EX1 DOWN and out? at DVinfo.net

Mike Williams · April 6th, 2010, 07:50 PM

Need some consoling here. When I bought my EX1 I was jumping for joy that there were no moving parts to wear out and the cam should live a nice long life....

Fast forward to now... I got the news that the reason for my EX1 troubles are sand in the lens assembly. Enough to make it hard to focus and not auto focus at all. This cam does see beach duty on a regular but not any more than my Z1 and four years later it is still kicking.

My question is...I was told that it can only be repaired by Sony and that I can't source out a used lens assembly to R&R. Sony allegedly has proprietary software to "align" the new lens. Cost $2K is this correct?

I'm thinking two things:

1) Ebay as is with exactly what is wrong with the cam OR
2) A really nice lock down cam.... or conduct exploratory surgery.

Any ideas what this thing is worth as is? I have a bunch of stuff batts, cards etc. that will go with it.

Adam Reuter · April 6th, 2010, 08:14 PM

Sand plus cameras don't mix. eBay it as-is as described here.

Marty Welk · April 7th, 2010, 12:39 AM

owwww that has gotta hurt.
doesnt the lens come off? err i though it did anyways. oh no, its the ex3 that removes, oooohhhh , i hate when that happens.

depending on the shape of the body of the cam, and what else might be effected, i would NOT (no way) send it in for service vrses buying a new lens. the "it's never the same again" thought would restrict me from doing that.

becomes Wide angle backup camera ?
nice security camera for high priced home :-)
Ahh i know, Donate it for huge tax writeoff.
Take it on a job that is going to use explosives :-)
Put it on a long glide track, or tracks and dolly, quit zooming.
hire it out to a high budget hollywood movie as a "HD stunt cam" for one time usage.
Sell it to Hugh Grants paparazzi Hugh Grant kicks Paparazzo|Celebrity Fights
get a cable and 2 pulleys make "Sky Cam"
Get hired by Union pacific to do a safety video of what happens when you stay on the tracks with a speeding train

I have heard that average photo type camera shops might have in them a lens tech that cleans regular camera lenses via dissasembly. might be worth checkin on it.

Serena Steuart · April 8th, 2010, 05:24 PM

$2K would be about right. Ask about trading it in on a new cam. Loss of auto focus isn't much loss. Continued use will cause further damage.

Leonard Levy · April 8th, 2010, 11:56 PM

Mike, If you bought it with a credit card, sometimes they will add an extra year on your warranty. Amex picked up a $2K tab on my EX-1.

Juan McFarland · April 9th, 2010, 02:41 AM

If you're good with tools and precision assemblies just take it apart and blow it out. Go slow, take pictures at each step of the way and don't force anything. If you could track down a Sony service manual that would be huge adavantage!

Frank Casanova · April 10th, 2010, 12:21 AM

Lesson for all of us... In a dusty / sandy environment, make sure you use a rain cover or the CamRade cover.

Serena Steuart · April 10th, 2010, 11:56 PM

Would this repair be accepted under warranty? Not a manufacturing fault. You might argue that a "professional" camera should be weather and dust proof, but from the start we knew the EX1 wasn't rain proof.

Mike Williams · April 12th, 2010, 11:11 AM

I asked to have the cam sent back. Trade in was $1200.

It's worth that to me to have as a back up lock down cam. Bought a T2i to replace it. Use Zoom h4n to rec audio.

I was hating hauling it along with the 5D and hating the wieght of it anyway. Never used a fraction of the features other than XLR audio. The low light was the biggest thing for me and now the 5D is king.

I did enjoy it for a while. A little dissapointed that the sand got in so easily. Lesson for me?...... buy cheaper gear and don't count on it lasting.

Thankfully the DSLR modules will change all that. Cam or lens goes bad you have them separated and NOT totally proprietary.

I did have to send in the lens that cam with the 5D though. Less than one year old. Not for sand though. Communication error with the cam..... yes I cleaned everything.

Yes Adam, thank you for stating the obvious.

I tried the camera jackets and bags etc. They just totally got in the way of the functions I needed in a hurry and I lost valuable shots. It is the nature of what I do, weddings on the beach. It's wet and sandy. Fortunately I only expect about 1.5 years from this cam and that is what it lasted.

All the best to all who posted constructive responses.

