Loosing the ability to focus with Sony EX-3

[Terje Rian]

I just got of the phone with the Sony Service Center in New Jersey. I must say that the info available isn´t very uplifting. It obviously exists conflicting info on the focus issue.
From what I´m now told there isn´t any new firmware planned for the EX-3. I was told to send my EX-3 in for repair. I´ve even received an email with a repair form to fill out.

FYI I talked to Matt (Product Operation Support Center) at Eastern Service Facility Teaneck, Sony Service Center, Sony Electronics, Inc. 123 W. Tryon Avenue, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, Voice: 800-883-6817

It would be interesting if all of us started addressing the issues we have to this service center. Then we can share the info we get and what experiences we end up with.

I´m in the middle of a production and cannot ship my EX-3 yet. I just have to live with the focus issue for a few more weeks. I would be very interested to hear from other users about their experiences. We really need to get this sorted. Sony, enlighten us! What is the problem??? This is just annoying.

I cross my fingers.

-terje

[Justin Benn]

Well Terje, that is disappointing news. Perhaps I can do some digging of my own and , like you say, we can all try to do the same.

I must say that I am surprised to hear that Sony are suggesting physical repairs, so to speak, as opposed to a firmware update. Scratching me head to see how this could be a mechanical problem.

Jus.

[Andrew Stone]

Something just struck me. I haven't called up our local Sony service center to complain about the freezing focus issue just assuming that because there appears to be momentum from what you read here that things will be sorted.

Maybe it's time all of us that experience the freezing focus make formal complaints to Sony so they here in a resounding matter that the problem is serious.

[Terje Rian]

Yes Andy, I think it´s time we make a collective effort. From what I´ve read here, some have gotten their EX-3´s repaired, but without getting the issue fixed. I don´t want to send in my EX-3 unless it´s worth (time and money) the effort.

The lack of information and a follow-up is what worries me, and the different answers we obviously get from Sony representatives. Don´t they even inform their own people? Sony seem to treat every (and it´s understandable) repair as isolated cases, and would prefer us not to discuss about it or to share knowledge about our problems. It´s politics. One voice is controllable, many voices not so. Sony hopefully want to deal with the EX-3 issues quietly.

This thread has already been read by 1000-1500 people, but only a few of us have posted. Visitors need to make some sound. We really need to find out how many incidences there are? It would also help if we all started to use the same service senter. Any other ideas?

-terje

[Andy Wilkinson]

All good points. For me....

1. Since I can't reproduce this loss of focus fault despite actively trying (mine clearly had on one recent occassion as posted a few pages up) AND

2. Because I need my camera for imminent work committments ...I really can't afford to be without it for a few weeks - no way! AND

3. Because, by most reports, Sony don't seem to yet know how to fix this issue anyway

Then, I'm just going to sit tight and worry about it if it starts to affect what I do. Right now it doesn't at all, and even if it did, a quick reboot should cure it. Sure, not ideal as we all know ....but that's the best solution for my specific EX3 based on my history so far, one isolated case of this fault.

I appreciate others who definitely have this issue on their EX3's with the regularity which would annoy any professional (including me) will want to contact Sony urgently. Please do and please let us know the outcome.

For me, I'll bide my time with my EX3 until the problem and solution behind this EX3 issue are well identified by Sony. After all, even if I sent Sony my camera I might be without one for a while and then get it replaced with one that's MUCH WORSE than mine - judging by how bad this issue seems to be on specific individual cameras. Not something I'd want to risk right now.

[Kenny Cowburn]

Hey y´all

here copied in, are my bits n bobs from the thread "EX3 software glitch",

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...re-glitch.html

which seams to have gotten lost along the way, I will in future name my threads appropriately.....


-------------------------------------------------------------
1)
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 on the lens at all.

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?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
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.
------------------------------------------


So we gotta make ourselves heard on this one.
I can´t claim to be very impressed by the lack of support here and am not keen to part with my cam for a few weeks while it is sent in, it will mean business lost.....

