Correct me if I am wrong, but I dont seem to be having this problem with my Z7U?? Here is a clip I shot today...1080i 60

http://www.vimeo.com/894765

I just got my camera 4 days ago brand new.

cant tell by the clip. Your're zooming all the way out. You have to make sure your cam is in full manual. Zoom in, focus, zoom out about 25%. a good marker is to see as you are zooming out is that your iris should automatically go to 1.8. If it stays at 2.0 when zooming out then make sure you are fully open to 1.6 at wide before you zoom in.

Go to the camera menu then to the display menu then to Zoom display and change the setting from bar to number. Now your zoom will say 99 if you are zoomed all the way in, so now when you zoom out and your iris limit changes to 1.8 your zoom should be around Z75-80 which is at the 75-80% zoomed in position.

Re: Lens Flare. I had a second Z7 (and indeed an EX1) to test today and BOTH Z7's exhibited the lens flare in the scene I described without the lens hood on. Seems it is as designed. When I have a moment I'll get a still image posted.

Based on my experience from photography, diffraction effects edge sharpness at small apertures, aberrations effects large aperture, a lens best quality is near the middle of F stop range.

A contolled test must be done to eliminate variables and test back focus

I have asked this question a couple of times, maybe Juan Martinez can answer, he seems to know alot about this camera as his presentation was quite knowledgeable

One thing I don't quite understand is this from Sony that states "To address back-focus concerns, the Zeiss 14X and 8X zooms maintain automatic back-focus adjustment (akin to the automated back-focus routine in the EX1's service menu)".

Bruce, is the problem worse fully zoomed out or do you also have problems into the zoom range?

Just follow my simple instructions and it is almost certain your Z7 will have the same abnormality. Zoom in all the way on a lineup of a bridal party or any set of things that are the same distance from you zoom all the way in and focus on a subject and then set your zoom display from bar to meter and at 70-80% (Z70-Z80) zoom at F1.8-2.0 you most likely have 1/3 to 1/2 your screen blurred. Everyone I know that has done the test properly has seen it and it is bad.

Bruce, have you done the same test on another camera like a Z1?

Has anyone brought this to Sony's attention, yet? Any response?

I spoke to several Sony reps at their booth yesterday about my problems with the camera. I have focus issues following the bridal party down the aisle. I was told that it didn't sound normal and that two things to try would be to turn off Image Stabilization just for that part of the wedding to see if there is a chance. The second option was to adjust the back-focus. I also saw several people using the camera at NAB and asked them if they had those issues. None of them had, but none of them shoot weddings either.
We pretty much ended our NAB experience yesterday at the Sony booth, so that will be where we start back up today. I'm going to pose the same question to whoever is there today. I was also able to play with some really cool cameras yesterday. The EX3 looks kinda goofy and doesn't seem worth the money. From the Sony reps I spoke to about it, they didn't seem that impressed either. That being said, they did seem to favor the Z7. Thats all I have now.

-Chad out

If you read this in time, if Chris, Lou, or Atalay are at the booth, mention my name and these issues, and that they've all been confirmed by several users and such.

Bruce,

I was thinking about this last night. It seems to me that one of the elements in your lens might be out of alignment, maybe because of mishandling during shipment. No reason why the body would exhibit this problem and the scenario you described, this seems to be a likely explanation. Also, it doesn't seem that anybody else seems to be having this problem. Re-reading your post with the garage grab reinforces this.

To be honest, all of the footage you posted looks soft to me, not the case with other z7u footage I've seen posted here. I'd really get a replacement unit, seems to be your only solution here.

I have 3 Z1u and 3 FX1 cams and have shot over 1,000 full tapes and I bet at least 40% of the footage on those tapes are 75-100% tele 1.8-2.8 and never had an image like this. One of them did have back focus issues where when you zoomed in for focus and went medium the image would go soft and you couldn't really detect it on the LCD when the light was low.

Greg it is exactly the same on the TWO Z7's I have and on every one of the ones that I have heard from people who know how to manipulate their cameras in manual. I have a sneaking suspicion that most people who have bought this camera don't move their switch off of the auto position. I have not see one person post a test image at these settings. Do you have a Z7?

It would be interesting for someone with a Z7 afflicted with this problem to swap out the lens and shoot the test again. That way, you could at least isolate the problem to the lens or the camera body.

Any of you guys know someone with a JVC HD110 or HD200? That lens should work.

