Thanks Justin. Works as advertised.

Another question. Assuming the new to be released firmware is sent out into the realm of the unwashed masses (that being us), does anyone know if we would use the existing USB port or is there a mysterious hidden port that only a few anointed ones know about?

Supposedly a small mini usb port with a plastic cover that you have to unscrew.

I may be wrong but I think somewhere on here someone said they had seen this hidden USB port when taking off the shoulder support. I stress this may not be accurate info but I'm sure someone who knows for sure will tells us soon enough!

Well.
 

I imagine that one would use an SxS card, as is the norm for a device using solid state removable media but I may be wrong. I hope we see more information regarding the ability for the end-user to flash their own camera. I have no problem following (correct) instructions and have no problem flashing other high quality digital products such as my Nikon SLR cameras, which are not cheap either.

Jus.

That makes complete sense Justin and one could hope. The EX1 though has a specific maintenance USB port right beside the user's USB port. One would think the architecture of the EX3 is similar enough that they would have a similar port on the EX3.

I am surprised that no one so far here actually knows the physical process of flashing the EX3. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

We have a problem...
 

I just got of the phone with the Sony Service Center in New Jersey. I must say that the info available isn´t very uplifting. It obviously exists conflicting info on the focus issue.
From what I´m now told there isn´t any new firmware planned for the EX-3. I was told to send my EX-3 in for repair. I´ve even received an email with a repair form to fill out.

FYI I talked to Matt (Product Operation Support Center) at Eastern Service Facility Teaneck, Sony Service Center, Sony Electronics, Inc. 123 W. Tryon Avenue, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, Voice: 800-883-6817

It would be interesting if all of us started addressing the issues we have to this service center. Then we can share the info we get and what experiences we end up with.

I´m in the middle of a production and cannot ship my EX-3 yet. I just have to live with the focus issue for a few more weeks. I would be very interested to hear from other users about their experiences. We really need to get this sorted. Sony, enlighten us! What is the problem??? This is just annoying.

I cross my fingers.

-terje

Hmmmm...
 

Well Terje, that is disappointing news. Perhaps I can do some digging of my own and , like you say, we can all try to do the same.

I must say that I am surprised to hear that Sony are suggesting physical repairs, so to speak, as opposed to a firmware update. Scratching me head to see how this could be a mechanical problem.

Jus.

Something just struck me. I haven't called up our local Sony service center to complain about the freezing focus issue just assuming that because there appears to be momentum from what you read here that things will be sorted.

Maybe it's time all of us that experience the freezing focus make formal complaints to Sony so they here in a resounding matter that the problem is serious.

Yes Andy, I think it´s time we make a collective effort. From what I´ve read here, some have gotten their EX-3´s repaired, but without getting the issue fixed. I don´t want to send in my EX-3 unless it´s worth (time and money) the effort.

The lack of information and a follow-up is what worries me, and the different answers we obviously get from Sony representatives. Don´t they even inform their own people? Sony seem to treat every (and it´s understandable) repair as isolated cases, and would prefer us not to discuss about it or to share knowledge about our problems. It´s politics. One voice is controllable, many voices not so. Sony hopefully want to deal with the EX-3 issues quietly.

This thread has already been read by 1000-1500 people, but only a few of us have posted. Visitors need to make some sound. We really need to find out how many incidences there are? It would also help if we all started to use the same service senter. Any other ideas?

-terje

All good points. For me....

1. Since I can't reproduce this loss of focus fault despite actively trying (mine clearly had on one recent occassion as posted a few pages up) AND

2. Because I need my camera for imminent work committments ...I really can't afford to be without it for a few weeks - no way! AND

3. Because, by most reports, Sony don't seem to yet know how to fix this issue anyway

Then, I'm just going to sit tight and worry about it if it starts to affect what I do. Right now it doesn't at all, and even if it did, a quick reboot should cure it. Sure, not ideal as we all know ....but that's the best solution for my specific EX3 based on my history so far, one isolated case of this fault.

I appreciate others who definitely have this issue on their EX3's with the regularity which would annoy any professional (including me) will want to contact Sony urgently. Please do and please let us know the outcome.

For me, I'll bide my time with my EX3 until the problem and solution behind this EX3 issue are well identified by Sony. After all, even if I sent Sony my camera I might be without one for a while and then get it replaced with one that's MUCH WORSE than mine - judging by how bad this issue seems to be on specific individual cameras. Not something I'd want to risk right now.

