Mine arrived yesterday. Full serial number 0200051. I'd elsewhere ignored the first part of that number and assumed it was just Sony's way of avoiding anyone feeling they got #1 but maybe you're right, the first digits could be a batch number. No second card as yet and my info is the same as Serena's, they'll be with us end of this week, early next week.

I hope Serena's info is correct about the batteries, I can see me needing one or two of those although I've only cycled the battery once and Li-Ion batteries seem to need several cycles initially to achieve full capacity so I shouldn't be too hasty judging battery life.

Bob or Wes,

Any sign at all of the vignette problem? It's my only concern about getting the camera this early.

Vaughan,

It was Macrays in Sydney - same place as Bob's.

THanks guys,

Looks like all cameras shipped to Australia start with 2000 - hopefully a new and better QC,ed batch with no vignetting issues.

I will soon know.

Not yet, but I haven't tested it out - will do tomorrow.

I've been told next week for the 2nd 8GB card and extra battery.
I grabbed a 16Gb as well so I'll be all set.

Advice to Mac users. Update all your software including operating system. quicktime to 7.3 and FCP to 6.0.2, then grab allo the Sony transfer software - then you'll have all the ingredients to bake the EX cake.

cheers

My NYC dealer just emailed me saying they will get their shipment end of next week. He had mentioned in a previous email that cameras were being held in New Jersey for QC by Sony due to the vignette issue.

I picked up mine yesterday.

S/N 0200080. Looks great (no vignetting yet) and took a quick video of my daughter with her 8th birthday cake, but then had a concert last night and another tonight, and wedding on Saturday so I won't get to use it properly until we get those bigger batteries and cards.

"Happy camper"!

Cheers Vaughan

I went to a demo today, to see if I could pick up any new information, and the Sony guy there said all the cameras are rechecked before they go out, that it's a very easy fix, and that they aren't finding many with the problem. That's all he said.

I have #466 and don't see the problem on the LCD but haven't had time to check it on a monitor in underscan. Hope to do that tomorrow.

Based on the sheer number here that had issues, there are a lot more than he stated. It's possible this statement comes from a later batch.

Also, I really can't believe this is an easy fix. If it is, I'm interested in how they are doing it.

I have one being delivered today!... unfortunately it's just a review sample for our next issue of 16:9 magazine - so I have to give it back in a week's time.

Still, should be fun to put it through its paces.

OK, have got the camera etc. Now charging battery.

On the way out with the camera I met John going in for his. Nice to put faces to names.

Nice to meet you too Serena - I'm also charging the battery. And I'm fidgeting in the meantime waiting for it to finish!

First thing I did when I got it was pop open the cover for the headphone port, which came off in my hand. So my first interaction with this camera was busting the little plastic cover... O well... let's hope it's not a sign of things to come...

Mine arrived today in Melbourne, Australia with the S/N 0200087.

The box had a long strip of tape around it saying "OPENED FOR INSPECTION BY PRODUCT TEST - SONY"

This gave me a good feeling that a: they are checking and b: mine got through. I'm waiting on the battery to charge before I can test it though...

Mitch Gross from Abel Cine has done some checking. His named Sony contact has said that "we have researched that it is a 10-minute adjustment (not a fix or replacement parts/software)". That "if a customer has found an issue, they need to contact Sony and we will resolve".

According to Mitch, Sony say that they know of three cameras that have had any issue.`

I reckon Spencer's right. Modern production engineering tolerances are so amazingly tight that all cameras pop off the end of the production line like identical clones This is usually a Good Thing, but if one camera's wrong then they all are.

here's what I heard back from abelcine....

"Since the launch in November, the PMW-EX1 has been received extremely well within the

market with a huge level of order commitments and very positive feedback from customers

using the product.

Sony regrets to inform you that there have been a small number of reports of a specific lens issue

with the camera, which upon further investigation by our engineering team, has been identified

as ‘unbalanced light falloff’ at the edge of the picture. The cause of this has been identified as

being a result of a mis-alignment of the center of the lens and the light axis. Sony takes such

technical matters very seriously and although this issue has only been seen on a very small

percentage of the units supplied worldwide, Sony has implemented a full review and

modification of the manufacturing process in order to alleviate any re-occurrence of this issue.

Sony will re-align any camera exhibiting the symptom described above at no charge to you at

the highest priority. If your camcorder exhibits the symptom described please call our Product

Operational Support Center at 1-800-883-6817, option 2-5-2 for advice on how to proceed."