In started writing about this problem in a thread below when my grip plug broke, but now its turned into a more mysterious problem so I'm starting a new one . I might be off a bit on my sequence of events but this is close enough.
This started when I saw a friends camera using a "VariZoom VZ-PRO-L LANC Zoom Controller" on another FS7 and I liked how smoothly it worked so i bought a "VZPGL Lanc Lens Zoom Camera Control" that's supposed to have the same electronics but be a little smaller - in fact by accident I ordered 2. After reading somewhere I think in this forum that someone had used that along with the standard Sony grip by getting a Lanc splitter I ordered one of those also.
So the VZPG arrived and the zoom control seemed to work fine so I tried the splitter and that had mixed results as some functions on the grip didn't work like the record button and the waveform histogram button. Then I tried the record button on the varizoom handle and surprisingly the camera turned off completely. That's the beginning > MYSTERY #1.
I restarted the camera and unplugged the splitter (dumped the splitter from now on) and tried just the Varizoom which has 2 record buttons. The bottom one did nothing and the top just turned the camera off again.
Next I retested the grip by itself and all functions fine. I went back to Varizoom and now the top record button didn't work at all but the zoom did. That's MYSTERY #2 .
Next I switched back to my grip handle again and to my horror it didn't work at all ! But then I noticed that the tip had broken off the plug ! Did it break off inside the plug or outside ? I don't know .
Next I plugged in the Varizoom again so I'm relieved that it will go in all the way BUT - it didn't work at all- Nada! MYSTERY # 3
Next my second Varizoom arrives and the zoom works fine (I stay away from the record buttons)! So something has gone wrong with the first Varizoom. But a little while later 2nd Varizoom stops working . 2 Varizooms down! MYSTERY#4
So now its Sunday. I have my camera going out on a rental that night and I don't have a grip handle that works. I go to my friend who has 3 FS7's and try one of his handles and it works fine so I rent his and send my camera off . Everything seems fine. Varizooms are a mystery but at least the Camera's port seems OK and I order a new cable for my grip.
Monday at noon I hear from the rental - Handle has stopped working - MYSTERY #5 and this one is serious.
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!!!!!
This started when I saw a friends camera using a "VariZoom VZ-PRO-L LANC Zoom Controller" on another FS7 and I liked how smoothly it worked so i bought a "VZPGL Lanc Lens Zoom Camera Control" that's supposed to have the same electronics but be a little smaller - in fact by accident I ordered 2. After reading somewhere I think in this forum that someone had used that along with the standard Sony grip by getting a Lanc splitter I ordered one of those also.
So the VZPG arrived and the zoom control seemed to work fine so I tried the splitter and that had mixed results as some functions on the grip didn't work like the record button and the waveform histogram button. Then I tried the record button on the varizoom handle and surprisingly the camera turned off completely. That's the beginning > MYSTERY #1.
I restarted the camera and unplugged the splitter (dumped the splitter from now on) and tried just the Varizoom which has 2 record buttons. The bottom one did nothing and the top just turned the camera off again.
Next I retested the grip by itself and all functions fine. I went back to Varizoom and now the top record button didn't work at all but the zoom did. That's MYSTERY #2 .
Next I switched back to my grip handle again and to my horror it didn't work at all ! But then I noticed that the tip had broken off the plug ! Did it break off inside the plug or outside ? I don't know .
Next I plugged in the Varizoom again so I'm relieved that it will go in all the way BUT - it didn't work at all- Nada! MYSTERY # 3
Next my second Varizoom arrives and the zoom works fine (I stay away from the record buttons)! So something has gone wrong with the first Varizoom. But a little while later 2nd Varizoom stops working . 2 Varizooms down! MYSTERY#4
So now its Sunday. I have my camera going out on a rental that night and I don't have a grip handle that works. I go to my friend who has 3 FS7's and try one of his handles and it works fine so I rent his and send my camera off . Everything seems fine. Varizooms are a mystery but at least the Camera's port seems OK and I order a new cable for my grip.
Monday at noon I hear from the rental - Handle has stopped working - MYSTERY #5 and this one is serious.
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!!!!!
Last edited:
