EX3 Software glitch? at DVinfo.net

Kenny Cowburn · November 12th, 2008, 11:31 AM

I have experienced a "software glitch" 3 times in the first 2 weeks of having my EX3,
all to do with the lens..

on my first shooting day, after powering up for the umpteenth time, I was unable to pull focus, no matter what I tried, it just wouldn´t work.........

Later on in the same shoot, I attached my Bebop ZOE remote and it had absolutely no effect.

the 3rd time was a few days later, I had the problem with the focus again...

Every time I had one of these "glitches", powering down and back up seemed to solve the issue.

I have done quite alot of shooting over the past few weeks and have not had any more of these problems.

The Tech support from SONY reckon it was just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH".

anyone else had anything like this?

Jay Gladwell · November 12th, 2008, 11:38 AM

Stupid question, but do you have the Auto Focus on?

Bob Grant · November 12th, 2008, 01:18 PM

Kenny,
yes I've had a similar thing on my EX1. I'd zoom and focus would move in unison even though it was in full manual. At first I thought, OK, backfocus is really off today!
Like you powering down and up cleared the problem. I've only had this happen twice and not since everything was updated but then I haven't used the camera that much since then.

Sean Donnelly · November 12th, 2008, 08:42 PM

I have had one or two instances where after starting the camera up the iris ring would remain locked in the "C" position. I could force it open, but the servo motor would always return it. Power cycling consistently solved that one for me too.

-Sean

Andrew Stone · November 12th, 2008, 10:34 PM

It's not your imagination. Happened to me a few times doing long shoots of talks with Q & As.

Pretty frustrating when the focus locks up and you can't "reboot" the cam because your in the middle of a long continuous shoot.

Also pushing the "auto focus" button does not work either once it locks up. You are basically up the creek.

I wonder if putting the focus ring from auto/manual to full manual and then back will fix the problem? Would be good to find a solution that doesn't require turning the cam off and then back on again.

Kenny Cowburn · November 13th, 2008, 03:55 AM

Thanks for the replies

first of all to answer "stupid question",
No I wasn´t on auto focus, as I never shoot anything in auto mode, I don´t really like it when the cam does the thinking for me.

Also as some others have reported, they had a similar problem, but their cams were overheating at the time.
I was shooting up on a glacier at the time and my cam wes definately not overheating.
The 2nd time the focus problem occured, I was just testing out S&Q motion with my kids out in the garden at around 10°c, once again no overheating.

I called the PrimeSupport in the UK, who said it´s just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH, continue shooting with the cam and if it happens again, get in touch with us.....",
I then asked them for a contact in Germany, who I could go and see and get it checked out...
They gave me number in Cologne, who then directed me to SONY in Munich.
I took it to get checked out and was pretty horrified to note that the dude who claimed to be a "specialist" didn´t even know how to power the cam up.
He started telling me that the camera is really just a computer and that the software had probably not booted up properly.
Then he did a few tests with the focus and noticed that the auto-focus button didn´t work, what he didn´t notice, was that he was in Full Manual focus mode.
He also mistook the zoom ring for the focus ring and faught against the zoom mechanics trying to pull focus, at which time I took the cam from him and politely informed him of his lack of expertise and left, feeling rather taken for an idiot, what do these people think we are doing with these cams?
I for one am not just shooting my family hollidays.........

Not too sure about the "software Glitch" claim from SONY and if it is a software issue, it shouldn´t really be happening to cams that are costing 8 grand €´s, or am I the only one who sees it this way?

Having to power down and back up is a right pain in the @$$.
I don´t generally have the chance to redo the take while shooting events or live stuff.

Where do we go from here?

Andy Wilkinson · November 13th, 2008, 04:57 AM

My advice would be to contact Sony again and recount the story above and insist they check out your EX3. It's a professional tool for a professional job and it's sometimes not working as it should.

The general consensus is that Sony Prime Support in Europe is pretty good (your experience aside, my one experience with them in the past was pretty good) so I would persist with them and give them a chance to get a competent Techie to examine it properly.

I've not experienced the glitch you have had yet on my EX3 but will now look for it in the future (and hopefully never find it!)

Good luck and keep us all posted on this thread - letting Sony know that might also galvanise them into "superior support mode" too!

