Remote Lens Control on the PDW-EX1

Dave McCallister · April 30th, 2008, 03:01 PM

Any update on the 521ex release date? And any idea as to price?

Dave McCallister

Piotr Wozniacki · May 1st, 2008, 05:22 AM

Dave,

I'll try to use my contacts and investigate - but only next week :)

Ryan Quan · May 17th, 2008, 02:06 AM

Any updates on the Manfrotto solution?

Sean Donnelly · May 17th, 2008, 05:48 AM

Got the Libec ZC-9EX last week for a job, and I'd highly recommend it. The speed control is at least comparable to the ex1 zoom rocker, and the cable is very solid (I've seen bebobs get snagged and pull out of the remote). The ability to add an extension cable was the reason I bought it in the first place, but it is a very nice item otherwise.

-Sean

Piotr Wozniacki · May 17th, 2008, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan Quan

Any updates on the Manfrotto solution?

I only am in touch with the engineering people, not marketing - but as far as they can tell, the MN521ex should be available by the end of the month.

Ryan Quan · May 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM

Cool, looking forward to it.

Also, is there a reason none of the major manufacturers make a remote with focus control? Am I missing something?

George Kroonder · May 17th, 2008, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan Quan

Also, is there a reason none of the major manufacturers make a remote with focus control? Am I missing something?

No you're not missing anything, the EX1 is; it has no interface for remote focus.

George/

Ryan Quan · May 17th, 2008, 01:10 PM

Do you think Sony will add focus control through a firmware update? Or is it possible through a 3rd party processor?

Piotr Wozniacki · May 17th, 2008, 01:45 PM

From the Manfrotto engineers I know the 8-pin proprietary socket on the EX1 doesn't provide any other connection that those for the functions, implemented on the controllers mentioned in this thread.

Ryan Quan · May 22nd, 2008, 12:44 PM

Any news on the release date of the Manfrotto control and where to buy one?

Graeme Fullick · May 31st, 2008, 04:00 PM

Still waiting to see if the Manfrotto 521EX is coming out. I will have to buy in the next couple of weeks for a trip to the Arctic on June 30th.

Failing this I think I might just go with the Libec - can anyone using it tell me if it has a speed adjustment wheel like the Bebob?

Does the Varizoom have a speed adjustment wheel also?

Another interesting thing was that Tom from Varizoom said that he HAD made a focus controller for the EX1 - but it was twice the cost. This is interesting as other manufacturers all claim that it can't be done. Any news on this?

Sean Donnelly · May 31st, 2008, 04:43 PM

The Libec has no speed control adjustment. It has the same level of control as the standard zoom rocker switch, but no speed adjustment. The bebob adjustment is a function of the LANC interface I believe.

-Sean

Ryan Quan · June 2nd, 2008, 01:20 PM

Piotr, any updates?

I just did a shoot with the EX1 for the first time yesterday and found out a remote zoom control is absolutely necessary when shooting on a tripod. I previously shot on PD170's and I'm used to panning the tripod arm with my right hand and reaching through the camera handle with my left hand to use the zoom rocker.

Since the EX1's zoom rocker is off-center to the right on an independent handle, it's impossible to reach through the camera's handle with my left hand to make zoom adjustments.=/

Paul Chiu · June 2nd, 2008, 08:20 PM

i am in the same boat.

the bebob zoe-ex with the variable zoom speed is hard to find.
probably the only solution for the meantime is to use the Sony
remote with perhaps the mirror attached in the front as someone here suggested.

paul

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan Quan

Piotr, any updates?

I just did a shoot with the EX1 for the first time yesterday and found out a remote zoom control is absolutely necessary when shooting on a tripod. I previously shot on PD170's and I'm used to panning the tripod arm with my right hand and reaching through the camera handle with my left hand to use the zoom rocker.

Since the EX1's zoom rocker is off-center to the right on an independent handle, it's impossible to reach through the camera's handle with my left hand to make zoom adjustments.=/

Bob Berg · June 3rd, 2008, 10:22 AM

Picked up one of these little babies when they first came out. After a minor factory improvement, it works flawlessly. Love it.

I'm also loving the fact that the EX1 lets you "dial down" the zoom speed for the top handle rocker to something nearly imperceptible...creeping in or out at a setting of 2 or 3 (a setting of 1 doesn't always make the zoom motor reliably start moving on my EX1). (Clarifying, this has nothing to do with the PG-EX controller...)

