thinks works well for the camera. He's test-fit it and thinks that it support and protects the viewfinder well. He was great to work with, very personable.

And now, I can't wait for my EX3... again.

Sounds logical that shipment to Tapeworks is on the way because my dealer told me that Sony was shipping to them as well but they did not at the moment have the tracking number.

I almost forgot to mention it - free shipping!!

Ted I think you made the right decision. I heard that B & H may not get sufficient stock to fill their orders anyway - so you could have got an even later delivery date.

Ted what was the backpack that you mentioned? Any brand name that I can check myself? I have 5 or 6 bags and pelikan cases, but nothing that fits my EX-3, which is annoying but I guess not surprising.

According to the B&H Website, the PMW-EX3's are in stock, so there must be enough to fulfill orders. Hopefully I'll have mine by the end of the week.

Heard from Tapeworks today. They got their shipment in and mine shipped out today. Hope to have it by the end of the week!

Tapeworks Texas Inc has received our inventory of PMWEX3's!
We have filled backorders and we do have extra inventory for sales!
Please contact us toll free 866-827-3489 and speak to one of our Sony XL specialists!

Best Regards,
Scott Cantrell
Tapeworks Texas Inc - HDVinfo Sponser
tapeworksscott@sbcglobal.net

Ordered EX3 from B&H Friday. Shipped today. Should have it by Friday. I do worry about the sxs card being included though as it doesn't state one's included on the B&H website. I don't see why not though.

Tapeworks Texas has been AWESOME to work with. I'd have still gotten my camera at about the same time if I'd left my order with B&H, but I'd have missed on on working with Scott Cantrell which was really a pleasure.

Even though it was practically a fire alarm for them, they got their stock checked in, paperwork done, and orders shipped out the same afternoon. Mine is due by Friday!

Jon,

The bag that Scott thought worked pretty well with the EX3 was, I believe, the TravelMate Handy 1 (hope the link works - not all showing up correctly):

http://camrade.com/index.php?tpl=product-details&m[product-details][product_id]=5004&ref-site=20&locale=en_US

(Scott, correct me if I'm wrong)

If you call Scott, I'm sure he'll hook you up with the right one. Now, he did say that it was not a perfect fit, but the the camera fit in the middle section and the viewfinder would ride on top of the side section, supported and protected, so it seemed to work pretty well.

There might be other options as well, but I wanted to try a back pack bag this time.

Christmas is in the air!