Questions to Sony at NAB about Ex1

[Swen Goebbels]

Originally Posted by Daniel Weber

I guess what I am saying is don't go to NAB expecting a lot of answers to your questions.

Hmm, I was never at the NAB before. Maybe last year at the IBC I just talked to the right (japanese) guy. I'm sure he was an engineer and not a sales manager. But maybe in at NAB there are more US-sales people who don't know much about that camcorder. I will know that in a few weeks.

[Craig Seeman]

Any possibility of a cache record buffer in firmware update?

Any possibility for software that will rewrap the XDCAM EX files so they can be burned to Blu-ray without re-compression? The 2 Pass VBR 35mbps falls within Blu-ray spec.

Why the heck does the Push Auto Focus work the way it does (hunts after releasing)? Was there a reason to do that rather than work they way most other cameras (even Sony) work? Maybe there's some kind of purpose or use for that we're not thinking of.

Any possibility for an Express Card to PCIe reader for Desktop computers (Mac and Windows) rather than USB (YUCK!)? I want the speed of xfer on desktop.

Sony, please post representations of the all the matrix and gamma curves with chart/scope examples on their site! (BTW I told this to Juan Martinez already a few months back).

[Jamie Baughman]

I'd like to know when Sony will properly stock the shelves of their distributors with the accessories for this camera.

I've been trying to buy a SxS card reader since the day I bought the camera...no luck. I've been talking to a sales guy at a DVinfo sponsor and they've been back-ordered for months. Seems like it would be a heck of a lot easier to manufacture the card reader than the camera so why are there so few?

[Alexander Kubalsky]

Originally Posted by Jamie Baughman

I'd like to know when Sony will properly stock the shelves of their distributors with the accessories for this camera.

I've been trying to buy a SxS card reader since the day I bought the camera...no luck. I've been talking to a sales guy at a DVinfo sponsor and they've been back-ordered for months. Seems like it would be a heck of a lot easier to manufacture the card reader than the camera so why are there so few?

My local dealer in tokyo has some of these card readers. Do you want me to find out about how you can order one from them?

[Dennis Joseph]

Originally Posted by Jon Carlson

Dear Sony,

I paid you over $6,600 for my camera. Why on earth does it only perform on par with a $13,200 camera, rather than a $132,000 camera?

----

No, I really do understand that some of the issues users are experiencing are serious and significant (particularly the vignette and backfocus problems), but let's keep in mind that Sony has broken through just about every price / performance ratio that existed in the past. 1/2" chips... true 1920x1080 sensors, 23.976p performance, over/under cranking, tapeless workflow, true manual focus lens, the list goes on and on.

Sony should deal with the real issues relating to quality control and some of the fundamentals of the camera design, but those of us who have bought this camera have purchased amazing value for what we paid. We didn't by an F23, or even an F350. We didn't buy a Red. We paid less than $10,000 for a full camera system, including an amazing LCD screen and high-quality HD lens.

So here's my number 11: How do you get away with charging so little?

I Semi-Agree with you on that. I don't agree with people complaining about buttons, design, balance and what not, but vignetting and backfocus issues are unacceptable at any price range. Whether buying a $250 Canon from BestBuy to a a 200k f-23 those 2 problems are just unacceptable and I would never suck it up and say "eh it was only 7k so I should expect vignetting and focus issues"

The camera is stunning, the picture quality is fantastic and the features are great. It's only shortcomings so far are the rolling shutter but I don,t plan on shooting squad cars with strobe lights and a bunch of paparazzi shooting britney spears on sunset blvd. I'm going to take advantage of the features it does have and what it can do and not worry about what it can't do.

[Jamie Baughman]

Originally Posted by Alexander Kubalsky

My local dealer in tokyo has some of these card readers. Do you want me to find out about how you can order one from them?

That would be great Alexander...you can PM me with that info.

