Just trawling Sonys site and I found this...

[Simon Wyndham]

Thats just the way the world works. No company with any degree of sanity would announce forthcoming products at the same time as the launch of another. They'd never sell anything!

Besides, there is a huge price difference between a 335 and the EX series, and there were other options out there if they really wanted tapeless right now and couldn't wait.

Like I say, I'm not HD equipped right now because I'm waiting because I learnt a long time ago not to jump in feet first and buy equipment on impulse.

[Craig Seeman]

F335 is $12,999.95 at B&H. Seems about the same price an EX3 would be (although EX3 might end up being around $11,000 "street").

BTW it was months back on a thread or two I said that Sony's next EX would really be in the F330 price range and feature set.

Although it almost seems the EX3 sits between F335 and F355.

In fact it's coming down to the difference between the two lines as EX series smaller camera and faster transfer speed vs big camera stability and no archival step needed. There are other differences but those seem to be the big ones.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

I think the point is the EX-1 came out just before Xmas although most people were left waiting until january. By february, Sony already had a newer better model prepared. BUT kept secret. The speed this happened makes you question Sonys marketing which has released the lessor camera first. Pulling in those indie makers with low budgets to buy it. Then waited until most have bought into it before declaring the better version with tools the indie filmmaker has cried out for for years. IE interchangeable lenses. Leaving those people wanting people to buy the later version all over again. And leaving those who cant feeling resentful and let down.

Piotr has obviously devoted so much enthusiasm on his camera and explored every part of it only to find Sony had a better version that he would have bought if he had known about it. And guess what Same here too. Although I am happy with My camera I would have chosen the EX-3 when I had the money in my pocket.
Yes we know products improve we know things move on Thats business But now are we talking product replacement within months? Not a replacement you may say? WELL why then wasnt we all informed WHY the big secret?

Some may say thats business. I say Business cant survive without customers and you peeve them off enough and your likely to find you have none.

Excellent points, Mark. Expecially about us, the customers...

I ordered and paid for the EX1 in October. Got it in February. My money was working for the dealer (another story), but also for Sony to secretly develop the EX3.

In March, I bought the Letus Extreme (plagued with flaws), only to learn about the other possibiliies with the EX3 / Ultimate now.

Having owned Sony stuff exclusively for over 30 years now (from my first hi-fi, through all my TV sets, home theathe systems, cameras, and even laptops), all I can say is that the EX1 (as marvellous as it is), is probably the last Sony product I ever bought.

[Steve Connor]

I think everyone by now gets that you're annoyed with Sony, how many more times are you going to have to make the point before you move on

[Steve Connor]

Then sell your EX1 and buy an EX3 when it comes out - your EX1 still has a value on the second hand market and any loss you make should be offset by the money you may have made from it.

[Randy Strome]

Hi guys,

I understand that you are upset, and I am not trying to further aggrevate, but in fairness, you were aware (regardless of any new introductions) that you would never be able to change lenses on the cam that you bought. If this was important to you...

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Randy Strome

Hi guys,

I understand that you are upset, and I am not trying to further aggrevate, but in fairness, you were aware (regardless of any new introductions) that you would never be able to change lenses on the cam that you bought. If this was important to you...

Thats right and thats why some of us bought the letus adapters to fix lenses onto it. A compromise. I think those who bought the adapters were clearly looking at how to use interchangeable lenses on this camera.

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Steve Connor

Then sell your EX1 and buy an EX3 when it comes out - your EX1 still has a value on the second hand market and any loss you make should be offset by the money you may have made from it.

Yes that would be the ideal solution and one that has crossed my mind and that same thought has annoyed me because I cant afford to do it now because I bought the EX-1.

[Dave Blackhurst]

OK, isn't the EX3 several thousand $$ more than the EX1??? That's an entirely different price point/market.

SO the argument that you wanted to buy the "better" camera and Sony denied you that option sounds a little strange to me (hey, I can't afford either one...) to say the least.

I buy and sell gear regularly in order to "upgrade" IF I can afford the difference. That would seem to be the logical solution rather than getting mad at a big company that is just releasing cameras as they can (with all the teething problems with the EX1 and Z7, I'd imaging product delays are making sense to someone at the company right now). Be happy for the technology you have, and if you can afford the upgrade, just get on with it.

