-
EX3 Survey: Sticky Zoom on stock lens
-
I have the same sticky zoom problems. There is no excuse. Hell I have better zooming on far less cameras. I wonder if the lens from my old Sony 537 rig would fit this? Half inch. Not HD. Hmmm lets check this out.
In my career I’ve waited too many months to get gear back that has the identical problem it had when it left the shop. If the zoom WORKS…that is…changes the focal length…then it’s considered fine I suppose.
This is a smaller problem than losing a day shoot because of card failure, or camera causing card failure, but thats another story.
Mike Gorga, Producer/Director
MEGCOMM Film & Video Prod.
800.816.1884 -
My EX3 is sticky/uneven on zooming, even using an external zoom controller (VariZoom Rock EX). My EX1 had no zoom problems, with or without the controller. It is hard to tolerate during jazz performance recordings, when I want slow, smooth zooms.
-
Hi All
We have 3 cameras Sony EX3 and using 3 units of Manfrotto 521EX Zoom control on them. All cameras have the same issue of uneven / jerky zoom.
I am currently looking to buy additional 2 units of Zoom Control and am glad to come across your comments. I thought it was an issue of the Zoom Control and not the lens and was willing to spend more money on better more professional units.
If anyone can recommend a zoom control that works well with the EX3 I will be grateful.
Regards
Gil Kedem
Camera Department
Channel 66 -
I’m thinking of buying an EX3, but reading these reports gives me pause.
What about simply putting on another zoom lens? There is the Fujinon XS8X4AS-XB8 4-32mm, a 1/2″ lens which appears to be designed for the EX3a. I realize that is sort of a specialty wide-angle lens, but has anyone tried the zoom on it? Or any number of reliable 2/3″ lenses, although it might be difficult to find one that goes wide enough to fill the EX3’s 1/2″ target.
-
I have the same problem.
In my case an EX1 that has been updated to the latest firmware.The unit is just over 1year old and originally had this problem but slight and not all the time.
It has recently got considerably worse making a slow zoom impossible.The lens on my Z1 (much older) does not suffer this “feature” but then a totally different manufacturer makes it.
Hawke.
-
And Sony no longer considers this a valid warranty repair issue from what I understand.
Test using the programable zoom setting and see if it stutters during the zoom. I believe Sony’s cutoff point is now 8 or 10 rather than the lowest point of 1 the camera can be set too. In other words, if it’s stutter free at 8 or 10 they may say it meets normal spec.Either way, do the test and then contact Sony and make your argument just in case you get a sympathetic tech.
-
Thanks for the reply. After reading many posts I tried the handle zoom setting, it is smoothish down to 2 and perfect from 5 up.
The other factor that I didn’t mention is that only zooming in on the rocker is jerky, zooming out on the rocker is fine.
It looks as if in my case it is the control that is the problem but not knowing the technology or being able to find any detail anywhere it could be any component in the control chain.
Its time to contact Sony. -
Craig is pretty much right on the money. Sony no longer sees this as a problem. I do not have to time to fight this anymore and have gotten nowhere in the past with the techs and cordial (over the phone) supervisor in New Jersey.
Keep your fingers crossed and hope you get a “good” one.
Paul Zwicker
ZwickFlicks LLC
Wisconsin, US
Sony PMW EX3
MacPro
Final Cut Pro 6.6
http://www.zwickflicks.com -
[Paul Zwicker] “Sony no longer sees this as a problem.”
It’s not a problem for me either. I was considering an EX3 several months ago, but when I saw this thread, I thought, “Why bother buying a problem?”
Bob C
-
I have two ex3’s both have the sticky lens issues and I have been ignored by Sony, one lens was replaced by Sony but it ended up with the same problem
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up