Vignette problem

Jason Bodnar · November 28th, 2007, 05:39 PM

This is very discouraging as I was about to place my order but am going to hold off since they are still trying to fill preorders. I still want this camera but would like to hear a response from Sony on this issue. It seems obvious that this is not affecting 100% of cameras The Air show footage looked great and did no show any of this...I hope this is just a small % of the cameras and there is a fix.

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 06:30 PM

Jason, the problem is, that there have not been many of us on this forum that have received this camera and 75% are showing the problem. Well at least reported.

We are going to hear from a lot more soon.

I've called Sony Tech @

1-800-883-6817
Enter 252 to direct to the department.

The tech that helped me was very professional. He had just got off the phone with someone else who had the same problem.

They will be contacting Sony Japan with our issues.

Has anyone been able to see it on the EX1 LCD? I know the LCD is small, but I can't see any vignetting on this LCD.

That was one of the tech's question.

I don't believe it's internal processing since it happens between 10mm-25mm focal length.

I'm holding onto the cam unless I'm told otherwise.

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 07:00 PM

Could someone who can view Mac created mov files please check this out and see how bad the vignetting shows itsef. Carol said you really have to look to see it. Unfortunately, I have a PC. MAybe perform a screen capture during its worse section.

http://www.clamcamvideo.com/CLAM0004_01_1.mov

Jason Bodnar · November 28th, 2007, 07:11 PM

Steven, yeah I hear you it could be just starting. Once others start to call in to report the issue. I am glad that someone at Sony is going to try and escalate this to find out if this really is a QC issue or somthing greater. I am hoping it is a first run issue or something that can be fixed easily enough. Bottom line is a 7000.00 + camera should not be having this issue. I had a friend that bought a Centruy Optics knock off for his FX-1 and his footage is very similar but much worse with the blue tint in all four corners. I hate to think this really is an issue of the 1/2 in sensors tolerance being the cause. Time will tell. I hope Sony find this is still the issue they had with the preproduction models and a Firmware upgrade will fix the issue??One can hope it is that easy!

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 07:26 PM

I hope it's only a firmware issue. But based on how it's directly related to a specific focal range (10-25mm), it does not seem that firmware can not fix this issue. Hope I'm, wrong!

Carroll Lam · November 28th, 2007, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Could someone who can view Mac created mov files please check this out and see how bad the vignetting shows itsef. Carol said you really have to look to see it. Unfortunately, I have a PC. MAybe perform a screen capture during its worse section.

Here's two screen caps, Steven. One where the vignetting in the upper right is worst and one just before the vignetting shows up.

It is _very_ subtle.

Carroll Lam

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 08:46 PM

Carol, your camera is by far better than mine.

Does anyone have a clue what's going on here?

Eric Pascarelli · November 28th, 2007, 08:53 PM

Carroll,

What was the aperture on those shots?

Try a wide open aperture and a deep focus - that's where my vignetting starts to show.

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 08:58 PM

Tonight I could actually see it while viewing the EX1's LCD.
Due to the LCD is so small, it is hard to see, but it's there.

When viewing the files tonight, I see it in all four corners. Mine's just worse in the top and bottom right corners.

Eric Pascarelli · November 28th, 2007, 09:07 PM

Steven, mine is like that, too, all four corners, worst on the top.

Chuck Wall · November 28th, 2007, 09:30 PM

I am curious to see if the one I received has this issue. What is the best way to locate? I haven't had much time to do more than turn it on and some basic operational tests.

Should I have iris wide open and zoom tight or wide?

Thanks

Chuck

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 09:35 PM

Chuck,
Put the cam in manual focus at a distance, or set it to inifinity.
Aim at a white wall or ceiling, aperture wide open.

Start at wide and SLOWLY zoom in. f you have the issue, it will probably show
between 10m though 25mm range. SO slowly look around this range.

Try this test with OIS on and OIS off.

Carroll Lam · November 28th, 2007, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric Pascarelli

What was the aperture on those shots?

Try a wide open aperture and a deep focus - that's where my vignetting starts to show.

The aperture was somewhere around f4 or 5 and focus was set to infinity.

I'm not sure what you mean by "deep" focus.

Carroll Lam

Steven Thomas · November 28th, 2007, 09:40 PM

I found that when OIS is on and the focal length is set to the problem vignetting setting, the vignetting issue moves around as I pan the camera. You can watch it jump around.

