any info on EX3 issues

[John Harbor]

Since its release has there been any issues that were solved with later release camera's ie is there an A and a B model or something
or are all EX3's the same and an early one as good as a new out of the box one....

Sorry if this has been covered, But My net is slow tonight, and the search seems to stall.......

Thanks
John

[Andy Wilkinson]

All the same hardware wise (as far as we know)...but there have been a few firmware updates over the last 15 months or so (mainly to fix a loss of focus issue with some of the very early ones). That being said, I have one of the earliest EX3's and I'm still on the original, launch firmware and I've had no real problems to worry about at all (this "issue" only ever happened to me twice and was solved by rebooting so I really don't want to be without my main tool for weeks whilst Sony update the firmware).

A quick search on here (when your web connection allows!) will find you info about the EX3 Firmware increments if you want to know more details.

[David C. Williams]

There has been mention that the latest EX3's of the production line have updated IR filtering, but nobody has seen or tested one yet.

[John Harbor]

Thanks Guys !

Its always best to ask the people that use them....... cheers

[Andy Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by David C. Williams

There has been mention that the latest EX3's of the production line have updated IR filtering, but nobody has seen or tested one yet.

Interesting if true! I thought (perhaps incorrectly, I don't know) that this was just "wishful thinking" - after the EX1R came out - anyone got any hard evidence that this is in production/has happened for EX3s?

[Alister Chapman]

I have been told by Sony that this is the case, but have yet to find any evidence of it.

[Lance Librandi]

Hello John,
I got my EX3 in July and yes IR problem is still there. I have just shot my 1st function with the Tiffen IR filter and we had a sea of black tablecloths and the filter worked very well.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Thanks for the update Alister and Lance. I now have a question - not sure if anyone knows the answer yet.

I've read that the Tiffen IR filter results in some light loss.

Does the EX1R (and presumably the latest "IR improved EX3"...I won't call it an EX3R) perform identically in low light to the originals, or do they also suffer from a bit of light loss compared to the original EX1? (and EX3s?)

[Paul Inglis]

I have the original firmware in my EX-3 and believe that I would need an update to use 32GB Pro SxS Cards (Blue). However, it is my understanding that this can be done by the user soon. Due to the release of the newer SxS-1 32GB Cards (Orange).

[Anthony McErlean]

Originally Posted by Paul Inglis

I have the original firmware in my EX-3 and believe that I would need an update to use 32GB Pro SxS Cards

Paul, I bought my EX3 at the end of March (this year) and I'm able to record onto the 32GB Pro SxS Card. I didn't update the firmware and... the IR problem is still there.

[Paul Inglis]

Hi Anthony,

I got mine back it September last year and I'm pretty sure I can't use 32GB Cards (not going to buy one to find I need a firmware upgrade). Not sure which firmware update made that possible.

I certianly have the far red problem (well I did until today when my T1 IR turned up).

As for the orange SxS-1 cards I believe all EX-1 and EX-3 owners need to update their firmware to use these cards. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Andy Wilkinson]

I'm now planning going to the Sony Broadcast event in London with a mate (it runs tomorrow and Thurs - we're going Thurs...assuming I can juggle some filming/editing tasks!). They have the new PMW-EX1R, PMW-350 and NXCAM cams on show. I'll ask the question about latest production versions of the EX3 and "improved IR handling" and see what they say.

I'll report back on here if I learn anything new (assuming those much closer to Sony than me who post around here or attendees tomorrow can't answer my question about the EX3 sooner).

[Anthony McErlean]

Originally Posted by Paul Inglis

As for the orange SxS-1 cards I believe all EX-1 and EX-3 owners need to update their firmware to use these cards. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Paul, as far as I've read it needs the firmware update to use the new cards.

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

...I'll ask the question about latest production versions of the EX3 and "improved IR handling" and see what they say.

Thats a good idea Andy, it will be interesting to hear what they have to say.

[Paul Inglis]

Paul, as far as I've read it needs the firmware update to use the new cards.

Thanks. Wonder when the update will be avaiable as the cards are on sale the 1st December?

[Andy Wilkinson]

OK, I've now returned from the Sony Professional 'Power of Images' event on Bishopsgate in London today. It was a brilliant event and I commend all at Sony for the professionalism of it - I'm really glad I went.

We talked to a number of Sony people including the top man in the UK and someone who works in the factory in Japan where the old EX1 and now the EX1-R and EX3s are made and this is what I heard in response to the sorts of questions I had in my head and outlined earlier in this thread:

1. The EX3's coming off the production line right now are identical in Infra Red handling to the product at launch...i.e. there are NO "mid-product cycle" improvements regarding IR capability. An EX3 bought now/next month is going to handle IR exactly the same as my July 2008 EX3. If you want a better IR handling EX it seems you have 3 choices - buy a EX1-R now, buy a EX3 now with a Tiffen IR filter or wait.

2. Expect an "announcement about EX3 next year". No "early" just "next year" and the "EX3" bit was inferred, not stated as fact. My guess, and this is only my guess / no hard facts ....but I was eyeballing the guy as he told me....is that we'll see an EX3-R (well it would be logical!!!!).

3. Something I learnt today (and maybe this is obvious to some of you but it's something that I had not previously fully realised) is that the original EX1, the newer EX3 and the very latest EX1-R each have "a very slightly different colour space" (my term for want of a better descriptor) compared to each other. How they handle the very wide colour gamut that these CineAlta cameras have (and improving the IR capability of the EX1-R over the original EX1) involved a delicate balance in each individual model line to ensure reproduction of visible reds was not compromised. This has nothing to do with low light ability at all.

4. Not relevant to this thread ....but whilst I'm summing up today's visit....As well as the PMW-350 (very nice by the way, but way too big for me!) and the lovely EX1-Rs we looked at the NXCAM pre-production models. They look great! Very compact, light and I think they will be a VERY big seller. Sure, we were told that with only 1/3 inch chips they will not have as good low light ability as EX1-R/EX3 (but we knew that of course). However, importantly (well at least to me) the NXCAMs DO NOT have such a wide colour gamut as the CineAlta PMW-EX1-R/EX3 etc. I guess this is to be expected but worth noting.

One other snippet to finish - the NXCAM 128GB (optional extra) Flash unit is likely to be about 1000 Euros (give or take) when these cams get launched "early next year".

End of report!