Kenny Cowburn · December 16th, 2008, 11:08 AM

Hey y´all

I have moved to another thread

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...ny-ex-3-a.html

November 12th, 2008, 11:31 AM	#1
Kenny Cowburn Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oberaudorf Germany Posts: 66	EX3 Software glitch? I have experienced a "software glitch" 3 times in the first 2 weeks of having my EX3, all to do with the lens.. on my first shooting day, after powering up for the umpteenth time, I was unable to pull focus, no matter what I tried, it just wouldn´t work......... Later on in the same shoot, I attached my Bebop ZOE remote and it had absolutely no effect. the 3rd time was a few days later, I had the problem with the focus again... Every time I had one of these "glitches", powering down and back up seemed to solve the issue. I have done quite alot of shooting over the past few weeks and have not had any more of these problems. The Tech support from SONY reckon it was just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH". anyone else had anything like this? Last edited by Kenny Cowburn; November 13th, 2008 at 04:00 AM.

November 13th, 2008, 03:55 AM	#6
Kenny Cowburn Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oberaudorf Germany Posts: 66	never shoot in auto Thanks for the replies first of all to answer "stupid question", No I wasn´t on auto focus, as I never shoot anything in auto mode, I don´t really like it when the cam does the thinking for me. Also as some others have reported, they had a similar problem, but their cams were overheating at the time. I was shooting up on a glacier at the time and my cam wes definately not overheating. The 2nd time the focus problem occured, I was just testing out S&Q motion with my kids out in the garden at around 10°c, once again no overheating. I called the PrimeSupport in the UK, who said it´s just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH, continue shooting with the cam and if it happens again, get in touch with us.....", I then asked them for a contact in Germany, who I could go and see and get it checked out... They gave me number in Cologne, who then directed me to SONY in Munich. I took it to get checked out and was pretty horrified to note that the dude who claimed to be a "specialist" didn´t even know how to power the cam up. He started telling me that the camera is really just a computer and that the software had probably not booted up properly. Then he did a few tests with the focus and noticed that the auto-focus button didn´t work, what he didn´t notice, was that he was in Full Manual focus mode. He also mistook the zoom ring for the focus ring and faught against the zoom mechanics trying to pull focus, at which time I took the cam from him and politely informed him of his lack of expertise and left, feeling rather taken for an idiot, what do these people think we are doing with these cams? I for one am not just shooting my family hollidays......... Not too sure about the "software Glitch" claim from SONY and if it is a software issue, it shouldn´t really be happening to cams that are costing 8 grand €´s, or am I the only one who sees it this way? Having to power down and back up is a right pain in the @$$. I don´t generally have the chance to redo the take while shooting events or live stuff. Where do we go from here?

November 13th, 2008, 04:57 AM	#7
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	My advice would be to contact Sony again and recount the story above and insist they check out your EX3. It's a professional tool for a professional job and it's sometimes not working as it should. The general consensus is that Sony Prime Support in Europe is pretty good (your experience aside, my one experience with them in the past was pretty good) so I would persist with them and give them a chance to get a competent Techie to examine it properly. I've not experienced the glitch you have had yet on my EX3 but will now look for it in the future (and hopefully never find it!) Good luck and keep us all posted on this thread - letting Sony know that might also galvanise them into "superior support mode" too! __________________ Andy K Wilkinson - https://www.shootingimage.co.uk Cambridge (UK) Corporate Video Production

December 16th, 2008, 11:08 AM	#8
Kenny Cowburn Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Oberaudorf Germany Posts: 66	the ball is rolling Hey y´all I have moved to another thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...ny-ex-3-a.html

November 12th, 2008, 11:38 AM	#2
Jay Gladwell Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,244	Stupid question, but do you have the Auto Focus on?

November 12th, 2008, 01:18 PM	#3
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Kenny, yes I've had a similar thing on my EX1. I'd zoom and focus would move in unison even though it was in full manual. At first I thought, OK, backfocus is really off today! Like you powering down and up cleared the problem. I've only had this happen twice and not since everything was updated but then I haven't used the camera that much since then.

November 12th, 2008, 08:42 PM	#4
Sean Donnelly Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New York, NY Posts: 188	I have had one or two instances where after starting the camera up the iris ring would remain locked in the "C" position. I could force it open, but the servo motor would always return it. Power cycling consistently solved that one for me too. -Sean

November 12th, 2008, 10:34 PM	#5
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	It's not your imagination. Happened to me a few times doing long shoots of talks with Q & As. Pretty frustrating when the focus locks up and you can't "reboot" the cam because your in the middle of a long continuous shoot. Also pushing the "auto focus" button does not work either once it locks up. You are basically up the creek. I wonder if putting the focus ring from auto/manual to full manual and then back will fix the problem? Would be good to find a solution that doesn't require turning the cam off and then back on again.