FX9: FX9 electronic ND drift

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LennyLevy

Veteran
I was shooting an interview all day yesterday and 2x's I noticed that the electronic ND setting I was using "1/11" had unexpectedly drifted . Once to 1/8 and another time to 1/10 .
This was very disturbing as it changed the exposure . I was not touching the camera and it was not set to auto. Didn't even know if this was possible. Anyone else have this problem?
Lenny
 
Sounds like natural variance of the electron ND. Maybe under long shoots battery drops in voltage or the heat effects it, but seems relatively small amount. If it bothers you that much, turn it off and attached a physical ND filter.
 
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LennyLevy said:
Peter, Kind of shocked that you consider it no big deal. Relatively small amount isn't small at all if you are holding the same shot for an extended length of time and it suddenly changes without your awareness or in the middle of an important moment. Should be something we're warned about if it's just in the nature of the tool , and at least something we should all be aware of. BTW I was on A/C not battery and indoors so there was no temp change.

I like the variable setting because it has fractions of a stop which you can't get from filters or presets . but i may have to give up on that . Its a great way to decide on an fstop without going crazy adjusting lighting . I use it all the time for directors who want those f1.4 soft backgrounds on interviews.

I'm wondering if this is normal behavior though. Presumable the preset settings are solid ?
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I don't own the FX9 this is something you should take up with Sony.

There's a pro and con to every technology. Physicals filters can't change, variable ND can cause color shifting, and x pattern, and sounds like you found a weakness of eNDs.
 
Exactly why I posted here. Not quite sure what your point is - this is a discussion forum for Sony cameras. Unfortunately Sony used to have ways to contact them directly - a website with a discussion group and terrific US reps who were very responsive but they got rid of the website and fired the reps a number of years ago. Very sad and partly a deliberate effort to cut off public feedback. No way I know of to contact them directly anymore. If there is I'd love to know.
 
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My point is every technology has it's trade offs and manufactures aren't going changes things just for you. You have to adjust to the camera not the other way around. Don't get snippy with me. I could retort that a good camera operator should be monitoring and adjusting their exposure. It common for lights to change brightness as they warm up or external lights to get into a scene.

I've owned many Sony cameras, I currently have A7IV and FX30 neither has eND. Very few cameras use it.
 
Whatever - Let's let it drop .
The post is to alert other FX9 ops and to find out how common this was, if there's a fix, and if there's any pattern to when it happens. I've had the camera since it came out and never noticed it before. I know I can use physical filters.
 
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Lenny, I recall seeing something like that with a FS7mkII, which has a similar electronic ND. Years ago, but that was, IIRC, with a non-Sony prime lens on the camera. We broke for lunch, restarted the camera, and then rolled with a less-awesome-but-still-good Sony zoom lens. I don't recall us ever figuring out what happened. I was producer on that one, not operator, btw.

Last thing I can think of: did your FX9 somehow get switched from (or switch itself from) manual ND to automatic ND?

Anyway, if you discover the cause and fix, please let us know.
 
It was a sigma 105 at f1.4 but I don’t see what the lens should have to do with it . Negatory re auto nd . It’s very obvious when you jump to that .
 
I don't see what a lens would have to do with it either. But my memory is that was the variable we had. Maybe some failed/partial attempt at lens-body communication?

Hopefully you'll be able to get an answer from Sony. Let us know and good luck.
 
On a related note, years ago when speed boosters were popular (MB had so many different versions), lenses not communicating well with them (usually ones not on "official" lists although not all) would sometimes randomly change their aperture.

Really could be a power/voltage thing, even if it's new and sudden (although you see that more with computer stuff like with the worldwide issue Intel had with their 13th/14th i9 chips more recently).
 
LennyLevy said:
Exactly why I posted here. Not quite sure what your point is - this is a discussion forum for Sony cameras. Unfortunately Sony used to have ways to contact them directly - a website with a discussion group and terrific US reps who were very responsive but they got rid of the website and fired the reps a number of years ago. Very sad and partly a deliberate effort to cut off public feedback. No way I know of to contact them directly anymore. If there is I'd love to know.
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I absolutely remember that, the Sony F55 Community Forum and the involvement of terrific reps, responsive; was very special, and very sad when it ended. I remember you being a regular contributor, Dennis Hinsburg, Doug Jensen, quite a few others and as well, Alister Chapman. I would draw a few parallels here as well, a great site DVXuser once was when Barry Green green moderated.
 
I only contact Sony about issues that I have personally experienced or seen with my own eyes. Too many variables, otherwise.
 
Wish I had another suggestion for you Lenny - but do not. NorBro's comment made me wonder if the Sigma was an e-mount of if you were using some type of mount adapter for the lens... as I remember my metabones speed booster would occasionally slightly change the aperture on my FS7 - and would happen usually if I acccidentally touched the small button on that' specific adapter.
Agree with others... do miss the Sony forum... and please do report back if you can on what you find out.
 
No it was an e-mount . I've had many issues with metabones that were usually solved with a reboot. I've been running the camera for a couple of days to see if iu can replicate it and I haven't . Honestly making me wonder if there was maybe some kind of operator error. I plan to .look over the footage to see if I can figure anything out .
 
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