HPX170 'groaning' noise--vimeo vid--please check out

N

neko30

Well-known member
hi all,

here is a link the the infamous HPX170 'groaning' noise that i've been writing about...

http://www.vimeo.com/2783539

please check it out and tell me if i'm crazy or i should try to exchange camera.

it's shot with everything manual and sennheiser mounted to top of camera.

thanks for all your time and help with this...i appreciate it.

goro
 
How does it sound if you turn off Auto Focus (OIS)?

I am pretty sure that the sound goes away if you turn off OIS.

/Roger
 
Yes, I've noticed this with my HVX200. It has never been an issue for me as I always capture my audio via an external mic on a boom pole. Honestly, outside of today when I deliberately listened for it, the only time I notice it is when the camera is on in an extremely quiet environment and I'm close by.

Today, when trying to pin point the "source' of the sound, it is most prevalent if you place your ear in the lens hood. The sound seems to be coming from the lens area (or behind it, specifically). When the camera is turned off, there is a distinct (quiet) sound of a mechanism disengaging.

Focus is in manual, OIS off.
 
averdahl--everything is on manual--zoom, iris and focus...and it still groans.

neal--yeah, behind the lens is exactly where i hear the noise...you're the first person who has this issue too. so, i'm wondering if it's just some batches of cameras or do most people just not notice it?
 
hey david,

i believe the lens wobble fix was already done--i bought it in late december, just a couple of weeks ago. so i'm assuming it was a model made after the lens wobble issue was brought up...

does your hpx not have this noise?

goro
 
well, that definitely doesn't sound right. I have shot with a shotgun mounted to my 170 numerous times and I have never heard that, and my audio is always clean. My guess is that you'll have to send it in to Panasonic and have it looked at.
 
Hi Neko, I sure have a noise too. Bought my 172 (Australia) just before Xmas. Quite an audible electronic sort of static noise - but varying pitch. (Quiet room - no other electronics nearby.) Also - when I playback recorded "silence" through speakers it isn't clean. There is a background static sound that has been bothering me. I thought it must be because I had my NTG1 mounted onboard the 170, but DMRider says his is always clean. Seems like could be this same "groaning" you're talking about. Sure will be a concern if it's this noise that's making it's way onto the sound track. It's a little thing that niggles cause my new camera ain't perfect! Maybe it's something new owners notice and then get used to (hope). Bowen
 
Neko:

To me, your sample sounds much more like a clicking hard drive in my laptop spinning when it loads a file than a "groaning". Not trying to be picky, but if you send it in for service, your description of the sound should match the sound better so that the technician making the repair knows better what to listen for. Troubleshooting is a tricky business.

FWIW, I am not hearing that sound on my HPX170. Sorry you are, that is a drag.

Let us know if you get it fixed and what Panasonic says.

Dan
 
Goro - In my last post I said I hoped I might get used to this noise (definitely the same as yours.) That was because I can't afford to be without my (brand new) 170 while it gets serviced! The noise is plainly audible with an ear next to the lens barrel. It stops if the mode is turned to MCR. But I tested again this morning - everything manual, and now I'm getting real worried. Using just the camera mic, this same "static" noise is quite audible as background when recording. I am assuming it should be clean and silent? Or not? If using an on-board microphone is it just something we need to put up with? My camera, a 172EN in Australia, has the same sound as yours. I will call my Pana dealer today and ask him about it. Bowen
 
Goro - couple of hours later and my Pana dealer just got back to me. He can hear the same noise in his store test camera. From this he suspects that there may be many more 172's (Oz version) with the same noise. He said he would escalate the issue to the Panasonic tech's and get back to me. I'll let you know what they say. Bowen
 
hey bowen,

yeah, this sound is really not acceptable, esp. for this type of camera.

based on the responses, it seems like some batches of camera have the issue and some do not...the guy at the store where i bought my camera also did the same test and found the noise on their rental camera...but some people on this board say that their camera is silent.

yes, please let me know what the pansonic tech says....i love the camera and want to use it. but with the noise, there's no way i can use it.
 
It's taken a while but the Panasonic (Australia) technician has reported that the noise from the lens barrel is completely standard and normal for the 170. The tech said (reported by my Dealer), that "even so, it was much better than having tape noise". The noise is coming from the zoom servo (as is pretty obvious) which reportedly is always on standby even when all options are in full manual.

Going on this tech's report, 170 owners who do not hear the noise may not be listening in a sufficiently quiet environment. An on-board mic, even with shock-mount, quite plainly records the sound and so eliminates an otherwise useful option for some situations. Sad but so.

(I guess soundproofing the lens barrel wasn't an option!)
 
hey bowen,

yeah, panasonic has been dealing with my camera too...i'm getting the same story, that all hpx's have same sound issues. but i'm not sure i completely believe that since a fair # of people on this board say their cameras are silent. also, asked a couple shooter friends who said same thing...but then again, i also listened to store demo and heard the noise.

i just can't believe that we're the only two people who are hearing the noise, esp. since most people on this board are shooters and would know how to listen for sound issues like this.

not sure how to proceed from here...but i do know that i can't shoot with a camera that emits that kind of sound.

goro
 
I wouldn't buy into the whole argument that it's supposed to sound like that... if it is, then why doesn't my camera do that? or everyone elses for that matter?
 
I noticed my HPX170 doing this today. I was doing an extensive interview style shoot. I thought it was someone's cel phone interfering with my audio but then I realized the sound was coming from the front of the camera.

I don't know what it was, but it went away. It occurred after shooting about 53 minutes of 720p material but I really think it is related to the autofocus mechanism for some reason.

My camera was just extensively tested by Panasonic for a different issue...

The noise was not picked up by my shotgun but definitely by the oncamera mike. It really is a groaning sound.
 
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