Got PAL camera (Sony NEX-5n) instead of NTSC

[serega]

I've got weird problem. I've purchased Sony Alpha NEX-5n from www.42photo.com but they sent me PAL version. I live in USA. Camera is great but if I use it as camcorder it looks like it shoots in PAL system. When I edit my video in Premier elements it tells me it's PAL system (50 fps). If I save my edited video to DVD as AVCHD then it shows great when I play on my LG Blue-ray Player. I don't have yet a real blu ray recorder but I wander will I be able to share video on US blue ray players. It's only option on my camera between 50i and 50p. I don't know if my rights to request replacement. What you guys think?

[aedipuss]

expensive mistake. the u.s. version shoots ntsc 30/60 - the euro version shoots pal 50 type.
http://www.sony.de/hub/nex-kompaktkamera/produktreihe

[johns0]

Just ask 42photo for a ntsc camera exchange since they sent you the wrong version and you live in the u.s.

[lordsmurf]

42photo.com is one of those bullshit camera stores in NJ/NY, selling gray-market cameras. Most cameras stores in New York and New Jersey are scams.

Only buy cameras online from B&H, Amazon, Adorama, Ritz/Wolf, OneCall, Calumet, Canoga. (Then there's some even smaller stores that are reliable, like Central, Arlington, etc.)

When a NJ/NY camera store has good reviews online, you'll find that most of the positive reviews are fake. I saw some 42photo.com reviews just now, and they all look like BS written by the same person.

You got screwed. Best wishes getting a replacement. It probably won't happen.

[serega]

Thank you guys. If they fake stores it's may be risky to send camera back. I sent them email, will what's going to happen.

[jman98]

If you can prove that you ordered an NTSC version through email you received or by going to the website and printing the description of the product if it says NTSC, you MAY be able to file a charge with your credit card company that you didn't get what you paid for. This should be a last resort. I can tell you that in the past this would definitely have worked, but the credit card companies are now a lot stricter about ruling in favor of their customers.

[serega]

I've received call from them and guy said that sony did not sell any more those with 60 fps camera due to a freezing problems. Only 50 fps are available. I will try to investigate this. I wonder if any body know about this or guy just lies to me.

[smrpix]

B&H, Samy's and other vendors are selling them. You may want to give them a call and see if they tell you the same thing. There was a "clicking" issue recall last September that Sony agreed to fix.

[aedipuss]

I've received call from them and guy said that sony did not sell any more those with 60 fps camera due to a freezing problems. Only 50 fps are available. I will try to investigate this. I wonder if any body know about this or guy just lies to me.

he was full of crap. 42nd st is still advertising and "selling" ntsc 24/30/60 fps cameras.

[lordsmurf]

I've received call from them and guy said that sony did not sell any more those with 60 fps camera due to a freezing problems. Only 50 fps are available. I will try to investigate this. I wonder if any body know about this or guy just lies to me.

Yeah, like a I said: scammer, liar, typical *******-run NJ/NY camera stores.

[rumplestiltskin]

42nd Street Photo is a good vendor. Check the webpage of the product you ordered; if it says NTSC, PRINT THE PAGE. Then call 42nd St and tell them the camcorder isn't what you ordered; they've sent you the Euro product which, of course, you can't use here (if you intend to make DVDs of your videos). If you do not get it resolved in 5 minutes, then hang up and call your credit card company and put the charge "in dispute". Be sure to prepare the paperwork they will ask you to submit (including that webpage or the order confirmation if that shows the NTSC).

If, however, you ordered the wrong version, you will be subject to 42nd St's return policy which, if you're lucky, may only entail a 20% restocking fee.

aedipuss's webpage post shows the specs; if this is the part you ordered, they screwed up -or- -they- received the wrong item and are shipping it out erroneously. (I may be giving them the benefit of the doubt here because, if you only take still photos, you'd never know you have the Euro version.)

[aedipuss]

they most likely sent you a "grey" market no warranty camera instead of an official sony u.s. one.

[serega]

they most likely sent you a "grey" market no warranty camera instead of an official sony u.s. one.

How would I know if it's grey market camera? Looks like every thing in a box. I'm happy with quality of pictures, nothing to compare to point and shoot collection of cameras I have. Video looks great and my computer edit avchd easy. I don't know how it works but on Premier Elements it says that material in PAL, I setup to make video in NTSC and program encodes it. Some way it strange that my blue ray player reads them regardless if it avchd or regular dvd. May be it's multi system, I don't know.

[serega]

I've received call from them and guy said that sony did not sell any more those with 60 fps camera due to a freezing problems. Only 50 fps are available. I will try to investigate this. I wonder if any body know about this or guy just lies to me.

he was full of crap. 42nd st is still advertising and "selling" ntsc 24/30/60 fps cameras.

[Attachment 12934 - Click to enlarge]

Thank you aedipuss for pointing this out.

[lordsmurf]

I don't know.

