HPX170 Lens Wobble Improved
- Thread starter Dino
- Start date
Gary Senda
Well-known member
Excellent: You've clearly demonstrated that increasing a little the rigidity of the lens thi issue can be fixed, preserving the shock mounting design and that tapping on the lens when full telephoto is not a reliable test
Thank you
Gary
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
Damn, I'm confused. That didn't look like much of a remedy to me. The image in the 'W / remedy image shift test' had image shift equivalent to any of the other tests I've seen, and even seemed to have some new vertical movement.
Cool moire effect, however.
Also, even if all this is still up in the air, I'm very impressed with Andrew Hoffman and Spec-Comm. I have an account with B&H, but will probably now buy from you.
Spec-Comm
DVXuser Sponsor
Andrew,
time to patent your mod and license it to Panasonic! LOL
Oh thank you for appreciating it.
We have Panasonics blessing to do this and we are working with their service department by logging all of the serial numbers of the cameras that are having the procedure done. Just in case Panasonic does decide to do something about this, they will consider these units already done.
This is why I can't really say what is being done other than the fact that the lens is being reinforced.
The fact that it has Panasonic's approval tells me that we are on the right track. It should also bring piece of mind to everyone considering to have it done or wondering if they should return their camera or if they should order one at all.
Andrew Hoffman
Spec-Comm
DVXuser Sponsor
Yea I know. I got pretty frustrated with this too. Infact, I started with the HPX170, and saw what you saw. Then I put the HVX200 up and got similar results. That's why I did the "body" test. Much of what we see there is flexing in the tripod/tripod connection realm I think. I can put the camera back up on a Bogen 503HDV and see if it's any different.
Andrew Hoffman
Well this goes back to my question from ten pages ago: how is the lens attached internally to the body? Are there some bolts that may not be tightened to spec?
Or has the image and lens technology outpaced the physics of such a light body? Maybe the camera is great for run and gun as is, but for studio work there's going to be huge demand for aftermarket weights that clamp securely on to the body and add lever-arm mass and stability.
Or has the image and lens technology outpaced the physics of such a light body? Maybe the camera is great for run and gun as is, but for studio work there's going to be huge demand for aftermarket weights that clamp securely on to the body and add lever-arm mass and stability.
Gary Senda
Well-known member
No. There's only a camera "micro-shake" and not a wobble.
It is litterally impossible to have a solid rock image focusing with a small camera when full telephoto.
Today I was in my seller shop and I've tried also with other cameras, including EX1. They have not any wobble but you cannot expect that you touch a lens on a 5 pounds camera when full telephoto and not have any minimal camera shake.
Spec-comm fix works fine: HVX200a and the fixed HPX170 give the same results.
Gary
Gary Senda
Well-known member
You can see clearly in spec-comm photoes: exactly in the same way that on DVX100 and HVX200, that means 1 screw on the top and 1 on the bottom (for this reason the camera doesn't wobble vertically).
I've seen a naked 200 and I cannot see great differences, but something is wrong with this camera and the lens rigidity must be increased
Gary
TwistedLincoln
Veteran
Surely Andrew, you guys have a remote focus control out there, yes? Why not just repeat the focus tests using that, and then we'll all know for sure? I really suspect that it's virtually impossible not to have some kind of shift when you're focusing manually like this.
Spec-Comm
DVXuser Sponsor
Gary Senda
Well-known member
Already performed, if you're interested in: no issues with the remore and no issue with autofocus (that is basically the same thing)
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
Well, I just emailed B&H about returning the camera. It was fun while it lasted I guess.
Spec-Comm
DVXuser Sponsor
Click below for my test results.
This is using a varizoom. The second part of the clip is pulling by hand. I don't have it on the tripod. It's just sitting on a table on top of some books.
Varizoom Focus Pull
Andrew Hoffman
Spec-Comm
DVXuser Sponsor
The primary reason for that test was the varizoom. Since I had on the table I thought I'd try it by hand without it locked down. If you like, you may disregard the last half since it's not locked down. Throughout all of my tests, I am establishing that there is no difference between what we are used to and the HPX170 with the remedy.
Andrew Hoffman
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
I think he was just showing how jump it is by hand
EDIT: Oops, you beat me to it.
EDIT: Oops, you beat me to it.
Now we're getting somewhere. *modified* Oh hell, now I see them. And they're in the middle/front half of the lens! I had imagined the lens pivoting from rear attachment points back near the sensor. If the sensor is seperate from the lens, and not attached to it, that's a LOT of pivot distance / angle from the front mount to the sensor. No wonder this is a problem.
I guess I can understand the supports (most likely) lining up with the lens' center of mass, but that distance back to the sensor does not seem well thought out. The fix I'm imagining would have to be shims at the rear / sensor end of the lens to reduce free play.
Ahhhh, that looks rather good after 45 pages of posts. Many thanks Andrew.
Last edited: