Have the new "S" series cams fixed this? at DVinfo.net

Chris Soucy · December 26th, 2008, 11:03 PM

This problem with the ZR - 1000 drove me nuts when it was discovered, and forced me to trash completely all sorts of stuff I'd spent many months and heaps of dollars lining up.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-xh-...ler-issue.html

I have no idea why the thread died when it did, I can only assume I went into a complete funk on the subject or was otherwise indisposed.

If anyone has lashed out on a new "S" and has a ZR - 1000 or even a ZR - 2000, can you do the test and tell me how you fare?

I really don't have the budget for even a ZR - 2000 at the moment, let alone a new "S", but if this blasted problem has actually been laid to rest I can at least try to figure out where to go from here.

Thanks in advance for any info.

CS

Rob Cook · January 5th, 2009, 03:59 PM

Chris,
I plan to use the XHA1 for the same thing ( Jib / wild life). I do not have a remote control as of now, but plan to purchase soon. Did you ever get to test the Zr-2000?

Chris Soucy · January 5th, 2009, 09:44 PM

Nope.

I was getting on fine with Canon NZ and thought I had a ZR 2000 from them lined up for a test, then it all went strangely quiet.

Further communications to Canon went un-answered, like they'd all decided to duck for cover.

As there was no budget for buying a ZR 2000 "on spec" the entire thing went down in a heap.

Hence my query now.

CS

Rob Cook · January 6th, 2009, 01:11 PM

Chris,
Sad to hear! If I get one I will report to you me test results. I may order one this week. Christmas gift to myself (late). :)

Rob Cook · January 17th, 2009, 10:01 PM

Chris , I will have the ZR 2000 in my hand next week! I ordered it from Tapeworks Texas Inc.

Curt Fargo · January 17th, 2009, 11:58 PM

I have the XH A1s and the ZR1000.
2.7 - 2.9 - 3.1 - 3.4 - 3.8 - 4.2 - 4.7 - 5.5 - 6.1 - 7.1 - 8.4 - 10
At 90% zoom towards tele and starting at a focus point of 2.7 i tapped very fast the focus button and list above are the point it stopped. Focus is much finer the closer you get

Curt Fargo · January 18th, 2009, 12:10 AM

I took your test a step further and tried it with a $24.95 generic Lanc controller and it gave me the same results as the ZR1000. I then went into the custom function and and changed the sensitivity of the focus ring from normal to slow and again this had NO effect on the Lanc.

When zoomed in to 90% towards wide this gets much worse. So basically the focus option on both Lanc controllers that I own are unusable.

Tripp Woelfel · January 18th, 2009, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt Fargo

So basically the focus option on both Lanc controllers that I own are unusable.

This is also true with the Varizoom VZ Rock. The fact that there's no tactile feedback with the buttons on the controller doesn't help.

But I don't think that's on point for Chris' initial issue here. I've never seen the behavior Chris described in his original thread with the Varizoom but I've never tried to recreate his situation either.

Curt Fargo · January 18th, 2009, 10:39 AM

Since the difference between the ZR-1000 and the ZR-2000 only appears to be the addition of the "PEAKING" and "MAGN" buttons, maybe they have fixed this problem? I guess we will have to wait for Rob's report.

Rob Cook · January 18th, 2009, 02:01 PM

Tripp, Curt, Chris

If there is a special test you would like me to do, let me know. I will post initial results and video when I have completed the test. The controller should be here late this week 22nd , 23rd Jan 09.

Curt Fargo · January 18th, 2009, 03:35 PM

Rob,

I found that the focus button on the Lanc controller would make the focus only do course adjustments and never fine ones. Just try manually focusing around 3-6 meters and see if you can get it to focus any finer than the numbers I posted above. I had the zoom set to around 16X for the results that I posted.

Chris Soucy · January 18th, 2009, 04:07 PM

As far as I could establish way back when, the problem was inherant to the camera itself and how the electronics/ lens system operated with focus pulses/ packets issued by the Lanc remote controller.

Not having access to detailed schematics/ flow charts, it was impossible to ascertain exactly what was happening, but it "seemed" to involve each "focus" pulse moving the lens focus system a finite and fixed rotational amount.

However, as this was fixed, the greater the degree of zoom, the further the lens moved the focus point for each command.

Thus, one pulse at Z0 only moved the focus point .1 metres (4 inches) say (I cannot recall the actual figures, this is for demo purposes only), at Z50 the same pulse moved the focus point .5 metres, at Z99 it moved it anything up to 2.5 metres (nearly 7 feet!).

