Camera malfunctioning
 

Well, it's not as bad as the title suggests but still.. So yesterday I got a unique opportunity to test the camera at a wedding as I has a last minute request from a sick videographer to take over from her, her style was long form docu handheld so this basically means I have been using the ea50 yesterday all day handheld and used my sony 730"s as b-cams at the ceremony.

Because during a wedding I shut down and start up the camera a lot at about 5 in the afternoon (I started at 9 in the morning) I started up the camera to film the venue and nothing happened, the lcd stayed black, I shut down and powered on again, still nothing and after the third time it came to live. That was the only time throughout the day it gave me that issue so not sure what to think of it. When it happened the battery was half full.

A second thing is that the scroll wheel on top of the camera that you use to go through the menu's on the lcd doesn't work anymore as it's supposed, I can scroll up and left but pressing right and under results in the same behavior as the "exec" button in the center of that wheel, so confirm. I can still use the scroll wheel on the side of the camera so right now it's no issue. I plan to send the camera in for this but have to wait till after the wedding season is over as that starts real soon. Only if I see more issues coming up I will call upon Sony prime support sooner.

It's been quite a experience yesterday as I could use the camera in a totally different way then I"m used to which is handheld all the time, will report about that later.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Did you have a genuine Sony battery in the camera?

I have experienced one of your issues - 'turning camera on' you see the LCD screen light up but just a black screen then it just stops and switches itself off, as if it is rejecting the power source. This only happens with 2 of my 'after market' batteries - not all of them - strange thing is, all the after market batteries are EXACTLY the same, from the same seller so I don't know what the problem is. I have marked these two with a black marker and wrote for video light only as to avoid confusion if im at an event.

Not so sure about the menu scrolling issue your having.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

My Panasonics used to do that too but they used to give a message "This Battery cannot be used with the Camera" and the would shut down. I'm sure Noa has got only Genuine InfoLithium L series batteries..luckily my video light batteries are the same shape and size but have no writing on them on the top so they cannot be mixed up.

I have never had the shut down issue so far and I'm up to 75 hours running time on the B-camera now. I wonder if it was anything to do with the weather maybe ... if cameras have condensation they also shut down and it quite typical going from a warm car/bag and then being taken out into chilly weather...I did a wedding a few weeks ago with 40 degree temps and the cams were hot to the touch but no shutdowns there either.

Noa? after it restarted when it took 3 attempts, was it fine after that??? Keep us informed on your findings and also your comments on the camera's performance at a doc style wedding would be nice.

Chris

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Yes, the original battery that came with the camera was used when that happened.

Chris: Yes, after the third time the camera booted and worked without a issue for the rest of the evening. Here it was freezing -2 deg yesterday and we even had snow but I doubt that temperature has to do with this, I hope the camera will not die on me during a shoot but I do have sufficient back up with my dlsr's when needed.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

One: Rokinon lens or kit lens? Mine acts up like that with Canons.

Two: If it was the kit lens I would say this calls for the factory reset button. Tiny hole is near the playback buttons. When things fail....reboot.

Three: It has been raining there...Chris is right about moister?

Four: Intermittent problems suck.....Good Luck.

Steve

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Rokinon lens, do you mean you also have start up problems now and then? I think I"ll hit that reboot button to see if it clear the menu button issue.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Hi Noa

I would say that maybe it is the lens and the camera software realises that the lens is not fitted so it shuts down? Do those lenses have any sort of communication with the camera .. if not there should be a setting in the menu to tell the camera "the lens I'm using is totally manual" so it doesn't have to go thru software confirmation that the iris and focus controls are correctly talking to the body ...My GH1 used to do that on a regular basis for no reason too!!

Keep us updated on the solution?

Chris

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

The camera didn't shut down, it wouldn't start up.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Hi Noa

I sorta meant that..you turn it on and it detects says, a lens issue and then dies ... When I used generic batteries in the pannys the camera also never got to start ... black screen, error message and then it turned itself off ... when you start maybe the cam sees an inital problem with the lens and simply goes no further so it appears it hasn't started up ..a sort of fail safe start up ...Sorry for the ignorance but does the lense you are using have ring contacts for say, aperture?? or is no electrical contact made between the lens and camera at all??

Chris

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

That is still not what happened :) the camera did not turn on at all so no error messages or turning off again, when I turned it on the viewfinder stayed black and nothing happen, so I turned the power switch back to off and on again and still no response at all, only after the 3rd time it powered up normally.

I am curious if Steve was referring to the same problem as I had?

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Hi Noa

Since Steve brought up the lens problem, I was simply suggesting a reason for the failure...If a lens is not 100% seated what will happen when you turn on the camera. If you unlatch a lens and turn it just a fraction the contacts will now be out of line ...If you did that would the camera not start? or would it come up with a message "lens error" ??? I'm not trying to smart ..just suggesting a procedure to try and replicate what happened at the wedding so if it does it again, at least you could know what is causing it.

Chris

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

This may be silly, but I wonder if the battery just didn't have the connection "just right." Happened with my A1's a couple of times.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

I was making short shots during that time and didn't change lenses or touched the battery, it just happened for no obvious reason in between shots, it was just a one time thing during the day as I had not been able to replicate the problem during the day. I"ll just have to wait and see what it gives at next weddings.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

Might be worth contacting Sony Prime Support to get it looked at, Noa. One benefit (in the UK at least) is they're supposed to supply a replacement unit while yours is being serviced.

Re: Camera malfunctioning
 

The reset button didn't fix the menu wheel on top so that's busted, will see if I can get a replacement camera.