Questions From A Newbie EX-1 Owner
 

Just got my EX1 (love it!) but I have a few questions:

First, I know the handlegrip rotates, but mine has a little bit of jiggle even when it is clicked into position. Not much play, but it is slightly annoying. Is this common or a defect?

And secondly, I was shooting today and I had Full Auto turned off, yet every time I tried to adjust white balance or change gain it would say "Cannot Proceed". Why not, I'm not in Full Auto. What am I missing?

Third, I can't get autofocus working. I set the lens to autofocus both on the button and by sliding the focus ring to AF, but nothing.

Fourth: I noticed the picture goes pretty soft on pans, and I was panning pretty slow. Does it look like that out of the HD-SDI port or is it just stressing the MPEG codec?

I'm sorry if these are basic questions. I looked through the manual and couldn't find my answers. Any help would be appreciated...

PS Even though I didn't fully know what I was doing with this cameras, the footate I got today looks great! I'm so happy with this camera...

Neither, increase your shutter speed.

Jon is right, first check your frame rate and shutter speed. 24P has a lot of judder when panning.

Also, do not trust what you see for motion played back via the EX LCD, and a lot of computer displays. I've noticed motion diffences even playing different sofware players on your computer.

For giggles, open one of your videos in VideoLan (or whatever your using). Do not fullscreen, keep it in a smaller window and have it paused. Now grab the title bar and drag it side to side. This particular laptop I'm using the video goes soft until you stop.

DO NOT trust movement on your PC, master your footage to a media such as BluRay or DVD.

Also, if your using the EX1 peaking, it works off of vertical structures. So, if you do a fast pan side to side the peaking will disappear, if you pan up and down, they won't.

Thanks guys for the info about the shutter et al.

But what about my other concerns? I have been reading the manual and pushing every button for a half an hour and I cannot get gain or white balace to work. It keeps saying Cannot proceed. I can change both in the direct menu setting, but not with the assigned buttons...

After more experimentation, I got the problem to go away: I reset my camera settings to factory default in the menu. Problem solved. But what had I done that caused those buttons to become disabled in the first place? So now I'm paranoid, do I have a defective camera? I just got it today, so I guess I could send it back. Any input would be appreciated.

BTW, yes I got auto focus to work, it just seems that the auto focus takes A LOT longer to find its focus than in other cameras, and then sometimes can't find it at all. I guess I'll have to suck it up and go manual all the time! (which I do 85% of the time anyway, its just sometimes you're running and gunning...)

I'd suggest you take some time to learn the camera before you think about sending it back. This is a $6k camera, not a point and shoot.

What other cameras? I don't know any HD cameras with a manual mode that are faster.

1st,,,Handgrip,,, mine moves very slightly, does it impair the operation of the camera or make any noise which the onboard mics can pic up ? If not, i wouldn't worry about it.

2nd,,,Cannot procced,,,It's because you're using the preset white balance in whatever picture profile you're using at the time. You nee to go into the menu and set the menu control to "part", then on the side of the camera you have a white balance switch, (prst)(a) and (b), set the switch to (a) or (b) and then do a white balance, this colour is now set to switch position (a).

Hope this helps.

Paul.

Well, if it does not work at all, there's an issue.
Also, the new software version 1.11 improved AF.

I used to own a Z1 so I was comparing the AF to that. But I assume since the EX1 has 50% larger chips and therefore a shallower DOF, AF is a more difficult task. I usually use MF in 85% of my shooting anyway, its just sometimes I have to really run and gun to follow a subject and a more responsive AF would be nice.

Overall I love this camera and its picture BLOWS AWAY the Z1,obviously...

I finally realized the AF was working, it just takes longer to find its focus then the Z1 that I was used to shooting on.

But then I learned about the "Lens Information" button with its handy DOF sliding scale, which is cool.

Again, do you have software version 1.11?
1.11 the AF is a lot faster.

I don't have my camera in front of me because it is out on a hire, but I had the same problem one time after it came back from another hire. From memory, there's a setting in the menu in the last folder where you can change the camera to advanced menu or simple menu. Whatever one is present change it to the other one and you should be able to access those functions. My apologies about the vagueness of my instructions!

Thanks Shaun...that's good to know!

Hi Brian,

The Vortex EX1 DVD is great to get a grips with this great camera.