How the Sony Z7U failed me beyond words...

[Jamie Allan]

I think that Sony does not read this group--out of site out mind...

Sony certainly do read this forum...

Sorry to hear about all these issues - personally I like the Z7 alot and have had plenty of great reports from other users.

[Tom Hardwick]

These recent posts about Sony reliability have got me worried. OK, you should never buy a new car in the first 6 months of a production run and maybe we should think the same about complex camcorders. Let the early adopters pay the price (in more ways than one) seems to be a motto to adopt.

Saying that I went out and bought one of the first Z1s to arrive in the UK and haven't had a moment's worry with it. In fact there's little in the way of complaint against the Z1 on these boards, but the background noise is high against the V1, the Z7 and of course the EX1.

tom.

[Bruce G. Cleveland]

Marshall on the focus ring there is an A and B position. If that ring is pulled towards you it will be in some sort of manual mode that really raises problems with auto and manual focus. Is it possible you have that ring in the A position, pulled towards the back of the camera and this is causing focus issues? I discovered this when I first got the camera. If that ring is pulled back, there is really no way to tell that on the display and it is nearly impossible to focus properly on anything.

As far as the missing 17 minutes on the cf card, have you tried to import using any other method? I posted a problem a few weeks back where a clip did not appear, but I used a different method to bring in footage and it really was there.

Bruce Cleveland

[Gary Nattrass]

Regarding cards do you format between each use or just delete the clips?

I personally always re-format the CF cards every time I use them.

[Marshall Levy]

Originally Posted by Gary Nattrass

Regarding cards do you format between each use or just delete the clips?

I personally always re-format the CF cards every time I use them.

Of course! Reformatted all, in camera, beforehand.

[Marshall Levy]

Originally Posted by Bruce G. Cleveland

Marshall on the focus ring there is an A and B position. If that ring is pulled towards you it will be in some sort of manual mode that really raises problems with auto and manual focus. Is it possible you have that ring in the A position, pulled towards the back of the camera and this is causing focus issues? I discovered this when I first got the camera. If that ring is pulled back, there is really no way to tell that on the display and it is nearly impossible to focus properly on anything.

As far as the missing 17 minutes on the cf card, have you tried to import using any other method? I posted a problem a few weeks back where a clip did not appear, but I used a different method to bring in footage and it really was there.

Bruce Cleveland

Responded on VU as well, but I don't know what happened. I played with the camera last night and it's fair, but I haven't a clue what took place on Saturday. Focusing now is better, interestingly, and the lens clicks every now and then. What I'm afraid of is if I have to play the return game and wait a week or two because that'll leave me with nothing for this weekend. And, since I'm in the process of buying a car this or next week, I can't just go and buy a new camera....you'll see me at your doorstep with a sign of desparation.

[Laurence Kingston]

When I first got my 32GB Transcend card, I recorded an interview session simultaneously to tape and CF card. On that particular session, the tape capture was fine but the CF card video had a number of problems. I did a slow computer FAT32 reformat using a large 32 kilobyte cluster size (thinking that might be a good option since HDV video is typically a small number of large files). It has been fine ever since

Anyway you might want to try a full FAT32 reformat on your card using the 32 kilobyte cluster size and see if that helps.

The card reader format is really quick and it obviously is just a "quick format" type format, and if there are problems with the CF card format, this isn't going to be enough.

[Bruce G. Cleveland]

Originally Posted by Laurence Kingston

When I first got my 32GB Transcend card, I recorded an interview session simultaneously to tape and CF card. On that particular session, the tape capture was fine but the CF card video had a number of problems. I did a slow computer FAT32 reformat using a large 32 kilobyte cluster size (thinking that might be a good option since HDV video is typically a small number of large files). It has been fine ever since

Anyway you might want to try a full FAT32 reformat on your card using the 32 kilobyte cluster size and see if that helps.

The card reader format is really quick and it obviously is just a "quick format" type format, and if there are problems with the CF card format, this isn't going to be enough.

I read somewhere though that you never ever want to format a card with any other method than with the camera itself. You should always use the camera to format.

Bruce

[Bruce G. Cleveland]

Originally Posted by Marshall Levy

Responded on VU as well, but I don't know what happened. I played with the camera last night and it's fair, but I haven't a clue what took place on Saturday. Focusing now is better, interestingly, and the lens clicks every now and then. What I'm afraid of is if I have to play the return game and wait a week or two because that'll leave me with nothing for this weekend. And, since I'm in the process of buying a car this or next week, I can't just go and buy a new camera....you'll see me at your doorstep with a sign of desparation.

Not to beat it to death Marshall and I apologize if I insult your intelligence on this, but that A/B ring on the focus ring that pulls toward you and pushes away from you must be away from you and pushed out, or it will cause you nightmarish problems. Again I am sorry if I am insulting anyones intelligence, but this is crucial and a very small detail that can go unnoticed other than the cameras inability to focus properly in auto and manual focus.

