Inaction cost me $1k | Corrupted Sony - Update 2

[@davidmorefield]

If you have a rig with either internal or external power supply that has worked well, please dm a pic on IG. instagram.com/morefieldvisuals?igsh=djI5eTRtazF6bWMz

[@marklholloway]

If something is on sale at B&H and you missed the deadline, you can contact them and kindly explain you missed the deal. They'll give you a unique discount code and still honor the deal. Usually the code will have a 24 hour expiration so you'll need to use it right away. Too bad they didn't give the full discount this time around. They did it when I bought DZO lenses.

[@davidmorefield]

@@marklholloway Yes, I’ve had that exact experience before and I was assuming they would honor it again. Unlucky I guess.

[@Samiam-mu5ln]

Probably cause they know you as the whining crybaby customer ☠️

[@davidmorefield]

@@Samiam-mu5ln valid

[@vidfolio]

Very much depends on the brand you are buying, because they'll spilt the "cost" or reduction in profit with the reseller. the reseller wil provide a list of products they sold in the discount period and any sale outside of that period will not be compensated by the brand, Sony is not very flexible in this. The deal David got on the one package came out of B&H's pocket entirely. So still very cool of them.

[@CollinJung]

I'm sure this has been super frustrating, especially the waiting - props to you for staying composed and working through the best solutions! Hoping that you don't have any issues like this for a long time

[@davidmorefield]

@@CollinJung Supposedly the repair will include a new warranty.

[@CollinJung]

@ that’s great to hear!

[@jamesandcamera]

The only Sony accessories I recommend is Sony media. Never had an issue in all my years across old to new Sony media in Sony cams, even all the way back to their ancient spinning disc media with their XD cams. Batteries I have to used 99% 3rd party for a decade, no problems. Battery plates though from 3rd party are always hit and miss.

[@davidmorefield]

@@jamesandcamera Unfortunately, I don’t believe Sony makes a vmount plate for the fx6, I wish they did.

[@MindfulGrinds]

Great update thanks! I just made a $10k order on B&H and was able to squeeze a slight discount as well. I really should have purchased the Sirui SVS75 tripod however. That was an additional $150 off. I really hope Sony tells you it was just a board failure and not an issue with 3rd party hardware. The gear you use is so common.

[@davidmorefield]

@@MindfulGrinds $10k?! Bless you sir. Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. The Tilta plate is everywhere.

[@xlrsecurity]

I finished watching the first video and checked to see if there were any updates. Perfect timing!

[@davidmorefield]

@@xlrsecurity I’ll keep it coming.

[@nimrod7785]

Hey David Burano user here, not sure if it applies to all Sony cameras / Type A cards but Sony will recover the files for free, in case anything goes wrong when you use official media. I paid $4K for 2 2TB Tough type-B but the pease of mind worth it. Hope your FX6 gets back healthy and cheap! Love the videos!

[@davidmorefield]

@@nimrod7785 Really how do you go through that resource?

[@alexanderchua]

Thank you for the info and im sorry about your cam issue. I took off my tilta v mount plate and using the BPU moving forward. As for media, I use CF Type A cards (Lexar and Sony) and so far, no issues with them.

[@davidmorefield]

@@alexanderchua that’s good to hear!

[@carlosanchez_cam]

You can get one 960GB Tough CFexpress Tipo A for $748.00 for two of them will be $1,496 it's a great deal considering the cost per GB

[@davidmorefield]

@@carlosanchez_cam that is a great value. I ordered some 320’s already. I’ll see how it goes.

[@mediakobo]

I use the FX6 bare bones with BP-U 60 or 70 batteries. It works for me because I mostly use it on a tripod. Depending on the shoot I may attach a larger monitor to the tripod, not the camera. This gives me the option to quickly disconnect it if I do need to grab some handheld shots. If I need to go handheld for long periods of time I will bring an FX30 or a7SIII on a gimbal, or even my Z200. Every shoot is different, so I like tailoring my gear selection to make the job go as smoothly as possible.

[@davidmorefield]

@@mediakobo How is the z200 working out?

[@Ddubmedia.content]

I realise I have a different camera all together (S5ii) but I had an issue with mine that cause an issue with the data I captured. The camera froze when I stopped recording and the file became a .MDT file. Apparently it’s recoverable. I went on to do some research and like you it could have been quite a few different reasons why it happened. One of them was power. I was using a 3rd part battery at the time. It could have been a power surge. Regardless, I needed up sticking with 1st party batteries and it hasn’t happened since.

[@davidmorefield]

@@Ddubmedia.content Man that’s good to hear.

[@MikeKangaroo-cj3gk]

Don’t worry about your hesitation. That happens with a lot of people, myself included. Sometimes the universe just conspires against you.

[@shueibdahir]

This is exatcly why I have a voltage and current regulator on every single one of my power cables. That because even if my v mount battery surges, all of my devices are protected from the voltage and current fluctuations. I believe you can make this work again if you start powering the camera straight from the v mount to the DC input with voltage and current protection, but make sure the cable is directly from Sony. Do not use dummy batteries. Keep the OEM battery inside the camera. Also from now on power down everything before you you take out any cables. Unless a camera and it's third party accessories specifically state that hot swapping is possible and they offer warranty for any damages, then you should make sure everything is fully powered down first before you remove any cables.

[@davidmorefield]

@@shueibdahir Do you know if that cable exists from Sony? If so, please send a link. I’d like to research it.

