I heard the IR effect is only visible when you stop down the lens. Is this true?
Any EX1 regrets?
- Thread starter TheMusician
- Start date
I heard the IR effect is only visible when you stop down the lens. Is this true?
basspig
Veteran
IR contamination is most visible under tungsten stage lighting and on certain dark fabrics like velvet, velore and certain black leathers. It is not usually obvious in outdoor scenes with direct or indirect sunlight. I noticed the problem in the first violin section of a concert I shot last March with a mix of V1Us and EX1. The V1Us correctly displayed the black clothing of the violin section, however, the EX1 displayed them as a sort of dark plum color with a brownish cast. There are circumstances where this could be considered a serious flaw, and others where it is completely irrelevant.
Hey Alex,
I just wanted to follow up on this to see if you can post some footage showing why you think the EX1/EX3 is not good for handheld. I do a lot of handheld, so this is of interest to me.
To add my two cents: It's one of the best cameras in its class that we have, and we frequently rent out the HVX200, Z1u and DVX100. The image is great, the ergonomics are good (no "left-heaviness" like the EX3), and 1/2" sensors help out in low light, etc.
David
David
Happy Hopping
Member
In the Canon trade show, they done a demo of the movie mode. The blu ray movie is very impressive. The 5D should be out in Nov.
But I did come across a story that the 5D can only do auto focus initially, i.e., it can auto focus on a fixed object, but not a moving object. HOwever, if it is not true, please correct me.
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Happy Hopping
Member
Among all the comments I read btwn. the EX1 vs. HPX170 or the HVX200A (almost the same price as 170), noone talks about the warranty.
The Sony is 1 yr. warranty, the Panasonic is 5 yr. warranty. Last time I check, the warranty is the confidence from manufacturer to customers. Now I have a lot of problem w/ various Sony equipment, so 1 yr. vs. 5 yr. is big.
IF sony has the quality to back the EX1 or the EX3, they should offer 5 yr. warranty, in par w/ Panasonic
The Sony is 1 yr. warranty, the Panasonic is 5 yr. warranty. Last time I check, the warranty is the confidence from manufacturer to customers. Now I have a lot of problem w/ various Sony equipment, so 1 yr. vs. 5 yr. is big.
IF sony has the quality to back the EX1 or the EX3, they should offer 5 yr. warranty, in par w/ Panasonic
MattDavis
Well-known member
Warranties differ according to location. In the UK, Sony offers a 2 yr warranty on pro kit, with free collection/delivery of kit (which they arrange at your convenience), and loan equipment if the repair lasts more than 5 working days.
Pana 5 year warranty is global as far as I know.
Happy Hopping
Member
even if it is 2 yr. worldwide, it's still nowhere close to Panasonic. You know how expensive the repair would be on this unit if it's not under warranty?
And here's another thing: Do you think any1 would be using the Sony EX1 or the Panasonic 170/200 series, 6 yr. from now? So say I own a panasonic, the unit last 5 yr., using a worst case scenario, that the unit failed on the 6th yr. Big deal, we are not going to fix it. By then, this kind of unit has adv. so much, we'll just throw away the old one.
By the way, I can't name any Sony product in my household that last 5 years. And their service is by far the absolute worst
basspig
Veteran
I've owned many Sony cameras over the past decade. Only the EX1 has had a failure (in first 4 hours). The others got as much as 6 years' use and then were sold. I expect to get ten years or more from my EXs, unless UHDTV suddenly becomes the hot new format, which seems unlikely, given the slow adoption of HDTV.
Happy Hopping
Member
I don't know if I should feel better knowing your EX1 crap out in 4 hr., or panic. If an EX1 can fail that fast, knowing this unit is only 1 - 2 yr. old, what's the failure rate after that?
My sony top of the line Trinitron 20" Monitor (made in Japan) die after 4 yr., I paid $2400 for it. Then I paid $800 on repair, and a yr. after that, it dies.
My sony answering machine doesn't work, the battery sensor is wrong
MY Sony ES integrated amp. remote control drains 2 set of battery when I got it brand new, has to repair twice.
