[Stephen Moro]

If u contact a technician at ur local Sony Broadcast repair center im sure they would be able to help
They would also probably have several broken ones they would give you if u wanted to take them apart

[Stephen Moro]

I have noticed this problem for the past few months

Firstly id like to say that the zoom servo (rocker) on the lens was never great – from the start i found it difficult to get smooth zooms (unlike the Z1) But u could always get around the problem by using an external zoom demand (canon or fuji) but now it sticks even with an external zoom control

I called up Sony tech support and they said “put it on a zoom speed of 10 and above”
i then explained that this setting in the menu (hi and low) is only for the mini zoom control on the handle. No one uses this. Everyone uses the main large zoom demand. So basically what Sony are saying is that you need to start (with main servo zoom) at 10 speed (which is impossible to do) or use the mini zoom control on the handle (and set the speed to 10) so ull get a jump at the start of the zoom but the actual speed once it starts should be smooth (this is also unusable as u get a ‘push’ or ‘jump’ if u will at the start of the move

It seems that the only way to get around the problem is to use an external HD lens (Canon HJ14x4.3mm) but its a 30k USD lens. I have this lens but its just not practical using it. Firstly it makes the lens massively top heavy – hand held work is ridiculous and difficult. Its just not what the camera was designed for

So u really have no option but to use the camera with the stock standard lens and dont zoom (or go manual zoom) which doesnt look very good

ANY FUJI OR CANON ZOOM DEMAND WILL NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE!

I did find that blowing around the zoom barrel with compressed air will help quite a lot
This is also i find a little dangerous – but it improved the zoom – but not eliminated the problem

I think the only way to fix it would be bring it into Fujinon (but its such a small lens i doubt they would service it)

Has anyone tried to have it serviced at Fuji?

Ive been made a fool of because of this problem – I dont think clients really believe you when you try to explain that its in fact the tools not the tradesman thats the problem! Sony and or Fuji have a lot to answer for! Maybe someone should do a write up story for ASC and related DOP / camera magazines warning people of this problem.

Think there are so many EX3’s out there Sony simply just doesnt care anymore about helping cameraman have this problem solved. Without is being fixed i find the camera useless!