PMW200 Back Focus Issue

[Kevin Lewis]

This thread has me seriously reconsidering my intention to purchase the camera. I film a lot of live events where acurate focusing is a must. I spent many months researching this camera and this issuie continues to pop up. I was going to rent one but I would much rather the money go towared the purchase.Is there any one here who is totally satisfied with this camera?

[Shaun Roemich]

I wish I could help with your decision, Kevin...

What I will say is I'm EXTREMELY happy with the picture quality (especially in 50mbps which I work in EXCLUSIVELY now...) at the price point after adapting one of Alister Chapman's excellent Picture Profiles to accurately reflect the work (and post workflow) I prefer.

Content Browser into FCP HAS it's flaws around file naming (WHY can't I have an incrementing file number counter so I can select a batch of clips, tag them Bob Interview 1 and then have auto increment on the files???) but it's a great, secure workflow.

The LCD screen is AWFUL! Colour is way off (VERY green heavy) and the contrast is excessive to say the least, even after adjusting, Peaking is not sensitive enough and will indicate that stuff in wide angle is in focus when it certainly isn't, the back focus issue is KILLING me (I lost an interview to it being soft when ALL indications were it was in focus)...

Oh yeah and I'd LOVE to see a 2x, 5x, 10x zoom available in Expanded Focus...

The glossy screen makes it exceptionally difficult to use in bright sunshine, even with a sunshade in equatorial sun at high noon.

The EVF is useless EXCEPT for framing.

As well, Sony's cowardly hiding of the DC input jack INSIDE the battery compartment in order to render third party batteries obsolete does nothing more than p*** me off - I HAD hoped to buy a V-Lock adaptor and mounting plate for the camera for LONG shooting times on conferences and use the internally mounted BP-U60 battery to keep it powered while changing batteries like I have done in the past with rented EX3s.

No go.

Gee... THANKS Sony. I WOULD have bought YOUR V-Locks and chargers, BTW...

BUT 4 channels of audio (with two defaulting to the onboard mic for question cueing and/or natural sound) at 24 bit with VERY low noise floor on the preamps for a camera in this market segment, 50mbps, the image quality, real switchgear...

So much to like but it just seems like a BETA release to me...

I'm almost POSITIVE it was marketed as being able to update to support XAVC when I bought it but now I'm hearing rumblings here that it won't be... I'll be EXCEPTIONALLY disappointed if it isn't, ESPECIALLY if I can find the marketing literature I'm positive said it would be...

I won't buy a second one. If I buy another 1/2" Sony XDCamEX offering, it will be a PMW300 with an eye to using a broadcast lens with the adaptor or one of the shoulder cams...

My CURRENT needs are pointing towards an F5 or F55 though so we'll see what direction I go.

Hope this helps...

[Shaun Roemich]

A Caveat to the above:

I'm NOT a film maker, I'm a working VIDEOGRAPHER... events (conventions, conferences) and live switching, corporate video, promo video... I NEED a zoom lens for almost all of my work. (The F5/55 interest is around my first feature length documentary I'm currently working on).

I have been around long enough to see the absolute value of this camera at the price point. It IS a pro solution in terms of a real codec and post workflow for the serious user.

Frankly, the market this camera owns is UNTOUCHED by any other manufacturer. No one else produces a 3 x 1/2" chip camera shooting 50mbps with a non-AVCHD codec with a zoom lens and 4 channels of audio anywhere near this price point. Oh, and HD-SDI out.

All of which are mandatory for me.

So essentially the camera I would CHOOSE to replace the PMW200 with DOESN'T EXIST.

[Jack Zhang]

My critical missing feature that I'm waiting for is 1080p50/60 that ISN'T AVCHD 2.0.

That and Global Shutter CMOS too.

[Kevin Lewis]

Shaun, in this thread you mentioned the non "AVCHD" codec, what's the benefit in having a camera that does not use this format? In the midst of my reconsideration of this camera, I see that Sony just released the HXR-NX3. This may be a viable substitute. It also has 3 1/2inch sensors and a longer zoom. It has the AVCHD codec and I was wondering what the drawbacks are.

[Alister Chapman]

My EX1's and EX3's would often loose focus tracking after travelling in flight cases on airplanes. Bumping the cameras around will throw out the back focus. It doesn't get any worse as the camera ages. It's a annoying but doesn't do any lasting damage.

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Kevin Lewis

Shaun, in this thread you mentioned the non "AVCHD" codec, what's the benefit in having a camera that does not use this format?

Much like the early days of editing HDV content, AVCHD is very processor heavy to decode and encode on the fly, being a Long-GOP format, due to it's complexity.

The "ballistics" of editing XDCamEX means better real time performance and less time in transcoding or outputting from an edited timeline in my experience...

Five years from now I'm sure no one will care but I get massively better performance out of XDCamEX right now.

[Raymond Coates]

I have had the same focusing problems from day one when I first purchased my EX1.

I love the image quality from the EX series but I absolutely hate how shitty the auto focus performs on the XDCAM's.

[Bruce Rawlings]

I have owned 2 EX1s from back in 2008 when they came out. Both cameras at some point over the years have had to go back for fixing back focus issues. Have to say that I have had no trouble since Sony fixed them and the cameras continue to produce super pictures. I would have thought that the EX1R and presumably the PMWs are based on the EX1 original design and that back focus problems should have been sorted by now.

[Jack Zhang]

The servo driven back focusing element is the main reason this is still an issue. The biggest advantage is no breathing when changing focus, but a servo driven lens element needs to be re-aligned when it gets knocked around a bit.

With a 100% manual lens, everything is manual, but you get breathing.