Vignette problem

Chuck Wall · November 29th, 2007, 04:15 PM

Steve

I can confim my camera has the issue in the top right and left corners. Also when fully zoomed tight is can see a more of a cirlce than at the two top corners. I will post pics as soon as my edit system is open.

Chuck

Eric Pascarelli · November 29th, 2007, 04:15 PM

I just spoke to the Sony techs - they took my info and gave me a reference number. They told me they were referring this to Japan and would call when they had an answer.

They said that they could not duplicate the issue on their test camera. I told them the general guidelines for revealing the problem - "deep" focus, wide open stop etc.

They seemed concerned and helpful and they told me they owed me a phone call, when they knew more. They also asked me to email a screen grab, which I will do.

Craig Seeman · November 29th, 2007, 07:43 PM

I went to my dealer today and played with their display camera.

I went through the test as Steven had posted and YES their display camera has the vignette issue.

In this case they had a solid grey carpet I aimed at. It looked very obvious to me. I saw it on the upper left and right but it seemed more severe on the right.

Winston Ashley · November 29th, 2007, 11:28 PM

OK. Here's what I got. #68... Looks like it has it at the end of the zoom.

Paul Cook · November 29th, 2007, 11:36 PM

The more I see it the nastier it looks.

I know corporations don’t think logically but wouldn't the smart move by the sony techs you spoke with, given they were unable to replicate the problem, be to swap their camera for yours?

Im more worried about finding the truth as to what’s causing this problem - is it something simple? Can they fix it or worse...is it something they fix but suddenly appears again months later?

Either way its not good for consumer confidence in what otherwise looks to be a killer camera.

Steven Thomas · November 30th, 2007, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winston Ashley

OK. Here's what I got. #68... Looks like it has it at the end of the zoom.

Are you saying 80mm ?

That's odd.

Phil Bloom · November 30th, 2007, 04:01 AM

looks like they are going to have a massive headache if this many people have the problem.

if it's something fundamental like design flaw it will cost them a fortune to get all the cameras back.

Peter Moretti · November 30th, 2007, 04:08 AM

Looks like they should have used a 3/7th inch sensor instead of 1/2 ;).

All joking aside, I bet they try to fix the problem by effectively cropping the picture inside the camera.

Piotr Wozniacki · November 30th, 2007, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

Looks like they should have used a 3/7th inch sensor instead of 1/2 ;).

All joking aside, I bet they try to fix the problem by effectively cropping the picture inside the camera.

Cropping might now be enough; nobody seems to notice that apart from the corner vignetting (black), the picture area is not evently bright (darker near the edges / corners).

Alex Leith · November 30th, 2007, 04:24 AM

I'm guessing the lens just doesn't have a wide enough coverage. Distinct vignetting at the corners and fall-off towards the edges...

Perhaps this is how they're setting it apart from the (more expensive) F330, etc.?

Tom Hardwick · November 30th, 2007, 04:31 AM

Doesn't matter what you pay for a lens, they all vignette the image into the corners and wide apertures really show it up. Strangely enough they've given us a simple tool for checking this out: the zebras. Evenly lit surface, wide open aperture, zebras turned on to whatever setting you like. Notice how the center is 1.5 stops brighter than the edges. F/4 evens it up a lot.

tom..

Piotr Wozniacki · November 30th, 2007, 04:34 AM

Tom, you're probably right - were it not for the distinct corner vignetting, the brightness fall-off could probably get away unnoticed...

Tom Hardwick · November 30th, 2007, 04:37 AM

Probably right Piotr? Probably?? big grin.

Alex Leith · November 30th, 2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Hardwick

Doesn't matter what you pay for a lens, they all vignette the image into the corners and wide apertures really show it up.

Yes, of course - you're right. And yes, it becomes strikingly obvious when you film a large, flat, evenly-lit colour (which is generally not how the world presents itself).

(and like Piotr says - it only got noticed in the first place 'cause there's distinct corner vignetting)

Tom Hardwick · November 30th, 2007, 04:59 AM

This vignetting problem is a headache for those with compact point 'n' shoot digi-still cameras who want to shoot panoramas and have them stitched together by the computer. The pictures often have a sort of sine wave of exposure that fluctuates along the panorama. All down to natural vignetting.

November 29th, 2007, 11:28 PM	#199
Winston Ashley Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 81	OK. Here's what I got. #68... Looks like it has it at the end of the zoom. Attached Thumbnails

November 30th, 2007, 04:01 AM	#202
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	looks like they are going to have a massive headache if this many people have the problem. if it's something fundamental like design flaw it will cost them a fortune to get all the cameras back. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

November 30th, 2007, 04:24 AM	#205
Alex Leith Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northampton, England Posts: 500	I'm guessing the lens just doesn't have a wide enough coverage. Distinct vignetting at the corners and fall-off towards the edges... Perhaps this is how they're setting it apart from the (more expensive) F330, etc.? __________________ Alex

November 30th, 2007, 04:34 AM	#207
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Tom, you're probably right - were it not for the distinct corner vignetting, the brightness fall-off could probably get away unnoticed... __________________ 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

November 29th, 2007, 04:15 PM	#196
Chuck Wall Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pittsburgh Posts: 111	Steve I can confim my camera has the issue in the top right and left corners. Also when fully zoomed tight is can see a more of a cirlce than at the two top corners. I will post pics as soon as my edit system is open. Chuck

November 29th, 2007, 04:15 PM	#197
Eric Pascarelli Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 498	I just spoke to the Sony techs - they took my info and gave me a reference number. They told me they were referring this to Japan and would call when they had an answer. They said that they could not duplicate the issue on their test camera. I told them the general guidelines for revealing the problem - "deep" focus, wide open stop etc. They seemed concerned and helpful and they told me they owed me a phone call, when they knew more. They also asked me to email a screen grab, which I will do.

November 29th, 2007, 07:43 PM	#198
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	I went to my dealer today and played with their display camera. I went through the test as Steven had posted and YES their display camera has the vignette issue. In this case they had a solid grey carpet I aimed at. It looked very obvious to me. I saw it on the upper left and right but it seemed more severe on the right.

November 29th, 2007, 11:36 PM	#200
Paul Cook Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 174	The more I see it the nastier it looks. I know corporations don’t think logically but wouldn't the smart move by the sony techs you spoke with, given they were unable to replicate the problem, be to swap their camera for yours? Im more worried about finding the truth as to what’s causing this problem - is it something simple? Can they fix it or worse...is it something they fix but suddenly appears again months later? Either way its not good for consumer confidence in what otherwise looks to be a killer camera.

November 30th, 2007, 04:08 AM	#203
Peter Moretti Trustee Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 1,259	Looks like they should have used a 3/7th inch sensor instead of 1/2 ;). All joking aside, I bet they try to fix the problem by effectively cropping the picture inside the camera.

November 30th, 2007, 04:31 AM	#206
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Doesn't matter what you pay for a lens, they all vignette the image into the corners and wide apertures really show it up. Strangely enough they've given us a simple tool for checking this out: the zebras. Evenly lit surface, wide open aperture, zebras turned on to whatever setting you like. Notice how the center is 1.5 stops brighter than the edges. F/4 evens it up a lot. tom..

November 30th, 2007, 04:37 AM	#208
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	Probably right Piotr? Probably?? big grin.

November 30th, 2007, 04:59 AM	#210
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	This vignetting problem is a headache for those with compact point 'n' shoot digi-still cameras who want to shoot panoramas and have them stitched together by the computer. The pictures often have a sort of sine wave of exposure that fluctuates along the panorama. All down to natural vignetting.