Mike

April 6th, 2010, 07:50 PM	#1
Mike Williams Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USVI Posts: 232	EX1 DOWN and out? Need some consoling here. When I bought my EX1 I was jumping for joy that there were no moving parts to wear out and the cam should live a nice long life.... Fast forward to now... I got the news that the reason for my EX1 troubles are sand in the lens assembly. Enough to make it hard to focus and not auto focus at all. This cam does see beach duty on a regular but not any more than my Z1 and four years later it is still kicking. My question is...I was told that it can only be repaired by Sony and that I can't source out a used lens assembly to R&R. Sony allegedly has proprietary software to "align" the new lens. Cost $2K is this correct? I'm thinking two things: 1) Ebay as is with exactly what is wrong with the cam OR 2) A really nice lock down cam.... or conduct exploratory surgery. Any ideas what this thing is worth as is? I have a bunch of stuff batts, cards etc. that will go with it.

April 7th, 2010, 12:39 AM	#3
Marty Welk Major Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: East Bay Cali Posts: 563	owwww that has gotta hurt. doesnt the lens come off? err i though it did anyways. oh no, its the ex3 that removes, oooohhhh , i hate when that happens. depending on the shape of the body of the cam, and what else might be effected, i would NOT (no way) send it in for service vrses buying a new lens. the "it's never the same again" thought would restrict me from doing that. becomes Wide angle backup camera ? nice security camera for high priced home :-) Ahh i know, Donate it for huge tax writeoff. Take it on a job that is going to use explosives :-) Put it on a long glide track, or tracks and dolly, quit zooming. hire it out to a high budget hollywood movie as a "HD stunt cam" for one time usage. Sell it to Hugh Grants paparazzi Hugh Grant kicks Paparazzo\|Celebrity Fights get a cable and 2 pulleys make "Sky Cam" Get hired by Union pacific to do a safety video of what happens when you stay on the tracks with a speeding train I have heard that average photo type camera shops might have in them a lens tech that cleans regular camera lenses via dissasembly. might be worth checkin on it. __________________ ----------------sig----------------- Re-learning everything all over again, one more time.

April 12th, 2010, 11:11 AM	#9
Mike Williams Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: USVI Posts: 232	Going to try to fix myself I asked to have the cam sent back. Trade in was $1200. It's worth that to me to have as a back up lock down cam. Bought a T2i to replace it. Use Zoom h4n to rec audio. I was hating hauling it along with the 5D and hating the wieght of it anyway. Never used a fraction of the features other than XLR audio. The low light was the biggest thing for me and now the 5D is king. I did enjoy it for a while. A little dissapointed that the sand got in so easily. Lesson for me?...... buy cheaper gear and don't count on it lasting. Thankfully the DSLR modules will change all that. Cam or lens goes bad you have them separated and NOT totally proprietary. I did have to send in the lens that cam with the 5D though. Less than one year old. Not for sand though. Communication error with the cam..... yes I cleaned everything. Yes Adam, thank you for stating the obvious. I tried the camera jackets and bags etc. They just totally got in the way of the functions I needed in a hurry and I lost valuable shots. It is the nature of what I do, weddings on the beach. It's wet and sandy. Fortunately I only expect about 1.5 years from this cam and that is what it lasted. All the best to all who posted constructive responses. Mike

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April 6th, 2010, 08:14 PM	#2
Adam Reuter Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Posts: 234	Sand plus cameras don't mix. eBay it as-is as described here.

April 8th, 2010, 05:24 PM	#4
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	$2K would be about right. Ask about trading it in on a new cam. Loss of auto focus isn't much loss. Continued use will cause further damage.

April 8th, 2010, 11:56 PM	#5
Leonard Levy Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,684	Mike, If you bought it with a credit card, sometimes they will add an extra year on your warranty. Amex picked up a $2K tab on my EX-1.

April 9th, 2010, 02:41 AM	#6
Juan McFarland Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Honolulu HI Posts: 50	If you're good with tools and precision assemblies just take it apart and blow it out. Go slow, take pictures at each step of the way and don't force anything. If you could track down a Sony service manual that would be huge adavantage!

April 10th, 2010, 12:21 AM	#7
Frank Casanova Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 29	Lesson for all of us... In a dusty / sandy environment, make sure you use a rain cover or the CamRade cover.

April 10th, 2010, 11:56 PM	#8
Serena Steuart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Studio Alnitak, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 640 Images: 3	Would this repair be accepted under warranty? Not a manufacturing fault. You might argue that a "professional" camera should be weather and dust proof, but from the start we knew the EX1 wasn't rain proof.