On a target at 10 metres (33 feet) distance, that 2.5 metres jump was either way in front or way behind the target.

So, bottom line - the acid test.

Set the camera up on a tripod.

Set it to manual focus.

Aim at a nice contrasty subject about the size of a cigarette packet (-ish) @ 10 metres (33 feet) away.

Zoom to Z99 (full zoom in).

Nail it spot on focus, consistantly, using the Lanc controler focus buttons/ dial.

As it was pretty well nailed as a XH A/G 1 issue, and wasn't/ couldn't be fixed with a firmware upgrade, I came to the not unreasonable conclusion that only a redesign of the camera lens controller/ optics section was going to fix this.

Hence pinning my hopes on the new A/G 1 s series.

Still, it will be interesting to see what results Rob achieves with his new ZR 2000.

CS

Rob Cook · January 18th, 2009, 05:59 PM

Chris,
Thanks for the back ground information on the problem. I will conduct that test you and Curt listed. I hope that it will work properly.

Curt Fargo · January 24th, 2009, 05:35 PM

I bought the ZR-2000 today after testing it in the store. It works great with manual focus. The problem has been fixed with the ZR-2000 as it uses a wheel on the side to adjust focus not a button.

Curt Fargo · January 25th, 2009, 08:22 PM

I bought mine at a local mom & pop in Palo Alto called Keeble & Shuchat. I paid $399 and know I could have saved $50 + tax if I mail ordered but they did knock $100 off the $499 retail price and I do appreciate service.

I tried it at the store on their A1 and today I got to really use it myself. It is night and day different from the ZR-1000. It is the opposite as it provide VERY FINE focus adjustments, maybe even finer then using the focus ring. It is fricken awesome.

Hey anybody want to buy my old ZR-1000 cheap? :)

December 26th, 2008, 11:03 PM	#1
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Have the new "S" series cams fixed this? This problem with the ZR - 1000 drove me nuts when it was discovered, and forced me to trash completely all sorts of stuff I'd spent many months and heaps of dollars lining up. http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-xh-...ler-issue.html I have no idea why the thread died when it did, I can only assume I went into a complete funk on the subject or was otherwise indisposed. If anyone has lashed out on a new "S" and has a ZR - 1000 or even a ZR - 2000, can you do the test and tell me how you fare? I really don't have the budget for even a ZR - 2000 at the moment, let alone a new "S", but if this blasted problem has actually been laid to rest I can at least try to figure out where to go from here. Thanks in advance for any info. CS

January 5th, 2009, 03:59 PM	#2
Rob Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 99	Chris, I plan to use the XHA1 for the same thing ( Jib / wild life). I do not have a remote control as of now, but plan to purchase soon. Did you ever get to test the Zr-2000? __________________ Canon XHA1, Canon T2i, FinalCut 3 , MacBook Pro 2.4Gz, FireStore FSC-60, DP1X Monitor

January 5th, 2009, 09:44 PM	#3
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Hi Rob............ Nope. I was getting on fine with Canon NZ and thought I had a ZR 2000 from them lined up for a test, then it all went strangely quiet. Further communications to Canon went un-answered, like they'd all decided to duck for cover. As there was no budget for buying a ZR 2000 "on spec" the entire thing went down in a heap. Hence my query now. CS

January 6th, 2009, 01:11 PM	#4
Rob Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 99	Chris, Sad to hear! If I get one I will report to you me test results. I may order one this week. Christmas gift to myself (late). :) __________________ Canon XHA1, Canon T2i, FinalCut 3 , MacBook Pro 2.4Gz, FireStore FSC-60, DP1X Monitor

January 17th, 2009, 10:01 PM	#5
Rob Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 99	ZR 2000 Controler On Order!!! Chris , I will have the ZR 2000 in my hand next week! I ordered it from Tapeworks Texas Inc. __________________ Canon XHA1, Canon T2i, FinalCut 3 , MacBook Pro 2.4Gz, FireStore FSC-60, DP1X Monitor

January 17th, 2009, 11:58 PM	#6
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	I have the XH A1s and the ZR1000. 2.7 - 2.9 - 3.1 - 3.4 - 3.8 - 4.2 - 4.7 - 5.5 - 6.1 - 7.1 - 8.4 - 10 At 90% zoom towards tele and starting at a focus point of 2.7 i tapped very fast the focus button and list above are the point it stopped. Focus is much finer the closer you get __________________ Curt Fargo

January 18th, 2009, 12:10 AM	#7
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	I took your test a step further and tried it with a $24.95 generic Lanc controller and it gave me the same results as the ZR1000. I then went into the custom function and and changed the sensitivity of the focus ring from normal to slow and again this had NO effect on the Lanc. When zoomed in to 90% towards wide this gets much worse. So basically the focus option on both Lanc controllers that I own are unusable. __________________ Curt Fargo Last edited by Curt Fargo; January 18th, 2009 at 01:09 AM.

