Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1

Dan Lukehart · July 22nd, 2009, 03:29 AM

this is the EXACT issue I am having with my ex1. Thank you for the link. This problem is more than an just a simple annoyance for event shooting. Its a deal breaker. I dont think my camera is usable for shooting a wedding for example. Ill have to rent. Its a very scary thing to shoot with and a terrible feeling that at any second things can go wrong. The problem is difficult to replicate, so you never know when it could go off.

Just before I came across your reply I found another long thread about this problem on the ex3 on another forum. I have not yet found a discussion specific to the ex1. I am sifting through your link now and it seems to have a lot of info. Thank you.

Ill post some of my thoughts as I read more about others experiences.

Dan Lukehart · July 22nd, 2009, 04:23 AM

I read through all the post, and it seems as though the update has made the problem go away on the ex3.

I am on 1.11. Perhaps an update may do the same for me?

After a lot of guess work, I am now able to reproduce the problem with reliability. Ill write it down so incase anybody has this problem in the future and they can learn from my experience. If some of you could also see if you can replicate it, that may be of help.

for this test i was using the power adapter...not sure if that matters. The camera tends to get a little warmer when running on it.

1. Turn on camera
2. As SOON as it boots up, Manual zoom all the way in on an object and blur it out
3. Focus on the object you just blurred out very quickly
4. quickly zoom all the way out QUICKLY.

2-4 again if needed

The problem seems to be lessened or avoided when (listed in order of importance)

1. you go eazy on zooming from all the way in to all the way out. Slow it down.
2. you let the camera sit for 30 seconds after you turn it on
3. rapid focusing - this may or may not play a role in this problem.

Kalunga Lima · August 3rd, 2009, 11:45 AM

Same thing just happened to my Ex1 in the middle of a critical shoot. All of a sudden no more focus (manual or automatic). I'm not a happy camper.

Dan Lukehart · August 5th, 2009, 01:10 PM

This is happened to my Ex1 during faster zooms. I loose all control of the focus. A reboot fixes my problem though. I drove it down to sony last week. I will post on my thread "focus freeze problem" about how they deal with the situation.

I am very unhappy with things at the moment. The camera is still pretty new and ive missed out on a lot of work having it be away.

Dan Lukehart · August 5th, 2009, 01:15 PM

An update:

The loss of focus comes from only quick zooms. The longer the camera is on, the slower the zoom needs to be.

I took it into sony one week ago. I still have not had any word on the camera.

Boyd Ostroff · August 5th, 2009, 01:54 PM

Mod note: I have merged these two threads since they appear to cover the same topic.

Justin Carlson · August 9th, 2009, 08:26 AM

I had the same thing happen to my EX1. Sony Canada then replaced my lens to correct the problem, which it did, but then I got other problems. So after 4 lens replacements they finally going to replace my entire EX1 or let me pay the difference and upgrade to a EX3.

Mark Sudfeldt · August 15th, 2009, 06:43 PM

I have a similar problem with my EX1. Was all going well, turned it off and restarted a couple of hours later and the focus has died. Tried manual and auto and reset but still dead. At first it would only zoom in(on servo) and not zoom out again. I tried moving the ND filters and that seems to have solved the zoom out problem. Focus seems good on wide and not to bad fully zoomed in but totally out in the middle ranges. . . .to me it seems like some of the lens elements aren't moving. . . . but thats just a guess. Back to Sony I guess :-(

Mark

Barry J. Weckesser · August 15th, 2009, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Sudfeldt

I have a similar problem with my EX1. Was all going well, turned it off and restarted a couple of hours later and the focus has died. Tried manual and auto and reset but still dead. At first it would only zoom in(on servo) and not zoom out again. I tried moving the ND filters and that seems to have solved the zoom out problem. Focus seems good on wide and not to bad fully zoomed in but totally out in the middle ranges. . . .to me it seems like some of the lens elements aren't moving. . . . but thats just a guess. Back to Sony I guess :-(

Mark

From what I can remember that is very similar to how mine behaved - had it on a spring break trip with the kids in early April - sent it back- replaced the entire lens elements and did a thorough service check although they did not update the firmware (still at 1.11). Good luck - seemed to get good service out of the Teaneck New Jersey place.

