PD-150 internal stabilizer knocking at DVinfo.net

James Emory · November 27th, 2004, 03:20 PM

I have experienced some physical knocking and image shifting on the LCD and EVF. The knocking and image shifting are simultaneously occurring. Is this the gyro mechanism for the steady shot stabilizer acting up? That's all I can think of it being. I guess it's time to start using supreme instead of regular.

Tom Hardwick · November 28th, 2004, 10:53 AM

Does sound as if you've got trouble with the VAP control electronics James. Easy enough to check I suppose - do a wobbly pan with the OIS turned on then off, and if all's well with it turned off then it repair time I'm afraid.

tom.

James Emory · November 28th, 2004, 01:28 PM

The cameras experiencing this are rentals which is probably part of the reason, many many hours. It is seldomly and randomly occuring with no particular activity causing it. I have used a couple of different units on this project that it's happened with. Thank goodness it's not all the time.

Mike Rehmus · November 28th, 2004, 10:07 PM

Are you certain you are not in the presence of a strong electrical field? Radios, flashes and other generators of electical impulses are known to drive the OIS into the stops so hard you can feel it and hear it.

Sony actually replaced my PD150 because they couldn't explain or find the problem. A CNN cameraman clued me into the reason. If you turn the OIS off, the problem should go away.

James Emory · November 28th, 2004, 10:58 PM

I'm sure it's the stabilizer gyro and I'm sure it would go away if it was deactivated in the menu, there would be no power to it. It's very seldom that it happens. I was trying to confirm if that is what it was. I am typically just out on location anywhere when it happens so I'm not near anything like what you described. I need the feature because of the nature of the shots with handheld interviews, etc..

James Emory · November 29th, 2004, 10:41 PM

Mike. When you said radios I just wasn't thinking clearly, more like car radios. Now that I think about it, the crew is using professional 1+ watt two-way radios and when this has happened I have been three to four feet from a radio when it is transmitting or receiving. I'm sure it's happening when the one I'm near is transmitting. I'm going to purposefully key a radio near the camera this weekend to see if it triggers this problem. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for the tips.

Mike Rehmus · November 29th, 2004, 10:44 PM

I know what will happen. Just have a good grip on the camera!

James Emory · November 29th, 2004, 10:50 PM

Ha, ha, ha. I'll do it.

This is what made me remember what you said. Scroll down the page until you see Attention 2-Way Radio Users!!!

www.geocities.com/steadicamjr

Mike Rehmus · November 30th, 2004, 01:30 PM

20 feet isn't enough with a police radio. Maybe 50' would do. I'm told cell phones may do this too when tney are vey close.

James Emory · November 30th, 2004, 08:40 PM

I remember having RF interference with those very low power FM headsets like you get at Radio Shack. It caused waves in the picture when keyed next to my 1984 General Electric (Matsushita, Panasonic, Thomson, etc.) VHS tube camera. You heard it right, the one with the separate record deck slung over the shoulder. Hey man, that was the shizzle back then.

George Ellis · December 1st, 2004, 04:58 AM

My Nextel phone (Motorola) will shake it!

Ian Thomas · December 1st, 2004, 02:04 PM

When i had my VX2000 i was filming some goldfinches out of my van window and suddenly felt this buzzing, knocking in the camera ( also shows up on playback) my mobile was close by and turned on, switched the phone off no problems, so the morale was if you were filming make sure your mobile is turned off.

Don't know if the pd170 has same problem?.

Mike Hanlon · December 2nd, 2004, 03:55 PM

Yes, the PD170 has the same problem. I had a VX2000 and a PD170 side by side and they both reacted when a two way head set way keyed just a few feet away.

James Emory · December 2nd, 2004, 05:06 PM

I guess supreme isn't going to be enough. It's time for the big guns, Duralube or Slick 50!

James Emory · December 6th, 2004, 08:02 PM

Okay. This was confirmed with earlier posts, but I'm reporting like a said I would. Yep, it happened again a few times this weekend when radios were keyed near my camera. It turns out that another AC on another one of our crews was already aware of it as well, so she confirmed it too.

