At full tele and near infinity focus issue..

Steven Thomas · April 9th, 2008, 02:44 PM

Interesting Keith.

I'd like to see a shot full zoom and focused at 60 feet?

It does appear that it's softer on the right side too.
It appears there's a lot of sharpening in your image.
What was your detail set to?

Keith Moreau · April 9th, 2008, 07:19 PM

Hi Steven,

the detail setting is on but all are at 0 so I assume basically it's 'off?'

I'll try to get to the zoom at 60 ft but probably not today. I'd like to know the results. I think I was pretty close to clipping on the framegrab. I did some other zooms in lower light conditions later and I didn't notice the smearing as much.

Steven Thomas · April 9th, 2008, 07:29 PM

Thanks Keith.
Actually detail 0 is normal setting for detail on. It's a moderate setting. To turn off you have to set detail to OFF.

Steven Thomas · April 11th, 2008, 11:28 AM

I'm sending my camera out today for these issues starting with the worse.

1. Delta focus center to right is worse than center to left.

2. Possibly having something to do with the first issue, CA is real bad
on right side at full tele, more than left.

3. Small amount of vignetting.

4. lettering is coming off of camera on rear.

5. Software upgrade to 1.05

Steven Thomas · April 11th, 2008, 11:40 AM

I'd like to thank Maxim from Aerialsfilm for hosting this image.

The is NOT a rez test. The camera was set from the chart at:

12 ft.
full tele 82mm
f1.9

If you pull back the camera to 15 feet, the results are even worse.
If you focus the target on the left side, the center is a bit out of focus. Maybe normal for this lens under these conditions, but maybe a tad high. If I focus
the target on the right side of the frame, the center is definately further out of focus.

In fact just panning with peaking on and stopping when the target is on the right of the frame, there's NO peaking visable on the target. But, if I pan to the left and stop on the target, peaking can be viewed.
What surprised me was that even with the camera set to f4 under these conditions, the right side can still be seen softer than the left.

http://www.aerialsfilm.com/stevet/Im...a_CA_issue.jpg

Any thoughts on this?

Steven Thomas · May 3rd, 2008, 10:20 AM

I just received my camera back for the larger than normal center to right focus difference (focal image plane) on the extreme tele end of the lens.

Cheuk from Sony Service (San Jose) was going to replace the lens. The lens was on back order for another month. Instead he performed an lens alignment.

I'm not sure what this entailed, but the center to edge on the tele end of the lens is now symmetrical.

Also, this adjustment (or possibly another) fixed the small amount of vignetting viewed between 8-25mm. Maybe they were connected.

I have not confirmed if CA is improved on the tele end, but it was worse on the right side at the tele end along with the soft right side at this point, so it may also now be at least symmetrical across the image.

Back focus was never really bad on my camera. Cheuk also said he upgraded the software to 1.05. I'm going to confirm this today, but I imagine he did. He said he performed the back focus cal. BF looks good at all ND settings ON or OFF. It may be just a tad out, but it seems somewhat subjective, so it's probably fine.

I have the extended warranty so I'm waiting to have the paint peeling on the back panel lettering issue addressed.

Zack Wilson · June 13th, 2008, 03:45 PM

I'm having some problems with this too after doing some test shots with my new EX1. The right side is definitely out of focus compared to what is in focus on the same plane.

I have attached photos of two good examples.

Is this something I should send into Sony or should I try to do the auto back focus maintenance? From what I have read so far, it seems like sending this into Sony seems like a crap shoot if it will be fixed - or am I just running into the wrong feedback?

This is a bit discouraging, especially with the zoom on the EX1 being only at 14x and how much Sony was touting how good the lens is, maybe I should buy an EX3 instead with a proper telephoto?

Gabriel Florit · June 13th, 2008, 06:11 PM

If I'm not mistaken, both cameras have the same Fujinon lens.

Zack Wilson · June 13th, 2008, 07:27 PM

Thats the stock lens for the EX3, but I was thinking of attaching a different 1/2" or 2/3" longer/higher quality telephoto via adapter. Is that the only way I'll be able to get some quality long distance shots?

