Avotius
Some guy
Been checking out used M8's to replace my M6. A lot of the ads say the sensors have been replaced by Leica.
Whats up? Why are so many getting sensor replacements?
Whats up? Why are so many getting sensor replacements?
kzphoto
Well-known
There was a banding issue with the sensors where they'd display vertical lines in certain situations. I think it varied body to body. Leica usually replaced the sensors under warranty. If it has a replaced sensor, I'd be more inclined to buy it.
maggieo
More Deadly
You think that's bad, I have to replace the sensor on my M2 every 36 frames!
btgc
Veteran
I think, you could update microcode for DX reader so it will allow to squeeze out some extra frame !
ruslan
Established
My m8 sensor is replaced as well, by warranty
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Colin, replaced sensor is good! Also, make sure you get one with a warranty, if you make the jump.
kalex
Established
Bavaricus
Established
It was an issue with the first lot of M8's, as kzphoto said it was the banding issue. Up to now nobody has to pay for any sensor replacement, even when it was out of warranty.
R
rpsawin
Guest
Oh no....I thought they were disposable cameras!!! :bang:
You mean you can replace the sensors???
Best regards,
Bob
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
The first lot of 1500 in end 2006 just needed an extra earth connection for highlight banding in a horizontal sense; there was no sensor replaced. Kzphoto means the vertical lines that appear on some sensors as they age. Those originate from hot pixels and that is caused by cosmic radiation. Sometimes it can be mapped out, sometimes Leica replaces the sensor for simplicity's sake. All sensors of any brand will exhibit this, but it is more easily seen on AA filter-less sensors.
Last edited:
sprokitt
Established
Whoa! My M8 is impacted by cosmic rays. Heavy!!
I think I'm just ok with the answer that my sensor is broke and if I send it back to Leica they will fix it.
Single-Bit Parity errors have also been known to be caused by cosmid rays.
aldobonnard
Well-known
never heard of a need for replacing a sensor on a R-D1 (which is fortunate because the epson service is nowhere near as good as the leica service !)
(which is fortunate because the epson service is nowhere near as good as the leica service !)GrahamWelland
Well-known
never heard of a need for replacing a sensor on a R-D1
That's because there's a dead pixel remap function in the R-D1 which can find and map out any flaky pixels that turn up over time.
The Leica sensors replaced were generally as Jaap described. Not as common as you might think or believe from reading the internet.
Avotius
Some guy
Thanks for the info fellows. I am going to move out of 35mm film but want to keep some of my lenses and the M8 has always been a itch I couldnt scratch...and they are starting to come into a good price range used.
ramosa
B&W
parsec1
parsec1
never heard of a need for replacing a sensor on a R-D1
Because it doesn't have to be ?
jaapv
RFF Sponsoring Member.
You clearly didn't follow the Epson service saga on the internet when the camera was in the shops.
kalex
Established
R-D1 has its own share of things that can go wrong and will
Matus
Well-known
This is also called a bit-flip. The probability that it would be caused by cosmic radiation compares very well to 0. It is just a badly made hardware (sometimes even software). We are using pixel detectors in physics where the radiation levels are more than orders and orders of magnitude large than what cosmical radiation brings (cca 10 - 100 muons per square meter per second - we stand it all our lives!). Truth to be told these are quite different, but still ...
If the sensor (or some part of it) would be sensitive to cosmic radiation, it would need to be completely redesigned (different material, production process, design), not just slightly updated.
well, at least that is my opinion. I would like to hear the true story.