[@shueibdahir]

@@davidmorefield Seems like both fx6 and fx9 don't have one. This is why I dislike Sony as a camera company. They don't want you using 3rd party accessories but won't make their own 1st party versions either. Very frustrating. I'd look up the Smallrig 2932 power cable for FX6/FX9 and Alvin's Cable FX6/FX9 DC Power cable aswell. I personally trust Alvin's Cable due to their circuit protection they embed in most of their power cables and I can't say the same for Smallrig. But the important part is that no 3rd party accessory should have direct access. to the battery compartment of any camera or any monitor, since the board won't have any protection unless it's built into the battery itself. The DC ports usually have a fail-safe from incidents

[@shueibdahir]

@@davidmorefield Man my comments keep getting deleted its ridiculous

[@davidmorefield]

@@shueibdahir haha really? Feel free to dm me on ig too

[@bastiencolas]

I am interrested by that too 🤓

[@Ryan-Payne]

I think if it were me id go with your suggestion of running two power options as annoying as it may be. At least you get to keep the counter balance and the much better smallhd monitor. Id then pick a sony bp-u size that at least got me 4 hours of run time. Added bonus is with the v mount on rods you can slide to adjust your centre balance point for different size lenses. You'd also be able to connect up other accessories to the v mount without any stress.

[@robinprobyn1971]

Agreed if you are still wanting the Small HD ,and balance . Or go Colonel Kurtz , get off the boat and go native.

[@davidmorefield]

@@Ryan-Payne It’s a good idea for sure. Correct me if I’m wrong but I still believe there is electronic vulnerability, right? Because the monitor is connected to vmount and is also connected to the camera via sdi. It can still have that grounding issue.

[@Ryan-Payne]

@davidmorefield yeah, if at any point a positive terminal connects before the negative terminal, the connection will complete itself via the sdi cable into the camera and burn out the sdi port. To avoid this you need to disconnect one side of the sdi anytime you swap the battery. Wasn't so much an issue on 3g sdi as it has better inbuilt protection, but for 6g and 12g the protection would degrade the signal, so they've left it vulnerable.

[@davidmorefield]

@ man I wish it was 3g

[@MikeKangaroo-cj3gk]

I have the core battery. Never had a problem. You’ll just need a D tap cable to charge the battery. The Sony charger doesn’t charge it.

[@ideaplusagency]

I wonder how many of the people who have received the fx6 error, and had the power spikes, have had firmware updates? Wondering if something new within the firmware updates changed how the camera regulates power, since the tilta attachment was created based on whatever firmware was originally released with the camera. 🤔

[@davidmorefield]

@@ideaplusagency I was on old firmware. Actually I don’t know if I’ve ever updated.

[@HezJP]

Sony gave me a 3 month repair warranty on my FX30 repair, I'd honestly be tempted with some of these things (monitor?) and just use as-is. If it breaks again in the next 3 months then whatever, send it off again

[@davidmorefield]

@@HezJP I thought about that as well. It might be worthwhile to have that as a backup plan.

[@tonygarcia1986]

Please remember that the corrupted audio and error result is a very very small percentage of happening after the hours you’ve clocked on your camera. I’d say hedge your bets. Dual record and add a small 32 Float recorder between your mics and camera audio. Zoom F3 or New Tascam. I’d continue everything else just the same. It was an anomaly.

[@davidmorefield]

@@tonygarcia1986 It could very well be an anomaly. Actually, I hope it is. I have new media on the way so maybe that along with the new main board that the tech will install will fix whatever problems I had. And I can continue using my vmount plate.

[@jamallawson]

Buy 1TB CF Express A by Exascend for about $500. Record in 4K for like 16 hours totally worth it

[@davidmorefield]

@@jamallawson Im not risking 3rd party media again. Even if its a killer value.

[@videopromike]

I've been waiting on this update all week!

[@davidmorefield]

@@videopromike Next video will have even more. I’m emailing back and forth with the Sony tech. Unfortunately, he’s not being as precise as I’d like.

[@anoophothi]

@@davidmorefield see you still shooting with your a7siii in the interim and if so how’s it feeling from the client perspective compared to when you normally pull-out the FX6 all rigged up? And have you had to adjust your rates etc accordingly too?

[@davidmorefield]

@ haha absolutely not. I’m not attacking you but that is a crazy thing to think. It’s about production needs vs rate. Not size of camera = rate. I think a lot of people get that twisted. This is a retainer as well so it was business as usual. They didn’t even notice a camera change. There would be a change if I was contracting for a production company and we agreed upon a tool and I brought something different. Again, I’m not sending any negative vibes your way. I just get that question a lot and it doesn’t make sense to me.

[@anoophothi]

@@davidmorefield no negative vibes taken at all and thanks for replying as it’s reassuring to read because over here, it’s been strongly implied to me by some, not all. Hence my question as you’re actually open about everything on here which, is an absolute blessing. So thank you😎✌🏽👍🏽

[@davidmorefield]

@ Client perception is real. It’s just not dictated by which camera body you have. It starts from the initial contact: how quick do you reply, how professionally do you speak; more importantly, how do manage client expectations and make them feel heard. And if we are talking about being on set, there is way more presence in your wardrobe, the stands, lights, modifiers, client monitors, carts, cases… rather than if the camera body is 4” inches bigger than another one. A rigged up a7s3 looks the same to a client as an fx6.

[@davidhardenberg5382]

i love your channel btw. I use the zacuto loupe and shoulder rig and I love it. I did have the fx9 loupe but found it was too big and long and I couldn’t place the fx6 far back enough which made it front heavy. Also the loupe makes the evf nice and sharp I also use Swit BPU 98watt with d-tap and usb-c. Battery can also be charged with usbc cable. Been filming this way for about 5 years and I can’t fault.

