Lumix LX7: Dust on Sensor?

[D.Page]

I bought the Lumix LX7 on friday, took some test shots of a piece of white paper, in manual focus mode and ensured the shots were completely out of focus, and I've noticed a faint circular darker area in the bottom-left corner of the frame. At focal lengths lower than about 50mm, it's not there, but between say 60-90mm it is at the bottom-left corner and is located into the frame very slightly more at 90mm than it is at, say, 70mm. At 60mm, the blotch is a little closer still, to the left edge of the frame.

The front lens element looked absolutely pristine and spotless, but to eliminate any chance of something on the front lens element, I used a blower brush to throughly blow off any dust on the element, and have given it a good clean with a lint-free lens tissue, with no change.

I would assume it is a piece of dust/foreign body on sensor and not a foreign body on one of the lens elements as the circular blob is too large and indistinct to be something inside the optics.

The two attachments are crops of the bottom-left corner of the frames only. I've adjusted levels in Photoshop slightly, so the circular blotches show up a little clearer.

Can anybody help me with this please.

 

[cosmonaut]

Can you post an image?

 

[D.Page]

Can you post an image?

I've attached two examples. Both are crops of the bottom-left corner of the frames. The first is at 70mm, the second at 90mm. Although you probably won't be able to tell in these images, the blotch is very slightly further into the frame at 90mm than it is at 70mm. This led me to initially think that it was a foreign body in the lens optics somewhere, as you would expect its location to change depending on focal length of the zoom lens, would you not, but, surely, the blotch is too big and too indistinct to be anything other than dust/foreign object on the sensor?

 

[jesse1dog]

Obviously something 'there'!
In practice other than the white paper test does it show?
IMO how critical it is depends on your own personal judgement.
Was the camera bought new from a reputable source?
If so you could suggest returning.
If it's an eBay buy, return might be problematic!

 

[D.Page]

Obviously something 'there'!
In practice other than the white paper test does it show?
IMO how critical it is depends on your own personal judgement.
Was the camera bought new from a reputable source?
If so you could suggest returning.
If it's an eBay buy, return might be problematic!

There's no worry about returning it, got it from a reputable dealer. Already spoken to them, and I have 90 days in which to return it for either an exchange or a refund (actually, a better returns policy than most dealers here in the UK!, one of the reasons I bought it from them).

In answer to your other point, I know it will show up in only some photos, i.e. only when using between 60-90mm focal lengths, and probably only at the smaller aperture values, such as f.8 and even then, only when the bottom-left corner of the frame is plainly-toned. But you shouldn't have to worry about photos being marred by a blotch when the above criteria is met - it shouldn't be happening with a brand new camera, certainly a model of the type where your lens is part of the camera and does not detatch. Also, there's always the chance that the piece of dust may move possibly closer to the centre of the frame or the top, where there is often plain areas of sky in my photos.

It will be going back. I just hope I can get a replacement which is free from such things.

 

[John E Earley]

Looks like dust or a defect on the sensor.

 

[daveleo]

I would bring it back to store while you may.
My *guess* is a drop of lubricant on the sensor or the rear glass element, but actually what does that matter? - I don't think that you can fix this yourself.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Already spoken to them, and I have 90 days in which to return it for either an exchange or a refund (actually, a better returns policy than most dealers here in the UK!, one of the reasons I bought it from them).

Between the Sale of Goods Act and the Distance Selling Regulations, UK residents, buying from a business within the EU, get 6 months within which any defect is automatically the fault of the vendor, unless the vendor can prove otherwise plus up to six years within which the vendor must repair or replace an item that wears out in normal use. There are exceptions but cameras do not appear to be one of them.

More information is available on the UK Government site.

 

[Addy101]

Between the Sale of Goods Act and the Distance Selling Regulations, UK residents, buying from a business within the EU, get 6 months within which any defect is automatically the fault of the vendor, unless the vendor can prove otherwise plus up to six years within which the vendor must repair or replace an item that wears out in normal use. There are exceptions but cameras do not appear to be one of them.

More information is available on the UK Government site.

Well, this is, with some slight local differences, true for all EU residents. I know that the EU isn't popular, but this is one of the benefits of being inside the EU.

 

[--]

Well, this is, with some slight local differences, true for all EU residents. I know that the EU isn't popular, but this is one of the benefits of being inside the EU.

Are there anything but upsides to the EU? Had not noticed.

 

[dnk512]

Reminds me of my experience with LX3

Reminds me of my experience with LX3

My LX3 developed a similar looking spot. It was apparent with higher apertures settings (f5.6 and larger numbers) and mostly on video mode. I send it to panasonic and got it back in about 3 weeks with a letter that stated: "dirt on sensor".
Sadly you can not get to the sensor with these models. Since then I read that folks had good luck removing the battery and 'sucking' air from that space (apparently gets you close to the sensor space). You could give that a try, but I would be careful with the strength of the vacuum source and the quality of air that would enter the camera from everywhere else. (clean all-camera-exterior and wrap the camera in a high density air filter??)

 

[emasterphoto]

Whenever you see a donut/ring shaped artifact like that it's typically lubricant. If the sensor was accessable like an ILC then no problem and you can clean it easily, but in the case of a fixed lens camera, nope, not happening. Send it back for a replacement. I'd think your chances of getting a similar defect are probably pretty minimal.

 

[D.Page]

Got my second Lumix LX7 today. Amazingly, this one is much worse - one very large dust spot or blob of lubricant in top-right corner (please see attachments).

Unlike my first LX7, this defect is visible with practically all focal lengths, and with most apertures. Obviously, this one is totally unacceptable and will be going back.

Are these cameras assembled with any kind of real care, and in clinical/dust-free environments? I'm beginning to wonder. This second LX7 is from a completely different batch compared with the first, and the same kind of issue with both of them!

Don't really know how best to proceed with this ongoing problem.