Long one
 

Hey y´all

here copied in, are my bits n bobs from the thread "EX3 software glitch",

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...re-glitch.html

which seams to have gotten lost along the way, I will in future name my threads appropriately.....


-------------------------------------------------------------
1)
I have experienced a "software glitch" 3 times in the first 2 weeks of having my EX3,
all to do with the lens..

on my first shooting day, after powering up for the umpteenth time, I was unable to pull focus, no matter what I tried, it just wouldn´t work.........

Later on in the same shoot, I attached my Bebop ZOE remote and it had absolutely no effect on the lens at all.

the 3rd time was a few days later, I had the problem with the focus again...

Every time I had one of these "glitches", powering down and back up seemed to solve the issue.

I have done quite alot of shooting over the past few weeks and have not had any more of these problems.

The Tech support from SONY reckon it was just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH".

anyone else had anything like this?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
2
Thanks for the replies

first of all to answer "stupid question",
No I wasn´t on auto focus, as I never shoot anything in auto mode, I don´t really like it when the cam does the thinking for me.

Also as some others have reported, they had a similar problem, but their cams were overheating at the time.
I was shooting up on a glacier at the time and my cam wes definately not overheating.
The 2nd time the focus problem occured, I was just testing out S&Q motion with my kids out in the garden at around 10°c, once again no overheating.

I called the PrimeSupport in the UK, who said it´s just a "SOFTWARE GLITCH, continue shooting with the cam and if it happens again, get in touch with us.....",
I then asked them for a contact in Germany, who I could go and see and get it checked out...
They gave me number in Cologne, who then directed me to SONY in Munich.
I took it to get checked out and was pretty horrified to note that the dude who claimed to be a "specialist" didn´t even know how to power the cam up.
He started telling me that the camera is really just a computer and that the software had probably not booted up properly.
Then he did a few tests with the focus and noticed that the auto-focus button didn´t work, what he didn´t notice, was that he was in Full Manual focus mode.
He also mistook the zoom ring for the focus ring and faught against the zoom mechanics trying to pull focus, at which time I took the cam from him and politely informed him of his lack of expertise and left, feeling rather taken for an idiot, what do these people think we are doing with these cams?
I for one am not just shooting my family hollidays.........

Not too sure about the "software Glitch" claim from SONY and if it is a software issue, it shouldn´t really be happening to cams that are costing 8 grand €´s, or am I the only one who sees it this way?

Having to power down and back up is a right pain in the @$$.
I don´t generally have the chance to redo the take while shooting events or live stuff.
------------------------------------------


So we gotta make ourselves heard on this one.
I can´t claim to be very impressed by the lack of support here and am not keen to part with my cam for a few weeks while it is sent in, it will mean business lost.....

As I stated earlier in this thread, maybe we should get a petition going, with a list of names and adresses of the people who are experienceing this problem.
There are going to be many more than just those who know about and use this forum.
so we should put out a web-link, which will lead here for everyone who punches in EX3.
I´m a shooter, not a webmaster, so I have no idea how that could be done.....

Typically, the "Software Glitch" will not rear it´s ugly head when you want to prove it to someone, but rather when you least expect it and it has the best chance of giving you heart failure.

there can be no excuse for this kind of technical error, even if the thing had cost 500 bucks instead of 8500.

I´m not happy

Everything is pointing towards a software problem. Until new firmware issued that addresses the problem is issued, the problem won't be fixed.

I am going to start documenting my shooting so when the problem occurs, I will know how long the camera has been on, what focus mode I am in or if I have moved from say manual to assisted manual, note all the other settings when possible like frame rates, shutter speed/mode, white balance mode, TLCS settings, whether macro mode is being used or any other function that could play into focusing the unit (from a software perspective).

Once I do that I am going to call up our local Sony service center to find out if they are working on the matter and then find out who best to send the "crash log" to at Sony.

hidden usb port
 

On the topic of the hidden usb port....yes it is located under the plastic cover where the shoulder support unscrews. I have verified with my own eyes.

Mr. Stone, I think it´s a good idea to start documenting every error that occurs with the EX-3. If we all started to report these things when they happened, after awhile Sony couldn´t ignore the amount of reports. We just need to decide WHERE to send these reports?