I'll check with the local rental house

Z7U/EX1 NAB Test
 

I am deciding between the Z7 and EX1. Yesterday, I ran both the Z7U and the EX1 through their paces for about an hour at NAB. Some observations:

I could not replicate Bruce's left side blur on the stock lens of the Z7U demo unit at open aperatures. (the sony demo lens may be a different than the production lens?). My biggest frustration is that when snapping the lens ring from auto-focus to manual focus- you loose focus. The auto focus did leave much to be desired as I pointed the cam away from the well lit model display and trained the camera on attendees in the dark exhibition room. Some of the new zoom and prime lenses soon to be released for the Z7U look like very attractive, but perhaps expensive alternatives to the problematic stock lens.

The EX1 was lighter than I had expected, and in my opinion very useable for handheld work. The picture head to head in the Sony HD monitors in the demo booth confirms initial tests done by David Perry and others that the EX1 picture is a noticeable improvement on the Z7U. Is it worth $2-3,000 more by the time you're done? Yes, if it is within your budget. EX1 auto focus was outstanding, although the manual overide in the auto mode was a bit awkward. I didn't like having to search for a button below the lens barrel to get back to auto. The introduction of the new Sony PHU-60K 60GB HD (over 200 minutes at 25MB/s) in July as an alternative to expensive cards may tip the scale for me in favor of the EX1. Now to figure out archiving:)

Mike Jensen
Jensen Wedding Films
www.jensenvideo.com

Back focus issue
 

Hi!
Look at those nice stills from my Z7!

www.keil.fr/Z7/

I bought my Z7 3 weeks ago.
After a few shots I observed a back focus issue.
I tried to adjust it all the possible ways, manualy, automaticaly, from 3 to 10 feet... without being able to adjust it, even if the camera considered the procedure as "completed".
I sent my camera back to for repair via the PrimeSupport.
The Z7 came back yesterday, nothing has been done on it!
I use the camera professionally and I can't work no more with it.
What to do now? Calling a lawyer?

I have tried to recreate the problem multiple times with no such luck. Or perhaps better put, with luck... Your suspicion that "most people who have bought this camera dont (sic) move their switch off of the auto position" is insulting.

I see some blur with your test picture posts but in my opinion they are not very good or controlled tests (and every other test image posted seems to be inconclusive at best).

I am not saying that you are wrong about this issue but I do not have much confidence in your ability to analyze the problem. I will have to defer to other's for their experience before I make judgment on the camera. So far I have only seem some anecdotal evidence.

kdbf

Mike were you at 1.8-2.0 60-80% tele viewing on a full rez monitor? Even with peaking on it is very hard to notice if at all in the LCD

I went down to the rental house and met the service technician. We put a Fujinon off of a JVC HD250 on the Z7. Did the backfocus adjustment on the lens body and then did the same settings and saw a consistent frame, so basic troubleshooting skills would say that the lens is the cuprit.

He said he felt it was definitely a lens defect even before we did the test because he says he could see a curvature in the blur.

Well, that would seem to narrow the problem down, anyway. I know the Z7 and the S70 share the same basic lens, but with a different mount. I wonder if anyone with the shoulder-mount camera is reporting the same problem?

Like I said... the conversation is over. I will defer to others that have technical knowledge of optics.

Hey folks, keep your attitudes in check when posting to this site. I've already made some edits to this thread and am thinking about closing it. Remember this is a community of professionals, and nothing less than professional business-level communication is expected from everyone here.

Thread stays open for now... please keep it courteous, polite and amiable.

When testing my two HVR-Z7U's I do see a general softness to the image (manual focus) when pulling out after focusing in tele for max sharpness. This isn't normal. In fact, when doing a similar test with the Sony (first gen) HDR-HC1 handycam I get MUCH better focus -- which stays this way throughout the zoom from tele to wide.

Something is wrong here. I would only hope that Juan (Sony) will soon follow through with some additional info. I wrote to him about a week ago with this issue, but haven't heard back.

This problem has been an issue for other recent Sony cameras . . . and these issues NEED to be addressed. Although these aren't $100, 00.00 broadcast cameras -- they are still high end. And any camera with a lens (or design) issue needs quick attention.

If someone from Sony can CONFIRM that there is a problem . . . then they need to fix or replace ASAP. I wish Juan would get back to us to let us know what the scopes at any good Sony service suggest when checking camera / lens focus. It isn’t brain surgery to check a cameras lens system to find that it is or isn’t performing. Sadly we keep waiting for this to be checked.

I have asked folks at Sony Service in Canada to check this forum. Let's hope there are answers soon.

Ian

Someone form Sony called me several times on Fri & Sat. They were at NAB and I am sure they are busy at the booth. Seems like they might be on top of it, but my last conversation with im i told him that a few people on several forums were chiming in that they had the same or similar issues and he said thanks for making them aware of it, but this is the 2nd business day they have had to look at it and call and they haven't so maybe they didn't like the fact that I am searching the forums for confirmations or maybe they're just busy at NAB and don't care about my shoots this weekend that I could shoot with FX1/Z! or even the HC7 cams I have and get a sharper pic than the 2 cams I paid 12grr for :-)

Don't get me wrong, other than this and the CF m2t corrupt files issue, which are MAJOR I do love these cams.