[@davidmorefield]

@@davidhardenberg5382 5 years is quite the test. Glad to hear it works. Yeah I always thought the fx9 loupe was too long as well.

[@TechMediaLifr]

one suggestion from me would be not to attack the problem with too much new gear, but better processes. E.g. Check the files on location and maybe have the chance for a reshoot. Also dual Recording, so if one card fails, you have a backup. Even with all Sony gear, there still might appear issues. The thing you already changed (if I remember correctly), is to enable the onboard recording of the DJI mics. That's the right direction, install as many fallbacks as easily feasable, gear will always break.

[@davidmorefield]

@@TechMediaLifr Completely plausible. Electronics fail. That’s just how it is. So far I’ve purchased new cards, enabled DJI internal recordings, adopted dual recording. I’m really deciding right now if I need to change power supply. That is a large cost.

[@TechMediaLifr]

@ wait for Sonys reply and decide based on that info. I know the feeling to simply beeing eager to solve a problem (with money), but sometimes that doesn’t help as much as you want it to. I wish you the best possible outcome for this headache and the cheapest one possible :)

[@davidmorefield]

@ man I’ve been bugging the Sony guy all day and he isn’t giving me any specific info. Just says that the main board needs to be replaced, it wasn’t water damage, must’ve been an electronic issue. Idk if electronic means power supply or media.

[@robinprobyn1971]

@@davidmorefield Im not sure they will ever know exactly , cameras have changed and if its not something very obvious and not repeatable , they don't know and its just "change the board" the concept of "diagnose , replace part, and be given a reason why " is over.

[@davidmorefield]

@ Yes! That is exactly the vibe I am getting from them.

[@WhitehouseVideo]

Did you send just the camera back to Sony or did you send the media cards too? Or are you sending them back to Angelbird for testing and the camera plate back to Tilta, I think all components involved should be tested to get a informed overview of the issue. Ideally they should all be tested together I don't think Sony you would do that.

[@davidmorefield]

@@WhitehouseVideo Hmm I didn’t think of that. Do you think Tilta offers that diagnosis service?

[@Justin_Allen]

I know it's not OEM, which will take it out of the running however I am using the I am using the Core SWX U98x BP-U battery for powering the Sony and then adding the Core SWX Powerbase Edge Snap 2 to power everything else on the camera. Plus because the Edge Snap can charge the BP-U battery I can keep that charged as well using their new Core SWX PD Pro cable system. This prevents issues because all of those cables are regulated outputs. This protects the camera, charging and prevents the dreaded SDI ground loop failure. FYI The charging system is just a 45 wats USB charger that works on all three batteries.

[@davidmorefield]

@@Justin_Allen Hmmm that is an interesting solution. Do you mind sending me a pic on IG? instagram.com/morefieldvisuals?igsh=djI5eTRtazF6bWMz

[@GeorgeGuillory]

The saga continues. Hopefully the Sony techs give you some specific information to share so we can all make informed decisions about our rigs. Not sure if it helps you, but I use an A7iv with a cineback-style rig + vmount batteries. I have the FX3 XLR handle installed (compatible with the A7iv). I have official Sony NP-FZ100 batteries installed in camera and I use a Kondor Blue dtap-to-USB-C to power the camera/charge the Sony battery (no dummy batteries). I regularly use the 99Wh Neewer vmount batteries and a 99Wh Coman battery. I do have an older 190Wh Neewer battery, but I don't use that much unless I'm on sticks.

[@davidmorefield]

@@GeorgeGuillory Cineback is a great option..

[@willvazquez3218]

Dude, don’t overthink this. This is 100% caused by Angel bird card. Only Angel bird and Lexar have ruined my life on shoots. Knock on wood. But the Sony brand and Sandisk and Delkin devices have been great. Also, without fail, you need to record on dual cards every time. Unless you go with CF express type, a which are a little bit more reliable than SD card.

[@davidmorefield]

@@willvazquez3218 New cfe cards are on the way. To be fair, I can’t just decide it’s the AB cards. I need more data than that.

[@Supercon57]

I was on a shoot a long time ago, production used an FS7, OEM Sony BPU battery, relatively brand new Sony XQD card Footage corrupted, Sony had no answer The take away was to just always have redundancy and expect at any moment media can glitch out losing all contents

[@davidmorefield]

@@Supercon57 Dang, they didn’t get any help from Sony 😅 But yeah it could be as simple as sometimes electronics fail.

[@DACProVid]

Those cable extenders are 10' (feet, inches is ") 2.1 feet and 1 foot.

[@davidmorefield]

@@DACProVid Correct, you can see it in the photo I added.

[@eletor]

I think Sony knows the issue and it's with third party batteries. I don't use an FX6 but the a7s3, FX30 and a6700 all make you click through a battery warning when it detects non OEM.

[@anoophothi]

A7siii hasn’t done this to me yet with Smallrig batteries!😬🤞🏽🔋

[@davidmorefield]

@@eletor I believe that would make sense if those alpha series camera and fx6 were using the same port. But the fx6 is using a dc input to receive voltage from the vmount. Not usb-c or a dummy battery. It’s a bit different. I would love if Sony could tell me the EXACT reason why

[@danilogonzalezmx]

Even the fx3. I notice that message every time I use a Smallrig99 vmount with condorblue dTap-dummy battery combination. 🤔

[@victorlolo2008]

I doubt the battery is the issue ,may be invest on the cards from more reliable brands

[@davidmorefield]

@@victorlolo2008 New Sony cf express cards have been secured.

