problem with PMW350 at DVinfo.net

Samer Aslan · February 15th, 2011, 07:16 AM

I have a big problem with my PMW-350,i have notice a shadow on all borders of the frame,a kind of a circle all around picture,i thought it could be the lens, but i have change the lens and the problem persist,any idea of what that can be? is it the nd filter? I have to take it to Sony service and I can't imagine how long it will take to repair it,I will be forced to hire another camera...is there any way you can help me resolve this problem or there is no choice but Sony service, I bought it 8 month ago...a real disaster..
Samer
here are some photo:

Samer Aslan · February 15th, 2011, 10:49 AM

maybe with brighter photo you can see better..

Wacharapong Chiowanich · February 16th, 2011, 04:36 AM

On the lens that came with the camera and on the other lenses that you have tried, try stopping down the iris from the maximum and see if the vignetting (or light fall-off) is reduced. Many lenses, and high-ratio zoom lenses in particular, suffer from vignetting at the max or near max apertures. This is quite normal and the vignetting would normally disappear on stopping down.

The fact that the pictures show vignetting that's symmetrical is a good sign your lens or camera does not have any defect in the optical path. There doesn't seem to be a problem with the built-in ND filters. You can test this easily by opening the lens wide and flipping the ND filters, starting from clear-ND1-ND2-ND3? and turning up the exposure in post to compensate for the darker images.

Samer Aslan · February 16th, 2011, 01:08 PM

I think it was always there and I have never noticed that or that's what I want to believe and convince myself it's ok like that,I went to a Sony dealer that had another PMW-350K just like mine,and I have noticed that this thing aberration or a kind of dark shadow in the four angles of the frame, but I can notice that much worth in the right and left side on the upper part of the frame, the two cam gave almost that effect, maybe mine a little bit more and I have the feeling that if I send it to Sony service to repair it will come back the same as before and Sony will say that it doesn't have any problem, and I can't stay without a camera not even for one day...and from what they told me it won't stay for one week outside but maybe a month, NO THANKS...I need to know if there is someone else out there have the PMW-350 and notice this thing? how can you explain that?...it's not the lens, another cameraman told me you must try it with a good lens an expensive good quality lens and the effect will disappear...but I have to use this cam with the one I have and stock lens with PMW-350K...I hope that someone can tell me his experience with same camera.
I think that now that I have discovered this thing i will be more concentrate on that little spot in the frame angles than the framing and having a good shot...maybe I'm exaggerating but it will be very hard to turn on the camera from now on without having in mind this very worrying issue.
Thanks
Samer
some other pic. I shot it outside today..I still notice that even with f5.6 aperture:

Danny Fracasso · February 16th, 2011, 01:56 PM

Samer, I didn't notice anything like that on my PMW-350K, (shouldI say yet?) but I have got it only for a week and I haven't the chance yet to deeply test it.
I can tell that I have mount on front of lens a Tiffen UV filter, yet, I didn't notice any vignetting or degrading on image having added the UV Filter, but as stated above, I didn't fully test it yet.
The only thing I have noticed, so far, is the fact that stock lens zoom is quite slow, and lack of information about the Slot-in compartment compatibility with Wireless receiver, and this is quite annoying to me.
Can I ask you were you bought your camera? and which lens(es) do you use?
Ciao
Danny

Warren Kawamoto · February 16th, 2011, 02:09 PM

Try removing the lens, then point the camera to a clean, white wall. Do you still see vignetting? If so, the problem is isolated to within the camera.

Samer Aslan · February 16th, 2011, 02:37 PM

Warren, sorry for ignorance but is it safe to turn on the camera without any lens on? honestly I have never done something like that, always thought it may damage the camera sensor..am I wrong? is that rubbish?
Thanks for your reply
samer

Samer Aslan · February 16th, 2011, 03:11 PM

Ciao Danny,I have used it with stock lens,like the one came with your camera, and I have tried it with my fujinon At a8.5 x 5.5 sd lens.
and now I have noticed that a few documentaries made for Italian tv (Geo & Geo) a while ago had same problem, it's very difficult to notice, I went back and watch a few projects made with my camera a few month ago and notice that these "spots" were always there. The fact is that i have noticed that only with last job done in a very low light condition....Danny, if you look with attention in the right upper corner of your viewfinder maybe you can see that ( I hope not..for you)...I can only say that from what I saw with the other PMW-350 the dealer had, was the same thing. vignetting was present. you can't notice it that easy, there were present other colleges (cameramen) that had sadly confirm what i saw.
Danny the camera was bought here in Padua from a very serious authorized Sony dealer and when it come to service and repair you have to go to Sony Italia directly.
grazie Danny, by the way here's a file (pdf) that might help you with zoom issue.if other needs that, it is file that show how to correct zoom speed stock lens capability
cheers
Samer

