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EX3 Survey: Sticky Zoom on stock lens
I need to find out how many of you have had this issue. Zoom does not move smoothly from the start then smooths out while attempting to do a slow zoom.
This is the second stock lens on my camera. It sticks just as badly as the first. Before I send it in again for yet another lens, I’d like a show of hands of those who have this issue.
For that matter if you got a “good” lens, please post.Thanks for helping.
Paul Zwicker
ZwickFlicks LLC
Wisconsin, US
Sony PMW EX3
MacPro
Final Cut Pro 6.6
http://www.zwickflicks.com -
32 Replies
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I have similar problem. Manual as well as auto.
You can hear a slight noise (camera mic definitely hears it) even in manual zoom. Not a great lens. -
I have had no issues with the zoom on the stock lens. I rarely use the zoom anyhow.
Mac Pro 2×2.8 Quadcore – 10.6.2 – QT 7.6.3 – 22 GB RAM – nvidia8800GT – SATA internal & external storage – Blackmagic Multibridge Pro – Open GL 1.5.10 – Wacom Intous2 tablet – AJA io
SONY XDCAM EX3 – Letus Elite -
I have had my EX-3 for over a year and had no problems of any kind. The lens has always worked as it should for me.
Apple Certified Master Pro FCS 2
Sony EX-3
MacBook Pro -
Yeah, mine sucks too. It’s my second lens, and I just figured that that’s all I can expect.
Rick
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I must be one of the lucky few. I’ve yet to encounter this problem with the EX3.
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My EX3 has the same problem. In fact this issue has been discussed earlier here. I did call Sony to send it for repair and the guy in NJ told me that this is expected at speeds of 10 and under (!) as if it’s a feature. I am surprised that more people are not complaining to Sony about this ‘feature’. It stutters in slow zoom and it is expected? It does not say anywhere in the brochure that it is expected but they just came up with this idea when people started complaining.
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It is/was same issue with EX1. It was a mixed bag in that some were affected and others not. I caught mine before Sony set policy and they replaced my camera which is smooth down to 2 now.
The EX1R throws some kind of warning or something when using low speed zooms now (EX1R owner will have to verify what the exact message/mechanism is though).
Whatever replaces the EX3 I suspect will have a similar “feature.”
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So I am just lucky that my EX1 does not have this ‘feature.’ Besides, my EX1 picture looks sharper than the EX3’s. May be my EX3 lens is faulty in that area too. But that could be another feature Sony has added to the EX3! Soft focus.
I want to add a third camera, may be the EX1r but the uncertainty of the lens jitter adds a certain jitter to my dilemma. -
[Bala Chandran] “So I am just lucky that my EX1 does not have this ‘feature.'”
Some do, some don’t. My first one had the issue and Sony replaced with on that didn’t. They wont do that anymore and even have their “whatever it is” on the EX1R which notes slow zoom speeds are not reliable.
[Bala Chandran] “May be my EX3 lens is faulty in that area too. But that could be another feature Sony has added to the EX3! Soft focus. “
Check backfocus. Of course with EX3 you can buy a better lens.
[Bala Chandran] “I want to add a third camera, may be the EX1r but the uncertainty of the lens jitter adds a certain jitter to my dilemma.”
It can certainly be if you like doing “creep zooms.”
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Creep zoom is my ‘livelihood.’ I specialize in dance productions, especially Indian classical dance, and my long shots call for a lot of creep zoom.
In any case I drove up to Teaneck NJ (from Virginia) yesterday and gave both the EX1 and 3 for firmware update. The EX3 warranty expires on Wednesday so I made it in before that. Let’s see if I get lucky and they fix it. I have had bad experiences with Sony as far as service is concerned, they return stuff saying it’s fixed when it isn’t!
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