Finally laid my hands on my new ex3. Got home excited. set it up. no focus - manual or auto. Powered down. restarted. Now I could adjust focus but servo would only zoom out not in. Powered down. Zoom working but focus all over the show. Back focused. Focus and zoom out - focus gone except for one point on zoom out. Likewise on zoom in. Power down. No zoom no focus. I have spent £7000 on a lemon.

Take it back and get a different one. Do not let them fix it and give it back to you. If it doesn't work out of the box you are entitled to an exchange but you have to deal with it correctly and right away

Agreed. Get it exchanged ASAP.

My first EX1 shipped with a broken viewfinder. The shop I bought it from asked if I had registered it online yet, and I said no, and they were relieved because apparently it's easier to get a new one exchanged if you haven't done any paperwork and/or registered the serial number, otherwise they usually try and 'fix' it.

Sony is so embattled with its $1bn+ loss that it doesn't know night from day--up from down. Its customer service/focus is non-existent because it has laid off or fired the staff that might have provided you with working EX3. Your situation is truly dreadful in the most unimaginable possibilities. Demand nothing less than a fully functional EX3 or your money back! Be prepared to walk away with your money back. There is no shame in calling a lemon a lemon.

I would have open up and test the basic things like power on, zoom in & out, focusing, recording to SXS, plakback before paying the shop. Don't want to bring home a lemon and get scolding by wife.

John, how come I didn't notice you leering over my wife's shoulder? And yes, I can't believe I actually walked out of the dealer not having checked THAT camera. I had spent hours with their demo camera weeks ago.

As it's an EX3 you might want to make sure there isn't anything disrupting the connection between the lens and the camera body, such as a bit of dirt or fluff. This would give the kind of behavior you are describing.

David, did you get the camera from the main dealer local to you ?, if it's the shop i'm thinking of (begins with P) then i'm sure you'll get an exchange without too much fuss.
Me and a few of my colleagues shop there and they have a good reputation.

Paul.

Paul, spot on and I am hoping my experience improves, after all, as you say, reputation counts for a lot.

You should be ok with that shop.
Out of interest what do you shoot ? Weddings ? Nature ? Corporate stuff ?

Paul.

Nothing as profitable as that. I'm a long time indie doc maker. In pre-production at present on a Bovines vs Badgers TB doc. Last doc, Filmmaker Profile: David Herman, FAIR PLAY | ITVS Beyond the Box Blog (http://beyondthebox.org/filmmaker-profile-david-herman-fair-play/)

Corporate filmmaking profitable!!!! I'm obviously not charging enough! ;-) Good luck with exchanging what looks like a dud EX3.

Got my "new" exchanged ex3 today. No issues so far. A thing of beauty. With the DM shoulder support and my old tiffen steadistick, I handheld for a couple of hours today with no, wrist, arm or back fatigue. The viewfinder is a mighty blessing. This old codger is a happy bunny.

problem is they shouldn't be selling these things to pig farmers in the first place

David, did the shop (P) just change it without any fuss ?
If they did then they definately deserve a mention on this forum, i myself bought nearly all of my kit there.
Lots of retailers/shops aren't as quick to change equipment without a fuss.

Paul.

While the whole deal was not entirely clear cut, at the end of the day Prestons in Malvern certainly stood right by their customer, and I would have no hesitation recommending them to anyone buying kit. Apparently ex3's are flying out of the door as fast as they can stock them. They also sold me extras matching the best price I could get elsewhere on the internet. Their sales rep, Andy Guest, is a very understanding guy. When my first camera was dead and they had nothing else in stock he offered me an ex1 to bridge the gap.