nyc ex1 owners: lunch on me!

R

robfilms

Veteran
nyc ex1 owners: lunch on me!

i'm just this side of purchasing an ex1 along with a macbook pro. i was hoping to meet/greet/lunch with other ex1 folks to talk likes/dislikes and workflow. i'd be happy to travel to you and gladly buy lunch.

i hope the above doesn't sound too off-the-wall.

i'm just trying to do my homework.

thanks in advance for your patience.

be well

rob
 
My EX1 just went to Sony service today, but with any luck, hopefully it will be back in a week (or less, hopefully). The way things are poppin' over here, I may have to rent one again this week.. but depending on how much of a hurry you're in to jump in the XDCam waters, my offer still stands that you're welcome to visit and spend an afternoon with our EX1.
 
Effectively, yes. My first one was DOA after 5 hours use (E-15030 error service required). The replacement has tons of CA and a backfocus issue that only appears when ND filters are engaged. That makes two cameras that had problems.
And I should mention it again: the camera kills batteries even when the switch is in the OFF position. To me this is just unacceptable. Taking batteries off the camera invites them to be dropped or lost/misplaced. It's more stuff to worry about when going on a shoot.

I'm going to call Sony tomorrow afternoon, with the expectation that they had a look at the camera and will be able to determine a cause or a remedy, even if it means a replacement camera. I will be certain to request that it be checked for a full battery of alignment tests and that these adjustments are "dead-on".

This really needs to be the end of the line for these back and forth trips. I may as well rent the EX1, rather than own it. I've owned it for over a month, and I'm still renting to cover for mine that is unavailable to me for exchanges or repairs. It's starting to hit me that this will be a costly investment over time. I can envision $60,000 worth of SxS cards over the live of the camera, and rental fees during repair times. It's the Jaguar XJ12 of video cameras--needs constant tuning to run optimally.
 
Ouch! I have been thinking about the EX1 since I have seen your stuff but if problems are in the near future I may have to go with the HVX. I head to Aussie this summer to shoot a short film and won't be anywhere that I can send in my camera if it breaks down.
 
The thing is, any camera can have problems. I have two HVR-V1Us, owned two VX2000s and a TRV900 in recent years, and never a problem of the most minor kind, with regard to reliable operation. The Sonys always got the shots, never an error code or electrical problem.
The EX1 is a new beast, and made by a different division. I get the sense that we are all beta testers to some extent, in exchange for the privilage of getting $50,000 video images for $6500 plus ongoing SxS card costs. It's a way for use less than megabuck studios to shoot on a level with the top pros and pay as you go, rather than plunk down a million in cash and buy the super expensive line.

If you're going to be shooting on a wilderness excursion, you need to take no chances. The matter is that if you buy a camera--any camera--you should put it through a battery of tests, anticipating every condition you may shoot under. And look at the footage carefully to make sure there are no objectionable responses to light, contrast or focal issues. The EX1 should be reliable in the field. If you check out the camera before traveling, you should be able to weed out any problems beforehand. Depends on how much time before your trip starts. Lacking time to put a new camera through trials is nerve-wracking.
 
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