[@commonprecisionaz]

Having to drastically change the rig is not fun. My FX6 is run on V-mount but I use Sony cards. Maybe the answer is an FX3. I bought the 6 and 3 at same time. Wish I’d bought two FX3’s in retrospect. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@davidmorefield]

@@commonprecisionaz Man I would really not like stepping down to an fx3. Too many features that I like on the 6. Which vmount do you use?

[@commonprecisionaz]

@ I use the SmallRig model 3499. It swings on a hinge so I can get easier access to the Card slots and Sony battery when needed. I run a Dtap cable made by Alvin’s cables I believe is the name. It has a voltage regulator on it. I’ve been running this for almost two years now. I’ll dm a pic to IG. I understand not wanting to step down but you’re only giving up size and internal ND’s. All in all the FX3 is faster to use and if you want to rig it out to look “more professional” there’s bigger options like Cineback now.

[@davidmorefield]

@@commonprecisionaz There’s a few more things that I need: SDI, Bnc TC, rotatable side grip, long form factor, dual xlr + mi shoe and a monitor that is relocatable toward the lens.

[@commonprecisionaz]

@@davidmorefield ah! Gotcha.

[@NeilASimmons]

I use the IndiPro BPU 100 batteries with Dtap and USB out, always rock solid with a Teradek and Monitor connected. Sony CFexpress A cards though. Mutiny gold mount plate on the Komodo, same as above, always rock solid which is surprising.

[@davidmorefield]

@@NeilASimmons How accurate would you say the run time is on the Bo batteries? Especially when you have accessories connected via dtap.

[@Valleedbrume]

I find it hard to believe it’s the battery.The circuitry in the FS6 has voltage regulation and protection build in.But who knows,third party items are not regulated or approved by Sony as far as I know.I haven’t had any problems with the power when using third party.The Memory cards however are a different story,I stick with OEM CF express.There is a lot of junky cards on the market that cause problems and have a problem with longevity. I hope you get it resolved soon,so you can go out and shoot.

[@davidmorefield]

@@Valleedbrume I have new Sony oem cfexpress cards in the way. I’m just wondering if I should risk it and still use my Tilta plate.

[@heyheyhey520]

I keep a Sony batttery in the fx6 and plug the dc/vmount in after the camera is on, and pull it before i turn the camera off.

[@paulloth]

Sony designed the FX6 with the PowerPort on the back to use an external PSU (like the Vmount plate) that will definitely not be a Problem. I think youre a little to Paranoid about the SD Card fail, for important Projects i always record redundant on both card Slots.

[@davidmorefield]

@@paulloth I’m definitely paranoid. Really looking for conclusive evidence instead of my assumptions. I have new oem media on the way. Hopefully that will make a difference.

[@skymakai]

My guess is the small rig battery and the tilta plate not properly regulating the power caused the issue. Through my testing of small rig versus core batteries, core are the best at keeping proper voltage throughout their entire cycle. Small rig not so much.

[@davidmorefield]

@@skymakai Really, what type of inconsistent voltage did you find in your tests?

[@skymakai]

@@davidmorefield The Core batteries will hold a consistent voltage throughout their entire cycle, as you would expect with a Lithium-Ion battery. The Smallrig batteries held their voltage until about half way discharged, then the voltage dropped. This means the Smallrig batteries (in my case the 99Wh first gen version) are not reliable for their rated amperage output once they're about 50% discharged.

[@JohnFalchetto]

I run the Core SWX NANO-C98 on my Fx9 when I want to go run/gun. They have a D/Tap so you could plugin your monitor.

[@davidmorefield]

@@JohnFalchetto Ever have issues with it? Specifically referring to when battery percentage gets low and if the reading is accurate.

[@JohnFalchetto]

@@davidmorefield the camera reads them like a Sony BPU, so you have correct percentage on the screen. 1 C98 on an Fx6 will last for 3 hours of recording before I get under 1hr of recording time. With your monitor on the D tap you will probably get less

[@robinprobyn1971]

@@davidmorefield iDX BPU style had this problem , I bought and returned them for my Fx9 , newer iDX BPU batts addressed this problem . Ive been using FxLion mini V mount (on fx9) , they have very recently come out with BPU style batts . Very good brand in my experience .

[@SportFlow]

so, back to the origins. You'll go with Sony batteries, media and monitor. I had the same journey: changing everything thinking it was an upgrade but returning to OEM eventually

[@davidmorefield]

@@SportFlow Do you mind sending me some pics of your rig? instagram.com/morefieldvisuals?igsh=djI5eTRtazF6bWMz

[@UrbanAnimeLounge]

Didnt wanna be that guy, but all over sony and canon warn against external power delivery. So I never got why they blew up so hard in the entire space. fried $500 cams with external Power so Ive always been afraid of it. I have 15 LPE6 batteries 😢. Almost enough to do an 9 hour shift on 3 cams. Its more of a future but I think type C power delivery might be the way forward on cameras but even that might be risky

[@davidmorefield]

@@UrbanAnimeLounge I would love a more systematically safe power option. Larger cameras have 3 or 5 pin locking cables. That seems like way smarter of a connection than a simple dc input.

[@RBMTMedia]

What if you picked up the tilta v2 v mount plate but dont use the dc power input, and use BPU batteries behind the v mount and continue to use the v mount plate/ battery to power accessories?

[@RBMTMedia]

Could be used as an emergency power option for the camera worst case too? 🤷‍♂️

[@davidmorefield]

@@RBMTMedia I believe they are still electronically connected. The external monitor is powered by the v-mount and connected to camera via sdi.

