VX1000 General Discussion (gear/set-ups, filming/editing, tips/advice, etc.)

[CHONGO]

Alright so I sent my camera to VX doc, I hope he will be able to fix it.

As for the fisheye, Century sent me a service form for repair.
The front element is 295$ and the labor rate is 150$/hour...

damn pricy. Surprised they are still doing front elements.

[Thomas]

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Alright so I sent my camera to VX doc, I hope he will be able to fix it.

As for the fisheye, Century sent me a service form for repair.
The front element is 295$ and the labor rate is 150$/hour...

[close]

damn pricy. Surprised they are still doing front elements.

They do but you cannot buy them as spare parts: you have to send your lens for repair.

[Thomas]

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Alright so I sent my camera to VX doc, I hope he will be able to fix it.

As for the fisheye, Century sent me a service form for repair.
The front element is 295$ and the labor rate is 150$/hour...

[close]

damn pricy. Surprised they are still doing front elements.

[close]

They do but you cannot buy them as spare parts: you have to send your lens for repair.

[close]

I wonder why you have to send in the lens for repair since replacing the front element is easy? Do they only have a low quantity so they want to prevent resellers like vx1000market from buying them all and doing an extreme markup. Take away liability from us DIYers from damaging the lens further? Or simply to milk some extra cash by charging alot for them repair it themselves? Maybe a combination of all?

Also, if you send in a repair to replace the front element, do they send the scratched one back with the new or do they keep it?

That is actually a good question !
I'm still not sure what to do with my lens...
Regarding the price, I don't think there will be better deal for a brand new front element.
@vx_fisheye_sales had one last week, and someone offered him 950$ for it...

This is what they told me :

Hello Thomas,

Yes, we do need the lens to be sent in for repair. Please find our service form attached for you to complete and ship with your lens in need of service. Please ship the lens along with this form to 640 South Glenwood Place, Burbank, CA 91506.

We will assess the lens and provide you a quote for the repair. Just for your information, our labor rate is $150/hour, and parts needed are to be determined. Once approved we will be able to provide an estimated date. We only have a few elements left for servicing lenses, please send your fisheye in as son as possible. The element is $295.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
 
Maral Mirzayan
Business Operations Manager
Schneider Optics, Inc.

[CHONGO]

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Alright so I sent my camera to VX doc, I hope he will be able to fix it.

As for the fisheye, Century sent me a service form for repair.
The front element is 295$ and the labor rate is 150$/hour...

[close]

damn pricy. Surprised they are still doing front elements.

[close]

They do but you cannot buy them as spare parts: you have to send your lens for repair.

[close]

I wonder why you have to send in the lens for repair since replacing the front element is easy? Do they only have a low quantity so they want to prevent resellers like vx1000market from buying them all and doing an extreme markup. Take away liability from us DIYers from damaging the lens further? Or simply to milk some extra cash by charging alot for them repair it themselves? Maybe a combination of all?

Also, if you send in a repair to replace the front element, do they send the scratched one back with the new or do they keep it?

[close]

That is actually a good question !
I'm still not sure what to do with my lens...
Regarding the price, I don't think there will be better deal for a brand new front element.
@vx_fisheye_sales had one last week, and someone offered him 950$ for it...

This is what they told me :

Expand Quote

Hello Thomas,

Yes, we do need the lens to be sent in for repair. Please find our service form attached for you to complete and ship with your lens in need of service. Please ship the lens along with this form to 640 South Glenwood Place, Burbank, CA 91506.

We will assess the lens and provide you a quote for the repair. Just for your information, our labor rate is $150/hour, and parts needed are to be determined. Once approved we will be able to provide an estimated date. We only have a few elements left for servicing lenses, please send your fisheye in as son as possible. The element is $295.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you,
 
Maral Mirzayan
Business Operations Manager
Schneider Optics, Inc.

[close]

[close]

If they sent back the old front element then you can use it as a backup if it's not completely destroyed. I'd feel robbed if they kept it. Paying $800+ for the lens and an additional couple hundred bucks to replace a part of it.

Thats a good question. You got me wondering now if they do keep it or not?

[Thomas]

They just told me that they will send me the old front element back along with the repaired fisheye.

[CHONGO]

They just told me that they will send me the old front element back along with the repaired fisheye.

Okay that makes more sense.

[Sidewalk Funk.]

Dang, sorry to hear. I've always heard never to use any glue on broken lens mounts for that exact reason (glue causing foggy internal lenses) and to always use electrical tape instead.

I took a break from filming for 8 years and let a buddy use my VX for a few of those years. Long story short - the front of the camera got ripped off and he glued it back on resulting in the foggy internal lenses you mentioned. I didn't care at the time because I was totally over filming, but now that I'm into it again I'm pretty bummed. No matter what is done, the image always looks slightly out of focus due to the fog. Super frustrating and now looking for a broken VX with a good VAP so that I can replace the VAP on mine.

[CHONGO]

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Dang, sorry to hear. I've always heard never to use any glue on broken lens mounts for that exact reason (glue causing foggy internal lenses) and to always use electrical tape instead.

[close]

I took a break from filming for 8 years and let a buddy use my VX for a few of those years. Long story short - the front of the camera got ripped off and he glued it back on resulting in the foggy internal lenses you mentioned. I didn't care at the time because I was totally over filming, but now that I'm into it again I'm pretty bummed. No matter what is done, the image always looks slightly out of focus due to the fog. Super frustrating and now looking for a broken VX with a good VAP so that I can replace the VAP on mine.

Yea I have always used some sort of jb weld or 2 part epoxy. I just did it on my new vx

[Thomas]

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Dang, sorry to hear. I've always heard never to use any glue on broken lens mounts for that exact reason (glue causing foggy internal lenses) and to always use electrical tape instead.

[close]

I took a break from filming for 8 years and let a buddy use my VX for a few of those years. Long story short - the front of the camera got ripped off and he glued it back on resulting in the foggy internal lenses you mentioned. I didn't care at the time because I was totally over filming, but now that I'm into it again I'm pretty bummed. No matter what is done, the image always looks slightly out of focus due to the fog. Super frustrating and now looking for a broken VX with a good VAP so that I can replace the VAP on mine.

This is so frustrating because it's just fog but in the end you have to replace the whole VAP unit...

[bataaard]

From what i've heard:

watch out because the VAP unit is linked to one of the cards, and if you just change the VAP without configuring the card, you might have parfocal problems (your focus point moves when you zoom).

i believe there are infos about it in the vx1000 service manual.
the easiest option would be to send it to kerry at VE.

[somethingmustbreaknow]

out of pure curiosity, how much would that be to ship a vx to kerry at VE from europe? have you already done this bataaard?

[bataaard]

I just got some advices from Kerry and he sent me some parts.

You can ask @vx_doc on instagram if he can change your VAP and check the parfocal.
he's from europe and legit.

[skatehypecom]

Hi to all VX1000 users, I recommend you take a look at skatehype.com or it's app. Especially by the following unique features:
- Direct conversion .DV NTSC to 60p video. Best quality on Internet for VX.
- No ads, no audio or video bans, no data tracking, no shit, just Skateboarding.
- No more people asking for "send me that trick for insta", all users can download tricks for insta of any video.
- No more people asking for "send me that video part", your friends or you can create a video part from video without reencoding, just with a post in seconds.

More info on this thread: https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=112401.0

[CHONGO]

Hi to all VX1000 users, I recommend you take a look at skatehype.com or it's app. Especially by the following unique features:
- Direct conversion .DV NTSC to 60p video. Best quality on Internet for VX.
- No ads, no audio or video bans, no data tracking, no shit, just Skateboarding.
- No more people asking for "send me that trick for insta", all users can download tricks for insta of any video.
- No more people asking for "send me that video part", your friends or you can create a video from video without reencoding, just with a post in seconds.

More info on this thread: https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=112401.0

thanks, def checking this out

[Thomas]

Sooo, I finally made my mind and sent my MKI to Century for a front element replacement.
Anyone ever done it here ? I still don't know exactly how much they will charge me...

[CHONGO]

Sooo, I finally made my mind and sent my MKI to Century for a front element replacement.
Anyone ever done it here ? I still don't know exactly how much they will charge me...

I am assuming new front element and the labor like they mentioned?

[Thomas]

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Sooo, I finally made my mind and sent my MKI to Century for a front element replacement.
Anyone ever done it here ? I still don't know exactly how much they will charge me...

[close]

I am assuming new front element and the labor like they mentioned?

Yes, I was expecting something like 450-500$ but if they need 2 hours or more to replace the front element it will be much more.

[OrangeVHStapes]

Anybody know the best place to get batteries?

I had three but one broke... I saw B&H selling them new for like... 149 dollars or something which is insane...

Hoping for something a little lower in price so I can buy a few. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[CHONGO]

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Anybody know the best place to get batteries?