April 11th, 2008, 11:28 AM	#34
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I'm sending my camera out today for these issues starting with the worse. 1. Delta focus center to right is worse than center to left. 2. Possibly having something to do with the first issue, CA is real bad on right side at full tele, more than left. 3. Small amount of vignetting. 4. lettering is coming off of camera on rear. 5. Software upgrade to 1.05 Last edited by Steven Thomas; April 11th, 2008 at 12:05 PM.

April 11th, 2008, 11:40 AM	#35
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I'd like to thank Maxim from Aerialsfilm for hosting this image. The is NOT a rez test. The camera was set from the chart at: 12 ft. full tele 82mm f1.9 If you pull back the camera to 15 feet, the results are even worse. If you focus the target on the left side, the center is a bit out of focus. Maybe normal for this lens under these conditions, but maybe a tad high. If I focus the target on the right side of the frame, the center is definately further out of focus. In fact just panning with peaking on and stopping when the target is on the right of the frame, there's NO peaking visable on the target. But, if I pan to the left and stop on the target, peaking can be viewed. What surprised me was that even with the camera set to f4 under these conditions, the right side can still be seen softer than the left. http://www.aerialsfilm.com/stevet/Im...a_CA_issue.jpg Any thoughts on this? Last edited by Steven Thomas; April 11th, 2008 at 09:43 PM. Reason: Apparently needed more coffee earlier today!

May 3rd, 2008, 10:20 AM	#36
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	I just received my camera back for the larger than normal center to right focus difference (focal image plane) on the extreme tele end of the lens. Cheuk from Sony Service (San Jose) was going to replace the lens. The lens was on back order for another month. Instead he performed an lens alignment. I'm not sure what this entailed, but the center to edge on the tele end of the lens is now symmetrical. Also, this adjustment (or possibly another) fixed the small amount of vignetting viewed between 8-25mm. Maybe they were connected. I have not confirmed if CA is improved on the tele end, but it was worse on the right side at the tele end along with the soft right side at this point, so it may also now be at least symmetrical across the image. Back focus was never really bad on my camera. Cheuk also said he upgraded the software to 1.05. I'm going to confirm this today, but I imagine he did. He said he performed the back focus cal. BF looks good at all ND settings ON or OFF. It may be just a tad out, but it seems somewhat subjective, so it's probably fine. I have the extended warranty so I'm waiting to have the paint peeling on the back panel lettering issue addressed. Last edited by Steven Thomas; May 3rd, 2008 at 09:07 PM.

June 13th, 2008, 03:45 PM	#37
Zack Wilson New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 23	I'm having some problems with this too after doing some test shots with my new EX1. The right side is definitely out of focus compared to what is in focus on the same plane. I have attached photos of two good examples. Is this something I should send into Sony or should I try to do the auto back focus maintenance? From what I have read so far, it seems like sending this into Sony seems like a crap shoot if it will be fixed - or am I just running into the wrong feedback? This is a bit discouraging, especially with the zoom on the EX1 being only at 14x and how much Sony was touting how good the lens is, maybe I should buy an EX3 instead with a proper telephoto? Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Zack Wilson; June 13th, 2008 at 04:18 PM.

April 9th, 2008, 02:44 PM	#31
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Interesting Keith. I'd like to see a shot full zoom and focused at 60 feet? It does appear that it's softer on the right side too. It appears there's a lot of sharpening in your image. What was your detail set to?

April 9th, 2008, 07:19 PM	#32
Keith Moreau Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane, California Posts: 530	Hi Steven, the detail setting is on but all are at 0 so I assume basically it's 'off?' I'll try to get to the zoom at 60 ft but probably not today. I'd like to know the results. I think I was pretty close to clipping on the framegrab. I did some other zooms in lower light conditions later and I didn't notice the smearing as much.

April 9th, 2008, 07:29 PM	#33
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Thanks Keith. Actually detail 0 is normal setting for detail on. It's a moderate setting. To turn off you have to set detail to OFF.

June 13th, 2008, 06:11 PM	#38
Gabriel Florit Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 65	If I'm not mistaken, both cameras have the same Fujinon lens.

June 13th, 2008, 07:27 PM	#39
Zack Wilson New Boot Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 23	Thats the stock lens for the EX3, but I was thinking of attaching a different 1/2" or 2/3" longer/higher quality telephoto via adapter. Is that the only way I'll be able to get some quality long distance shots?