Mr. Wilkinson, I totally agree, we can´t send in our camcorders without any clear understanding of what to expect in return. If anyone takes the leap of faith and sends the EX-3 in for service, please let us know how it goes. Thank you!

It really bugs me that I have to complain about a camera, which is excellent when it works like it´s suppose to do. Potential EX-3 customers might be turned away from the product by the way this thread is developing. That´s a shame. The EX-3 deserves better than this. Any thoughts about contacting Fujinon (which has produced the lens)?

-terje

Sony supplied our cameras and our guarantees / support agreements are directly with Sony. They will deal internally with Fujinon as required to resolve this - if that's what's required to solve this fault. Our contract is with Sony and it is they who people should contact.

I agree that the bad press this is starting to generate for the EX3 will no doubt "worry" Sony into actively finding a solution sooner rather than later....GOOD!!!! After all, who does not Google "Item X", in this case EX3, followed by "problems" or "issues" to see what's out there on the web when spending this much cash....I certainly always do! BTW, this thread currently comes up about 4th on the first Google search results page with "EX3" and "Problems" as keywords. Creative Cow's thread is 3rd. It's that easy to know about it.

I remember well the vignetting and back focus issues that seemed to plague the introduction of the EX1 being whipped up into what seemed like a web frenzy with lots of posts about it on every forum one could find concerning video cameras (by people who had bought an EX1 and lots who hadn't.... and maybe then did not). This no doubt gave Panasonic / Canon / JVC etc. a few more sales as a result. In the current climate, Sony can't let that happen again.

So come on Sony. I'm sure you read these types of threads on here. What's the plan forward?

I'm going to have to take my EX3 back for a replacement tomorrow. I can't get the Fb adjust to work no matter what I try. Sometimes I turn the camera on and the zoom will go one way but not the other, or it will go fast one direction but only go slowly in reverse.

I am also having the issue of the manual focus sometimes working and sometimes not. I think I've got a real dud here! Unfortunately it seems from reading around that I am not alone. There appears to be one heck of a lot of people having these same issues all over the world.

Sorry to hear that Simon. Let us know how you get on. What a shame that your first experience with this camera has been so disappointing.

I should have known better than to put the box up in the attic! I think I doomed myself to a dud when I did that!

Well, if you can get it back in the origami puzzle that is that packaging (and exactly how it arrived) you'd be a star. I'm convinced it's almost impossible to do!

Maybe Sony designed it like that to discourage returns!

Simon, I don´t think your attic is at fault. If so, your attic must contain a hell of a lot of boxes... (even my box!) ;-) No, no, Sir! This one is on Sony for sure. Please let us hear how it goes? And please try to get some info from your service partner about other users having the same problem. When I talked to the local Sony representative he insisted that he never had heard about "my" problem before. He even checked the report status in Europe (at least that´s what he said) and couldn´t find many EX-3s that had been on service. Amazing, isn´t it?

So where can we send our complaint? If we can get a few hundred users to sign, maybe Sony would react?

The best of luck with your EX-3, Simon!

-terje

Right, the good news is that after going to the local football stadium and ripping down their floodlights for me to shine on my BF chart I finally managed to get the Auto FB adjust thing to work! It took a fair few goes though because while it kept giving me an "OK" message the focus was still ever so slightly off when I tried a creep zoom to test it on a large monitor.

I think I've nailed that little gremlin now. But that still doesn't solve the issue of manual focus sometimes not working. The issue with the zoom servo seems to be behaving itself now that the backfocus is done. However I still don't trust it. I'm going to be testing the bollocks off it tonight to see if it remember the backfocus setting and to see if I still get any issues. This camera is going to have to earn my trust big time, and at the moment it is on probation.

On probation? Really? It seems that you´ve be quite unfortunate in your purchase, even compared to most people here in this thread. Keep us posted about your findings, Simon!
And best of luck with the trust-earning project...

-terje

Having posted claim (in which I also made reference to this thread) to Sony Via mail on their support site last night, I recieved a phonecall from the UK this morning to find out what the problem is.( I´m impressed)

The girl said she´d pass my claim on to the Techies here in Germany.

she also gave me a German phone number, in case I wanted to get in touch with someone local.

I´ll call when I have a gap, if they don´t call me first.

Kenny, that´s very good news. Please do inform Sony about the rest of us as well. This is an issue thy should take seriously. We want tools, not toys!
I´m looking forward to hear how it goes. Best of luck!

