Libec ZC-9EX zoom controller faulty? at DVinfo.net

Mark Sudfeldt · July 11th, 2010, 05:44 AM

Just received my Libec ZC-9X Zoom Controller for my EX1 camera and am disappointed to find it appears to be faulty. On a zoom in if you don't return it to center it continues to zoom in very slowly. . .zoom creep? If I do a faster zoom in and release it quickly this doesn't happen. Zoom outs are fine. Seems the zoom in is set very fine as you only have to give it the slightest of touches for it to start a creep zoom. On the zoom out you have to turn it at least an eighth of an inch to get it to start. Anybody else have this problem and is there an easy fix(unlikely but you never know:-)? Bought from B & H and as I live in New Zealand not overly eager to return it unless I have to.

Mark

John Peterson · July 11th, 2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Sudfeldt

Just received my Libec ZC-9X Zoom Controller for my EX1 camera and am disappointed to find it appears to be faulty. On a zoom in if you don't return it to center it continues to zoom in very slowly. . .zoom creep? If I do a faster zoom in and release it quickly this doesn't happen. Zoom outs are fine. Seems the zoom in is set very fine as you only have to give it the slightest of touches for it to start a creep zoom. On the zoom out you have to turn it at least an eighth of an inch to get it to start. Anybody else have this problem and is there an easy fix(unlikely but you never know:-)? Bought from B & H and as I live in New Zealand not overly eager to return it unless I have to.

Mark

Mark,

I found this distributor for New Zealand:

Unit 11,83 Wollongong Street Fyshwick
A.C.T. 2609
(P.O. Box 250 Curtin A.C.T. 2605)�@Australia
TEL:+61 2 6281 5483
FAX:+61 2 6281 0062
Contact:David Cooper
sales@gdbint.com.au
G.D.B. InternationalAV - Video and Multimedia Specialists

Libec-HEIWA SEIKI KOGYO.,LTD.

LIBEC　products are available through local distributors. We currently
have sales networks in more than 60 countries, and the number is
expanding every year. These distributors also provide customer service.
Customers can obtain prompt service, including repairs and parts
replacement.

There is also a company Contact page here:

https://gt203.secure.ne.jp/~gt203072...t/contact.html

John

Paul Kellett · July 11th, 2010, 10:47 AM

Mark, i had exactly the same problem.
Your Libec controller is fine, your EX1 is fine, they may not be compatible.
My EX1 worked perfeclty with my Libec controller until my lens went faulty, i had a new lens fitted by Sony service, then my Libec controller did exactly the same as what yours does, the problem was that the new lens looks exactly like my old lens but it's different on the inside,(words direct from the Sony techinicians mouth), with the new lens and the Libec controller i needed the newest (at the time) firmware, Sony had notes on how the not newest firmware and the newest lens were not compatible with the Libec controller, once they upgraded my firmwar to V1.14 all was well, since then however there's newer firmware which i installed myself.
See my old post from ages ago

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...end-feb-2.html

What firmware do you have ?

Paul.

Andrew Stone · July 11th, 2010, 02:36 PM

One thing to check out before you send it back. The center position of the zoom rocker is "zero". If you plug in the zoom controller into the camera with the rocker off of the "center mark". It will continue to creep zoom. Check to see if there is slop in the zoom rocker with it sitting at zero. If there is a bunch of play that could be it. As well, the rocker post could have been installed off-center, with the post inside the rocker slightly cocked to the left or the right causing your problem. If I were to wager on this, I would say this is the problem.

Not sure if this is clear but if it is and you are feeling adventurous, you may be able to get it sorted yourself.

EDIT:

To see if Paul's theory is correct, you could take your remote to a local Sony pro dealer and try the remote on another camera.

Mark Sudfeldt · July 11th, 2010, 05:26 PM

That could be the problem. It was one of the original EX1's but about 10 months ago the lens went faulty and Sony replaced it. They upgraded the firmware at that stage but it hasn't been updated to the firmware that came out this year. . . (I am on V1.11_0531)
I guess the next step would be to upgrade the firmware and see what happens. . .

Mark

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Kellett

Mark, i had exactly the same problem.
Your Libec controller is fine, your EX1 is fine, they may not be compatible.
My EX1 worked perfeclty with my Libec controller until my lens went faulty, i had a new lens fitted by Sony service, then my Libec controller did exactly the same as what yours does, the problem was that the new lens looks exactly like my old lens but it's different on the inside,(words direct from the Sony techinicians mouth), with the new lens and the Libec controller i needed the newest (at the time) firmware, Sony had notes on how the not newest firmware and the newest lens were not compatible with the Libec controller, once they upgraded my firmwar to V1.14 all was well, since then however there's newer firmware which i installed myself.
See my old post from ages ago

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...end-feb-2.html

What firmware do you have ?

Paul.

Mark Sudfeldt · July 11th, 2010, 05:41 PM

I tried what you suggested and checked that it was in the center but its still playing up. It doesn't appear to be sloppy in the mechanism but the zoom in side is exceptionally sensitive with even the slightest touch setting off a creep zoom. If it isn't what Paul suspects(the firmware) then my second guess would have to be that the rocker has been installed off center, and that would mean returning it.

