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

this is the EXACT issue I am having with my ex1. Thank you for the link. This problem is more than an just a simple annoyance for event shooting. Its a deal breaker. I dont think my camera is usable for shooting a wedding for example. Ill have to rent. Its a very scary thing to shoot with and a terrible feeling that at any second things can go wrong. The problem is difficult to replicate, so you never know when it could go off.

Just before I came across your reply I found another long thread about this problem on the ex3 on another forum. I have not yet found a discussion specific to the ex1. I am sifting through your link now and it seems to have a lot of info. Thank you.

Ill post some of my thoughts as I read more about others experiences.

I read through all the post, and it seems as though the update has made the problem go away on the ex3.

I am on 1.11. Perhaps an update may do the same for me?

After a lot of guess work, I am now able to reproduce the problem with reliability. Ill write it down so incase anybody has this problem in the future and they can learn from my experience. If some of you could also see if you can replicate it, that may be of help.

for this test i was using the power adapter...not sure if that matters. The camera tends to get a little warmer when running on it.

1. Turn on camera
2. As SOON as it boots up, Manual zoom all the way in on an object and blur it out
3. Focus on the object you just blurred out very quickly
4. quickly zoom all the way out QUICKLY.

2-4 again if needed

The problem seems to be lessened or avoided when (listed in order of importance)

1. you go eazy on zooming from all the way in to all the way out. Slow it down.
2. you let the camera sit for 30 seconds after you turn it on
3. rapid focusing - this may or may not play a role in this problem.

Not a happy camper
 

Same thing just happened to my Ex1 in the middle of a critical shoot. All of a sudden no more focus (manual or automatic). I'm not a happy camper.

This is happened to my Ex1 during faster zooms. I loose all control of the focus. A reboot fixes my problem though. I drove it down to sony last week. I will post on my thread "focus freeze problem" about how they deal with the situation.

I am very unhappy with things at the moment. The camera is still pretty new and ive missed out on a lot of work having it be away.

An update:

The loss of focus comes from only quick zooms. The longer the camera is on, the slower the zoom needs to be.


I took it into sony one week ago. I still have not had any word on the camera.

I had the same thing happen to my EX1. Sony Canada then replaced my lens to correct the problem, which it did, but then I got other problems. So after 4 lens replacements they finally going to replace my entire EX1 or let me pay the difference and upgrade to a EX3.

EX1 focus also died
 

I have a similar problem with my EX1. Was all going well, turned it off and restarted a couple of hours later and the focus has died. Tried manual and auto and reset but still dead. At first it would only zoom in(on servo) and not zoom out again. I tried moving the ND filters and that seems to have solved the zoom out problem. Focus seems good on wide and not to bad fully zoomed in but totally out in the middle ranges. . . .to me it seems like some of the lens elements aren't moving. . . . but thats just a guess. Back to Sony I guess :-(

Mark

From what I can remember that is very similar to how mine behaved - had it on a spring break trip with the kids in early April - sent it back- replaced the entire lens elements and did a thorough service check although they did not update the firmware (still at 1.11). Good luck - seemed to get good service out of the Teaneck New Jersey place.

Just an update to my focusing issues. Sent the EX1 back to Sony who replaced the faulty lens assembly. I gather one of the lens elements had moved. They also replaced a side and back panel where the graphics were worn and updated it to 1.13. No charge for any of it and a turn around time of 12 days. . . .pretty impressed with Sony service.

Mark

Problems solved or not?
 

Has anyone seen had any recurring problems with the EX1 focus? I have two with cams same issues appearing, one is just under warranty the other out. Has it now been solved on newer builds does anyone know?

Thanks
Steve

This is the biggest EX1 myth ever perpetrated. The "Full Manual" mode is also servo driven. There is no full manual mode in the EX1. The manual mode provides end stops which seems to indicate it is a mechanical only mode but that isn't true; it's a servo driven focus camera in either node.

Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

Hi, I am experiencing the same problem with the loss of focus issue as well, I realize this thread is old, but has anyone have a clear culprit as to what causes this and the proper fix, other than just replacing the lens elements? I have the latest firmware, did a reset, and also a back focus just in case, but the problem persists.

Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

It is a Sony repair job. I had to have a new lens assembly. My fault showed itself by not being able to focus at infinity. Fantastic pictures now it has been fixed.

Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

Does anyone know what causes this? To avoid having this happen again. It was never banged or dropped, and it occurred while resting on my desk as I was setting up picture profiles.

Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

Resting on your desk!!! Well there's your problem right there!! It HAS to rest on a tabletop, NOT a desk!!

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm on my third lens since buying my EX1 in 2008, but it's been fine for more than two years now. Sorry yours screwed up.

Re: Cannot Focus (manual or auto) with PMW-EX1
 

This same issue happened to me on Friday during the first dance at a wedding with my EX1R, full wide it was way out, all blurred, but zoomed into about half way I had full control over the focus, not a very happy person to be honest. I didn't know about stopping the camera and restarting it again to try and fix the issue. I went from full manual, pushed the focus ring forward to the auto mode and tried everything but it would not focus when full wide. My second shooter was using another camera as well thankfully.