Mark Sudfeldt · August 28th, 2009, 08:18 PM

Just an update to my focusing issues. Sent the EX1 back to Sony who replaced the faulty lens assembly. I gather one of the lens elements had moved. They also replaced a side and back panel where the graphics were worn and updated it to 1.13. No charge for any of it and a turn around time of 12 days. . . .pretty impressed with Sony service.

Mark

Steve Slattery · January 31st, 2011, 12:17 PM

Has anyone seen had any recurring problems with the EX1 focus? I have two with cams same issues appearing, one is just under warranty the other out. Has it now been solved on newer builds does anyone know?

Thanks
Steve

Jim Snow · January 31st, 2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Don't confuse manual with full manual.
Full manual is just that. Pull the focus ring towards you until you hear it click. It's disable all the electronics related to focus. You should then be able to focus manually if there's nothing mechanically broken.

This is the biggest EX1 myth ever perpetrated. The "Full Manual" mode is also servo driven. There is no full manual mode in the EX1. The manual mode provides end stops which seems to indicate it is a mechanical only mode but that isn't true; it's a servo driven focus camera in either node.

Michael V. Moore · December 19th, 2011, 06:57 PM

Hi, I am experiencing the same problem with the loss of focus issue as well, I realize this thread is old, but has anyone have a clear culprit as to what causes this and the proper fix, other than just replacing the lens elements? I have the latest firmware, did a reset, and also a back focus just in case, but the problem persists.

Bruce Rawlings · December 21st, 2011, 03:55 PM

It is a Sony repair job. I had to have a new lens assembly. My fault showed itself by not being able to focus at infinity. Fantastic pictures now it has been fixed.

Michael V. Moore · January 4th, 2012, 10:14 AM

Does anyone know what causes this? To avoid having this happen again. It was never banged or dropped, and it occurred while resting on my desk as I was setting up picture profiles.

August 3rd, 2009, 11:45 AM	#18
Kalunga Lima Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Luanda - ANGOLA & Lisbon - PORTUGAL Posts: 160	Not a happy camper Same thing just happened to my Ex1 in the middle of a critical shoot. All of a sudden no more focus (manual or automatic). I'm not a happy camper. __________________ Kalunga Lima PMW-350, PDW-F350, PDW-EX1, MacBookPro, MacPro 8-Core, Final Cut Studio 2, Canon 5D MkII

August 9th, 2009, 08:26 AM	#22
Justin Carlson Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 173	I had the same thing happen to my EX1. Sony Canada then replaced my lens to correct the problem, which it did, but then I got other problems. So after 4 lens replacements they finally going to replace my entire EX1 or let me pay the difference and upgrade to a EX3. __________________ Justin http://www.carlsonmedia.ca

August 15th, 2009, 06:43 PM	#23
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	EX1 focus also died I have a similar problem with my EX1. Was all going well, turned it off and restarted a couple of hours later and the focus has died. Tried manual and auto and reset but still dead. At first it would only zoom in(on servo) and not zoom out again. I tried moving the ND filters and that seems to have solved the zoom out problem. Focus seems good on wide and not to bad fully zoomed in but totally out in the middle ranges. . . .to me it seems like some of the lens elements aren't moving. . . . but thats just a guess. Back to Sony I guess :-( Mark

January 31st, 2011, 12:17 PM	#26
Steve Slattery Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Lancashire Posts: 73	Problems solved or not? Has anyone seen had any recurring problems with the EX1 focus? I have two with cams same issues appearing, one is just under warranty the other out. Has it now been solved on newer builds does anyone know? Thanks Steve __________________ http://www.wedding-video.co.uk http://www.cedarhouseproductions.co.uk

December 19th, 2011, 06:57 PM	#28
Michael V. Moore Tourist Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Gatineau Québec Posts: 3	Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1 Hi, I am experiencing the same problem with the loss of focus issue as well, I realize this thread is old, but has anyone have a clear culprit as to what causes this and the proper fix, other than just replacing the lens elements? I have the latest firmware, did a reset, and also a back focus just in case, but the problem persists.

