Dissatisfied with Sony Prime Support

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 08:46 AM

Michael,
FW 1.05 is the newest version of the firmware. Prime Support updated it at their last repair attempt, but it did not fix the camera then. (It had FW1.03 when I bought it.)
I bought my camera 2 months ago - serial#401780
I guess their problem at the repair attempts is a not ideal setup for the FB adjustment, or maybe they did it for one ND setting only.
But thats just speculation... I´m still hearing from other EX1 owners that they got their cameras back without successful repairs as well, although their FW was also updated.

cu,
Gerald
(finally a happy EX-1 owner)

Steven Thomas · March 28th, 2008, 08:57 AM

This is really good news!

You would think that the repair center would have the correct procedure.

I'm wondering if version 1.03 would of worked if you had tried?

Which brings up the question, what does v1.05 offer?

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 09:04 AM

As the loaner camera with FW1.03 was not picked up yet - I will unbox it again and try the same setup - will let you know in about an hour.

Steven Thomas · March 28th, 2008, 09:13 AM

Thank you.
I have not looked, but I'm betting that's my version.

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 09:42 AM

That was an easy test and it went pretty quickly.
Same setup and procedure, but this time with the loaner camera and FW1.03.
Fixed! Works with all ND settings. So I do not know what they changed for FW1.05.
I guess Prime Support will now wonder that I send back a fully working loaner camera, because I always complained about it and wanted another one...

So I guess the new FW 1.05 is not necessary to fix the backfocus issue - but it might have worked for this camera only...

If I´ve came up with this solution earlier I could have saved me a lot of trouble and grief...

cu,
Gerald

Piotr Wozniacki · March 28th, 2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerald Loidl

Today I fixed the backfocus problem for myself, just before I wanted to return my EX1 for another exchange.
I did the FB-adjustment procedure once again - but this time I used 12 backfocus charts side by side (actually 4 columns and 3 rows), which I attached to a white wall of my house.

Congrats, Gerald - very encouraging news indeed!

May I know how big the charts you've used are? A4?

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 09:57 AM

Piotr,
yes A4 - if you have a larger printer it would not hurt too.
I´m sure it will work with less than 12 charts as well, but 1 just is not enough.

regards,
Gerald

Michael Mann · March 28th, 2008, 10:05 AM

Gerald, are you sure that backfocus stays fixed after changing ND-filter setting? Wasn't there a user who said this could cause the backfocus to shift again?

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 10:21 AM

Michael,
so far it works - I switched between the settings multiple times.
I cant guarantee it will work forever - maybe tomorrow it will be another story again...
But during my test today I did a lot of switching between the filter settings and it did not change anything.
I hope it will stay like this.

regards,
Gerald

Michael Mann · March 28th, 2008, 10:26 AM

Thanks Gerald, good to hear that.

Steven Thomas · March 28th, 2008, 11:07 AM

Gerald, this is GREAT NEWS, but at the same time puzzling.

Why does Adam Wilts' EX1 camera only allow correct back focus on only one ND setting at a given time, not on each?

http://provideocoalition.com/index.p..._explained/P0/

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Gerald, this is GREAT NEWS, but at the same time puzzling.

Why does Adam Wilts' EX1 camera only allow correct back focus on only one ND setting at a given time, not on each?

http://provideocoalition.com/index.p..._explained/P0/

yeah I read this article a couple of days ago - and I do not have an answer for this...

Steven Thomas · March 28th, 2008, 11:24 AM

Maybe something is unique about Adams's camera.

I HIGHLY respect Adam. He's ideas and input has been very valuable for myself and many others!

Gerald Loidl · March 28th, 2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Maybe something is unique about Adams's camera.

I HIGHLY respect Adam. He's ideas and input has been very valuable for myself and many others!

I think we all respect Adam very much! His articles always offer an enormous source of information. Maybe his camera really is different. They seem to have their own will ;-)

Leonard Levy · March 28th, 2008, 09:51 PM

I turned Adam on to the problem actually but I've never tried Gerald's inventive solution.
Gerald are you looking at the picks on a large monitor to be sure its absolutely fixed? I find its easy to miss and the clincher is usually to engage the ND, look at distant objects ( trees are good) with wide open fstop and then turn the focus ring from infinity down to 3'. If it gets sharper toward 3' you are still screwed.