[@RBMTMedia]

@@davidmorefield ah makes sense

[@FelixSchüssler]

A little suggestion: I own a Canon R5C & the internal LPE6NH batteries suck. I use large capacity third party NP-Fs with a Power Junkie V2 plate (wich supports 2.1mm & 2.4mm barrel DC & Usb-C PD). When on the Gimbl, I use the internal Batteries, when rigged up the Usb-C PD from the Plate. You could use it in addition to the BP-U (ad keep them just power the cam for simplicity) to power just the monitor & accessiories. Maybe the balancing will be closer to your previous V-mount Setup as well. Only downside is you get an additional battery system, but the NP-Fs are crazy cheap ( I got Hedbox 77Wh for 50€ on discount) & they & the power junkie never failed me & have a lot of other use cases. This would also free up your V-mounts for lightning.

[@davidmorefield]

@@FelixSchüssler Hmm I’m not sure if npf’s have the required 19v output.

[@fd3871]

I'm out here with the R5C and a thin usb-c cable running to an anker power supply in my pocket lol; not as bad as you think considering it takes the considerable weight off the rig

[@davidmorefield]

@ you’re a braver man than I.

[@fd3871]

@@davidmorefield not too brave, it's always got a fully charged battery in it. worst case, the usbc pops out and I've got 25 minutes. i use a magsafe-type usbc adapter to prevent long-term issues with the connector.

[@cinnabun1046]

I feel like the Tilta plate and the Smallrig batteries are the things to move away from, not external power in general. Ive seen so many Tilta power accessories fail or short thing out, etc. this was a big issue on the red Komodo with the Tilta Advanced plate. and the Smallrig batteries im just like ehhhh. they just don't have the history of a CoreSWX, Anton Bauer, Bebob, Etc.

[@davidmorefield]

@@cinnabun1046 That could be true. I was using the smallrig battery instead of my hyper cores which haven’t had an issue since I bought them two years ago.

[@nagelc27]

My guy have you ever thought about 2 CFEXpress type A running in tandem so you have 640 GBs plus have an external recorder recording at the same time but with ProRes HQ.

[@davidmorefield]

@@nagelc27 I will have 2 320gb cards running simultaneously moving forward. I really don’t want to record externally if I don’t have to. Mainly bc I want to use my monitor and not another one. But that would be a nice redundancy.

[@avdpost]

Batteries are not all created equal however. The Sony batts are only maybe 20% more when compared to a premium 90 wh battery, vlock or otherwise of the more premium brands like Anton Bauer and IDX. Plus you gain accurate time read outs on the battery life remaining right on the Sony screen. Something only Oem batteries can provide. That communication ensure no overvolting.

[@davidmorefield]

@@avdpost Accurate run times would be really nice to regain. I just wish I could run a single dtap from then.

[@avdpost]

@@davidmorefield There do exist bp batteries (like the ones from IDX) that claim to report more accurate runtimes to the sony directly, and provide a dtap output too. But at the end of the day it's not OEM. But like chapman said it's likely "safer". I'm still very curious if maybe the FX6 board just got fried via a groud loop from the 12G SDI port, it could have been the tilta battery sled not managing it's voltage correctly, but a 12g sdi ground loop is so easy to create if you connect the sdi cable before the battery. And it can be devastating to the internals. But again at the end of the day your symptoms are still so weird. Really sounded like it was just failing media in the way it presented. Hope Sony gives some good news.

[@avdpost]

It's also another reason why I just really loved the c300's 4" monitor and am disappointed that the c400's monitor is smaller. Just the right size to weight ratio, bright with +2 luminace mode and sharp and detailed, and oem, simple.

[@davidmorefield]

@ If it is the sdi, it’s weird that it would take its effect during the middle of a recording when no cables were being touched. I have new media on the way. I’m really hesitant to use it and keep the Tilta plate as normal. I would feel like a dummy if it happened again. However, the tech said it would be under warranty. So maybe that’s an opportunity to test it with a bit of reassurance. Also I would resort back to my hyper cores v mounts.

[@davidmorefield]

@ Yes it is a heads scratcher why they made the c400 one smaller.

[@allen_bernardo_jr]

Not gonna lie I've been checking back for a week to see if there were updates on your camera/battery/memory card saga lol Gonna watch the video now edit - still midway through the video but if you're still considering non-OEM batteries, have you heard of or tried Core SWX batteries/cables? They seem to have some higher end products (that are pretty expensive like BPUs lol) but seem to be more reliable in the way of regulating the power and whatnot (I think this year they announced some battery/cable product/ecosystem that was made to protect against issues with things like SDI protocol/frying ports). I haven't used those personally as they're really expensive for me still but those sound like a decent option and what I might look at over the BPUs... Also there are Vmount to BPU dummy batteries but I don't know if that would essentially be vulnerable the same way your previous setup was lol

[@davidmorefield]

@@allen_bernardo_jr I use core vmount batteries and have never had an issue so I trust core. Yeah, I’ve looked into their bp options. They seem good as well.

[@JoATTech]

That's kinda scary ... makes me rethink FX6 purchase.

[@davidmorefield]

@@JoATTech I’m sharing the data so you can make your informed decision. It’s just weird bc every fx6 user I talk to besides two people have never heard of this issue nor do they know anyone with this issue. Part of me thinks it was just the luck of the draw that I had an electronic failure. I mean, that does make a lot of sense that it could be a rare occasion. I’m the exception not the rule, that’s for sure.

[@JoATTech]

@@davidmorefield I guess so, seen so many Vmount based rigs ... maybe it was a faulty power cable?

[@davidmorefield]

@ It could be, I wish I could get more specific details from the Sony tech.