There's always going to be something "newer and better", that's life in the age of technology. Go make timeless video - maybe it will make you feel better.

[Benjamin Eckstein]

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

Thats right and thats why some of us bought the letus adapters to fix lenses onto it. A compromise. I think those who bought the adapters were clearly looking at how to use interchangeable lenses on this camera.

A letus or similar adapter is VERY different than a EX-3 with interchangeable lenses. If I went for the EX-3 I'd still need my adapter (a Brevis) to achieve the shallow DOF of 35mm lenses. Secondary lenses on the the EX mount will not allow you to achieve that type of look.

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Eckstein

A letus or similar adapter is VERY different than a EX-3 with interchangeable lenses. If I went for the EX-3 I'd still need my adapter (a Brevis) to achieve the shallow DOF of 35mm lenses. Secondary lenses on the the EX mount will not allow you to achieve that type of look.

Yes I know. However Letus have already designed an adapter to go directly on to the EX-3 Meaning you can do away with the stock lens. I for example have some Zeiss primes I can use with my letus and EX-1. I WOULD rather be using them with the EX-3 though. Many people who have bought the EX-1 will now upgrade or want to upgrade at extra cost to the EX-3. Some though won't be able to afford to. Whereas if they had been given a choice they might have. That choice was kept secret.

[Paul Joy]

Personally I don't think it's that big a deal. Back in November if the EX3 had been available when I got my EX1 I probably would have gone for that instead, but it wasn't and I needed a camera there and then.

When the EX3 comes out I'll definitely look forward to getting my hands on one, at that point I'll decide if I want to invest another £2.5k - £3k in one (after selling the EX1). If they prove to be free from the lens issues that my EX1 still suffers from then I might change, if not then I probably wont.

Yes, it is a bitch when upgrades are announced after you purchase, but it's just the way things go, In November all the 1 yr old EX1 users will be rushing to change to an EX5 and the Ex3 owners will be the ones wishing they'd waited.... it's just the way technology is.

Paul.

[Mark David Williams]

Originally Posted by Paul Joy

Personally I don't think it's that big a deal. Back in November if the EX3 had been available when I got my EX1 I probably would have gone for that instead, but it wasn't and I needed a camera there and then.

When the EX3 comes out I'll definitely look forward to getting my hands on one, at that point I'll decide if I want to invest another £2.5k - £3k in one (after selling the EX1). If they prove to be free from the lens issues that my EX1 still suffers from then I might change, if not then I probably wont.

Yes, it is a bitch when upgrades are announced after you purchase, but it's just the way things go, In November all the EX1 users will be rushing to change to an EX5 and the Ex3 owners will be the ones wishing they'd waited.... it's just the way technology is.

Paul.

I would agree with that if it were the case However Sony knew about the EX-3 in February and obviously well before that date. So why keep it secret?

Was it
A) To be a nice surprise for nab?
B) Because they wanted as many as possible to buy the EX-1 and wouldnt have a chance to wait for the EX-3 Which most will consider an improvement on the EX-1. Therefore an upgrade and the upshot is some people would buy twice?
c) Technology was not available and the february article showing the EX-3 Hard drive etc was not real.
d) Sony works in mysterious ways and whatever it is they are right?
e)Its the start of their financial year?

[Jon Carlson]

The EX-3 is not by any means a replacement for the EX1. Different form factors, different lens options, considerably different price points. It's like saying the the old XL1 was a replacement for the GL1. Two completely different cameras with different target markets.

The only difference here is that Sony released the fixed lens version first. So when the EX5 comes out and costs $20,000, will you still be angry that you bought an EX1 when a "better" camera was "just around the corner"?

[Paul Joy]

Originally Posted by Mark David Williams

I would agree with that if it were the case However Sony knew about the EX-3 in February and obviously well before that date. So why keep it secret?

I think you'll find that most manufacturers think carefully about when they announce new products, I'd imagine there are many factors that effected the decision about announcing the EX3. Sony are probably already working on it's replacement, they are not obliged to announce anything to anyone until they feel the time is right.

I've got as much reason as anyone to feel let down by Sony over some of the EX1's design flaws and the way the support channels have failed to help, but you really can't blame them for saving the announcement of their latest cameras for NAB.