Manfrotto LANC problem

[Scott Taylor]

Hi guys, I purchased a NX70P the other day to replace my old PD170. the problem is that my Manfrotto LANC controller which worked fine with the PD170 does not work with the NX70P for some strange reason.

Has anyone else experienced this? Does anyone know of any LANC controllers that work well with the NX70P?

[Chris Soucy]

Scott,

Check out this Forum to see if there is a firmware upgrade to fix your problem (or check out Sony).

There has to be something pretty fundamentaly wrong if your Lanc controller does zip. Could it be dead? Broken wire, perhaps?

Have you tried it with a different camera to see if it is, indeed, still extant?

Good luck.


CS

[Scott Taylor]

I've done the most recent firmware upgrade already.

I just tried it in my Sony PD170 again and the Manfrotto LANC works fine in it, but nothing in the NX70P.

Is anyone out there using a LANC on their NX70P? What brand

[Scott Taylor]

The light comes on but nothing happens on the camera

[Chris Soucy]

Er, could this be a menu option to enable it? Just a thought.


CS

[Ilya Spektor]

I am using Libec Lanc controller, it works on both PD-170, and NX-70U. You need to try some other controller, it might be a bad contact in your NX-70...

[Chris Soucy]

It might be worth testing any other ports/ connectors in the same area/ same I/O strip.

It's possible the ribbon cable to said strip has either not been fully pushed home or has somehow become wholly or partially disconnected.

If more connections are not working, that's proof positive that's the fault, else it must be a faulty socket for the Lanc port.

If the Lanc controller itself is proved working, the problem must be with the camera.

Think it might well be winging its way back whence it came in pretty short order.

(I think it highly improbable the Lanc code set for the camera would somehow be markedly different to any other Sony unit, so I think that can be ruled out).


CS

[Greg Clark]

Which Manfrotto model do you own?

[Scott Taylor]

Manfrotto 522

[Scott Taylor]

Originally Posted by Chris Soucy

Er, could this be a menu option to enable it? Just a thought.


CS

Yep, tried both on and off in the menu. Does nothing.

What freaks me out a little is that nowhere in the manual does it refer to the remote as LANC, which makes me wonder if they changed the protocol somehow. Don't ask me why they would, but why have they stopped referring to the remote function as LANC as they used to do on all the cameras?

[Greg Clark]

The Manfrotto 522P sold by B and H is for Panasonic which is opposite of LANC.

[Scott Taylor]

That's interesting because it has worked perfectly on my Sony PD170 for years

[Scott Taylor]

Actually now I'm confused. On the adjustable bar for my controller it has 522PB16 which according to the Manfrotto site is just the extendable pan bar.

This number led me to believe I had the Manfrotto 522 LANC but according to the Manfrotto site the 522 has internal batteries (3x AA) which is different to mine. I don't have the removable cap on mine that the 522 does.

So it seems I have the Manfrotto 523Pro (there's no model number on the controller, only a serial number) with a 522PB16 extendable bar.

Of course none of this explains why it doesn't work with my NX70P

[Chris Soucy]

Er, Scott.............

"internal batteries"? For a Lanc? Huh?

Ah, the 521LX, of course, for anyone els who was head scratching at that one. Programmable, no less.

Does anyone know why, all of a sudden, Sony and Manfrotto no longer refer to "Lanc" and use "Remote"?

Is it labeled "Remote" on the camera OR use the Lanc symbol or both?

Back to the chase.

You know the Lanc works with another Sony camera = Lanc is working.

It doesn't work with the NX70 = "Remote" doesn't mean "Lanc" or faulty connector or connector not enabled or plug in wrong hole.

To prove the point you need one of two things:

1. Another Sony capable Lanc that either does or does not work with the camera

OR

2. Another NX70 to prove your Lanc either does or does not work with it.

I'm sure you can pluck one of those two out of thin air, no problems.


CS

[Scott Taylor]

Originally Posted by Chris Soucy

Er, Scott.............

"internal batteries"? For a Lanc? Huh?

Ah, the 521LX, of course, for anyone els who was head scratching at that one. Programmable, no less.

Does anyone know why, all of a sudden, Sony and Manfrotto no longer refer to "Lanc" and use "Remote"?

Is it labeled "Remote" on the camera OR use the Lanc symbol or both?

Back to the chase.

You know the Lanc works with another Sony camera = Lanc is working.

It doesn't work with the NX70 = "Remote" doesn't mean "Lanc" or faulty connector or connector not enabled or plug in wrong hole.

To prove the point you need one of two things:

1. Another Sony capable Lanc that either does or does not work with the camera

OR

2. Another NX70 to prove your Lanc either does or does not work with it.

I'm sure you can pluck one of those two out of thin air, no problems.


CS

Yeah the 522 uses AA batteries according to this
Manfrotto522PLANC Controller - Panasonic


But my one has no cap at the end of the handle which means it must be the 523Pro
Manfrotto523PROLANC Controller

looks like




Anyway, on the side of the NX70P it's labelled REMOTE and not LANC like it is on my PD170

Being in a remote area I'm kind of limited for testing options. I did try my LANC controller in another guy's NX70P before I bought mine and it didn't work in that either but given the brief viewing at the time (we were both busy filming) we assumed he just didn't have the remote function enabled.

Silly me assumed that Sony wouldn't change an existing protocol that's worked so well for years. It's a little disappointing, but at the end of the day the NX70P is perfect for my requirements (100% outdoors, uploading to youtube).

So given the information I currently have it looks like I'll have to buy another controller for my NX70P. I'll have to search out works works I guess and test it myself before I lay down any dollars.