PMW200 Backfocus update
Sony just released new firmware to help resolve the backfocus issue on the PMW200 which has been seen on certain cameras. Travel and movent to the camera body can sometimes misalign the focus mechanism inside the camera. This firmware upgrade adds a feature to re-align it again. Its an easy upgrade and only takes a few minutes.
You close the LCD, set gain to H and simultaneously hold down the scroll wheel (select/set), MENY and CANCEL. This will bring up a deeper mainenence meny. Find FB Adjust and execute. Do with using a siemens focus star of something similar at about 10ft (3m) aimed directly at the target. The software will do this all by itself let you know when finished.
Doing this fixes the problem of the 2 cameras I tested to 95%. I can still see a slight slight focus shift in EXPANDED FOCUS while shooting wide open, but I think this is within specs on a lens like this. This sets my mind at ease and I would not hold back on buying this camera on account of any focus issue but I would certainly check the back focus with the meny setting above.
Can you tell us more about the procedure? Is the lens on telephoto, wide? f-stop wide open?
- I did it pretty straigt forward. Shot the chart wide lens, wide open at roughly 6ft distance. Center the chart and hit the FB Execute. The camera will do the rest for you in this case as the software adjusts the back focus.
- I did it pretty straigt forward. Shot the chart wide lens, wide open at roughly 6ft distance. Center the chart and hit the FB Execute. The camera will do the rest for you in this case as the software adjusts the back focus.
- Hi – I have the same problem but nothing happens if I push select wheel menu and cancel.
Which firmware is installed? On my pmw200 is V1.01
Sorry for the late response. Now there is a new FW update. The camera also need to be setup to 1080/60i. Display closed. Thanks for posting and let me know if it works out after you install the new FW. Cheers, marcus http://www.sony.co.uk/pro/support/software/1237489140101
PMW200 Back Focus Issue
Caveat: I come from the broadcast world and have over a decade of setting backfocus of true broadcast lenses from Betacam SP/SX/DigiBeta to DSR300 DVCams up to my recently disposed of JVC GY-HD200ub cameras with Fujiunon zooms. I understand the process.
So, I have repeatedly used the Auto Flangeback Adjust function on my 2 month old PMW200 with Siemens Star charts up to 20" x 30".
Wide open to f2.8, when I focus on an object at full telephoto and start to creep back in zoom, the focus point CHANGES to a point in front of the "tacked up" focus point.
At this point, this camera is very nearly unusable to me.
I'm setting AFB with a clean, well lit high contrast target of adequate size at EXACTLY 10' from front of lens on a clean featureless wall.
Help!
Addendum: this is with the lens "clicked" into MF manual focus, non-servo focus mode.
I always thought distance was measured from the plane of the image sensor to the subject, not from the front of the lens to the subject. Am I wrong?
__________________
Re: PMW200 Back Focus Issue
Unfortunately there are no other settings you can try so if the ABF routine isn't correcting the problem then the camera needs a trip to Sony for a repair.
That is a servo driven lens so there could be a problem with its calibration. That has to be done at a service center.
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Re: PMW200 Back Focus Issue
Warren: the 10 foot reference was for the Auto Flange Back adjustment. I don't use physical measurements for focus while shooting - I use the zoom-tack-up and/or Peaking/Expanded Focus methods.
Any further than 10 feet, the Back Focus chart becomes quite small at the wide angle view while performing the AFB adjustment so I want to work as CLOSE as I can to provide an adequate chart size but far enough away to actually be able to perform the adjustment.
The ONLY thing I just noticed is that in the END of the manual (not where it tells you how to perform the procedure, which I follow to a T) it suggests that the camera should be in 59.94i mode. I've been performing it at 29.97P or 23.98P. I'll double check that later today.
Caveat: I come from the broadcast world and have over a decade of setting backfocus of true broadcast lenses from Betacam SP/SX/DigiBeta to DSR300 DVCams up to my recently disposed of JVC GY-HD200ub cameras with Fujiunon zooms. I understand the process.
So, I have repeatedly used the Auto Flangeback Adjust function on my 2 month old PMW200 with Siemens Star charts up to 20" x 30".
Wide open to f2.8, when I focus on an object at full telephoto and start to creep back in zoom, the focus point CHANGES to a point in front of the "tacked up" focus point.
At this point, this camera is very nearly unusable to me.
I'm setting AFB with a clean, well lit high contrast target of adequate size at EXACTLY 10' from front of lens on a clean featureless wall.
Help!
Addendum: this is with the lens "clicked" into MF manual focus, non-servo focus mode.
I always thought distance was measured from the plane of the image sensor to the subject, not from the front of the lens to the subject. Am I wrong?
__________________
Re: PMW200 Back Focus Issue
Unfortunately there are no other settings you can try so if the ABF routine isn't correcting the problem then the camera needs a trip to Sony for a repair.
That is a servo driven lens so there could be a problem with its calibration. That has to be done at a service center.
__________________
Re: PMW200 Back Focus Issue
Warren: the 10 foot reference was for the Auto Flange Back adjustment. I don't use physical measurements for focus while shooting - I use the zoom-tack-up and/or Peaking/Expanded Focus methods.
Any further than 10 feet, the Back Focus chart becomes quite small at the wide angle view while performing the AFB adjustment so I want to work as CLOSE as I can to provide an adequate chart size but far enough away to actually be able to perform the adjustment.
The ONLY thing I just noticed is that in the END of the manual (not where it tells you how to perform the procedure, which I follow to a T) it suggests that the camera should be in 59.94i mode. I've been performing it at 29.97P or 23.98P. I'll double check that later today.