My sony VCR has failed and the most amusing thing is, they have a function build inside the VCR that can adv. at a certain frame rate, but Neither the remote nor the main unit has that function show. BUT, if you use an old Sony remote, you CAN IGNITE that function
2 of my Sony portable CD player has failed. ESP simply doesn't work eventhough it says it does
and my sony mini disc player has also failed and I even has a box of Mini disc media that failed.
I have move away from Sony as much as possible in the past years due to the above reasons.
Their laptop, also only have 1 yr. warranty vs. other competitor that c/w 3 yr. warranty.
so these 1 yr. warranty is scary, and it's their way telling us their unit won't last past 1 yr.
henry cho
Well-known member
lol. that was a funny rant. at the end, i was expecting something along the lines of "and a sony air conditioner fell from a window and killed my neighbor."
anyways, we all know GE makes the best answering machines... built like tanks. smacks up the pannys.
basspig
Veteran
Everyone has unique circumstances, and, you can't judge all Sony product lines with the same yardstick--Sony consumer products may be poor indeed. I've had very good luck with their prosumer video cams--solid workhorses--but I'm unusually careful with my cams and after 6 years, they still could pass for new.
I also have a Sony GRX560 laptop. I had it repaired once at AQS Computers, for defective DIMM socket soldering at about the 4th year of ownership. Now, 2 years later, it is still working reliably. I have used it 24/7 for a lot of years and it is my portable DAW that I use with the MotU 896 at symphony surround sound concert shoots.
My first EX1 was an infant mortality failure. The other two have been fine.
As a broadcast engineer, prior to my retirement, I saw a change over from Fidelipac cart machines to Sony minidisc players and indeed, in heavy duty radio studio use, they last about 6 months max. Sony MD players are chintzy, I'll give you that.
Now I have a Sony BDP-S301 Blu-ray player and it's been very good so far.
Bottom line is, some of it is statistal probability that SOME units will be defective, but most, if cared for properly, should last a long time. And that's from a guy who gets 300K miles out of most of his vehicles before sending them off to the junkyard. I'll drive the same truck for 20 years, or until it is too rusty to pass safety inspection. I believe the EX1 will outlast me and will be handed down to my daughter after I'm gone.
I also have a Sony GRX560 laptop. I had it repaired once at AQS Computers, for defective DIMM socket soldering at about the 4th year of ownership. Now, 2 years later, it is still working reliably. I have used it 24/7 for a lot of years and it is my portable DAW that I use with the MotU 896 at symphony surround sound concert shoots.
My first EX1 was an infant mortality failure. The other two have been fine.
As a broadcast engineer, prior to my retirement, I saw a change over from Fidelipac cart machines to Sony minidisc players and indeed, in heavy duty radio studio use, they last about 6 months max. Sony MD players are chintzy, I'll give you that.
Now I have a Sony BDP-S301 Blu-ray player and it's been very good so far.
Bottom line is, some of it is statistal probability that SOME units will be defective, but most, if cared for properly, should last a long time. And that's from a guy who gets 300K miles out of most of his vehicles before sending them off to the junkyard. I'll drive the same truck for 20 years, or until it is too rusty to pass safety inspection. I believe the EX1 will outlast me and will be handed down to my daughter after I'm gone.
Stevet
Veteran
Actually, I'll be trading my EX1 in for when they release the new versions with 4:2:2 50mbps.
But, only if they improve their CMOS technology to minimize CMOS artifacts.
The reason I say this is that even though 50mbps 4:2:2 is enticing, I doubt there would
be a dramatic difference in normal inspection of the footage.
Face it, the EX1 is one HECK of camera. It produces jaw-dropping footage.
Some people have reservation (which I respect their decision) regarding the CMOS rolling shutter artifacts.
Having said that, I would not give up this camera for anything in the sub $10K price mark right now.
Even the RED has these same artifacts, and that surely has not stopped many from buying.
