Z7u Servo/Zoom stopped working.

[George Sickler]

Help! I turned on my sony Z7U today, and I went to zoom in, while we were taping today, and the zoom stopped working. I tried several things, I took off the lens to make sure it was tighted. Double checked the servo switch, I even reset the camera incase it was a firmware thing. No change.

The sony quit zooming in. When I turn the camera on or off, it does not work.

Has anyone expereinced this? I am taking the camera in to a repair center quickly.

I am hoping for an answer from anyone. I have no idea why this occured out of the blue.

Thanks,

George

[Luc De Wandel]

Did you use the rocker switch on the lens grip or the zoom control on the top handle? The one on the top handle can be switched off.

[Lee Berger]

Also check the servo/manual zoom switch on the bottom of the lens handle.

[George Sickler]

Thanks for the replies.

The rocker arm and the handle grip both quit.

Also the servo/manual button is engaged.

In fact with the servo button on manual, the ring does not zoom
the lens either. It flat does not work.


I did drop it off for repair, and the tech mention a cable being detache subside the lens. I am hoping it is a simple fix. One thing I will mention is that I am soooo glad I purchased local, while they are fixing my camera, they are giving me a loaner.

Support local business!

I know if I purchased in NewYork I would be out $250 a
day to rent to cover my rear!

I am hope this is not a common problem for the z7u.

Geo

[Lee Berger]

Since the lens won't zoom in either manual or servo mode I'm guessing it's mechanical; that there is a gear stripped in the zoom mechanism. It's only a guess. Please let us know what the actual issue is and good luck.

[George Sickler]

AAAHHHHH! $1800 Repair. Well not even a repair - Sony does not allow you to repair the lens according to the repair guy I went to which is a reputable Sony dealer and repair in Denver. Just a lens replacement part.

Out of no where the lens stopped working. Camera was not dropped, the repair guy said he did not spot any abuse or corrosion inside. Just flat out stopped functioning.

I am so disappointed! $5900 for this camera, for 2.3 years worth of use. I bought it local, with no extended warranty. (I don't even think they offered it) - so bummer! Would that extra $6-700 really paid off?

The upside is I do get use of Free rentals until my camera is fixed... that is $250 a pop!

Does anyone have any lens alternative ideas to use with this cam? I was looking at the Sony LA-100W Alpha Lens Adapter and wondering if that was a viable option.

Anyone have a broken Z7U they want to sell the lens off of?

I guess just better bite the bullet and get it fixed.

Geo... :-'"(

[Luc De Wandel]

I don't like the lens of the Z7 very much. It's very sharp, but the handling sucks. Aperture ring without stops, unprecise focusing. So I would never pay to get it repaired. Instead, I'd try to bargain a good price for this lens: http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/private-...brmu-lens.html . And you get the wide-angle as a very interesting extra + the superb finishing and ergonomics of a Fujinon.
But that's just me.

[Lee Berger]

That would be a great lens, but you would loose the image stabilizer, a feature I find very valuable in the Z7's handycam form factor.

[Zach Love]

If you want OIS, either get another sock lens, or get the wide angle lens.

If you're OK without OIS, look into getting a used JVC HD100, pop the lens onto your Z7 & sell the body. I saw one on these forums a while back for sale for $1800. I was really tempted to buy the camera just for the lens at that price.

Quick question, did you normally keep the lens in servo mode? Could the zoom have gotten bumped a lot while in transit?

I'm wondering if it stripped the gears, maybe something like that could have happened.

Alpha adapter is probably not going to be a good move. I don't think there are many (if any) 12x4 SLR lenses out there. Hardly any SLR lenses will the zoom ranges we're used to in video. But if you're really interested, I would say look at the Mike Tappa / MTF Nikon adapter. There are a lot more Nikon lenses out there than Sony / Minolta.

[George Sickler]

Can anyone help me with the differences I would see without the OIS? I have spotted a good deal on a Fujinon TH16x5.5BRMU 1/3 . But really am fretting this whole situation. I am so disappointed in this camera lens!

We always kept the servo engaged. So it is possible that it could of been being bumped in my camera bag. But nothing of a huge forceful blow.

The weird thing is the camera repair guy said the lens is not even repairable. SONY BEWARE... what a bummer. they make you replace the entire lens barrel.

With the servo on I could zoom the lens, and the ring would move, but the lens would not zoom - the ring would move about a 1/8" and then stop. Then if I reset the zoom, and press it in again, it would move another 1/8" then stop. But the lens does not zoom.

The camera has been great up until now.

G~ /00\

[Matt Bigwood]

Hi George

I've got both the Sony stock lens and the Fuji 16x 5.5, and the main difference is the Fuji is nowhere near as wide as the Sony at the widest zoom - I think it's more like a 50mm lens on a 35mm SLR camera, but conversely it is a fair bit longer at the tele end of the zoom - almost equivalent to 600mm on a 35mm SLR. It also has a wider maximum aperture - F1.4.

The OIS of the Sony lens makes a difference to me when hand holding - it is noticably smoother with OIS than without.

As an aside, I might get a second opinion about whether your lens is or isn't repairable - I've seen Canon and Nikon long lenses for stills camera repaired that have been dropped, soaked and damaged in unimaginable ways!

[George Sickler]

Hi Matt,

Thanks a bunch,

I am deliberating the investment into a Fuji or not. Your information is very very helpful. Do you like the Fuji lens, and what is your primary use for it? - How is the DoF at 1.4? Is it worth it?

I did call Sony, and the informed me to send the lens in for repair. The local repair guy is just missing the mark a little, apparently.

I am suspicious if the camera was left on in the bag with the zoom being pressed. I am thinking that it is quite possibly the answer to the mystery of the lens to quit working out of nowhere.

Man was it a sad day when I pulled it out of the bag and needed to shoot. - I had my 5d as a backup, and thankfully I came home with very good footage from that event.

The joys of owning a business! Is this where I wish I had bought an extended warranty? --- Such a gamble when you treat your gear with great care...

Thanks everyone for your input. Off to California with the lens!

George

[Matt Bigwood]

Hi George, I should also have pointed out the Fuji lens is only manual focus. I bought mine relatively cheaply (£250 new) and use it for close-ups in a pseudo studio set-up for a handicraft web tv channel as it has closer focusing abilities than the Sony lens.

A slight disadvantage for me is that the LANC controller I have for the Sony lens doesn't work with the Fuji lens - it requires a special Fuji controller that plugs into the lens.

[Zach Love]

£250 Matt?!? If you see another one at that price, please let me know, especially if it is on this side of the pond.

To nit-pick your math a little, if the Sony (at 4.4mm) is 20% wider than the Fuji (at 5.5mm). So it would be like going from a 50mm to a 40mm lens on your Canon 5D. (But since 35mm is much more standard, you're example was a good pick.)

So George if you get a 0.7x wide angle lens on top of the Fuji you'll gain back the extra wide edge & then some. Plus I believe the Fuji is a 20x lens, which means you'll be able to zoom in over twice as far as the stock Sony lens.

[George Sickler]

Hey Good point Zach - Zooming in would be a plus - but I am dreading no OIS.

What thread is the fuji? I have some wide angles I do not se threaded for the vx series. Perhaps a stepup ring, but then will I have vignetting?

Totally Matt, if you could release your source - I would buy one of em for sure...

Thanks!

George