HVX200 vignetting with Chrosziel mattebox

[Rennie Klymyk]

I would think any chip alignment would also give you out of focus problems. The lens and the chip set must be in alignment to get a proper image. Try shooting an alignment chart and blowing up the corners. I would think it more likely the matte box is out of alignment so maybe try another matte box or see if the mount is bent. You could also mount the matte box on a different HVX200 to see it it appears there.

[Noah Kadner]

Definitely not a good idea- you would destroy the camera and still not solve the issue. Try a bigger matte box- Vocas could be a better fit.

Noah

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[D. scott Dobbie]

I’ve got the Chrosziel and love it. No issues, unless I use it with the Century .75 zoom-through lens and back out all the way. Guessing it’s a mounting issue of sorts.

-S.

[Emre Tufekci s.o.a.]

I have 2 hvx200’s with the same Chrosziel mattebox and they both have the same problem. My very talented 1st AC spent a good amount of time trying to fix it with no avail. We just zoom past it %1.5

We too are considiring shaving it.

Emre
http://www.productionpit.com
Boxx Tech PC, dual-dual AMD 2.0,4BG ram,Avidexpress HD w/Mojo,UVW-1800,DSR-25, Adobe production studio.

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[Rennie Klymyk]

Hey! This is interesting. I was wondering if it has anything to do with the OIS setting. Remember the Shake Rattle and Roll issues particuarly with the 1st gen cams?

[Barry Green]

I had a Chrosziel and had a difficult time getting it to line up properly, as well as having vignetting issues with my 0.6x lens and it wouldn’t properly fit around the front of my 1.6x lens. I sold it and got the Vocas instead, and all is perfection now.

[Chris Oben]

An anonymous individual made this comment on my Digital Dayz HD Blog site (https://chrisoben.blogspot.com/) in reference to the HVX200 alignment issue.

Here is the comment:

Hi there, CCD alignment on the HVX is an issue i’ve recently tried to find more discussions about online but startlingly find it to be an uncommon point of interest. This thread is one of few i am posting on now to share the results of a test i did myself recently.

I started investigating when i was attaching a Redrock lens adaptor to the front of the HVX and found that the ‘gate’ at the back of the Redrock unit would dissapear from the edges of frame at different points of zooming with the HVX. I had hard mounted the Redrock using stepping rings and at first assumed it was a Redrock problem (much as you assume it is the fault of your matte box).

I steadily started removing variables from the equation until i was left with only the stepping rings screwed into the thread on the front of the hvx mount, and the edges of this too were not aligned centrally with the image.

This lead me to the certain conclusion that the center of the lens and the center of the CCD are out of alignment with each other.

I have so far tested around 10 HVX’s and find the problem to be the same on all of them. The rings appear to be shifted to the right of frame, leaving vignetting on the left. (the same direction as your matte box problem)

I have also done this test with the sony Z1 and the old DVX and find the alignment on both of these cameras to be perfect.

On contacting Panasonic i was met first with denial, then with an excuse that “the HVX is not designed to be used with lens adaptors”, which completely ignores the issue that ANY accessory attached via the lens thread is out of alignment with the image, and so what would be the point of any accessory? The final insult came when a friend of mine performed the same test demonstration in front of Panasonic reps at a Panasonic demo, to which they responded “your problem isn’t CCD alignment, it’s your budget – buy a better camera” (!!!!!!!)

I think it’s about time Panasonic owned up to the fact that they have performed a massive and inexcusable cock-up in their manufacturing of the HVX and either offer to fix all affected cameras, or announce the problem and sell the cameras at discounted rates. Neither of which they have been forthcoming about doing.

If you own an HVX, please perform the same test to see for yourselves if you are affected, (because it may be just a bad batch made at one time) if is so, or if not, note the serial number and post it back here so we can begin cataloguing affected models.

Feedback welcome!!!

The preceding post was made by an anonymous individual to ‘Digital Dayz HD blog’ re: the HVX200 chip alignment issue. https://chrisoben.blogspot.com/

Chris M. Oben

http://www.chrisoben.com

[Jan Crittenden livingston]

My bets are they have the wrong Matte Box from Chroizeil. The CCD alignment “issue” is pretty much a non issue as folks have been using the Red Rock and underwater housings for the last two 1/2 years. Now if for some reason the CCD is really out of wack and I have seen cameras that have taken a thwump from a fall but not so bad that there is body damage it can be realigned. But this should also cause focus issues. This can be resolved with a stop to one of the Panasonic service ceters, either LA or Secaucus.

Best,

Jan

Jan Crittenden Livingston
Product Manager, HPX500, HVX200, DVX100
Panasonic Broadcast & TV Systems