Were the 12 focus charts just ordinary starburst charts the size of letter paper? If this works you should get a MacArthur award!

My buddy has one that's out , so I will email him this. I hope it works.

BTW the guys at Sony in San jose were incredibly nice to deal with.

Lenny Levy

March 28th, 2008, 10:05 AM	#38
Michael Mann Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kelkheim, Germany Posts: 375	Gerald, are you sure that backfocus stays fixed after changing ND-filter setting? Wasn't there a user who said this could cause the backfocus to shift again? __________________ Michael

March 28th, 2008, 08:46 AM	#31
Gerald Loidl Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austria Posts: 122	Michael, FW 1.05 is the newest version of the firmware. Prime Support updated it at their last repair attempt, but it did not fix the camera then. (It had FW1.03 when I bought it.) I bought my camera 2 months ago - serial#401780 I guess their problem at the repair attempts is a not ideal setup for the FB adjustment, or maybe they did it for one ND setting only. But thats just speculation... I´m still hearing from other EX1 owners that they got their cameras back without successful repairs as well, although their FW was also updated. cu, Gerald (finally a happy EX-1 owner)

March 28th, 2008, 08:57 AM	#32
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	This is really good news! You would think that the repair center would have the correct procedure. I'm wondering if version 1.03 would of worked if you had tried? Which brings up the question, what does v1.05 offer?

March 28th, 2008, 09:04 AM	#33
Gerald Loidl Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austria Posts: 122	As the loaner camera with FW1.03 was not picked up yet - I will unbox it again and try the same setup - will let you know in about an hour.

March 28th, 2008, 09:13 AM	#34
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Thank you. I have not looked, but I'm betting that's my version.

March 28th, 2008, 09:42 AM	#35
Gerald Loidl Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austria Posts: 122	That was an easy test and it went pretty quickly. Same setup and procedure, but this time with the loaner camera and FW1.03. Fixed! Works with all ND settings. So I do not know what they changed for FW1.05. I guess Prime Support will now wonder that I send back a fully working loaner camera, because I always complained about it and wanted another one... So I guess the new FW 1.05 is not necessary to fix the backfocus issue - but it might have worked for this camera only... If I´ve came up with this solution earlier I could have saved me a lot of trouble and grief... cu, Gerald

March 28th, 2008, 09:57 AM	#37
Gerald Loidl Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austria Posts: 122	Piotr, yes A4 - if you have a larger printer it would not hurt too. I´m sure it will work with less than 12 charts as well, but 1 just is not enough. regards, Gerald

March 28th, 2008, 10:21 AM	#39
Gerald Loidl Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Austria Posts: 122	Michael, so far it works - I switched between the settings multiple times. I cant guarantee it will work forever - maybe tomorrow it will be another story again... But during my test today I did a lot of switching between the filter settings and it did not change anything. I hope it will stay like this. regards, Gerald

March 28th, 2008, 10:26 AM	#40
Michael Mann Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kelkheim, Germany Posts: 375	Thanks Gerald, good to hear that. __________________ Michael

March 28th, 2008, 11:07 AM	#41
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Gerald, this is GREAT NEWS, but at the same time puzzling. Why does Adam Wilts' EX1 camera only allow correct back focus on only one ND setting at a given time, not on each? http://provideocoalition.com/index.p..._explained/P0/

March 28th, 2008, 11:24 AM	#43
Steven Thomas Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,896	Maybe something is unique about Adams's camera. I HIGHLY respect Adam. He's ideas and input has been very valuable for myself and many others!

March 28th, 2008, 09:51 PM	#45
Leonard Levy Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,684	I turned Adam on to the problem actually but I've never tried Gerald's inventive solution. Gerald are you looking at the picks on a large monitor to be sure its absolutely fixed? I find its easy to miss and the clincher is usually to engage the ND, look at distant objects ( trees are good) with wide open fstop and then turn the focus ring from infinity down to 3'. If it gets sharper toward 3' you are still screwed. Were the 12 focus charts just ordinary starburst charts the size of letter paper? If this works you should get a MacArthur award! My buddy has one that's out , so I will email him this. I hope it works. BTW the guys at Sony in San jose were incredibly nice to deal with. Lenny Levy