January 18th, 2009, 10:39 AM	#9
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	Since the difference between the ZR-1000 and the ZR-2000 only appears to be the addition of the "PEAKING" and "MAGN" buttons, maybe they have fixed this problem? I guess we will have to wait for Rob's report. __________________ Curt Fargo

January 18th, 2009, 02:01 PM	#10
Rob Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 99	Tripp, Curt, Chris If there is a special test you would like me to do, let me know. I will post initial results and video when I have completed the test. The controller should be here late this week 22nd , 23rd Jan 09. __________________ Canon XHA1, Canon T2i, FinalCut 3 , MacBook Pro 2.4Gz, FireStore FSC-60, DP1X Monitor

January 18th, 2009, 03:35 PM	#11
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	Rob, I found that the focus button on the Lanc controller would make the focus only do course adjustments and never fine ones. Just try manually focusing around 3-6 meters and see if you can get it to focus any finer than the numbers I posted above. I had the zoom set to around 16X for the results that I posted. __________________ Curt Fargo

January 18th, 2009, 04:07 PM	#12
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Hi guys........... As far as I could establish way back when, the problem was inherant to the camera itself and how the electronics/ lens system operated with focus pulses/ packets issued by the Lanc remote controller. Not having access to detailed schematics/ flow charts, it was impossible to ascertain exactly what was happening, but it "seemed" to involve each "focus" pulse moving the lens focus system a finite and fixed rotational amount. However, as this was fixed, the greater the degree of zoom, the further the lens moved the focus point for each command. Thus, one pulse at Z0 only moved the focus point .1 metres (4 inches) say (I cannot recall the actual figures, this is for demo purposes only), at Z50 the same pulse moved the focus point .5 metres, at Z99 it moved it anything up to 2.5 metres (nearly 7 feet!). On a target at 10 metres (33 feet) distance, that 2.5 metres jump was either way in front or way behind the target. So, bottom line - the acid test. Set the camera up on a tripod. Set it to manual focus. Aim at a nice contrasty subject about the size of a cigarette packet (-ish) @ 10 metres (33 feet) away. Zoom to Z99 (full zoom in). Nail it spot on focus, consistantly, using the Lanc controler focus buttons/ dial. As it was pretty well nailed as a XH A/G 1 issue, and wasn't/ couldn't be fixed with a firmware upgrade, I came to the not unreasonable conclusion that only a redesign of the camera lens controller/ optics section was going to fix this. Hence pinning my hopes on the new A/G 1 s series. Still, it will be interesting to see what results Rob achieves with his new ZR 2000. CS

January 18th, 2009, 05:59 PM	#13
Rob Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 99	Chris, Thanks for the back ground information on the problem. I will conduct that test you and Curt listed. I hope that it will work properly. __________________ Canon XHA1, Canon T2i, FinalCut 3 , MacBook Pro 2.4Gz, FireStore FSC-60, DP1X Monitor

January 24th, 2009, 05:35 PM	#14
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	I bought the ZR-2000 today after testing it in the store. It works great with manual focus. The problem has been fixed with the ZR-2000 as it uses a wheel on the side to adjust focus not a button. __________________ Curt Fargo

January 25th, 2009, 08:22 PM	#15
Curt Fargo Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Vacaville, CA USA Posts: 83	I bought mine at a local mom & pop in Palo Alto called Keeble & Shuchat. I paid $399 and know I could have saved $50 + tax if I mail ordered but they did knock $100 off the $499 retail price and I do appreciate service. I tried it at the store on their A1 and today I got to really use it myself. It is night and day different from the ZR-1000. It is the opposite as it provide VERY FINE focus adjustments, maybe even finer then using the focus ring. It is fricken awesome. Hey anybody want to buy my old ZR-1000 cheap? :) __________________ Curt Fargo