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Sony EX1/3 Setup Tips

The Sony EX series cameras (currently the EX1 and EX3) represent a new level of price and performance for a ½” chip digital video camera. In addition to the high resolution ½” sensor, Sony has also engineered their lens optics specifically to take advantage of the increased resolution and performance. As a result, attention needs to be taken when setting up these cameras for use with the M2 Encore cinema lens adapter to maximize performance.

Please look over the following list of tipsto make sure you're getting the absolute best out of your setup. If you have questions, take advantage of the other resources here at start.redrockmicro.com to get assistance.

1. Make sure you have proper alignment.

Use the Left/Right adjustment tutorial section of the M2e Setup Tutorial to align your camera. As with many of the following adjustments, these are part of setup with any camera, but the EX1/3 are less forgiving so extra care must be taken to get the best setup.

2. Use the “ideal zoom” setting.

As with any camera, zooming in too far or too little affects your camera's ability to focus on the Cinescreen, and you may see vignetting from the 35mm lens or even from parts of the adapter.

3. Optional: Bypass the blue coupler.

Try removing the 72mm blue coupler, and attach your achromat directly to your step ring and lens. This step simplifies your setup and removes one area where there may be an alignment issue.

4. Focus backfocus between center and edge.

Make sure to balance your focus so that both the edges and center of the frame are as sharp as possible. On the EX series of cameras it is easy to sharpen the center of the frame but leave the edges sharp. For best results, use a high resolution monitor.

5. Set your white balance.

6. Pull accurate focus.

The EX series cameras' high resolution means they are less forgiving than most other cameras when it comes to focus. Again, a monitor is invaluable to have.

7. Stop down your camera.

Stopping down your camera improves the sharpness of the image it sees, and also improves edge to edge sharpness in your backfocus. The sweet spot is around f4. Of course, you can open your iris up if you have to.

8. Do not use internal ND filters.

The EX1's 'no filter setting literally puts nothing into the optical path, and adding ND in-camera literally puts additional glass in your optical path and can ruin your backfocus. Use a mattebox or screw on filters, or set your EX1's internal ND filter and do not change it without checking your backfocus.

9. Stop down your 35mm lens.

All lenses perform better when stopped down. For ideal sharpness and to minimize any image issues from the 35mm lens, like Chromatic Aberrations, make sure to shoot wide open as little as possible.

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