OTHER: PX270 OIS problem?

gkantziper

gkantziper

Esteemed Member
Has anyone else shooting with a PX270 noticed when shooting hand held with the OIS "on", there is a weird shift/frame skip in the picture sometimes? (I'm recording AVC-I 100 at 1080/30P.) It is as if the OIS can't keep up with movements over a certain velocity or complexity. It looks like a jump cut with a frame or two missing. I've put in a call to Panasonic and will share anything I find out.
 
Hello Grant,

Please tell more about your situation. I too have noticed a "jumpiness" to the IS but think it is a design issue. The IS reminds me a little of still camera IS where it is designed more for little movement at all. It will jump when you move the camera. My opinion is that Panasonic needs to improve this feature.

BTW, my communications with Panasonic support have not yielded very much. Sadly it seems the support representatives do not use the cameras and do not know very much beyond reading the manual. I expect a lot more from professional product support and am quite disappointed with the "new" Panasonic.
 
My name is Glen. If you would provide me with your email address, I'll send you a short clip that shows 3 shots and the OIS problem. I'd be curious to know if it is what you are experiencing so I'll know it isn't just me with the problem. Send me a clip of what you are seeing too. Glen-at-KPSR.com
 
Hey Glen,

Sorry about that. I am traveling now and using my tablet. I can send a clip when I return. I would be interested to see what you are seeing. I will be in touch. Thanks.
 
Just took delivery of two units. Definitely noticed this on one of them (thought it was seeing things!) but couldn't reproduce it at will. I'm going to check the other ASAP and report my findings. BTW: The serial numbers of my units are D4TCA0294 and D4TCA0298. How does that compare to yours?
 
My serial number is C4TCA0290

(I'm sure mine was one of the first ones delivered in the US as I had it on order for months before release and took delivery in early April.)

Please watch the video downloadable from the link below. At middle of each of the 3 scenes you'll see the "jerk". All 3 scenes were hand-held 1080/30P AVC-I 100 with OIS "on". Please let me know if this is what you are seeing so I know I'm not the only one with the problem AND I'm not "crazy". Glen-at-KPSR.com is the best way to reach me.

My camera will arrive at the service center tomorrow.

Thanks.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ftsxvp2h8996ky/OIS poblem.mp4 I'm sure mine was one of the first ones made.
 
This sounds like the normal Panasonic IS. It usually happens when you have OIS on and use a tripod on a pan. It shouldn't happen when actually handheld!

I never have this with Sony EXs, but the same appears on my C300 with the 24-105/4L lens.
 
The scenes you posted are definitely not what I've experienced, and I'd say there is something very wrong with the lens, especially as there's minimal camera movement in all three scenes. The jerk that I experienced (now confirmed in both units that I just received) is when I'm panning handheld across a scene from left>right. It is the exact same jerk that one would get if OIS is enabled when working off a tripod...and it is completely random...took many pans to finally get it to jump.

I suppose the good news is that I can also reproduce the jerk on my one remaining AC160s...just never noticed it when doing handheld before.

Please post the results of your service.
 
I am with Jonathan. Any jerking I see is when I change direction while already panning. Very much like a still camera lens, not a video lens.
 
lonewolf2koc@hotmail.com said:
On Fujinon & Canon 2/3" lenses w/ OIS, there are usually settings to adjust both vertical or horiz + vertical and various modes of OIS. This is important based on your shooting style. If you pan and track an object then certain OIS mode has to be selected otherwise when you stop the pan, it will look like a gyro and it still moves for a few seconds. So I suspect the PX270 may be a completely different design based largely on cost reasons and is limited to certain shooting scenario only w/ not much adjustable parameters. If they include adjustable OIS parameters, I think this camera will add about $10-15K more. OIS is definitely a must have for outdoor with windy and super telephoto situations.
Click to expand...

I don't know what this has to do with anything we are discussing?
 
alpi69 said:
This sounds like the normal Panasonic IS. It usually happens when you have OIS on and use a tripod on a pan. It shouldn't happen when actually handheld!

I never have this with Sony EXs, but the same appears on my C300 with the 24-105/4L lens.
Click to expand...

This is not normal at all for Panasonic. I've owned a 200, 200A and the 250 and none of those exhibit this behavior.
 
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Bad news. Panasonic has determined the OIS problem is in all the PX270s they had on hand. They are returning my camera and promising a firmware fix at a later date.
 
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Thanks for sharing. I think this might be good news as they will make it work properly in the long run. My experience is not as pronounced as yours, but I thought there was an overall issue with the camera.

The upcoming firmware update is going to be quite large. They have framerates to add (hopefully 720p120 as well), WiFi features and now this OIS fix. I am not a fan of companies releasing unfinished cameras and fixing them later. It is a very nice camera. It will be great once it is finished...
 
gkantziper said:
Bad news. Panasonic has determined the OIS problem is in ALL PX270s. They are returning my camera and promising a firmware fix at a later date.
Click to expand...

Oh, wonderful. I feel less and less badly that I haven't bought one yet. I was waiting on Panny to finish the CODECs, now I've got something else to wait for them to finish. Oy. I feel bad and I haven't bought one; I can't imagine how the owners must feel. :angry:
 
Bassman2003 said:
The upcoming firmware update is going to be quite large. They have framerates to add (hopefully 720p120 as well), WiFi features and now this OIS fix. I am not a fan of companies releasing unfinished cameras and fixing them later. It is a very nice camera. It will be great once it is finished...
Click to expand...

But when will they finish it? I hope, for Panny's sake, they finish it before the Sony PXW-X180 comes out.
 
I agree. Competition is good and lets hope the fire underneath gets the firmware out the door. The only thing I am not happy about is that the Sony does have 720p120. I am sick of all the little consumer cameras that have high frame rates and the pro cameras just got 1080p60...
 
Yeah. The 270 should have 720 120p. It's becoming more and more common. I have to use action cams for high frame rates! haha
 
Just did first real shoot with the PX270s yesterday, and now can say with great assurance that either the OIS is malfunctioning on at least one of my three cameras or its not to be as good as my previous cameras (AC-160, and the DVX-100B). With barely any camera movement (like what Glen experienced) the image would suddenly shift. Still reviewing the footage from all three cameras to see if all have the same issue, but I am deeply concerned about this, and hoping that maybe Glen and I both have lemons. If not...???

Glen, what happened with your camera at the service center?
 
Hopefully you have lemons that can be warrantied, and it's not a design defect. I was sure hoping that the 270 got the image stabilization abilities of the cheaper and older AC90.
 
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