Bruce

[Bob Lange]

Bruce,
We (co worker and I ) tested the Z7 for our Honeywell production unit, and with the ring securely in the auto position, it was slow and hunting. Not good for jib use. Very bad. We have all manner of Sony cameras fom D-55 to PD170s. We have used Sony exclusively for over 15 years. This is a design flaw with either the lens, or camera, and Sony needs to fix this lemon, or suffer the dishonor. We also tested the EX-1 and found it to be much better, so it can be done correctly, although the EX-1 is a battery hog, it's acceptable and a great camera.

Sony needs to address the Z7 issues or pull it from the market. Great features but poor execution will kill their image. We are in process of buying the XL-H1 instead for that area of need.

I'd like to see Sony announce a recall and hear some post recall comments.

[Bruce G. Cleveland]

Originally Posted by Bob Lange

Bruce,
We (co worker and I ) tested the Z7 for our Honeywell production unit, and with the ring securely in the auto position, it was slow and hunting. Not good for jib use. Very bad. We have all manner of Sony cameras fom D-55 to PD170s. We have used Sony exclusively for over 15 years. This is a design flaw with either the lens, or camera, and Sony needs to fix this lemon, or suffer the dishonor. We also tested the EX-1 and found it to be much better, so it can be done correctly, although the EX-1 is a battery hog, it's acceptable and a great camera.

Sony needs to address the Z7 issues or pull it from the market. Great features but poor execution will kill their image. We are in process of buying the XL-H1 instead for that area of need.

I'd like to see Sony announce a recall and hear some post recall comments.

Thanks Bob I guess I am in denial about these issues or something. Mabye because I am one of the lucky owners to not have any issues I keep trying to come up with reasons for some of these issues other than the camera being bad. Thanks for your input. BTW, there sure aren't very many owners out there voicing opinions on the z7s they purchased, good or bad, so maybe that is why I feel like I do.

Bruce

[Edward Phillips]

After reading the forums I have shelved plans to purchase the Z7. I'd love to purchase this camera for my corporate video department but I can't risk convincing them to spend the money just to have a lemon delivered. You can talk about all the potential a camera has but if it doesn't deliver it's hard to explain to non-tech minded people that it's not your skills at fault.

[Bob Lange]

Originally Posted by Edward Phillips

After reading the forums I have shelved plans to purchase the Z7. I'd love to purchase this camera for my corporate video department but I can't risk convincing them to spend the money just to have a lemon delivered. You can talk about all the potential a camera has but if it doesn't deliver it's hard to explain to non-tech minded people that it's not your skills at fault.

Exactly, I was the advocate for the Z7, I was the one who had it shipped in to test it out. I was thinking "It's got the features. I've shot Sony cameras it'll be just like them only better". Then I held it, shot with it, and compared it side by side. I thought it was another brand the way it hunted. I tried to change up the zone, tried different subjects, checked the ring three times and had to step back and agree with the opposing camera. We marry these things and shoot in dicey places. I've got to know it s gonna hit it when I only get one shot at the event. then there's the card issues...yikes!

[Laurence Kingston]

Originally Posted by Bruce G. Cleveland

I read somewhere though that you never ever want to format a card with any other method than with the camera itself. You should always use the camera to format.

Bruce

Well the camera format is just a quick format. It erases and reformats a few bits at the front, but doesn't actually go through the card bit by bit formatting. If real complete format is a good idea every so often. After that you can do a quick camera format as well just to make sure everything is the way the camera wants it.

[Scott Brooks]

Originally Posted by Bruce G. Cleveland

Thanks Bob I guess I am in denial about these issues or something. Mabye because I am one of the lucky owners to not have any issues I keep trying to come up with reasons for some of these issues other than the camera being bad. Thanks for your input. BTW, there sure aren't very many owners out there voicing opinions on the z7s they purchased, good or bad, so maybe that is why I feel like I do.

Bruce

Bruce ... I don't have the discerning eye that I'm sure a lot of you true professionals have, so I might be overlooking something.

When the first test of setting the iris was posted I gave it a try here. I had to look a little bit, but I admit that the left side appeared a little softer than the right. I know it shouldn't be that way, but I honestly didn't think it was enough to follow through.

I recently shot a stage event at the high school. Everything was on manual except for focus, which I left in auto. I shot at 0db gain, shutter at 125 and aperture setting usually around 4.5 using the 70% zebra.

I also shot in DV SP on tape and the Transcend 32g card. I have to say that I was very pleased with the final video. I didn't have any auto focus issues, but then for a high school show on stage there's not a whole lot of depth of field.

After reading Marshall's problems it does make me wonder how the camera is going to perform at my wedding at the end of the month. I'm extremely nervous as this is a repeat client and in a circle of friends for whom I've shot a lot of weddings. The day after the wedding I'm doing a dance recital.

I guess what this means is that in about three weeks I'll have a pretty good idea of what's going on. I'll either be a happy camper ... or looking for Sony's phone number.

Really though ... this is all a bit ridiculous. There seems to be a big enough sampling here that Sony should be doing something. Maybe they are and they're not commenting publicly ... but I would think they would at least want to let us know what they're doing as opposed to (seemingly) ignoring the situation.