I had three but one broke... I saw B&H selling them new for like... 149 dollars or something which is insane...

Hoping for something a little lower in price so I can buy a few. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[close]

I've used eBay to buy a bunch of NP-F970's for my vx2100. I forgot the seller (had them saved years ago) but the batteries were legit and lasted hours/ weeks at a time. I think they were about $30-40ish a piece or maybe 2 for $45? I can't remember exactly.

I don't suggest paying 150 for one battery. I'd lurk eBay for a third party and check the reviews before buying.

Yea i wouldn't spend nearly that much on batteries. I bought these fake ones off amazon and they didn't have the grooves in them, so they wouldn't slide into the vx. I ended up taking the plastic housing case on the battery and they worked great

[doyle]

I've bought two of these ones and they seem to work pretty well.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/4200mAh-New-Video-Camcorde-Battery-for-Sony-DCR-VX1000-DCR-VX2000-NP-F750/174306367481?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I think they're sold out right now though.

[pedro_mayn]

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Anybody know the best place to get batteries?

I had three but one broke... I saw B&H selling them new for like... 149 dollars or something which is insane...

Hoping for something a little lower in price so I can buy a few. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[close]

I've used eBay to buy a bunch of NP-F970's for my vx2100. I forgot the seller (had them saved years ago) but the batteries were legit and lasted hours/ weeks at a time. I think they were about $30-40ish a piece or maybe 2 for $45? I can't remember exactly.

I don't suggest paying 150 for one battery. I'd lurk eBay for a third party and check the reviews before buying.

Yeah when I had my VX21 I had a mix of the OG Sony ones that still held charge or the cheap ones I bought on eBay. Honestly, they hold charge and as long as you look after them they'll last a long time.

If you're using a 21 just be careful and persist at the seller that they in fact, do have the grooves on the side. I've had to send so many back and argue with a few, but I got a load of them in the end.

Or you could do a botch job like some have to make those grooves, but I wouldn't want to fuck with cutting into the side of the battery haha.

[OrangeVHStapes]

I've bought two of these ones and they seem to work pretty well.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/4200mAh-New-Video-Camcorde-Battery-for-Sony-DCR-VX1000-DCR-VX2000-NP-F750/174306367481?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I think they're sold out right now though.

Thanks dude!

[OrangeVHStapes]

Found batteries for 22 bucks... Free shipping too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/351216194651

[Olympus Mons]

Found batteries for 22 bucks... Free shipping too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/351216194651

Good looking out. Just ordered 2. Will report back on how they are.

[CHONGO]

Found batteries for 22 bucks... Free shipping too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/351216194651

About to order a few once I get paid. Thanks for the link cuz

[Thomas]

Quick update regarding my MKI repair by Century.
They just sent me the quote, with a front element now at $395, previously announced at $295... (before I sent the lens in)
Plus $225 of labor, which was expected.

[CHONGO]

Quick update regarding my MKI repair by Century.
They just sent me the quote, with a front element now at $395, previously announced at $295... (before I sent the lens in)
Plus $225 of labor, which was expected.

Damn an extra 100$

[Sidewalk Funk.]

Any tips on keeping your VX warm when filming in colder weather? Whenever I'm filming in 40 degree or less temperatures, my manual focus stops working and auto focus takes over despite manual focus still being selected.   

[CHONGO]

Any tips on keeping your VX warm when filming in colder weather? Whenever I'm filming in 40 degree or less temperatures, my manual focus stops working and auto focus takes over despite manual focus still being selected.

Its pretty hard to do so. When I was living in Washington in the winter time the vx was sometimes not even useable because it got so cold. Pretty sure I seen someone put a bunch of hand warmers on the outside of it. Was most likely a joke but it might work a little haha.

I know a group of dudes that make snowboarding videos with the vx and as far as I know they don't have a problem.

[Olympus Mons]

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Any tips on keeping your VX warm when filming in colder weather? Whenever I'm filming in 40 degree or less temperatures, my manual focus stops working and auto focus takes over despite manual focus still being selected.

[close]

Its pretty hard to do so. When I was living in Washington in the winter time the vx was sometimes not even useable because it got so cold. Pretty sure I seen someone put a bunch of hand warmers on the outside of it. Was most likely a joke but it might work a little haha.

I know a group of dudes that make snowboarding videos with the vx and as far as I know they don't have a problem.

I film in SLC, UT. I take the VX out regularly in 0-30 degree temperatures and haven't had many, if any problems. Batteries don't last as long, but that's about it for me. Maybe I'm lucky.