Vignette problem

Bob Grant · December 13th, 2007, 12:18 AM

Mine arrived yesterday. Full serial number 0200051. I'd elsewhere ignored the first part of that number and assumed it was just Sony's way of avoiding anyone feeling they got #1 but maybe you're right, the first digits could be a batch number. No second card as yet and my info is the same as Serena's, they'll be with us end of this week, early next week.

I hope Serena's info is correct about the batteries, I can see me needing one or two of those although I've only cycled the battery once and Li-Ion batteries seem to need several cycles initially to achieve full capacity so I shouldn't be too hasty judging battery life.

Graeme Fullick · December 13th, 2007, 12:40 AM

Bob or Wes,

Any sign at all of the vignette problem? It's my only concern about getting the camera this early.

Vaughan,

It was Macrays in Sydney - same place as Bob's.

Graeme Fullick · December 13th, 2007, 12:45 AM

THanks guys,

Looks like all cameras shipped to Australia start with 2000 - hopefully a new and better QC,ed batch with no vignetting issues.

I will soon know.

Wes Thomas Greene · December 13th, 2007, 03:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graeme Fullick

Any sign at all of the vignette problem? It's my only concern about getting the camera this early.

Not yet, but I haven't tested it out - will do tomorrow.

I've been told next week for the 2nd 8GB card and extra battery.
I grabbed a 16Gb as well so I'll be all set.

Advice to Mac users. Update all your software including operating system. quicktime to 7.3 and FCP to 6.0.2, then grab allo the Sony transfer software - then you'll have all the ingredients to bake the EX cake.

cheers

Craig Seeman · December 13th, 2007, 09:37 AM

My NYC dealer just emailed me saying they will get their shipment end of next week. He had mentioned in a previous email that cameras were being held in New Jersey for QC by Sony due to the vignette issue.

Vaughan Wood · December 13th, 2007, 05:18 PM

I picked up mine yesterday.

S/N 0200080. Looks great (no vignetting yet) and took a quick video of my daughter with her 8th birthday cake, but then had a concert last night and another tonight, and wedding on Saturday so I won't get to use it properly until we get those bigger batteries and cards.

"Happy camper"!

Cheers Vaughan

John Godwin · December 13th, 2007, 05:59 PM

I went to a demo today, to see if I could pick up any new information, and the Sony guy there said all the cameras are rechecked before they go out, that it's a very easy fix, and that they aren't finding many with the problem. That's all he said.

I have #466 and don't see the problem on the LCD but haven't had time to check it on a monitor in underscan. Hope to do that tomorrow.

Steven Thomas · December 13th, 2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Godwin

the Sony guy there said all the cameras are rechecked before they go out, that it's a very easy fix, and that they aren't finding many with the problem. That's all he said.

Based on the sheer number here that had issues, there are a lot more than he stated. It's possible this statement comes from a later batch.

Also, I really can't believe this is an easy fix. If it is, I'm interested in how they are doing it.

Mark Kenfield · December 13th, 2007, 07:10 PM

I have one being delivered today!... unfortunately it's just a review sample for our next issue of 16:9 magazine - so I have to give it back in a week's time.

Still, should be fun to put it through its paces.

Serena Steuart · December 14th, 2007, 12:18 AM

OK, have got the camera etc. Now charging battery.

On the way out with the camera I met John going in for his. Nice to put faces to names.

John Hewat · December 14th, 2007, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serena Steuart

OK, have got the camera etc. Now charging battery.

On the way out with the camera I met John going in for his. Nice to put faces to names.

Nice to meet you too Serena - I'm also charging the battery. And I'm fidgeting in the meantime waiting for it to finish!

First thing I did when I got it was pop open the cover for the headphone port, which came off in my hand. So my first interaction with this camera was busting the little plastic cover... O well... let's hope it's not a sign of things to come...

John Hewat · December 14th, 2007, 02:50 AM

Mine arrived today in Melbourne, Australia with the S/N 0200087.

The box had a long strip of tape around it saying "OPENED FOR INSPECTION BY PRODUCT TEST - SONY"

This gave me a good feeling that a: they are checking and b: mine got through. I'm waiting on the battery to charge before I can test it though...

Brian Drysdale · December 14th, 2007, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Thomas

Based on the sheer number here that had issues, there are a lot more than he stated. It's possible this statement comes from a later batch.

Also, I really can't believe this is an easy fix. If it is, I'm interested in how they are doing it.

Mitch Gross from Abel Cine has done some checking. His named Sony contact has said that "we have researched that it is a 10-minute adjustment (not a fix or replacement parts/software)". That "if a customer has found an issue, they need to contact Sony and we will resolve".

According to Mitch, Sony say that they know of three cameras that have had any issue.`

Tom Hardwick · December 14th, 2007, 07:30 AM

I reckon Spencer's right. Modern production engineering tolerances are so amazingly tight that all cameras pop off the end of the production line like identical clones This is usually a Good Thing, but if one camera's wrong then they all are.

Christopher Witz · December 14th, 2007, 09:12 AM

here's what I heard back from abelcine....

