my pmw-300

[Brent Kaplan]

well got my pmw-300 nice camera

1. First suprise my Switronix series 7 ex-l96 batteries dont work with the pmw-300 as they did with my ex3.
you get a high voltage warning and the camera shuts down.

2, mounting a long tripod plate covers the shoulder pad release.

the menu is a little different so Im going thru it, more to come

[Jack Zhang]

Really? Does it work leaving the pigtail in the battery? Are you using the pigtail to power it? Try using it like it was a PMW-200. (Hopefully you have one of the updated EX96 batteries)

I guess Sony limited the DC IN to 12V if that is the case. They still limit the DC in to curb third-party manufacturers. Not what we want to see, the EX1 and EX3 accepted battery level 16.1V of a fully charged battery through the DC IN port so I'm willing to bet either it's an artificial limit (if you look under the camera, if it still says 10.5V-17V, it's an artificial limit) or the camera has separate DC IN and Battery power converters.

Look under the camera at the DC voltage specs.

[Brent Kaplan]

When using the battery with out pigtail you get a battery error warning. I played with voltage settings with no luck. I think Switronix "updated" version that it suppose to support use with pmw-100 and pmw-200 will work , Im going to try and find out tomorrow if anyone is open, but it sucks.

[Jack Zhang]

What does the bottom of the camera say? 10.5V-17V or something different?

Sucks that you do have the non-updated version of the Switronix battery. If the updated version works, may want to reserve the old one for the EX3 only, or sell it if you're planning to move exclusively to the 300.

Again, Bravo on Sony for re-introducing the DC IN port being outside the battery compartment, but it sucks if they artificially limit it or limit it by electrical design. The artificial limit can be easily bypassed by a Sony firmware update, but a electrical design limit would mean you will have to use the PMW-200 method again, with the DC port only being able to be used by a wall power source.

[Brent Kaplan]

the bottom says battery 11-17v, i really need a dtap to power my camera light.

[Jack Zhang]

Can you take a picture of that sticker minus the serial number?

It may be an artificial limit. Sony should fix this with a firmware update unless they're doing it on purpose. If the bottom indicates that voltage range, there should be no reason the DC IN should be limited.

For now, it looks like you need to treat it like a PMW-200. The DC IN only works for the BC-U1 output of 12V.

I would really want to put shame on Sony if they're still crippling the DC IN after moving it out of the battery compartment.

If the updated Switronix battery won't work with the pigtail plugged into the battery, it's most likely that the battery manufacturers must regulate the pigtail output to 12V in a newer "PMW-300 compatible" battery.

[Brent Kaplan]

I spoke with BH photo and they say the updated series7 switronix batteries will work with the pmw-300 so I ordered a couple and well see.

[Jack Zhang]

I'm assuming it'll work via the "leaving the pigtail in" method. With a PMW-200, you don't need to unplug the pigtail.

Such a shame that Sony decided to limit the DC IN to 12V, thus barring any use of Anton Bauers or V-locks without power regulation at 12V. Basically, you'd need a Hawk-Woods EX3 adapter to use V-mount, which is no longer in production and hard to get outside of the UK.

[Brent Kaplan]

Another thing that is baffling to me is the shoulder pad release. It is on the bottom of the camera next to your three mounting holes, when you put a tripod plate on (im using a short manfrotto plate) it covers the release. so you have to have the pad extened all the time or take of the plate to get to it.Im really dont know what Sony is thinking,And how much more effort would it have been to have a xlr or other connector for a shotgun mic to be connected with out taking up your xlrs ans take advantage of 4 channel audio with a good mic.

I think i will get a VOCAS shoulder kit which will solve my issues.

I will get new batteries in 2 days and will let you know.

[Brent Kaplan]

well I got my Switronix ex-l96ud " updated " Batterys thath BH told me support the pmw-300, well They dont work , Im charging one now to test again but this is really annoying.

[Jack Zhang]

Was hard to read without punctuation, only just now picked up that it didn't work.

Try the Dolgin EX-V-LH plate with the Switronix battery, (make sure to ask that it regulates the voltage to exactly 12V) and if that doesn't work, may as well complain to Switronix and SWIT to work on it.

[Jack Zhang]

Went to my local dealer today that had a PMW-300 in the showroom, and the newest SWIT batteries work on the PMW-300 (S-8U63, the BP-U60 replacement battery from SWIT.)

Switronix batteries will not work until Switronix figures out how to fool the camera into thinking it's a battery without the use of pigtails. (Which SWIT has managed to do)

If you desperately need D-tap, these batteries are pretty much the only choice right now.

[Jason Bagherian]

Originally Posted by Brent Kaplan

well got my pmw-300 nice camera

Hi Brent,

I've read that the body on the PMW-300 is made of Magnesium, is this true? It still looks like the standard Sony plastic on the photos.

[Brent Kaplan]

it doesnt feel like plastic.

[Jason Bagherian]

Great so it is magnesium then, thanks.