URGENT
ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

While cleaning lenses the other day I had an opportunity to inspect my VX-1000 while it was dismounted from my Steadicam and noticed that the tripod mounting plate on the bottom of the camera was loose. Much to my horror I found that 3 of the 4 set screws were completely missing!

The photo on the left is exactly what I found. Scary, huh? Over the course of using my camera for the last year and a half the set screws for the mounting plate had somehow worked themselves loose. Since this little plate is the absolute heart to the marriage of Steadicam and camera I figured this was some of the most important information I could pass along to you. So right now take a moment from this web page, get out your video camera, dismount it from your Steadicam, and

CHECK THOSE SCREWS!!
DO IT NOW!!

If you didn't hear me the first time please...

CHECK THOSE SCREWS!!
DO IT NOW!!

Warning: DO NOT use a permanent fixative on your camera!!

Before you shrug off this urgent warning to check the screws with the phrase "Just use Loctite or fingernail polish!" PLEASE take a close look at the illustration above! On the right-hand side is exactly what it looks like under the VX-1000's mounting plate: EXPOSED CAMERA CIRCUITRY! I've never used Loctite so I don't know how permanent it really is but it would be tempting to use it on something like this. BUT IS THAT A WISE CHOICE if any service work has to be done to the camera? Think of the trained technician who fixes your camera...He or She may have to delay repairs because you used a permanent fixative on your camera!!

I strongly recommend a strict maintenance regimen. That means going over your entire camera body armed with a small phillips-head screwdriver.

Get under some good light and go over every square centimeter of your camera--you'll find these little set screws everywhere! Follow the seams of the body mold where the two shell halves come together--the top, bottom, along the carrying handle, atop the lens barrel, and near the eyepiece on the right side of the camera. Check them simply by applying a little clockwise torque to the screw--NOT MUCH--just enough to see if it is loose. This whole procedure will only take a minute or so.

(left)Enlarged view of the other side of the mounting plate--in case you happen to find a foreign object floating around in your camera bag or case!

(right)The VX-1000's mounting plate looks like this. Yours should look like this as well!

Parts Info!!

George Yoshitake , of Video Creations, has provided the following information regarding loose screws:

If anyone needs these tiny screws for your VX700 or VX1000, you can order them from Sony 1-800-488-7669. The part number is 3-964-010-01 and costs 92 cents apiece plus tax and shipping.

Comments from visitors:

George Yoshitake also had the following to say:

Hi John: Good to hear from you. Yes, I now have 2 VX700 and 2 VX1000. Checked them all and I found 5 screws missing from the bottom of one of my VX700. Thank you John for that advice. I will check them once a month from now on!!

Best Regards, George Yoshitake, Video Creations

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Tobe Carey writes:

Wow, John:

You hit the nail (screw) on the head with this page. I have lost several screws over the course of a year and a half also. I also have had to take them from a HI-8 camera to make repairs...still searching for replacements...have you found any that are the correct size??? Can you pass the size and specs on to all of us...Thanks for this service.

Tobe Carey,

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Someone named "Tom" wrote the following comment--Thanks, Tom! Let me know your full name and any e-mail/links I can use to attach to this page for you:

This is a GREAT web site!
I thought I was the only one who lost screws from the tripod mounting plate on my VX1000! I think this situation deserves a product recall!

Tom