-terje

the ball is rolling
 

SO....
I called the German techie´s this morning 11:30 and was told that they don´t have anything to do with the EX3............and that any EX3 problems are dealt with in France.
The guy I spoke to however was pretty concerned and really wanted to help.
He took my details and the serial no. of my cam and said he´d pass them on..........

---------------------------------------------------------
(17:00)
I just got a call from another girl in the UK, who said that she´d organise a pick-up for my cam. UPS will arrive with packaging material etc. on thursday.
If the driver has the time and I am around, he can take it with him straight away.
normally he would return the following day to pick up once I´ve had a chance to package it all safely.

She did say that there is new firmware coming from Japan soon, but is not sure what exactly it is supposed to fix.

I told her about this thread, but she said that they aren´t allowed to use any information from internet forums..............

------------------------------------------------------------
(17:22)
just got another call from the same girl, she has just spoken to the product manager of the EX series.
he informed her and she informed me that the firmware will be fixing the problem with the focus and that it should be out in the next few days..........

what she couldn´t tell me is how exactly we get the new fimware and whether we´ll be able to load it up ourselves.........(they haven´t recieved instructions yet)
It apparently wasn´t possible to do it ones-self with the EX1.
She said she´d call me personally as soon as she knows more about the firmware and whether my cam will need to go in or not.

in the meantime, she gave me the option of having the packaging sent to me, so it can all happen fast if the cam does need to go in for the upgrade.

so for the moment my cam will stay with me.

glad to be getting some answers though.

Great info. Thanks Kenny.

Kenny, I´m really happy to hear that Sony is responding the way they do, and thanks for sharing. Hopefully you´ll have something to report back in a week or two? Best of luck with your EX-3!

-terje

Well, I got my replacement EX3 no questions asked from H Prestons. They really bent over backwards for me the last couple of days despite being totally overrun by Christmas orders and whatever else. I can't thank them enough.

Anyway, the new camera, touch wood, appears to be behaving itself. I received a couple of new Kensington 7 in 1's, just waiting for some cards I ordered. Though I intend to order some additional Express adaptors from our Aussie mate in a couple of weeks.

I think I might sell my J17 while it can still get something and get a decent 2/3" HD lens that I can use on both my 510 and the EX3.

Simon, you got a replacement camera? That´s great! I hope it´ll turn out just fine. I guess the different countries (or dealers?) have their own strategy on how to deal with warrenty issues? I probably have to spend $ 500-800 to send the EX-3 in. I made the stupide decision to buy the EX-3 while visiting New York. Not all decisions are made in heaven. Apparently.

-terje

Great news Kenny. We thank you for being so diligent.

Me too.
 

NY? You're not the only one. But in my defense, at the time, there was nowhere in the Caribbean to buy an EX3 (not sure that there is now either). Now based in Yorkshire, England for the moment.

A New Hope.
 

Kenny, your update gives me renewed hope that this focusing issue will be resolved soon. Hopefully Sony will trust EX users to update their own firmware from now on.

Jus.

Simon, any sign of this focus glitch with your new (replacement) EX3?

I have been told by a Sony source that EX3s will be shipping from the factory in the new year with updated firmware that clears up various issues.

In fact yes. It happened to me once the other day. I was trying to get a close up of something and it just stopped me being able to focus so I had to turn it off then on again.

I suppose that is the drawback of having a choice between manual and infinite servo style focussing. There can never be a true mechanical connection. The only failsafe solution is to use additional Fuji and Canon 1/2" lenses.

Hopefully the new firmware will be available to all.

Any sign of the alleged firmware update yet?

Don´t think we should hold our breath untill after new years to be honest.....

Hmm... not convinced.
 

This camera does a lot of fantastic things. I've got one on loan from Sony right now as an evaluation product... but this problem has been enough of a pain in my rump to make me very wary of purchasing them. The whole way the focus thing is set up on this unit is a bit dodgy, but I can't even get used to using it when it just stops working entirely all the time.

Hopefully this will get resolved. Soon.

I agree! I love what I've seen of this thing, but this is too major of a problem to ignore. I've noticed that sometimes when you reboot it, the white balance goes completely wonky. Had to white balance three times in the middle of the shoot because of it, so it's not JUST the inconvenience of the reboot, unfortunately.

I do, however, think I'm going to take this LCD/viewfinder combo out on a date. Maybe propose. Have kids and the whole works.