Mark

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Stone

One thing to check out before you send it back. The center position of the zoom rocker is "zero". If you plug in the zoom controller into the camera with the rocker off of the "center mark". It will continue to creep zoom. Check to see if there is slop in the zoom rocker with it sitting at zero. If there is a bunch of play that could be it. As well, the rocker post could have been installed off-center, with the post inside the rocker slightly cocked to the left or the right causing your problem. If I were to wager on this, I would say this is the problem.

Mark Sudfeldt · July 14th, 2010, 06:12 PM

I installed the latest firmware(1.20) and. . . . . . .the controller is still creeping on zoom in :-(
So back to its distributor it goes.
Thanks to all who offered help.

Mark

Don Greening · July 14th, 2010, 07:31 PM

If there is one make sure that the inline plug is properly connected. Make sure it's all the way in. One of my Libec controllers started zooming in as soon as it was connected to the camera and I traced the problem to that inline plug.

- Don

Scott Cantrell · July 15th, 2010, 08:41 AM

Also, there are 2 versions of the ZC9EX, the older version has been phased out about 6 - 8 months ago. You may have been sold one of the last remaining older versions. There is nothing
Ask you Libec distributer if they sold you an older model or one of the newer models and if they would be willing to swap out for the newer model. I bet this is what happened!

Paul Kellett · July 15th, 2010, 10:32 AM

My Libec is about 2 years old.

Paul.

Mark Sudfeldt · July 30th, 2010, 06:04 AM

I had to send the unit back to Libec in Japan. It was back here in just under a fortnight. They repaired it rather than replacing it.
The fault was as they put it "Seems it was the problem of connection between the control bar and cable".
Working OK now other than it seems pretty hard to do a smooth zoom in. . .it seems to jerk at the start of the zoom however softly I touch it.

Mark

July 11th, 2010, 05:44 AM	#1
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	Libec ZC-9EX zoom controller faulty? Just received my Libec ZC-9X Zoom Controller for my EX1 camera and am disappointed to find it appears to be faulty. On a zoom in if you don't return it to center it continues to zoom in very slowly. . .zoom creep? If I do a faster zoom in and release it quickly this doesn't happen. Zoom outs are fine. Seems the zoom in is set very fine as you only have to give it the slightest of touches for it to start a creep zoom. On the zoom out you have to turn it at least an eighth of an inch to get it to start. Anybody else have this problem and is there an easy fix(unlikely but you never know:-)? Bought from B & H and as I live in New Zealand not overly eager to return it unless I have to. Mark

July 11th, 2010, 10:47 AM	#3
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	I know what the problem is. Mark, i had exactly the same problem. Your Libec controller is fine, your EX1 is fine, they may not be compatible. My EX1 worked perfeclty with my Libec controller until my lens went faulty, i had a new lens fitted by Sony service, then my Libec controller did exactly the same as what yours does, the problem was that the new lens looks exactly like my old lens but it's different on the inside,(words direct from the Sony techinicians mouth), with the new lens and the Libec controller i needed the newest (at the time) firmware, Sony had notes on how the not newest firmware and the newest lens were not compatible with the Libec controller, once they upgraded my firmwar to V1.14 all was well, since then however there's newer firmware which i installed myself. See my old post from ages ago http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xdc...end-feb-2.html What firmware do you have ? Paul. __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000 Last edited by Paul Kellett; July 11th, 2010 at 10:49 AM. Reason: ..

July 14th, 2010, 06:12 PM	#7
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	Update: I installed the latest firmware(1.20) and. . . . . . .the controller is still creeping on zoom in :-( So back to its distributor it goes. Thanks to all who offered help. Mark

July 15th, 2010, 10:32 AM	#10
Paul Kellett Trustee Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bristol UK Posts: 1,273	My Libec is about 2 years old. Paul. __________________ Round 2 GH5,FZ2000

July 30th, 2010, 06:04 AM	#11
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	Final Update I had to send the unit back to Libec in Japan. It was back here in just under a fortnight. They repaired it rather than replacing it. The fault was as they put it "Seems it was the problem of connection between the control bar and cable". Working OK now other than it seems pretty hard to do a smooth zoom in. . .it seems to jerk at the start of the zoom however softly I touch it. Mark

July 11th, 2010, 02:36 PM	#4
Andrew Stone Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 975	One thing to check out before you send it back. The center position of the zoom rocker is "zero". If you plug in the zoom controller into the camera with the rocker off of the "center mark". It will continue to creep zoom. Check to see if there is slop in the zoom rocker with it sitting at zero. If there is a bunch of play that could be it. As well, the rocker post could have been installed off-center, with the post inside the rocker slightly cocked to the left or the right causing your problem. If I were to wager on this, I would say this is the problem. Not sure if this is clear but if it is and you are feeling adventurous, you may be able to get it sorted yourself. EDIT: To see if Paul's theory is correct, you could take your remote to a local Sony pro dealer and try the remote on another camera.

July 14th, 2010, 07:31 PM	#8
Don Greening Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Port Coquitlam BC Canada Posts: 179	If there is one make sure that the inline plug is properly connected. Make sure it's all the way in. One of my Libec controllers started zooming in as soon as it was connected to the camera and I traced the problem to that inline plug. - Don

July 15th, 2010, 08:41 AM	#9
Scott Cantrell Sponsor: TapeWorks Texas Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 357	Also, there are 2 versions of the ZC9EX, the older version has been phased out about 6 - 8 months ago. You may have been sold one of the last remaining older versions. There is nothing Ask you Libec distributer if they sold you an older model or one of the newer models and if they would be willing to swap out for the newer model. I bet this is what happened!