As I stated earlier in this thread, maybe we should get a petition going, with a list of names and adresses of the people who are experienceing this problem.
There are going to be many more than just those who know about and use this forum.
so we should put out a web-link, which will lead here for everyone who punches in EX3.
I´m a shooter, not a webmaster, so I have no idea how that could be done.....

[Kenny Cowburn]

Typically, the "Software Glitch" will not rear it´s ugly head when you want to prove it to someone, but rather when you least expect it and it has the best chance of giving you heart failure.

there can be no excuse for this kind of technical error, even if the thing had cost 500 bucks instead of 8500.

I´m not happy

[Andrew Stone]

Everything is pointing towards a software problem. Until new firmware issued that addresses the problem is issued, the problem won't be fixed.

I am going to start documenting my shooting so when the problem occurs, I will know how long the camera has been on, what focus mode I am in or if I have moved from say manual to assisted manual, note all the other settings when possible like frame rates, shutter speed/mode, white balance mode, TLCS settings, whether macro mode is being used or any other function that could play into focusing the unit (from a software perspective).

Once I do that I am going to call up our local Sony service center to find out if they are working on the matter and then find out who best to send the "crash log" to at Sony.

[Larry Huntington]

On the topic of the hidden usb port....yes it is located under the plastic cover where the shoulder support unscrews. I have verified with my own eyes.

[Terje Rian]

Mr. Stone, I think it´s a good idea to start documenting every error that occurs with the EX-3. If we all started to report these things when they happened, after awhile Sony couldn´t ignore the amount of reports. We just need to decide WHERE to send these reports?

Mr. Wilkinson, I totally agree, we can´t send in our camcorders without any clear understanding of what to expect in return. If anyone takes the leap of faith and sends the EX-3 in for service, please let us know how it goes. Thank you!

It really bugs me that I have to complain about a camera, which is excellent when it works like it´s suppose to do. Potential EX-3 customers might be turned away from the product by the way this thread is developing. That´s a shame. The EX-3 deserves better than this. Any thoughts about contacting Fujinon (which has produced the lens)?

-terje

[Andy Wilkinson]

Sony supplied our cameras and our guarantees / support agreements are directly with Sony. They will deal internally with Fujinon as required to resolve this - if that's what's required to solve this fault. Our contract is with Sony and it is they who people should contact.

I agree that the bad press this is starting to generate for the EX3 will no doubt "worry" Sony into actively finding a solution sooner rather than later....GOOD!!!! After all, who does not Google "Item X", in this case EX3, followed by "problems" or "issues" to see what's out there on the web when spending this much cash....I certainly always do! BTW, this thread currently comes up about 4th on the first Google search results page with "EX3" and "Problems" as keywords. Creative Cow's thread is 3rd. It's that easy to know about it.

I remember well the vignetting and back focus issues that seemed to plague the introduction of the EX1 being whipped up into what seemed like a web frenzy with lots of posts about it on every forum one could find concerning video cameras (by people who had bought an EX1 and lots who hadn't.... and maybe then did not). This no doubt gave Panasonic / Canon / JVC etc. a few more sales as a result. In the current climate, Sony can't let that happen again.

So come on Sony. I'm sure you read these types of threads on here. What's the plan forward?

[Simon Wyndham]

I'm going to have to take my EX3 back for a replacement tomorrow. I can't get the Fb adjust to work no matter what I try. Sometimes I turn the camera on and the zoom will go one way but not the other, or it will go fast one direction but only go slowly in reverse.

I am also having the issue of the manual focus sometimes working and sometimes not. I think I've got a real dud here! Unfortunately it seems from reading around that I am not alone. There appears to be one heck of a lot of people having these same issues all over the world.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Sorry to hear that Simon. Let us know how you get on. What a shame that your first experience with this camera has been so disappointing.

[Simon Wyndham]

I should have known better than to put the box up in the attic! I think I doomed myself to a dud when I did that!

[Andy Wilkinson]

Well, if you can get it back in the origami puzzle that is that packaging (and exactly how it arrived) you'd be a star. I'm convinced it's almost impossible to do!

Maybe Sony designed it like that to discourage returns!