[@DevinAire7]

The C400 & C80 heard you talking that noise. LOL JK! This information is great. I'm trying to get to your level.

[@davidmorefield]

@@DevinAire7 c400 would’ve been a great option if they released it a little while ago.

[@fd3871]

@@davidmorefield except for a strong industry bias towards Sony. Since I work for an agency we don't really have those questions come up as we (I) also handle post production.

[@davidmorefield]

@@fd3871 True. I’ll go with the tool that is most requested.

[@stuartswindellcampoy8483]

Man that sucks, sorry to hear that hopefully thats all. I was thinking, what if it was actually just the smallrig battery, being a new battery and trying to be all that smart with all the gimmicks and stuff maybe youre safer with those core batteries? Just a thought

[@davidmorefield]

@@stuartswindellcampoy8483 Yes, I think that is a valid theory! Bc the last two years I’ve been using Core SWX Hypercore Neo’s exclusively.

[@laurenoe]

The Sony BP-U60T has 4 Pine HIROSE power outs as opposed to the standard BP battery.

[@davidmorefield]

@@laurenoe Sorry, can you explain a little more what the effect of that is? My invoice said it needs to replace ‘VC-1046(71)_HIROSE COMPL’ and ‘CK-1027(21)_HIROSE MOUNT’

I use Kocackoo/Anoder bpu to vmount adapter for fx6 that goes straight to the bpu pins(not power port) in my fx9. Its cheap so feels unsafe but worked so far. Hundred of hours. I wonder if going to the pins made for batteries is better than battery to the powerport. 🤷‍♂️ Had a rental customer pick my fs7 up because fx6 handle broke and couldn’t get audio. Maybe you should consider the big leagues cameras. 😉 Boring but Tanky/reliable.

[@davidmorefield]

Big leagues as in fx9?

@@davidmorefield Yes. I see them show up with hefty discounts used. Fs7 are basically free and seems to always work. Good for B-cam. 😏

[@davidmorefield]

Haha free fs7’s. Yeah fx9 is definitely going for cheap on the used market. But it has the exact same battery pins and dc port. Not sure if that would make much of a difference.

[@saintdadmnd8477]

His name is Ray is an amazing documentary.

[@davidmorefield]

@@saintdadmnd8477 I had such a good time watching it. Some of those scenes looked really hard to get.

[@racemode]

You need to try zacuto with your fx6 monitor

[@davidmorefield]

@@racemode the loupe option?

[@racemode]

​@@davidmorefield yup . I went to Vegas someone let me try their fx6 with the zacuto zfinder loupe with the complete shoulder rig. Using Sony battery, it was light and ergonomic.

[@davidmorefield]

@ I’ll look into it. Thanks.

[@anoophothi]

Very unlucky, David and hope it gets resolved asap for you. Would you ever consider switching from Sony to a BlackMagic or Ronin 4D 6K if the costs of repairs were substantial? Or is the overall costs of a Sony just too good when it comes to value for money ie building a camera rig etc?

[@davidmorefield]

@@anoophothi As a freelancer I purchase tools that have a high request rate. Fx6 is the most populate request I get. So I understand that other companies make great products. However, if my clients aren’t asking for those then it would put me at a disadvantage.

[@anoophothi]

@ thanks for answering and that’s helped me to most probably commit to investing in an FX6 in the new year. It’s basically a goto over here in the UK/London too.

[@davidmorefield]

@@anoophothi I want to make it easy to hire me.

[@directed_by_steve]

I never go outside of Sony OEM products. I like no headache never had one problem for 10yrs. It’s more expensive but 99% no headache. Never had my cameras sent ever to Sony 🤷🏽‍♂️ for 10yr. Outside of Sony products all of my smallhd and wireless FF are all powered separately with Vmounts but never attach it to my Sony cameras.

[@davidmorefield]

@@directed_by_steve I like no headaches

[@directed_by_steve]

@@davidmorefield yeah man. I seen so many horrible things non OEM like my friend frying his FX3 with dummy batteries, fried FX9 with weird problems. I’m good. I rather save up and go All OEM.

[@KDBroadCastings]

Good job Mr. David Morefield (Recommend Getting a Z Cam) lol

[@davidmorefield]

@@KDBroadCastings That’s a killer camera system.

[@_FrontFootFilms_]

I did not realize you were using the SmallRig battery. To me that is a huge red flag. They're not well known in the large battery world. You couldn't pay me to use that battery. I wouldn't ever go with a battery over 150W/hr personally.

[@davidmorefield]

@@_FrontFootFilms_ I removing it from my list moving forward. Sticking to my hyper core’s.

[@DoucetThomas]

What I'm going to say maight be dumb but usually when I use an FX6 there is a BPU inside the camera and a non wired V-mount plate in the back that connect to the DC was it what you had?

[@davidmorefield]

@@DoucetThomas I have a dummy battery in the Sony slot. No electronic connection. It’s just a plastic piece that holds the vmount plate. The only power supply is via the vmount plate that connects via dc cable.

[@DoucetThomas]

@@davidmorefield Is there a BPU batterie with a dc in port or USB-C in so that you can still use your Tilta plate and V-mount and the Fx6 will think that he has a standard BPU batteries?

[@davidmorefield]

@@DoucetThomas I don’t believe so

[@alvinburrell]

I'm sorry but I have to ask...could it just be a fault on the Sony, not because of peripherals but maybe moisture or transporting ? I just think that replacing everything with OEM kit without knowing what the actual issue was is a waste.

[@davidmorefield]

@@alvinburrell It’s a total waste! But with the current info I don’t have much to go on and I need to change variables. I posted a screenshot of the email in here where they rule out moisture. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like I am going to be able to speak to the engineers doing the repair. So Carlos and I are taking matters into to our own hands and figuring out our best educated guesses of how to move forward.

