Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

I am in the process of sending my camera back to Sony service. I have lost the ability to focus either in manual or automatic mode - I have had the camera for 6 weeks and have had 0 problems. I have obviously tried turning camera on and off several times, changed the manual and auto mode buttons, used "all auto" button, and used the reset option under menu to no avail. I have read the long thread on here about this happening with the PMW-EX3 but not with the EX1 - the EX3 problem seemed to be software related as it would resolve on rebooting but not the case here.

Anyone on the forum ever heard of this type of behavior on the EX1? My software version is 1.11.

Have you tried pulling the lens so it's in full manual (disengages the servo altogether)? That'll at least let you know if it's in any part mechanical. That info might help Sony trouble shoot this.

I almost allways shoot in full manual. I went back and forth to try focusing either auto or manual and nothing works. Also, I didn't think it was actually a mechanical link when you put it in full manual - it is simulated.

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.

See pic for example.

The lens on my EX1 started acting up after a couple months and lost the ability to focus to infinity. I tried all the same things that you did but ended up sending it back to Sony and they replaced the lens. I'm on my third lens, btw.

I have been using the camera for the last 6 weeks or so and had Doug Jensen's Vortex Media DVD for a year before that and became quite familiar with the contols so I did bring it back until I heard the click. I remember reading in one of the threads on the PMW-EX3 "loss of ability to focus" that it is not an actual mechanical connection with the lens but simulates it. The actual problem I have simulates what happened with the PMW-EX3 (in a long thread on this forum) - just wondered if it has happened to other PMW-EX1 owners.

Just found the thread on the PMW-EX3 where it says of the problem: "the issue comes from the camera body. It disengages the servo clutch in the lens so that the ring spins and does not pick up and move the lens elements" - so even in manual mode the camera will not focus properly.

Yes - this thread

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...f-failout.html

The lens focus is all servo, though zoom and iris have mechanical links to the controls.

I had my heart on the floor the other day as I had been shooting all morning and had a break to upload a card. I turned the camera off as I uploaded and when finished went back to location to start shooting. Turned the EX1 on, leveled out the tripod and to focus.... nothing, nothing in manual or auto, well right then I had a flush through my body that the EX1 had locked up and this is the end of my shoot not to mention the camera out for weeks
Anyway I powered down then turned it back on ever so softly and the thing worked fine for the next 8hrs. I have so say what a freak-out for me.

Camera back from service
 

Just received my camera back from Sony Service Center in Teaneck, N.J. - 2 week turnaround time door to door. Apparently the problem was something serious with the lens mechanism and they ended up replacing the entire assembly and then doing a thorough recalibration of all systems. Camera seems to be back working perfectly - did a couple of tests last night especially with the focus and backfocus and there seems to be no problems.

One thing I did find out with doing some of my personal settings over again - in the "Naming Clip" area ("Other's menu") you now have the option to specifiy the number you want the clips to start at instead of a general reset to 0 - was helpful since I just looked up my last clip and started the number from there (resetting the prefix back to where it was also). This is contraty to what is in Doug Jensen's Field Guide for the EX1 but the book must have been written about one of the earlier software editions.

That is a change which came in with v1.11

Focus freeze problem
 

This is a difficult problem to describe, but ill try my best. I will be shooting with my Ex1 on full manual and my focus will freeze. Sometimes I will be able to zoom in and have full control of my focus, but when i zoom out the focus will be frozen. I turn off my camera and turn it back on and it is no longer an issue. This has happened to me twice but thankfully not on a shoot. Any ideas?

Does anybody have any ideas on atleast what it could be? I called sony and they just told me to reset everything back to default. I did and I was shooting today and the problem came back once.

Any ideas? I may need to drive it down to sony and have them take a look.

Hi Dan

Not sure if you are aware that there has been a similar issue with the EX3

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...ny-ex-3-a.html

(and many other threads). This seemed in the main to be fixed by a firmware upgrade although from memory there was a suggestion that there could also be an issue with the electrical connection between the lens and body. I have not seen anything similar reported for the EX1, but potentially there could be an electrical fault in the lens. Bear in mind that even in full manual the focus is servo-driven.

N