More stuttering zoom stories....

[John Godwin]

I have a varizoom controller, but my camera does this whether you use the controller, the rocker or the handle zoom.

[Buck Forester]

I have never noticed this problem with my EX1 slow zooms. You got me concerned so I went and double checked and did some slow creeping zooms and it's smooth as butter. Thankfully I'm not seeing this on mine.

[Max Allen]

Anyone who is able to achieve imperceptibly slow, creeping, feathering zooms with your EX1 if you can put up sample footage it would be greatly appreciated.

[John Godwin]

I got my EX3 back today and it now works. Thanks for that, Sony.

Here's what they say they did:

"Replaced lens assembly due to failure above attached notice, updated software to V1.04, checked operations. See attached notice concerning lens limitations."

Here's the notice, which looks like a form letter:

"PMWEX1/PMWEX3 Zoom Feature

The PMWEX1/PMWEX3 Zoom Speed Assignment can be set obn the Camera Set Menu.

High - Factory Default:70 Maximum Upper Limit: 99
Low - Factory Default:30 Minimum Recommended Lower Limit: 10

Lower-range adjustments below 10 may not operate smoothly due to the individual characteristics of the Lens or Operating Environment.

Both the PMWEX1 and PMWEX3 are equipped with a high quality, high definition Fujinon 14x Zoom Lens specifically designed for these Camcorders. The included lens offers an exceptional cost/performance ratio, with a variety of versatile functions functions to control Zoom, Focus, and Iris, giving the User a high level of operational control for an optimum shooting experience.

Many creative Videographers sometimes prefer additional options for maximum versatility. To address this, utilizing it's newly developed "EX mount" interchangeable lens system, the PMWEX3 allows a variety of 1/2" type HD lenses available from several major manufacturers to be used with the Camcorder via the included ACM-18 lens adaptor."

The rest lists the lenses and the 2/3" lens adaptor.

So, from this, my assumption is that the lenses for the EX3 are not working as well as they hoped. I'm happy they fixed mine, but I assume I have to look for another option before the current lens fails again. I have ten Sony cameras, from XDcam HD to old Betacams and various in between, and used to working with high-end lenses. I have a nice SD 1/2 Fujinon that fits the mount and looks great, despite being SD, but there's no connection to the camera so no power zoom or any auto functions.

And, yes, I have been able to do very smooth zooms with nice feathered ins and outs when the supplied EX3 lens is working correctly.

Best,
John

[John Godwin]

To continue those thoughts:

1. The lenses they refer to in the note are over $11K. In this economy at this point that's not really an option.

2. Fujinon makes a wide angle for the EX-3 that's about $4K, so that's an option. It is, however, a similar design to the one that comes on the camera, and might be subject to the same issues.

3. So for $8-9K I could buy another whole EX-3 and reasonably expect to have one here and working while the other is off getting its lens repaired. That would give me 2 EX3s and 1 EX1, so three perfectly matching cameras, which is helpful for a couple of clients, and for less money than a completely reliable lens.

All these, of course, involve spending money.
I haven't seen this problem with the EX1 lens, btw.

[John Godwin]

And last thought: I tried to get Sony to let me send in just the lens. If they'll do that then I can use another lens I have on the camera, with the supplied adaptor, and not lose the use of it. That's the best solution, as far as I'm concerned.

[Max Allen]

I've tried creep/ramp/feather zooming with probably 5 different EX1s over a period of a year from different batches and about 3 different EX3s. None were able to do it. Because I have never seen it from using all the popular compact cameras I can't believe anybody saying online that these cameras can do this. I'm coming from a long career in broadcast so I can create a zoom slow enough that even a pro would have to do a double take on to see the zoom, on a professional lens. If you are able to do this with your EX1 please post a sample. I have an EX1. Please believe me when I say I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun]

Originally Posted by Max Allen

Anyone who is able to achieve imperceptibly slow, creeping, feathering zooms with your EX1 if you can put up sample footage it would be greatly appreciated.

the floor model at Abel works pretty well. you can see that it isn't perfectly smooth, but it's possible to work with it. the cameras we've had have been dramatically worse.