[@PatrickLipp]

This sounds similar to the F5 and f55 firmware updates that would corrupt the cameras

[@davidmorefield]

@@PatrickLipp I haven’t performed a firmware update for a year and a half.

[@antonykeane5586]

Use OEM power... broken camera repairs + having to rent a replacement AND creating unhappy clients are much more expensive than those batteries.

[@davidmorefield]

@@antonykeane5586 What do you choose for your monitor and if it’s external, how do you power it?

[@spiegelmann82]

If you can wait a bit there is Black Friday in a month, maybe those prices will drop even more.

[@davidmorefield]

@@spiegelmann82 I already ordered 😅

[@ty-k6708]

I probably know the answer, but any thoughts on switching back to Canon with the c80? I know you posted your thoughts earlier on the c80, but has this situation changed your mind? Or maybe picking up an fx3 and shrinking your rig? Especially with the new RF lens offerings from Canon.

[@davidmorefield]

@@ty-k6708 I actually love the new offerings from canon. The combo of the C400 and new 24-105 2.8 is exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to upgrade from my c70. Literally, I think I could have that rig and have 90% of my needs covered. However, at this point it’s not enough to bring me back and restart the investment funds. Especially when they aren’t allowing 3rd parties to creat ff rf lenses. My buddy just recommended fx3. I won’t switch but I would do that before a complete brand change. Glad to see canon back into the mix!!

[@Ryan-Payne]

​@@davidmorefieldyou see the new 70-200 f2.8 z? Canon are really making a compelling video lens line up, unfortunately 2-3 years too late. Hopefully Sony are forced to make similar.

[@davidmorefield]

@ great to see the innovation from canon. It’s about time.

[@AcastroAX]

Those costs are wild. I use 2 Angelbird Type B 512 GB cards and they cost me $139 each. Thank God for Canon not being as picky as Sony

[@davidmorefield]

@@AcastroAX I don’t believe Canon even makes their own cards. You’re talking about Angelbird, right? Angelbird makes those for type A too.

[@AcastroAX]

@ yes Canon doesn’t make cards. Enough with them locking other brands lenses from the full frame segment. Yes what i meant is that Canon doesn’t give you trouble if you use V mounts, SDs or other accessories from other brands. Apparently it is common on Sony

[@davidmorefield]

@@AcastroAX You don’t think canon users have ever had issues from a 3rd party power supply or media? Of course that’s not true.

[@AcastroAX]

@ not in big quantities like I have read about Sony. All camaras with low quality accessories will have trouble but you didn’t have low quality accessories.

[@davidmorefield]

@ Depends how we label low quality. Reading over the comments of the previous two videos will reveal many negative experiences with my accessories. Specifically, angelbird and Tilta. If I go off of these people’s anecdotes, it doesn’t point to Sony. It points to the media and power supply. However, I hope it is a random main board failure as that means it is unlucky and I can continue to use vmounts.

[@noth606]

I would suggest to not hypothesize weird combinations of things in the absence of information. You don't know why it failed, so you're trying to fix a problem that you don't know the cause of by changing a whole bunch of different things which not only may or may not fix the issue, it will make it completely impossible to ever know what the cause was. "Separating the power supply" as you call it is not going to be safer, the opposite in fact. Your monitor and camera are electrically connected regardless of what powers the monitor, the same battery as the camera or a separate battery. So, take a few deep breaths, and don't immediately impulsively panic buy a bunch of stuff that may turn out to be unnecessary. You might wonder why this stranger weirdo is typing this long ass response to you - it's because I've been there, and I have also basically panic bought a bunch of things I ended up not needing, and regretted doing so because I either would have bought something else - or nothing, if I had taken a chill pill and let the dust settle down before I decided what to do about my current predicament. So try to do something else for a bit, get your mind off things, watch a movie or two, read a book, whatever takes you on a mental journey away from where you are now. Woooooooossaaaaaaaaahhhh. You'll get it all up and running again, you've had a setback but we all have them from time to time. Grab some chips, candy, ice cream or whatever, watch some Star Trek, or Mindhunters, or whatever series you like and chill.

[@davidmorefield]

@@noth606 Correct. Assumptions are no good which is why I keep reiterating that I want conclusive evidence from the Sony tech. I need preventable measures moving forward. As my conversation continues with Sony, it doesn’t seem like those will be provided. Therefore, I’m leaning on the anecdotes from users in the comments. Some are really helpful, others not so much. New cards are on the way.

[@avx111]

Doesn't Sony have something like Canon's CPS? It's the one thing keeping a lot of people from leaving Canon.

[@davidmorefield]

@@avx111 I mean it’s at the Sony Tepair so I don’t know if there is an upper tier of service. I was never involved with CPS but that would come in handy right now.

[@FlingerFilms]

External recording. Done.

[@davidmorefield]

@@FlingerFilms I feel like that’s one step forward two steps back. If you are suggesting external recording as a backup, then that seems pretty smart. If you are suggesting external recording instead of internal, that makes me feel anxious about more cable connection points and problem areas.

[@FlingerFilms]

@@davidmorefield I totally agree in many regards. However I think the core need is to not lose the client's video. This of course makes the rig significantly more cumbersome. If you consider that dual simultaneous recording on the camera should be an opportunity to avoid this sort of problem, but would not in the event of a power problem. A completely separate external recorder like an Atomos which also doubles as your monitor would give you you a better chance of not losing footage. In this scenario I am assuming 100% that the camera fails but since it's not tied directly to the recording media except for its output that you might be saved by the external recorder. I thoroughly understand that this increases the level of complexity.