This tells me that something is VERY close to their tolerances.

Chuck Wall · November 28th, 2007, 09:52 PM

Steve

I'll give it a try. I did notice something different while playing back some stuff I shot in my living room under low lighting. Vertical objects had the appearance of not being straight. I was not panning the cam..

November 28th, 2007, 09:52 PM	#165
Chuck Wall Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 111	Steve I'll give it a try. I did notice something different while playing back some stuff I shot in my living room under low lighting. Vertical objects had the appearance of not being straight. I was not panning the cam.. Attached Thumbnails

November 28th, 2007, 05:39 PM	#151
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	This is very discouraging as I was about to place my order but am going to hold off since they are still trying to fill preorders. I still want this camera but would like to hear a response from Sony on this issue. It seems obvious that this is not affecting 100% of cameras The Air show footage looked great and did no show any of this...I hope this is just a small % of the cameras and there is a fix.

November 28th, 2007, 06:30 PM	#152
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Jason, the problem is, that there have not been many of us on this forum that have received this camera and 75% are showing the problem. Well at least reported. We are going to hear from a lot more soon. I've called Sony Tech @ 1-800-883-6817 Enter 252 to direct to the department. The tech that helped me was very professional. He had just got off the phone with someone else who had the same problem. They will be contacting Sony Japan with our issues. Has anyone been able to see it on the EX1 LCD? I know the LCD is small, but I can't see any vignetting on this LCD. That was one of the tech's question. I don't believe it's internal processing since it happens between 10mm-25mm focal length. I'm holding onto the cam unless I'm told otherwise.

November 28th, 2007, 07:00 PM	#153
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Could someone who can view Mac created mov files please check this out and see how bad the vignetting shows itsef. Carol said you really have to look to see it. Unfortunately, I have a PC. MAybe perform a screen capture during its worse section. http://www.clamcamvideo.com/CLAM0004_01_1.mov

November 28th, 2007, 07:11 PM	#154
Jason Bodnar Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 376	Steven, yeah I hear you it could be just starting. Once others start to call in to report the issue. I am glad that someone at Sony is going to try and escalate this to find out if this really is a QC issue or somthing greater. I am hoping it is a first run issue or something that can be fixed easily enough. Bottom line is a 7000.00 + camera should not be having this issue. I had a friend that bought a Centruy Optics knock off for his FX-1 and his footage is very similar but much worse with the blue tint in all four corners. I hate to think this really is an issue of the 1/2 in sensors tolerance being the cause. Time will tell. I hope Sony find this is still the issue they had with the preproduction models and a Firmware upgrade will fix the issue??One can hope it is that easy!

November 28th, 2007, 07:26 PM	#155
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I hope it's only a firmware issue. But based on how it's directly related to a specific focal range (10-25mm), it does not seem that firmware can not fix this issue. Hope I'm, wrong!

November 28th, 2007, 08:46 PM	#157
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Carol, your camera is by far better than mine. Does anyone have a clue what's going on here?

November 28th, 2007, 08:53 PM	#158
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	Carroll, What was the aperture on those shots? Try a wide open aperture and a deep focus - that's where my vignetting starts to show.

November 28th, 2007, 08:58 PM	#159
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Tonight I could actually see it while viewing the EX1's LCD. Due to the LCD is so small, it is hard to see, but it's there. When viewing the files tonight, I see it in all four corners. Mine's just worse in the top and bottom right corners.

November 28th, 2007, 09:07 PM	#160
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	Steven, mine is like that, too, all four corners, worst on the top.

November 28th, 2007, 09:30 PM	#161
Chuck Wall Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 111	I am curious to see if the one I received has this issue. What is the best way to locate? I haven't had much time to do more than turn it on and some basic operational tests. Should I have iris wide open and zoom tight or wide? Thanks Chuck

November 28th, 2007, 09:35 PM	#162
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Chuck, Put the cam in manual focus at a distance, or set it to inifinity. Aim at a white wall or ceiling, aperture wide open. Start at wide and SLOWLY zoom in. f you have the issue, it will probably show between 10m though 25mm range. SO slowly look around this range. Try this test with OIS on and OIS off.

November 28th, 2007, 09:40 PM	#164
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I found that when OIS is on and the focal length is set to the problem vignetting setting, the vignetting issue moves around as I pan the camera. You can watch it jump around. This tells me that something is VERY close to their tolerances.