"Since the launch in November, the PMW-EX1 has been received extremely well within the

market with a huge level of order commitments and very positive feedback from customers

using the product.

Sony regrets to inform you that there have been a small number of reports of a specific lens issue

with the camera, which upon further investigation by our engineering team, has been identified

as ‘unbalanced light falloff’ at the edge of the picture. The cause of this has been identified as

being a result of a mis-alignment of the center of the lens and the light axis. Sony takes such

technical matters very seriously and although this issue has only been seen on a very small

percentage of the units supplied worldwide, Sony has implemented a full review and

modification of the manufacturing process in order to alleviate any re-occurrence of this issue.

Sony will re-align any camera exhibiting the symptom described above at no charge to you at

the highest priority. If your camcorder exhibits the symptom described please call our Product

Operational Support Center at 1-800-883-6817, option 2-5-2 for advice on how to proceed."

December 13th, 2007, 12:40 AM	#287
Graeme Fullick Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 337	Bob or Wes, Any sign at all of the vignette problem? It's my only concern about getting the camera this early. Vaughan, It was Macrays in Sydney - same place as Bob's. __________________ Graeme

December 13th, 2007, 12:45 AM	#288
Graeme Fullick Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 337	THanks guys, Looks like all cameras shipped to Australia start with 2000 - hopefully a new and better QC,ed batch with no vignetting issues. I will soon know. __________________ Graeme

December 14th, 2007, 02:50 AM	#297
John Hewat Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, AUSTRALIA Posts: 735	Mine arrived today in Melbourne, Australia with the S/N 0200087. The box had a long strip of tape around it saying "OPENED FOR INSPECTION BY PRODUCT TEST - SONY" This gave me a good feeling that a: they are checking and b: mine got through. I'm waiting on the battery to charge before I can test it though... __________________ John Hewat Mammoth Media Productions

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December 13th, 2007, 12:18 AM	#286
Bob Grant Trustee Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Mine arrived yesterday. Full serial number 0200051. I'd elsewhere ignored the first part of that number and assumed it was just Sony's way of avoiding anyone feeling they got #1 but maybe you're right, the first digits could be a batch number. No second card as yet and my info is the same as Serena's, they'll be with us end of this week, early next week. I hope Serena's info is correct about the batteries, I can see me needing one or two of those although I've only cycled the battery once and Li-Ion batteries seem to need several cycles initially to achieve full capacity so I shouldn't be too hasty judging battery life.

December 13th, 2007, 09:37 AM	#290
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	My NYC dealer just emailed me saying they will get their shipment end of next week. He had mentioned in a previous email that cameras were being held in New Jersey for QC by Sony due to the vignette issue.

December 13th, 2007, 05:18 PM	#291
Vaughan Wood Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 278	I picked up mine yesterday. S/N 0200080. Looks great (no vignetting yet) and took a quick video of my daughter with her 8th birthday cake, but then had a concert last night and another tonight, and wedding on Saturday so I won't get to use it properly until we get those bigger batteries and cards. "Happy camper"! Cheers Vaughan

December 13th, 2007, 05:59 PM	#292
John Godwin Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 190	I went to a demo today, to see if I could pick up any new information, and the Sony guy there said all the cameras are rechecked before they go out, that it's a very easy fix, and that they aren't finding many with the problem. That's all he said. I have #466 and don't see the problem on the LCD but haven't had time to check it on a monitor in underscan. Hope to do that tomorrow.

December 13th, 2007, 07:10 PM	#294
Mark Kenfield Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 470	I have one being delivered today!... unfortunately it's just a review sample for our next issue of 16:9 magazine - so I have to give it back in a week's time. Still, should be fun to put it through its paces.

December 14th, 2007, 12:18 AM	#295
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	OK, have got the camera etc. Now charging battery. On the way out with the camera I met John going in for his. Nice to put faces to names.

December 14th, 2007, 07:30 AM	#299
Tom Hardwick Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Billericay, England UK Posts: 4,711	I reckon Spencer's right. Modern production engineering tolerances are so amazingly tight that all cameras pop off the end of the production line like identical clones This is usually a Good Thing, but if one camera's wrong then they all are.

December 14th, 2007, 09:12 AM	#300
Christopher Witz Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 591	here's what I heard back from abelcine.... "Since the launch in November, the PMW-EX1 has been received extremely well within the market with a huge level of order commitments and very positive feedback from customers using the product. Sony regrets to inform you that there have been a small number of reports of a specific lens issue with the camera, which upon further investigation by our engineering team, has been identified as ‘unbalanced light falloff’ at the edge of the picture. The cause of this has been identified as being a result of a mis-alignment of the center of the lens and the light axis. Sony takes such technical matters very seriously and although this issue has only been seen on a very small percentage of the units supplied worldwide, Sony has implemented a full review and modification of the manufacturing process in order to alleviate any re-occurrence of this issue. Sony will re-align any camera exhibiting the symptom described above at no charge to you at the highest priority. If your camcorder exhibits the symptom described please call our Product Operational Support Center at 1-800-883-6817, option 2-5-2 for advice on how to proceed."