[@davidmorefield]

@@FlingerFilms I wish Atomos still made their Star recorders (I think that’s the name). It was a 1080p ProRes recorder with no screen. A complete back up. And I’d be able to keep my preferred monitor.

[@PNWMOTION]

This shit has been stressing me out man, been changing everything up only to think what if changing it up messes it up.

[@davidmorefield]

@@PNWMOTION Dude that’s what’s going on in my head 😅

[@PNWMOTION]

@ yea like allister Chapman gave me a crazy long explanation on Facebook yesterday and In my mind I’m like everything your saying is basically stating if I do anything outside the norm of the camera I’m at risk for damaging it. It’s like then what’s the point of 3rd part stuff if it’s always a risk to use every time I turn my camera on

[@davidmorefield]

@ That responsibility is on us. If we are speaking lower prices and higher risk, we can go third party. If we want compatibility tested parts with less features at a higher price, we can go oem. There’s pros and cons to each approach. It’s better than canon. They won’t even allow third parties to make rf lenses for their full frame cameras. I’d rather have the ability to choose.

[@PNWMOTION]

@@davidmorefield I mean yea that is a good point and honestly I think with the amount of people using things like the tilta plat and small rig batteries and not having issues is massive. Cuz as of right now im rocking the tilta mount and small rig 212 and im sitting here thinking, should I get ride of it. But the thought of spending a ton of money on sony BPU batteries also makes me sick. I mean 4 batteries would cover the the repair of a fried mother board so why not just keep doing it haha. Did sony give you the price for repair I didn't hear you mention it in the video.

[@davidmorefield]

@@PNWMOTION yep it’s just over $2k. Either way I have to pay it, I need my camera back. I just dropped $2500 on new cards. Idk if I want to spend another $2k on new power. But do I want to risk the Tilta again? Idk. That feels sketchy.

[@colemowery]

I'm also going to assume it's your media.. there are so many people online using the tilta cage system, and using that system in far more hostile environments than you are. SD cards are the only part of your workflow that have a reputation for being faulty, especially as they age.

[@davidmorefield]

@@colemowery I think it could be media as well. I’ve purchased the Sony cards and they are on the way. But just read the comments in the last video, Tilta electronics have their share of problems. Especially for Komodo users.

[@colemowery]

@@davidmorefieldI think the tilta red plate acted as a dummy battery, so that might be a big factor as well. I think dc ports have a little bit of extra protection before the circuitry

[@davidmorefield]

@@colemowery I hope so

[@ChestiiPrinAmerica]

I believe you have also an a7siii or fx3. If yes, another disaster waiting to be happening. Because a substantial amount of them have a faulty motherboard and will go into a infinite restart loop. Sony knows very well about the issue but are ignoring us. Got 3 cameras, one already has the problem. Just a heads up :)

[@davidmorefield]

@@ChestiiPrinAmerica Uff sorry man. Thats not a fun situation to be in.

[@LonzosStudios]

you could go back to canon...😁

[@davidmorefield]

@@LonzosStudios How dare you 😅

[@saganandroid4175]

Just like Sony SD cards that don't work right.

[@davidmorefield]

@@saganandroid4175 you’ve had issues?

[@JojoJoget]

Sounds like merely a corrupt card.

[@davidmorefield]

@@JojoJoget I hope so. New cards are in the way.

[@danilogonzalezmx]

Big Red flag 🚩

[@davidmorefield]

@@danilogonzalezmx Agreed. Hopefully I will find the exact reason why.

[@TiagoFantinfilms]

Amazon has a discount right now for the 320gb for 465 U$

[@davidmorefield]

@@TiagoFantinfilms Dangit.

[@poti732]

Okay so : For the komodo tilta has a NOTORIOUSLY POPULAR issue w their V mount plates , it killed a lot of sdi ports because the battery wasn’t sitting very steady on it , it had issues where it BURNED YOUR HAND because it got so hot , it had issues w spiking , running unregulated power into your usb ports on it and so on . Just to be safe I use the Muitny plate for the Komodo. Don’t know how it applies to your situation just telling my findings . I also use an SDI isolator if I were to fry the port I fry the isolator instead , it’s not cheap. It’s the safest way as far as I know . Iv also had issues with the small rig batteries , they couldn’t figure out why but iv measured the D tap output and it was 17 V instead of that it should have been which is 14.8 on their D tap output. And unfortunately my monitor cannot take that so my splitter completely cut out the battery so it does not damage the monitor. Consider these when you pick the solution.

[@davidmorefield]

@@poti732 Yeah, very familiar with the tilta issue. I mentioned it in the preceding videos. It doesn’t really instill confidence for me to continue using it. It is weird that it would have an issue in the middle of a recording and then not be able to be repeated. And since I was using the smallrig at the time of error, I’m eliminating that moving forward. I will go back to my core vmounts which have never given me an issue.

[@KHamilton8]

Sony cameras are unrealible. It's time to switch brands.

[@stuartswindellcampoy8483]

And which do you recommend ? Cause Sony and arri are the most reliable

[@davidmorefield]

@@KHamilton8 Please expand on your claim.

[@scottievee330]

@@davidmorefield Canon C400 :D

[@davidmorefield]

@@scottievee330 That’s a killer camera. Looking forward to hearing more user experiences.

[@scottievee330]

@@davidmorefield Well. If you find yourself for any reason in central Texas I'd be happy to loan you mine. It's insanely good. The AF & triple ISO are really nice. And tons of other stuff.