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun]

Originally Posted by John Godwin

I got my EX3 back today and it now works. Thanks for that, Sony.

Here's what they say they did:

"Replaced lens assembly due to failure above attached notice, updated software to V1.04, checked operations. See attached notice concerning lens limitations."

Here's the notice, which looks like a form letter:

thanks for posting that John. that letter is really discouraging. and disappointing... and, and....

i don't get that they could acknowledge the malfunction and suggest that they're not responsible for it. on what basis? don't sell the body with a lens if you don't intend for it to work.

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun]

Originally Posted by John Godwin

To continue those thoughts:

1. The lenses they refer to in the note are over $11K. In this economy at this point that's not really an option.

2. Fujinon makes a wide angle for the EX-3 that's about $4K, so that's an option. It is, however, a similar design to the one that comes on the camera, and might be subject to the same issues.

3. So for $8-9K I could buy another whole EX-3 and reasonably expect to have one here and working while the other is off getting its lens repaired. That would give me 2 EX3s and 1 EX1, so three perfectly matching cameras, which is helpful for a couple of clients, and for less money than a completely reliable lens.

All these, of course, involve spending money.
I haven't seen this problem with the EX1 lens, btw.

we tried one of the wide lenses on our camera while we were at Abel. it was only slightly better. there's some indication that the problem isn't entirely a function of a bad lens. in some cases where we swapped ex3 lenses on different ex3's, the malfunction generally stayed with the camera, not the lens.

[John Godwin]

I remembered that I have a standard Fujinon 1/2 zoom that came on my ten or so year old dvcam. Tried it on the Ex3, and it works beautifully. Zoom control works, and works with a standard Fuji zoom controller. No other functions work electronically, but power zoom works perfectly.

I shot some tests and I can't see a bit of difference in quality between this SD lens and the HD lens that comes on the camera. I shot all day with it today, the footage looks great, and I can zoom as slowly as I like.

So we'll see ... some sort of solution, at least.

[Tom Roper]

The knurled ring is actually the drive gear. Are you keeping the slots clean?
Mine (EX1) zooms very smoothly even at 5, using the handle zoom.

[John Godwin]

I think most of us are pretty clear on what the lens components are. The problem is that the lens itself (or the camera interface, granted) seems to have "issues". Again, my Ex1 hasn't shown the issue but the Ex3 has, and I've had to send the lens in twice for replacement/repair. Now, if the more expensive Fujinon lens I'm using starts to do the same thing, that'll point to the camera. But when Sony returned my Ex3 this time they had replaced the lens mechanism (they were not really clear on what they replaced on it, and I hadn't tried to mark or otherwise identify the whole lens) and said nothing about the camera itself.

[Ed Kukla]

I get good results from my stock lens on my EX-3.

I am getting very bad stutters from my Fuji EX-3 W/A lens.

[Craig Seeman]

My original EX1 which I received in Dec 2007 had this issue. In Feb 2008 Sony replaced with a new EX1 and I can get smooth as silk zoom down to the "2" setting. I think it's hit and miss like the EX3. Apparently they were more willing to deal with this as an issue in Feb 2008.

They told me that they tried replacing the lens only and that didn't fix it so they replaced the entire camera. This would mean it's the lens/camera combination and the variation in hitting this sweet spot is so small that Sony can't control the manufacturing process to that level of precision.

Originally Posted by Max Allen

I've tried creep/ramp/feather zooming with probably 5 different EX1s over a period of a year from different batches and about 3 different EX3s. None were able to do it. Because I have never seen it from using all the popular compact cameras I can't believe anybody saying online that these cameras can do this. I'm coming from a long career in broadcast so I can create a zoom slow enough that even a pro would have to do a double take on to see the zoom, on a professional lens. If you are able to do this with your EX1 please post a sample. I have an EX1. Please believe me when I say I would love nothing more than to be proven wrong.