We do know.

So it's in your best interests to read/understand, not argue and doubt.

NY/NJ phone/mail camera scams go back decades.
And 42nd Street is a typical rathole store.

See also: http://www.yelp.com/biz/42nd-street-photo-new-york-3
Read the few positives reviews. All are likely fake. Same grammar, syntax, vocabulary, etc.
The negative reviews all have ample details, unlike the fake positive ones.

17th St Photo is the only legit street-named photo store that I know of.
It's right up there with B&H, Adorama, etc, in terms of sending authentic unmolested equipment.

[serega]

Yea, expensive mistake. Tried to save a couple of bucks.

[greengoblin1]

I too wanted the NEX-5N, but was thinking of saving money and buying from them. Im in the same situation. I have sent an email to see if they would get the 60i in stock and their response was that they only have the 50i version. I am going to get my refund and no I am not going to pay the restocking fee because its false advertising. The ad clearly says you will get the 60i version; it says it twice in the description. I have the page saved incase they want to change it. No where does it say if we don't have the 60i in stock we will send you the 50i version. I live in the US.

One question. If you look at your LCD screen on the camera do you see a little static and unclear like noise? but after you take the photo the photo's are sharp as they are intended to be?

I went to a local electronic store and looked at the NEX-5N on display the 60i US version and the LCD was clear. I dunno if that is the same with you. From what I have read EU and US run on different Mhz or frequency.

Reply back I would like to know, but I am definitely sending this one back and ordering from somewhere else, even if it cost a little bit more, they will send me the right one I ordered when I live in the US.

[serega]

Pictures look perfect, not any noise at all. Even my friends that have some $3k cameras were surprized. Video looks really good too and play good on my LG Blue Ray as AVCHD files, recorded on DVD's. I've converted video to regular DVD and it plays not bad too and no noise. I started question all this when I tried to set video quality to 60i but only 50i was available. I was thinking that I need better memory card so purchased fastest I could find but results are all the same. I been wondering also why premier elements tell me that it's pal systems files. I don't know if any blue ray player will play them or just some. Again, video is great, to me it's similar to commercial blue ray movies.

[lordsmurf]

50i = PAL.

[serega]

50i = PAL.

I hope some day I will be able to flash camera and load firmware for NTSC.

[lordsmurf]

It's usually more than firmware involved.
A PAL camera is likely stuck, forever, as a PAL camera.

[serega]

I couldn't insist on return or exchange because it's right before my vacation, didn't have time for that, the reason I got this in the first place. When I back in 2 weeks it more likely too late to request any thing. May be best is to try to complain to FTC or file at small claim court, or just take a loss.

[serega]

42photo.com is one of those bullshit camera stores in NJ/NY, selling gray-market cameras. Most cameras stores in New York and New Jersey are scams.

Only buy cameras online from B&H, Amazon, Adorama, Ritz/Wolf, OneCall, Calumet, Canoga. (Then there's some even smaller stores that are reliable, like Central, Arlington, etc.)

When a NJ/NY camera store has good reviews online, you'll find that most of the positive reviews are fake. I saw some 42photo.com reviews just now, and they all look like BS written by the same person.

You got screwed. Best wishes getting a replacement. It probably won't happen.

After I back from vacation I called them about European version they sent me, so they gave me Return Authorization number, I packed every thing and send them. I was extremely happy to see my money back about five days latter to my Credit Card without any restocking fee.
Happy ending story this time.....

[jimpny22]

Good news!
- - - - - - -

As far as I know the NTSC 30/60 fps is used in USA and other N.Ameriacan countries(and Japan?), whereas 25/50 PAL is European . . in the days of Analogue PAL sent an inverted signal alternate lines, so changes in transmission would cancel . . it was a good system technically . . the frame-rate is a hang-over from using line-frequency to fram-sync a CRT-based TVs but all that has changed with digital, yet somehow it causes agro the World-over.
[This is not helped by Hollywood wanting 24fps or 48 - both being very close to the European standards -- but NOT France which has yet another system I recall].

Not sure about the assertion that Once 50/PAL it can't be changed - as I doubt Sony has two production lines making one camera . . far more likely it is the same camera with a software change that determines the standard. - whilst firmware updates can be use to change the operation of things (eg Buttons).... it is possible the area dedicated to firmware updates is quite small, since the camera needs a protected area to make sense of the incomming files. (call that Operating system).




Good luck.

[rumplestiltskin]

I know people won't like this suggestion but why not just forget about "disc" players entirely and simply encourage the use of a WDTV player (or an AppleTV, whatever). Then the issue of "50/60" disappears. My WDTV box plays video that originated as NTSC, PAL and even 15fps YouTube junk. Check the specs of the WDTV player (for example) and just keep your bitrate down to the level it can handle (which is way more than you'd need for HD 1080p anyway).

Yeah, I know; the hard part is convincing the luddites to make the switch.