July 22nd, 2009, 03:29 AM	#16
Dan Lukehart Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Yorba Linda, CA Posts: 35	this is the EXACT issue I am having with my ex1. Thank you for the link. This problem is more than an just a simple annoyance for event shooting. Its a deal breaker. I dont think my camera is usable for shooting a wedding for example. Ill have to rent. Its a very scary thing to shoot with and a terrible feeling that at any second things can go wrong. The problem is difficult to replicate, so you never know when it could go off. Just before I came across your reply I found another long thread about this problem on the ex3 on another forum. I have not yet found a discussion specific to the ex1. I am sifting through your link now and it seems to have a lot of info. Thank you. Ill post some of my thoughts as I read more about others experiences.

July 22nd, 2009, 04:23 AM	#17
Dan Lukehart Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Yorba Linda, CA Posts: 35	I read through all the post, and it seems as though the update has made the problem go away on the ex3. I am on 1.11. Perhaps an update may do the same for me? After a lot of guess work, I am now able to reproduce the problem with reliability. Ill write it down so incase anybody has this problem in the future and they can learn from my experience. If some of you could also see if you can replicate it, that may be of help. for this test i was using the power adapter...not sure if that matters. The camera tends to get a little warmer when running on it. 1. Turn on camera 2. As SOON as it boots up, Manual zoom all the way in on an object and blur it out 3. Focus on the object you just blurred out very quickly 4. quickly zoom all the way out QUICKLY. 2-4 again if needed The problem seems to be lessened or avoided when (listed in order of importance) 1. you go eazy on zooming from all the way in to all the way out. Slow it down. 2. you let the camera sit for 30 seconds after you turn it on 3. rapid focusing - this may or may not play a role in this problem.

August 5th, 2009, 01:10 PM	#19
Dan Lukehart Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Yorba Linda, CA Posts: 35	This is happened to my Ex1 during faster zooms. I loose all control of the focus. A reboot fixes my problem though. I drove it down to sony last week. I will post on my thread "focus freeze problem" about how they deal with the situation. I am very unhappy with things at the moment. The camera is still pretty new and ive missed out on a lot of work having it be away.

August 5th, 2009, 01:15 PM	#20
Dan Lukehart Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Yorba Linda, CA Posts: 35	An update: The loss of focus comes from only quick zooms. The longer the camera is on, the slower the zoom needs to be. I took it into sony one week ago. I still have not had any word on the camera.

August 5th, 2009, 01:54 PM	#21
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	Mod note: I have merged these two threads since they appear to cover the same topic.

August 28th, 2009, 08:18 PM	#25
Mark Sudfeldt Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 63	Just an update to my focusing issues. Sent the EX1 back to Sony who replaced the faulty lens assembly. I gather one of the lens elements had moved. They also replaced a side and back panel where the graphics were worn and updated it to 1.13. No charge for any of it and a turn around time of 12 days. . . .pretty impressed with Sony service. Mark

December 21st, 2011, 03:55 PM	#29
Bruce Rawlings Major Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK Posts: 410	Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1 It is a Sony repair job. I had to have a new lens assembly. My fault showed itself by not being able to focus at infinity. Fantastic pictures now it has been fixed.

January 4th, 2012, 10:14 AM	#30
Michael V. Moore Tourist Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Gatineau Québec Posts: 3	Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1 Does anyone know what causes this? To avoid having this happen again. It was never banged or dropped, and it occurred while resting on my desk as I was setting up picture profiles.