Camcorder PJ620. Monitor useless when filming outdoors

[movie-man]

Bought the PJ620 yesterday, spent yesterday evening setting it up and tried it outdoors today. I have altered the monitor brightness to "bright", as I did with my older CX410.

I noticed the problem when trying to angle the monitor to avoid the reflection from the sky. If I angle it with the top of the monitor towards me then the screen goes so dark that it is difficult to see what I am filming. The brightness of the monitor is excellent if I move the top of the monitor away from me, but then the subject is hard to see because of the brightness from the sky.

I have emailed Sony support today to complain about it. Is it likely to be a faulty monitor or just a design fault?

If you can't understand the way I've explained the problem, just say & I will try and take a photo of the camcorder monitors side by side to show the CX410 monitor was bright at any angle, unlike the 620.

Is it a fault for Sony to deal with, or the shop I bought it from? I obviously want the use of it, not to have to send it off for investigation and be without it for weeks. A prompt reply would be appreciated, as I want to follow correct procedure.

Thanks in anticipation.

[movie-man]

Had another try at using it today, thinking it might be better on a cloudy day - but it wasn't!

Tried comparing it again with the CX410 and do you know what - it's as if the display unit in the monitor is fitted upside down!!!

If I have the 410 monitor pointing directly at me and angle it forwards, it goes darker, move it the opposite way and it stays bright even though it might be at an angle of 45 degrees. The 620 is the opposite of that, angle it forwards and it stays bright - but of course the screen reflects all the sky.

Looks like it's going back to the shop for replacement or refund.

[movie-man]

Well, I got a reply from Sony today, gave me a link that explains how to increase the brightness. Trouble is, I explained I had already done that - and that didn't solve the problem.

Just banging my head against the nearest wall........

Anyway, I'll see what they say in the shop tomorrow.

[movie-man]

Just got back from a long session in the shop.

After seeing several people I ended up with the manager, as I wasn't happy with their responses. At the moment it is either replacement or refund that is the likely outcome, just waiting for a reply from Sony to my complaint.

One person at the shop said it might be a bad batch or poor quality control by Sony. We did try the 620 that was on display in the store and that was no better.

No other 620 users here? Doesn't anybody from Sony read comments here?

Not a happy chappy at the moment, in fact very disappointed!!

[movie-man]

Let's see if this works, 4 images of the monitor screens side by side at identical angles

Top photo taken from behind the camcorders and the monitors are facing what I call "forwards".

Second photo I change my angle by standing up and monitors slightly forward.

Third photo and more or less straight on to monitor.

Fourth photo and monitors "backwards".

Hopefully now you can see why I say the LCDseems to be wrong way up. The 3rd & 4th photos are probably the usual angle I would have the monitor at, perfect on the 410 but becoming useless on the 620.

[movie-man]

The lack of response is strange, doesn't anybody know what to say, is there a serious problem that nobody wants to admit??

Take a look at the following, I've found a way to get the same brightness on the monitors at all angles:-

So, if you look at the above images you will see that one camcorder is facing forwards & the other backwards. The brightness of the display is about the same BUT to get that the 620 monitor is now upside down.

To me, it proves that compared to the 410 the 620 LCD is upside down. Is it a faulty batch or are they all the same?

[jumpsuit]

Thanks for all the info.

As I said in your other thread, Sony don't answer on this forum.

From your photos there does look like there is a problem,

but its hard to say if its a batch or an individual item problem.

If I were you I would get the refund and try a different model.

(Unless you wanted that particular one)

Did you try other PJ620s  in store?

[movie-man]

Thanks Jumpy.

To all who read this, I've provided information and illustrations to show you how the monitor screen appears when you are using, or trying to use the camcorder. Imagine what it is like when you are trying to avoid the bright sky reflections, you angle the screen down but the subject you are trying to film gets too dark to see it clearly.

I took it back to the store I originally bought it from. Gave the demonstrations as per the photos in previous posts and the chap agreed with me that it was not acceptable.

I told him I had tried a demonstration model the previous day in another shop. He suggested we try the demonstration model in his shop - it was just as bad. Final test was to open a new box and try yet another camcorder, still just as bad.

He was perfectly happy to give me a full refund, which I appreciated. The store was Currys, so full marks to them for their customer service!!

As for Sony, I'd better not say what I think about them!!

On a personal note, you save up your money, study form on what you can afford and what should be suitable for you, read various surveys and make a decision.  Having had a CX410 for 2 years & been happy with it, I could see no problem with another Sony, especially as it was a newer model and not bottom of the range.

I've no idea if there is a faulty batch, there may be good ones out there, judge for yourself.

Thank you Sony, for all the time I've wasted during this past week travelling to the stores and the disappointment in the quality of your products!

[movie-man]

The story continues. Called in at Jessops and asked to see how their Sony camcorders compared with the monitor on my old one. The 405 was OK as was the 810. I said I would order a 620 on the understanding that I would not accept it and get a refund if the monitor had the same problem as the faulty 620s.

Once it arrives, they can open the box and try it for me - I don't need to touch it. That will only take a minute or two.

Will it be a "good" one, or a "faulty" one? I'll let you know in a few days.

So, ordered and 10% deposit paid. NOTE, before the cashback offer ends. Wouldn't surprise me if Sony tried to be awkward and refused to pay the cashback!! The whole world will know about it if they do refuse!!!!!

Still no reply from Sony Europe customer support since Monday.

[movie-man]

.....wait for it, the latest update in this sorry Sony saga......

Went to the shop to collect a new PJ620 this morning, obviously asking for the shop to try it first - to make sure it wasn't faulty like the other four I had seen. The same assistant served me and remembered how the monitors functioned on my old 410, the 405 in the shop and the 810. The result was.......

another dud one!!

Yes, another one with an "upside down" LCD display.

He put it straight back in the box and refunded my money.

So that's it. Cashback offer ended, no chance of getting one within my price range. Sony still refuse to reply to my emails. I was going to email the top man in Japan to complain, but their website is all in Japanese.

One final thought on this, are Sony shipping the "dud" ones to other outlets and keeping good ones, if there are any, for their own shops? As a pensioner, I can't afford Sony shop prices.

Anybody with a PJ620 care to comment? Are there any "good" ones out there?