November 27th, 2004, 03:20 PM	#1
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	PD-150 internal stabilizer knocking I have experienced some physical knocking and image shifting on the LCD and EVF. The knocking and image shifting are simultaneously occurring. Is this the gyro mechanism for the steady shot stabilizer acting up? That's all I can think of it being. I guess it's time to start using supreme instead of regular.

November 28th, 2004, 10:07 PM	#4
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	Are you certain you are not in the presence of a strong electrical field? Radios, flashes and other generators of electical impulses are known to drive the OIS into the stops so hard you can feel it and hear it. Sony actually replaced my PD150 because they couldn't explain or find the problem. A CNN cameraman clued me into the reason. If you turn the OIS off, the problem should go away. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

November 29th, 2004, 10:44 PM	#7
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I know what will happen. Just have a good grip on the camera! __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

November 30th, 2004, 01:30 PM	#9
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	20 feet isn't enough with a police radio. Maybe 50' would do. I'm told cell phones may do this too when tney are vey close. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

December 1st, 2004, 02:04 PM	#12
Ian Thomas Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: York, North Yorkshire, England. Posts: 472	When i had my VX2000 i was filming some goldfinches out of my van window and suddenly felt this buzzing, knocking in the camera ( also shows up on playback) my mobile was close by and turned on, switched the phone off no problems, so the morale was if you were filming make sure your mobile is turned off. Don't know if the pd170 has same problem?. __________________ Ian Thomas. Thomas Video Productions

November 28th, 2004, 10:53 AM	#2
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Does sound as if you've got trouble with the VAP control electronics James. Easy enough to check I suppose - do a wobbly pan with the OIS turned on then off, and if all's well with it turned off then it repair time I'm afraid. tom.

November 28th, 2004, 01:28 PM	#3
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	The cameras experiencing this are rentals which is probably part of the reason, many many hours. It is seldomly and randomly occuring with no particular activity causing it. I have used a couple of different units on this project that it's happened with. Thank goodness it's not all the time.

November 28th, 2004, 10:58 PM	#5
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	I'm sure it's the stabilizer gyro and I'm sure it would go away if it was deactivated in the menu, there would be no power to it. It's very seldom that it happens. I was trying to confirm if that is what it was. I am typically just out on location anywhere when it happens so I'm not near anything like what you described. I need the feature because of the nature of the shots with handheld interviews, etc..

November 29th, 2004, 10:41 PM	#6
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Mike. When you said radios I just wasn't thinking clearly, more like car radios. Now that I think about it, the crew is using professional 1+ watt two-way radios and when this has happened I have been three to four feet from a radio when it is transmitting or receiving. I'm sure it's happening when the one I'm near is transmitting. I'm going to purposefully key a radio near the camera this weekend to see if it triggers this problem. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for the tips.

November 29th, 2004, 10:50 PM	#8
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Ha, ha, ha. I'll do it. This is what made me remember what you said. Scroll down the page until you see Attention 2-Way Radio Users!!! www.geocities.com/steadicamjr

November 30th, 2004, 08:40 PM	#10
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	I remember having RF interference with those very low power FM headsets like you get at Radio Shack. It caused waves in the picture when keyed next to my 1984 General Electric (Matsushita, Panasonic, Thomson, etc.) VHS tube camera. You heard it right, the one with the separate record deck slung over the shoulder. Hey man, that was the shizzle back then.

December 1st, 2004, 04:58 AM	#11
George Ellis Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Suwanee, GA Posts: 1,241	My Nextel phone (Motorola) will shake it!

December 2nd, 2004, 03:55 PM	#13
Mike Hanlon Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 180	Yes, the PD170 has the same problem. I had a VX2000 and a PD170 side by side and they both reacted when a two way head set way keyed just a few feet away. __________________ VM Productions

December 2nd, 2004, 05:06 PM	#14
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	I guess supreme isn't going to be enough. It's time for the big guns, Duralube or Slick 50!

December 6th, 2004, 08:02 PM	#15
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Okay. This was confirmed with earlier posts, but I'm reporting like a said I would. Yep, it happened again a few times this weekend when radios were keyed near my camera. It turns out that another AC on another one of our crews was already aware of it as well, so she confirmed it too.