Are EX3s shipping with tripod mounting fitting?

[Don Greening]

Originally Posted by William Griffin

When I go to that site and put in the part number...all is says: "no matches found"..so what am I doing wrong?

It doesn't appear that you're doing anything wrong. I couldn't access the repair kit part number, either. However, if you use the two part numbers posted earlier in this thread, one for the plastic plate and one for the screws, those numbers work if you plug them into the "Quick Parts Search" text field at the Sony Site. For example, if you type in the part number for the little plastic plate you get the following result:

[Jon Braeley]

I received my tiny 'piece of plastic' from Sony - or the so-called tripod mounting kit.
I could have just as easily stuck a rubber washer on the bottom to do exactly the same. Also they only sent me one screw. Oh well.
But what irks me, is this could have been sent to me in a regular envelope for a 42 cent stamp but instead they charged me $12.50 shipping for a box filled with air.

I would not bother with this fix guys. Waste of time.

[Andrew Stone]

Originally Posted by Ted OMalley

Now, getting rid of that slope is better than nothing, but the tripod mount 1/4x20 screw held in place by four eyeglass screws is still the only thing keeping your camera in place.

One should keep this in mind whenever you are picking up your camera by the handle especially if you camera is weighted down with a rails system and a bunch of stuff attached to the rails system like, a 35 mm adaptor, a full blown Zacuto shoulder mount setup up with an 11 lb "lunchbox" on the back or a couple of A/B Dionics.

Even with the DM-accessories or VF Gadgets plate, the weak spot of these four eyeglass screws holding the tripod plate to the camera is still there.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Andrew Stone

Even with the DM-accessories or VF Gadgets plate, the weak spot of these four eyeglass screws holding the tripod plate to the camera is still there.

Well yes and no. The DM plate has two other screws which fix into the underneath of the sloping (shoulder pad) area. It's all a lot more robust with it on - but true, even with the DM Plate on my EX3, if I have to re-position the tripod position I ALWAYS move my camera with one hand on the handle and the other underneath the tripods apex to ensure no excessive tension is put on all this. More often than not just take the camera off, move the tripod, then put it back on.

I bet the main reason the tripod plate on EX1s and EX3s get ripped out is when people who pick up the whole lot by just the top handle...those 4 tiny screws can't take the weight of a big tripod etc. and, as far as I can see, this Sony Kit does nothing to make that any better! As is now clear, Sony have fudged this/lost an opportunity to get it right. No point wasting money on this kit, put it towards a DM (or VF Gadgets) Plate.

[Barry J. Anwender]

Originally Posted by Jon Braeley

But what irks me, is this could have been sent to me in a regular envelope for a 42 cent stamp but instead they charged me $12.50 shipping for a box filled with air.

I would not bother with this fix guys. Waste of time.

One way or another, Sony is going to make for their posted loss of $1bn. "Eat the young" by laying-off all their innovative talent & "Toss Customer Service overboard" to keep the ship afloat! Tougher times ahead for Sony Broadcast.