M8 Arrived! - During testing... possible line issue?

K

Keyne

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So my used M8 arrived today. YAY! Well sort of yay... I was running through tests to check out the camera and when I zoom into at least two of the files I see the faintest line in the left hand corner of the images shot at ISO2500 and ISO640. LInk to photo at ISO640 example on Flicr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24241390@N03/5229817821/

If someone could take a look at the file, zoom in and let me know if it really is the line issue that would greatly help me. Or could someone tell me how to post the zoomed in pic from lightroom 3? I dont want to get all worked up over nothing... maybe I am seeing things...

I bought the camera from Adorama at a really good price, it has a 3331XXX serial #, and it is in otherwise mint condition... has the box, alll accesories, the bottom plate still has the plastic cover thing, and even the software sleeves have never been opened... However, the firmware is 1.110 so I would need to update that. Will the firmware update do anything for the line? From what I have read I dont think so. That being said... I know this has been discussed many many times here but given the circumstances of finding an otherwise mint and complete kit...

how big a deal is the line (if it exists at all - need some help with the file)? Will it cause future problems down the road? I guess I can:

- Return it to Adoroma and go find another M8... but maybe similar or worse problems...
- Call Leica and see if they will fix it for free or if not if Adorama would pay to have it fixed...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Kevin
 
I'm sorry, I don't see the line on my monitor.

But the line is a real problem. It may mean that the sensor needs to have pixel remapping back at Leica in Solms, Germany. You would not want to have to pay for that service yourself.

The firmware update does not ameliorate any sensor issues. And judging by the firmware number, I'd say you have an early M8 in your hands, which means the sensor issues are likely to be greater.

I would return the camera. Look for used M8s with no issues, preferably under warranty. Ones that have had the sensor changed or been sent back to Solms already may in fact be the best bet. It's worth the extra $$$.
 
Does the line show up when at lower ISO? It's not like you are going to try and use M8 files shot at 2500 (I love my M8 but acknowledge it's deficiency in this area).
 
I can see it on the second image. Is it possible the line runs the whole width of the photo but it is obscured in the color of the wall in the background?
 
It happens at iso640 and up. I am less concerned about the line itself than what it may mean about the sensor. Damn I guess it goes back... So much for having one over the holidays... Oh well try again. Thanks for all the help.

KD
 
Kevin, I had a vertical blue line on my M8, and it was more visible in shadow/dark regions of the photo, might be the same issue as yours but I cannot see your line clearly enough at reduced scale. It would be only one pixel wide, and I saw it more clearly in full-scale TIFFs (no sharpening or noise reduction) than in-camera jpegs. For a really good test, set the shutter to a manual speed and take a shot with the lens cap on. Then it's ALL dark, and the line should stand out.

I would advise working through your dealer to either exchange the unit or have them act as intermediary for the service at Leica. That's what I did, my dealer was PopFlash and they were excellent in handling everything, and there was no charge for the repair.

Then when I got an M9 it had a hot red pixel and a hot white pixel... I put the shutter on B and did three 30+ second exposures. This cleared up the hot pixel problem. You might try this, just on the off-chance it would solve it.

[Edit: As I found out later the M9 hot pixel "fix" was very temporary. Sorry!]

Finally, on the files you've shot with the line, the line can be deleted in the full size TIFFs after processing... Open the TIFF in your graphics editor, have it show 100% size so you can see what you're doing, select everything left of the line and move it rightward one pixel. This covers the line and you won't see where it was. A bit of trial and error will get you there...
 
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I can see the faint line in the first image. It's ~1 in from the bottom left hand corner under the red pot. It doesn't appear to be a complete vertical line (at least on this image).
 
>3331XXX serial #, and it is in otherwise mint condition... has the
>box, alll accesories, the bottom plate still has the plastic cover thing,
> and even the software sleeves have never been opened... However,
>the firmware is 1.110

That does not make sense- a SN in the 3.3M range should have a firmware version later than V1. That camera came out after V2 was released. Mine is in the 3.19M range, and had 2.004.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
>3331XXX serial #, and it is in otherwise mint condition... has the
>box, alll accesories, the bottom plate still has the plastic cover thing,
> and even the software sleeves have never been opened... However,
>the firmware is 1.110

That does not make sense- a SN in the 3.3M range should have a firmware version later than V1. That camera came out after V2 was released. Mine is in the 3.19M range, and had 2.004.
Click to expand...

Interesting... I wonder that means... I was reading that number from the camera menu... I specifically was trying to find a camera with a serial # that was not am early number and was surprised about the firmware number. Does it seem this camera has issues?
 
I do not know what it means....

Just odd that it has a late SN and an early Firmware version. I would check the release dates of the Firmware version and make an inquiry.

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/M8#M8_Firmware_History

1.110 came out in Nov 2007. I bought my camera second hand, a couple of months old. It was originally bought in October 2009 with 2.004 on it. 2.004 was released in March 2009. I do not understand why your M8 does not have 2.004 on it.
 
Doug said:
Then when I got an M9 it had a hot red pixel and a hot white pixel... I put the shutter on B and did three 30+ second exposures. This cleared up the hot pixel problem. You might try this, just on the off-chance it would solve it.

...
Click to expand...


I just tried this with the B setting and the 30+ exposure and the line went away on those photos. I havent had a chance to try a regular properly exposed photo because the battery died... once it charges I will check. I cant imagine though why doing 3 exposures on B for 30 seconds would fix it... but who knows and thanks for the tip!

KD
 
I was just thinking... Not only could I return it to Adorama but it is also covered under their used warranty... To fix it they we would have to send it to Leica to remap the sensor... If it goes to Leica for that does Leica warranty it for a year because they worked on it?
 
Kevin, I think this little procedure may cause the camera to map out bad pixels. And having it "fix" the M9 makes me wonder if that's all Leica did to "fix" my M8 rather than install a new sensor. I don't know, but the two cameras did have different symptoms. No line(s) on the M9, just hot pixels...

It could be that one kind of pixel error results in it lighting up the whole column of pixels, and may require a new sensor, while another kind of error doesn't.

Further on my M9, the white pixel wasn't noticeable until I pored over the whole black image at 200%, while the red pixel lit up neighboring pixels in diminishing intensity out about 3 pixels in each direction. So it appeared to be a very noticeable red square, just visible even on the camera LCD.

If your camera goes to Leica for service, I think they give it a complete checkout and apply a 1yr warranty on that basis.
 
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