Danny Fracasso · February 16th, 2011, 03:38 PM

Ciao Samer,
Thanks for the info and for the PDF, I will certainly do the adjustment accordingly.
About the problem you have pointed out, I will do some test and post my result here.
I have read somewhere that some "softener" on the images are to be expected using an SD lens, but it shouldn't be there on the HD stock lens, as said above, I will do some test, and hopefully I wouldn't find anything, but in booth case I will let you know my results.
BTW, I live in Rome, but I am from Venice area, most probably very near the area were you live.
Ciao, Danny

February 15th, 2011, 07:16 AM	#1
Samer Aslan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Padua/Venice - Italy Posts: 131	problem with PMW350 I have a big problem with my PMW-350,i have notice a shadow on all borders of the frame,a kind of a circle all around picture,i thought it could be the lens, but i have change the lens and the problem persist,any idea of what that can be? is it the nd filter? I have to take it to Sony service and I can't imagine how long it will take to repair it,I will be forced to hire another camera...is there any way you can help me resolve this problem or there is no choice but Sony service, I bought it 8 month ago...a real disaster.. Samer here are some photo: Attached Thumbnails

February 15th, 2011, 10:49 AM	#2
Samer Aslan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Padua/Venice - Italy Posts: 131	brighter photo maybe with brighter photo you can see better.. Attached Thumbnails

February 16th, 2011, 01:08 PM	#4
Samer Aslan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Padua/Venice - Italy Posts: 131	I think it was always there and I have never noticed that or that's what I want to believe and convince myself it's ok like that,I went to a Sony dealer that had another PMW-350K just like mine,and I have noticed that this thing aberration or a kind of dark shadow in the four angles of the frame, but I can notice that much worth in the right and left side on the upper part of the frame, the two cam gave almost that effect, maybe mine a little bit more and I have the feeling that if I send it to Sony service to repair it will come back the same as before and Sony will say that it doesn't have any problem, and I can't stay without a camera not even for one day...and from what they told me it won't stay for one week outside but maybe a month, NO THANKS...I need to know if there is someone else out there have the PMW-350 and notice this thing? how can you explain that?...it's not the lens, another cameraman told me you must try it with a good lens an expensive good quality lens and the effect will disappear...but I have to use this cam with the one I have and stock lens with PMW-350K...I hope that someone can tell me his experience with same camera. I think that now that I have discovered this thing i will be more concentrate on that little spot in the frame angles than the framing and having a good shot...maybe I'm exaggerating but it will be very hard to turn on the camera from now on without having in mind this very worrying issue. Thanks Samer some other pic. I shot it outside today..I still notice that even with f5.6 aperture: Attached Thumbnails

February 16th, 2011, 02:37 PM	#7
Samer Aslan Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Padua/Venice - Italy Posts: 131	removing lens Warren, sorry for ignorance but is it safe to turn on the camera without any lens on? honestly I have never done something like that, always thought it may damage the camera sensor..am I wrong? is that rubbish? Thanks for your reply samer

February 16th, 2011, 04:36 AM	#3
Wacharapong Chiowanich Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 400	On the lens that came with the camera and on the other lenses that you have tried, try stopping down the iris from the maximum and see if the vignetting (or light fall-off) is reduced. Many lenses, and high-ratio zoom lenses in particular, suffer from vignetting at the max or near max apertures. This is quite normal and the vignetting would normally disappear on stopping down. The fact that the pictures show vignetting that's symmetrical is a good sign your lens or camera does not have any defect in the optical path. There doesn't seem to be a problem with the built-in ND filters. You can test this easily by opening the lens wide and flipping the ND filters, starting from clear-ND1-ND2-ND3? and turning up the exposure in post to compensate for the darker images.

February 16th, 2011, 01:56 PM	#5
Danny Fracasso New Boot Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Rome, IT Posts: 12	Samer, I didn't notice anything like that on my PMW-350K, (shouldI say yet?) but I have got it only for a week and I haven't the chance yet to deeply test it. I can tell that I have mount on front of lens a Tiffen UV filter, yet, I didn't notice any vignetting or degrading on image having added the UV Filter, but as stated above, I didn't fully test it yet. The only thing I have noticed, so far, is the fact that stock lens zoom is quite slow, and lack of information about the Slot-in compartment compatibility with Wireless receiver, and this is quite annoying to me. Can I ask you were you bought your camera? and which lens(es) do you use? Ciao Danny

February 16th, 2011, 02:09 PM	#6
Warren Kawamoto Trustee Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 1,435	Try removing the lens, then point the camera to a clean, white wall. Do you still see vignetting? If so, the problem is isolated to within the camera.

February 16th, 2011, 03:38 PM	#9
Danny Fracasso New Boot Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Rome, IT Posts: 12	Ciao Samer, Thanks for the info and for the PDF, I will certainly do the adjustment accordingly. About the problem you have pointed out, I will do some test and post my result here. I have read somewhere that some "softener" on the images are to be expected using an SD lens, but it shouldn't be there on the HD stock lens, as said above, I will do some test, and hopefully I wouldn't find anything, but in booth case I will let you know my results. BTW, I live in Rome, but I am from Venice area, most probably very near the area were you live. Ciao, Danny