I haven't seen this slow zoom capability since the old days of the Cinema Products J6 or the Panavision zoom controller, where you could dial down a zoom to over 3 minutes, end to end. Awesome.

April 30th, 2008, 03:01 PM	#121
Dave McCallister Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 29	Question for Piotr Any update on the 521ex release date? And any idea as to price? Dave McCallister

May 1st, 2008, 05:22 AM	#122
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Dave, I'll try to use my contacts and investigate - but only next week :) __________________ Sony PXW-FS7 \| DaVinci Resolve Studio; Magix Vegas Pro; i7-5960X CPU; 64 GB RAM; 2x GTX 1080 8GB GPU; Decklink 4K Extreme 12G; 4x 3TB WD Black in RAID 0; 1TB M.2 NVMe cache drive

May 17th, 2008, 01:45 PM	#129
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	From the Manfrotto engineers I know the 8-pin proprietary socket on the EX1 doesn't provide any other connection that those for the functions, implemented on the controllers mentioned in this thread. __________________ Sony PXW-FS7 \| DaVinci Resolve Studio; Magix Vegas Pro; i7-5960X CPU; 64 GB RAM; 2x GTX 1080 8GB GPU; Decklink 4K Extreme 12G; 4x 3TB WD Black in RAID 0; 1TB M.2 NVMe cache drive

May 31st, 2008, 04:00 PM	#131
Graeme Fullick Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 337	Still waiting to see if the Manfrotto 521EX is coming out. I will have to buy in the next couple of weeks for a trip to the Arctic on June 30th. Failing this I think I might just go with the Libec - can anyone using it tell me if it has a speed adjustment wheel like the Bebob? Does the Varizoom have a speed adjustment wheel also? Another interesting thing was that Tom from Varizoom said that he HAD made a focus controller for the EX1 - but it was twice the cost. This is interesting as other manufacturers all claim that it can't be done. Any news on this? __________________ Graeme

June 3rd, 2008, 10:22 AM	#135
Bob Berg New Boot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 14	Varizoom PG-EX Controller Picked up one of these little babies when they first came out. After a minor factory improvement, it works flawlessly. Love it. I'm also loving the fact that the EX1 lets you "dial down" the zoom speed for the top handle rocker to something nearly imperceptible...creeping in or out at a setting of 2 or 3 (a setting of 1 doesn't always make the zoom motor reliably start moving on my EX1). (Clarifying, this has nothing to do with the PG-EX controller...) I haven't seen this slow zoom capability since the old days of the Cinema Products J6 or the Panavision zoom controller, where you could dial down a zoom to over 3 minutes, end to end. Awesome. Last edited by Bob Berg; June 3rd, 2008 at 10:25 AM. Reason: clarification

May 17th, 2008, 02:06 AM	#123
Ryan Quan New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17	Any updates on the Manfrotto solution?

May 17th, 2008, 05:48 AM	#124
Sean Donnelly Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 188	Got the Libec ZC-9EX last week for a job, and I'd highly recommend it. The speed control is at least comparable to the ex1 zoom rocker, and the cable is very solid (I've seen bebobs get snagged and pull out of the remote). The ability to add an extension cable was the reason I bought it in the first place, but it is a very nice item otherwise. -Sean

May 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM	#126
Ryan Quan New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17	Cool, looking forward to it. Also, is there a reason none of the major manufacturers make a remote with focus control? Am I missing something?

May 17th, 2008, 01:10 PM	#128
Ryan Quan New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17	Do you think Sony will add focus control through a firmware update? Or is it possible through a 3rd party processor?

May 22nd, 2008, 12:44 PM	#130
Ryan Quan New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17	Any news on the release date of the Manfrotto control and where to buy one?

May 31st, 2008, 04:43 PM	#132
Sean Donnelly Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 188	The Libec has no speed control adjustment. It has the same level of control as the standard zoom rocker switch, but no speed adjustment. The bebob adjustment is a function of the LANC interface I believe. -Sean

June 2nd, 2008, 01:20 PM	#133
Ryan Quan New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 17	Piotr, any updates? I just did a shoot with the EX1 for the first time yesterday and found out a remote zoom control is absolutely necessary when shooting on a tripod. I previously shot on PD170's and I'm used to panning the tripod arm with my right hand and reaching through the camera handle with my left hand to use the zoom rocker. Since the EX1's zoom rocker is off-center to the right on an independent handle, it's impossible to reach through the camera's handle with my left hand to make zoom adjustments.=/