Back focus?!?! at DVinfo.net

Brian Henderson · January 25th, 2009, 12:44 AM

Thanks again to everyone who has given me V1-U help in the past!

This week again I'm shooting with two V1-Us. One of them seems to have a back focus issue.

I zoom in on the subject, focus, zoom out, and the subject is now clearly out of focus. This happens with or without the wide angle converter.

Is there some setting in the menu that might be causing this, or is it a physical back focus issue and the camera will have to be sent in for repairs?!?!?!?!

Lee Berger · January 25th, 2009, 05:13 AM

I had this problem twice and had to send it back Sony for repair. There's no user fix.
Since the last repair more than a year ago I've had no further problems.
Another user on this forum also had this problem with two units when shooting a documentary in Africa.

Seth Bloombaum · January 25th, 2009, 01:08 PM

Do check with macro focus off. There have been reports both ways, but for my V1U the backfocus performance was fine when I turned off macro. (Factory default has macro ON.)

Lee Berger · January 25th, 2009, 01:16 PM

Macro on/off is a worthwhile test. For the record I tried it recently for a post to this forum. It didn't make any difference. Back Focus was good with Macro on or off. Also that's what Sony tried to say when I had a back focus problem the second time. It definitely was not the problem.

Brian Henderson · January 25th, 2009, 05:18 PM

I tried it because it did seem like the macro might be on. However, in my case it didn't make any difference. The weird thing is that today that camera is reported to be fine, but the other one developed the same problem!

Yesterday I discovered it when we were indoors shooting an interview indoors. There was no obvious cause. Today on the other camera it seemed to be weather related.

We're shooting in Harrisburg PA where it's not really all that cold. The high was 27 F. However, when the camera was cold, it seemed to develop focus issues. I wondered if maybe the ND filter was fogging up because when I set it for "off" it seemed to clear up. We have been jumping in and out of a warm minivan.

Does any one know a place to rent an HVR- V1U in Harrisburg in case we need a replacement?

January 25th, 2009, 12:44 AM	#1
Brian Henderson New Boot Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Boston Massachusetts, USA Posts: 21	Back focus?!?! Thanks again to everyone who has given me V1-U help in the past! This week again I'm shooting with two V1-Us. One of them seems to have a back focus issue. I zoom in on the subject, focus, zoom out, and the subject is now clearly out of focus. This happens with or without the wide angle converter. Is there some setting in the menu that might be causing this, or is it a physical back focus issue and the camera will have to be sent in for repairs?!?!?!?! __________________ A bad day in television is still better than a good day in a cubucle.

January 25th, 2009, 05:13 AM	#2
Lee Berger Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 326	I had this problem twice and had to send it back Sony for repair. There's no user fix. Since the last repair more than a year ago I've had no further problems. Another user on this forum also had this problem with two units when shooting a documentary in Africa. __________________ www.leebergermedia.com

January 25th, 2009, 01:16 PM	#4
Lee Berger Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 326	Macro on/off is a worthwhile test. For the record I tried it recently for a post to this forum. It didn't make any difference. Back Focus was good with Macro on or off. Also that's what Sony tried to say when I had a back focus problem the second time. It definitely was not the problem. __________________ www.leebergermedia.com

January 25th, 2009, 05:18 PM	#5
Brian Henderson New Boot Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Boston Massachusetts, USA Posts: 21	I tried it because it did seem like the macro might be on. However, in my case it didn't make any difference. The weird thing is that today that camera is reported to be fine, but the other one developed the same problem! Yesterday I discovered it when we were indoors shooting an interview indoors. There was no obvious cause. Today on the other camera it seemed to be weather related. We're shooting in Harrisburg PA where it's not really all that cold. The high was 27 F. However, when the camera was cold, it seemed to develop focus issues. I wondered if maybe the ND filter was fogging up because when I set it for "off" it seemed to clear up. We have been jumping in and out of a warm minivan. Does any one know a place to rent an HVR- V1U in Harrisburg in case we need a replacement? __________________ A bad day in television is still better than a good day in a cubucle.

January 25th, 2009, 01:08 PM	#3
Seth Bloombaum Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,420	Do check with macro focus off. There have been reports both ways, but for my V1U the backfocus performance was fine when I turned off macro. (Factory default has macro ON.)