Sony AX100 question

I have a Sony AX100 & Gates housing. In trying to learn the camera I have been blessed with the following error message I find totally baffling.

If I press the PROGRAM AE button to try to get it into that mode, I get

"Set the adjustment for brightness to auto."

I am normally fairly opaque, but this time maybe it has gone over the top! I'm unable to get past this message to get to the PROGRAM AE mode. I can't find a button or a menu selection that has anything to do with brightness.

Would some kind soul point out the error of my ways so I can get this behind me and successfully select PROGRAM AE?

Frustratedly,

Tom

PS: The firmware version is 2.0

Tom, if I remember correctly, if the IRIS,GAIN,SHUTTER numbers do not have an A but an E in front, it's in MANUAL. So you need to hit MANUAL to switch back to Automatic mode, then use PAE to program each setting again.

Drew,

Thanks.

Alas, it doesn't seem to make any difference.

When the camera is switched to Manual the Iris, Gain and Shutter speed are highlighted and I can change them readily manually.

If I press the Manual button again, all three of the highlights go away, supposedly indicating they are all in Auto mode.

In either case if I press the PAE button, I still get the exact same error box I quoted in the first message! It doesn't seem to matter whether the camera is in Auto or Manual - same error and no PAE.

I have two of these cameras, and the result is exactly the same with either camera, so it's probably not a defective camera - unless they are both defective in the same way - not impossible but less likely.

Maybe it's one of the newer Sony bugs?

Tom

PS: Further playing; the indicators for the Iris, Gain and Shutter have three states: "A", "E" and blank leading the number. No matter which appears for each one right before I press PAE, the result is the same -> the error box.

Drew,

After a certain amount of frustration I reset the camera to its defaults, then put the time etc back in but didn't change any settings.

When I pressed the PAE button I got a different error box:

"Turn off Intelligent Auto."

Of course the book was written for firmware version 1 and the camera is now version 2 so the book's menu tree doesn't have "Intelligent Auto" in it. I tried to follow every branch of the menu tree in the camera itself, and no "Intelligent Auto" showed up.

This thing now appears buggy enough to use it for a window opening tool.

What say you?

Tom

PS: If I make any setup menu selections such as AGC Limit, the error message changes back to the one in the first message, and gets stuck there... Still no PAE!

Tom, if you are on Facebook there is a group dedicated to this camera.

It may be better to ask in there as it will have a bigger pool of users that may be able to help.

Cheers Pete.

Oh Tom, I'm sorry! I didn't read your entire question fully! I thought you didn't understand how to get into PAE. That message just tells you it's in PAE mode. It's a normal message! Only after I'd been up all night did I finally understand your question fully.

Drew,

Thank you! I will now proceed as if I know what I'm doing

Pete,

I'm not on Facebook but know someone who is ;-)

She was not able to find the group by searching on AX100 and related terms.

Would you be so kind as to give me a specific group name?

Tom

Pete,

You have a PM.

Tom