I am hoping that advances will improve to minimize these CMOS artifacts on future cameras.
Also, if the HPX170 offered full 1920x1080 raster CCD sensors and had a new codec (better than DVCPRO HD - which is quite old), I'd be all over that camera right now.
The only other issue is the demanding datarate per P2 cards. At DVCPRO HD captures, the "run time" per $$$ cost is WAY to much.
With the soon to be released 32GB SanDisk Ultra II 15MB/s costing only $150 USD, this offers over 100 minutes of uninterrupted recording.
With just two of these cards ($300 USD), it's over 200 minutes of non-stop HQ mode capture.
The two 32GB P2 cards that would only offer half the time in DVCPRO HD footage would cost $3000 USD.
But, only if they improve their CMOS technology to minimize CMOS artifacts.
The reason I say this is that even though 50mbps 4:2:2 is enticing, I doubt there would
be a dramatic difference in normal inspection of the footage.
Face it, the EX1 is one HECK of camera. It produces jaw-dropping footage.
Some people have reservation (which I respect their decision) regarding the CMOS rolling shutter artifacts.
Having said that, I would not give up this camera for anything in the sub $10K price mark right now.
Even the RED has these same artifacts, and that surely has not stopped many from buying.
I am hoping that advances will improve to minimize these CMOS artifacts on future cameras.
Also, if the HPX170 offered full 1920x1080 raster CCD sensors and had a new codec (better than DVCPRO HD - which is quite old), I'd be all over that camera right now.
The only other issue is the demanding datarate per P2 cards. At DVCPRO HD captures, the "run time" per $$$ cost is WAY to much.
With the soon to be released 32GB SanDisk Ultra II 15MB/s costing only $150 USD, this offers over 100 minutes of uninterrupted recording.
With just two of these cards ($300 USD), it's over 200 minutes of non-stop HQ mode capture.
The two 32GB P2 cards that would only offer half the time in DVCPRO HD footage would cost $3000 USD.
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J.R. Hudson
Spirit Animal
Carl Marxx
Active member
:banned: Failure reguarding the EX-x cameras: You must remember that failure is highest when brand new and when very old. The greatest failure is when you buy it new, within the first 5hrs. of use. They call this return item "ID" initial deffective. After that, failure is low untill you have several years on it. The other reason most likely for failure is with mechanical problems (tape drive mechanism,) hey, wait a minuite, the EX-1 and 3 does't have any tape drive! But the real killer is the internal capacitors drying out. Then this happens, it's like haveing a baby, it changes everything. Electronic curcuits values change in the camera due to this, thus failure. The federal government several years ago desided the liguid in the capacitors on electronic equipment poluted the enviornment and should be banned (the green liberal left in congress.) So, manufacturers started using fish-oil instead. after three years failures occured. (Panasonic has an upgrade kit to replace all the caps in there DVPro decks) They have changed the dialectric in the new capacitors, but it is still unkown if it will last as long and the old original juice. So, don't be suprised if your camaras start having problems in 6 or 7 years. Thank you congress! -- Carl
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Warranty is a good investment for such an expensive piece of equipment. I have a colleague with an XLH1 who has shelled out a pretty penny recently to fix some items. And it's having more problems now. I'm guessing he'll be out over $1,000 total.
As for Sony, I've seen many of their products last for years, especially the professional cameras, like the VX1000/2000/2100, PD150/170 and the FX1/Z1. Just remember, the native sensor size of the EX1 is true Full HD, 1920 x 1080. That is a frame size that's been around in production for years, and will probably be a standard for years to come. Ultra HD is also here to stay, but 1920 x 1080 is a big standard in the industry.
David
As for Sony, I've seen many of their products last for years, especially the professional cameras, like the VX1000/2000/2100, PD150/170 and the FX1/Z1. Just remember, the native sensor size of the EX1 is true Full HD, 1920 x 1080. That is a frame size that's been around in production for years, and will probably be a standard for years to come. Ultra HD is also here to stay, but 1920 x 1080 is a big standard in the industry.
David