Thanks

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Originally Posted by Dennis Joseph

I Semi-Agree with you on that. I don't agree with people complaining about buttons, design, balance and what not, but vignetting and backfocus issues are unacceptable at any price range. Whether buying a $250 Canon from BestBuy to a a 200k f-23 those 2 problems are just unacceptable and I would never suck it up and say "eh it was only 7k so I should expect vignetting and focus issues"

The camera is stunning, the picture quality is fantastic and the features are great. It's only shortcomings so far are the rolling shutter but I don,t plan on shooting squad cars with strobe lights and a bunch of paparazzi shooting britney spears on sunset blvd. I'm going to take advantage of the features it does have and what it can do and not worry about what it can't do.

Voila, you said it all. I agree with Jon that nobody should exept the camera to give the same images as a camera costing ten times as much, but if you look at this complete thread, NOBODY DOES.
To the contrary: everyone says the image quality is perfect, but there are severe issues with the camera, that can't be tolerated for a camera that's used for professional work. Almost every complaint in this thread is geared towards those issues, and not about button placement and such.

[Daniel Alexander]

Looking at the Sony EX1 board as a whole i'm just glad i got my camera when i did or else i think seeing all these issues raised would have left me in serious doubt. Nearly every thread is a complaint or gripe and hey that's fair enough if a product does'nt do what it says it can, it's only right after spending x amount of £/$ we are entitled to air some concerns.

However i know what its like when trying to decide what camera to spend your hard earned cash on, so i would just like to remind anyone out there thinking about buying this cam that it is a fantastic piece of equipment and if your serous about filming (not about searching for mathematical problems) then you wont be dissapointed. Also i think the reasons for so many issues being raised is because of the high level of the camera and thus presenting so many more things to get used to, if you don't believe me just ask anyone about the million and one concerns they had when they first got their hands on a Sony F900. Bottom line is, sub 10k this is the camera to get if beautiful images, verastile features and a complete package is what matters to you most.

Some examine, some debate and some shoot. All are important to make progress and learn but when the first 2 take preference over the third then maybe those people should be working for Sony rather than purchasing their products.

[Swen Goebbels]

Back to topic:

#12: Why can't you let the battery in the camcorder without discharging?

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Swen Goebbels

Back to topic:

#12: Why can't you let the battery in the camcorder without discharging?

Did you read the instructions that came with the battery.
Then how else are you going to discharge the battery.
I was surprised when I read Sony's instructions on how to care for the battery and thought hello, this is something new but not so it seems. They've always recommended not storing a fully charged battery for more than a day.
Of course I'm only guessing this is the reason the camera discharges the battery. It is very convenient that it does, maybe it's just a coincidence.

[Christopher Ruffell]

#13

Can Sony officially (or even offically) confirm that 10-bit is indeed the bit depth out of the HD-SDI port live? Please!

(Thanks for making this list!!)

[Paulo Teixeira]

Here’s a question I would ask.
Is the “Sony” PS3 ever going to be compatible with files from the “Sony” EX1 and if yes, when can we expect the update?

[Craig Seeman]

An extension of Paulo's question. When is Sony going to come out with a rewrap utility so the 2 Pass VBR 35mbps files can be burned to Blu-ray without reencoding. Sony's Juan Martinez said the file's essence is compatible with Blu-ray spec.

[Paul Kellett]

Ask when will vegas work with the raw files,no need for rewrapping.

[David Lorente]

First of all, the backfocus issue. I have performed the FB adjust (once for every setting of the ND filter), but I am still not convinced. Also, it won't be a bad idea to refine the auto adjust process, now it performs the FB only at the widest position of the zoom, maybe it will work best by measuring it also in the middle of the zoom range, or in the 1/3 and 2/3 of it.

Also I would like a refinement of the CA correction. My EX performs well, without any trace of Chromatic Aberration... up to the 40 mm zoom position. Beyond that, the CA becomes noticeable, and it is unacceptable to me at the top end of the zoom. So a refinement on the CA correction would also be great, by making it dependent on the zoom position.

It will also be great to make the menus with no delays, for example, when you change the PP with the direct menu, the camera displays "PPx selected" (or something like that), and there's a lapse of two or tree seconds that it won't react to the select button to change another setting. When you must change settings quickly in a shot and fast run situation, it can make you loose a good shot.