I'm sitting on a brand new Z7 right now and I can replicate the problem, although it doesn't seem to be quite as soft as what Bruce has provided.

I have two choices ... number one, I keep the camera and live with the results.

The second is to return the camera ... but if I do that ... then what? I've already promised my PD-150 to a church ... they put the funds together and there's no way I'm going to tell them, "Sorry ... changed my mind."

I don't want a Z1 and have no interest in Canon.

I really like this camera and the features it offers. It would be great if Sony owned up to the problem and fixed the problem. I don't know if that means sending in a lens to be re-calibrated ... much the same you would a lens for an SLR ... or some other remedy ... like a great deal on a trade-in for a 17x lens. :-)

I need to try and shoot a little more "real life" situations over the next week, but I have to watch just how much in case I were inclined to send it back.

Is anyone near Jacksonville Florida? I will come test your lens for you.

Please check my Z7 stills, is it the same issue?

WWw.keil.fr/Z7

Arnaud,

All your shots look nice and sharp to my eyes. Good shots with nice textures for the most part. I don't see an issue based on the stills you've posted. If there is group of users that have an issue such as mentioned by Bruce, it's likely a bad manufacturing run or do to damage during shipment or such (As Chris Hurd mentioned). Since Bruce concluded that the lens is the issue, and since lenses are physical devices, then it's likely a damaged or improperly manufactured lens. I've never heard of a lens give such an issue as Ian alluded to earlier.

Greg you just saved me a lot of writing... I completely agree with your assessment of both Arnaud's shots and the lens issue.

kdbf

I'm back again!

So, here's the story....

The camera records great footage, but the current issue is a concern. I've seen it on all of my cameras and I have four of them.

Zoom in on objects that have a similar focal distance with regards to where they are....makes sense....focus on the center object at full telephoto and zoom out. The left-most area will appear blurred. Zoom back in and pan to any of these objects and they are in focus.

The concept is simple and if you don't understand, think of it this way - if you film a wedding and zoom into a bride/groom in the center aisle, then zoom out, the left side will be out of focus whereas the center and right will be in focus. But, if you zoom back in, the focus is intact. That's a serious problem.

Here's a link for the non-believers or whatever....

http://rapidshare.com/files/108111585/test002.wmv.html - I am not leaving this link up for too long.
http://www.vimeo.com/908039

It's 89 seconds long. Can't be more obvious. Consistent on ALL cameras.

I would also say that even the focus subject goes soft, which is a backfocus problem and then add on the left side blur vignette and it makes it a terrible problem. This is an HD camera. If I wanted blurry footage like this on my monitor on my HDTV I'd shoot it with an XL1S, a nice SD widescreen cam.

Thanks so much Marshall for posting the video. This is an excellent example of what we're seeing.

I think our objective at this point is getting Sony to comment. How can anyone say this is a) normal or b) acceptable? Also, to my eye even the most focused areas in wide are out of focus. It's just worse on the L. side of frame.

I will contact Sony of Canada to have my contacts there have a look. If others can have Sony US, etc. look then maybe they will comment and offer explanation and solution.

I agree the camera is great . . . but it isn't in its current state.

Thanks again for posting.

Ian

Yet another back focus test
 

I followed the instructions given within this thread...ran a test...here it is.

http://www.vimeo.com/907763

What do you see?

It says it's protected.

Just tried viewing clip - says it's protected. I even registered with this thing and still can't view it.

oops..fixed it. sorry.

Maybe a little soft, but it's hard to see.

Has anyone done a test with three people? LOL I've been squinting at the computer so danged long that my eyes are shot and nothing looks in focus anymore. ;-)

(Actually I did see Bruce's trees.)

I'll be doing this on Saturday with several people.

I've secured 18 people that I am going to have line up and run through the whole thing, yet again.

I've also emailed Sony, and others, about this nonsense.

Yes, I concur, I am having the same problem. After seeing Marshall's video, I also remember noticing this issue on a wedding I recently shot. I saw it during editing. It was on a medium shot of the wedding eremony. The left side (where Maid of Honor was standing) was a bit softer than either the center (Bridal couple) or the right side (Best Man). I didn't notice it anywhere else in my footage so I forgot about it, till I started reading all these comments. It's not horrible, but it's definitely a problem. I don't have time to post a sample right now, perhaps by this weekend. I will do more testing now, on both of my cameras. Thanks for bringing this issue to everyone's attention.