Vignette problem

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Wow Piotr, you're "bad luck to a hunting dog!"

Does this happen everytime you use your ND filters?

I've never seen this...

No Steven - fortunately enough, it doesn't happen every time (happened once so far, and then I forcibly re-created it to make sure it was it, and not the Mother Vignette:)). This doesn't change the fact that the ND filter switch is very poorly designed and functioning (just like all the other slider kind of switches on this professional, CineAlta machine:( ).

Interestingly, it happened when I was testing the most "exotic" camera setting in the PAL area: recording 24PsF in SP, to the DR60 drive connected via i.LINK. But it must have been a coincidence.

BTW: as a sidenote, did you all notice that in SP mode, the LCD doesn't flicker with its ugly green screens when using Expanded Focus, for instance? It only seems to happen in HQ...

Regarding your "bad luck to a hunting dog" comment, well - I guess I deserve it. Just take a look into the V1 forum archives... Anyway, if I am buying a new camera, it is 100% certain it WILL have serious teething problems;) The good news is that - after all - it all comes to a happy end, though.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Sami Sanpakkila

Ive seen this happen on my camera once, but you just flick the ND off/on and its gone. It stays in between the modes and i think that causes it as Piotr says. I sure was afraid that now its broken when it happened!

Sami,
We have cameras from the same batch; neither of use has the vignetting issue (in the previous form that haunted others before us); none of the others ever reported the ND filer mechanism jamming half-way...

No, the following crossed my mind: is it pure coincidence, or did Sony fixed the original vignetting issue by some modification to the ND filter that doesn't quite work, either?

Anybody whose ND filter stuck at least once, please report!

[Paul Joy]

I don't think the two are related, If I'm not careful I can drop the filter halfway over the image too, but personally I'm not bothered by it, It's easy so feel when it hasn't engaged properly.

Talking of vignetting, I noticed when reviewing footage from a shoot yesterday that I'm still getting some with the OIS on, and sometimes very slightly with it off. I's nowhere near as bad as the last camera but definitely there.

Maybe I'll send it in one day so see if they can get rid of it altogether, I can't afford to be without it at the moment though.

Do you guys with the newer cams see it with OIS on?

Paul.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

No, I am very happy because I haven't spotted any vignetting so far. However, the ND filter is driving me nuts :(

[Gerald Loidl]

I´ve been lurking in this forum for quite a while now and finally received my EX1 today only to find out that it shows the vignetting issue in the top left corner. I thought Sony fixed this issue by now, but it seems that my camera slipped through QC. I think as they are aware of the issue, this should no longer happen, and I´m a little disappointed. Looks like I will return the camera first thing monday morning.

Otherwise the camera really is great. I was used shooting with big SD broadcast cameras like Digibetas - but this little camera really blew me away. Very impressive little beast. I hope to have it repaired asap. I think I will already miss it ;-)

If Sony reads this - please fix it fast!

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Gerald, welcome to the forum! I understand your frustration, but don't worry: at least now we all know for sure it can be fixed, as most units do NOT show vignetting any more. In this respect, you're in a much better situation than those early adopters, who first spotted the issue 3 months ago and - at that time - couldn't even be sure it was fixable!

I'm sure you will have your camera back and fixed soon. Enjoy!

[Gerald Loidl]

Thanks Piotr.
UPS just picked up the camera and it is now on its way to Sony Prime Support in France. Hope to have it back by the end of week.
I thoroughly tested the camera over the weekend and already like it very much. The vignetting issue showed up on a couple of testshots when aperture was wide open. If it was higher than f5.6 it was completely gone.

regards,
Gerald

[Paul Joy]

Mines going back this week too. I've started noticing it more and more, especially with OIS on and the reports from others who have said it's totally gone means that it's worthwhile getting it looked at.

Just to clarify what I'm seeing, I have attached a small movie file. This is taken while moving the camera slightly with OIS on and zoom at 10mm (fully open iris).

I just hope it doesn't come back any worse!

Paul.

[Steven Thomas]

I hear you Paul.

Here's my deal. I'm on my second camera.
My first camera showed vignetting in all four corners (OIS OFF), but more so to the right side. I sent it in for adjustment and it came back with vignetting on all four corners (OIS OFF).

Now after waiting out for a replacement camera.
My second camera (based on the SN#, should be the latest batch) has less, but still shows up in the top two corners.

I'm going to have Sony techs try to fix this one.
This time. I'm sending in "exact" particulars and images of "where" and "how" to display this issue. I have no idea why my first camera came back worse.

Also, I'm going to set up a careful test using a marked grid to determine if the focal length travel is parallel to the optical axis.

Originally, I was almost OK with my replacement camera (it has less than my first camera), but this problem has been showing up and is obvious. The problem is it was spotted by someone who doesn't know jack about cameras. That bothered me. LOL

[Steven Thomas]

Paul,
Do you see the vignette through focal length travel with OIS off?
Mine's there with it off between 8-25mm. Mostly around 15mm.

I can only imagine mine would be real bad if I were to turn on OIS.

If yours does not show with OIS off. I wonder how they would actually fix this? In this case, it's not the telecentricity of the lens.

[Paul Joy]

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Paul,
Do you see the vignette through focal length travel with OIS off?

Hi Steven, yes I can see it in the upper corners, but only slightly and nowhere near as badly as the first camera I had. I am nervous about having it messed with, but if they make it worse I'll show them before and after examples and make sure it gets put right.

[Paul Joy]

Just out of interest, do you guys with the newer cameras see this issue at all with the OIS on?

My test was done simply by pointing the camera at a blank wall at 10mm Zoom with the IRIS fully open and the darkened corners were quite obvious on the LCD when moving the camera around.

[Tom Hardwick]

I wonder when you say 'the darkened corners' Paul if you're seeing simply less exposed corners (which is quite normal at full aperture) or actual black pixels in the corners denoting that the lens is off axis with the chip block

All lenses vignette the image at wide aperture, often as much as 1 ½ stops, which is why various makers supply a neutral spot filters for critical applications.

tom.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Paul,

No, I have no vignetting at all. While this may not comfort you just now, in the long run it means you should insists that your unit is vignette-free, as well. Sincerely, good luck!

Piotr

[Paul Joy]

I've shown a larger version of the clip I posted above to Sony Prime Support and they have said that it's 'working normally'. If however this isn't happening on all cameras I'm not overly happy with that response.

Paul.