New M8 User...

[angeloks]

Oki ! I just got an M8 coming from an R-D1s... First, I must say that I love the colors and the sharpness is amazing. I took some shots with the Millenium Nikkor and stiched them. I just love it !

Original :http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7250/7440805770_20be88fa02_o.jpg

Original :http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7440801732_9c707e63c8_o.jpg

But then... I took about 200 DNG, 10 of them are corrupted. I used a crappy SD card that I use to put in the Epson. That might me it ? Which cards are known to work flawlessly with the Leica ? Then on a few shots, I got this.... Is this "normal". I guess that I should be careful when shooting towards the sun.

Then on many shots, I got some sort of "scratch" on the file. You can see it there...

Original : http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/7440808674_8da3af5f73_o.jpg

Should I be worried ? Is it common issues with the M8, or is it specific to the camera I just got ?

Thanks !

 

[noimmunity]

Congratulations! This is not going to be what you want to hear, but:

That "scratch" looks to me like a dead pixel line. Usually it is colored red. Try boosting the ISO up to 2500 and looking again, then taking a series of images. You will probably find that the "scratch" appears in all of your photos in exactly the same place.

Usually the only remedy is to send the camera in to Leica for pixel remapping.

Was the sensor in this camera ever sent back to Leica before? Is it still under warranty, or can you return it to the seller?

The problem will get worse with time.

 

[angeloks]

Hum... it does indeed look like a dead line of pixels. I don't think that it was ever sent to Leica before. Would they fix that if it has never been fixed before ? I think that I could return it.

 

[jaapv]

It does not look like a dead band of pixels. That is the green band that each and every M8 will produce if you put a blown highlight exactly on the edge of the sensor. Known since 2006.... All M8s do this. There is no remedy, except keep an eye out for those highlights. I might add that it only occurs sporadically in normal photography. I had it twice in 20.000 shots.

 

[ChrisN]

Congratulations on the new camera. I really like the colours in some of those, especially the portrait. And your third photo looks just like the scenery on the western side of Mt Kosciusko, our highest mountain down here in Oz.

Jaap - I think the OP is asking about the faint line down the neck of the woman in the portrait - is that the one you are talking about? Ooops - just read the post again and he's asking about two issues - one that thick line in the shot with the sun in the frame, and one about the in line in the portrait.

Angeloks - listen to Jaap - that man knows his Leicas! 🙂

 

[LCT]

It does not look like a dead band of pixels. That is the green band that each and every M8 will produce if you put a blown highlight exactly on the edge of the sensor...

+1 and flare in your image is caused probably by a filter. Did you use an IR-cut filter?

 

[noimmunity]

Congratulations on the new camera. I really like the colours in some of those, especially the portrait. And your third photo looks just like the scenery on the western side of Mt Kosciusko, our highest mountain down here in Oz.

Jaap - I think the OP is asking about the faint line down the neck of the woman in the portrait - is that the one you are talking about? Ooops - just read the post again and he's asking about two issues - one that thick line in the shot with the sun in the frame, and one about the in line in the portrait.

Angeloks - listen to Jaap - that man knows his Leicas! 🙂

Yes, folks, there are two different problems here.

The first, with the green line; the second with the vertical band caused by a dead pixel.

 

[jaapv]

Red line ( sorry, invisible on my cellphone..🙁 so check it the way noimmunity suggests) Dead pixel. Leica can either map it out or replace the sensor. Often (but not always) this is free of charge.
Prevention for this problem is to store and carry (especially when flying) the camera in a vertical position, the idea being to minimize the target area for the cause, i.e. cosmic radiation.

 

[angeloks]

Oki, thanks for your inputs ! Indeed, the big blue band seems un-avoidable in some cases. I guess I'll just be careful. As for the faint line, it is indeed due to some hot pixel. I guess I'll have to send to Leica NJ and see what they say. Any idea of much that could cost (pixel remapping) ? The problem isn't that bad but it does show on all pictures taken at 640iso and above !

 

[jaapv]

Are you using an IR filter? The greens looks a bit yellowish.

 

[rdeleskie]

It cost me $450 to have the stuck pixel remapped at NJ. This price included aligning the rangefinder (which probably didn't need any adjustment), a basic checkup (not a CLA) and the cost of shipping. Absurd given that other cameras can remap stuck pixels with the push of a button, but there you have it.

 

[ruslan]

Your M8 sensor combined from two half sensors, that's good to know, first problem with green "flow" is a result of reflection from second part of the sensor, another problem with red line, if you enlarge image for 100%, you will find hot pixel on this line, just make a shoot with lens cap on for 5-10 sec, iso at 2500, if your camera S.N. 310xxxx?

 

[jaapv]

Errr...no. The green stripe is the result of stray light finding its way onto the reference pixels on the edge of the sensor.

 

[angeloks]

JSU, indeed the sensor is a bit dirty. But that's not much of a problem for now !

Ruslan, indeed the camera is 310xxx. I guess I'll just send it back to Leica NJ and see what they say. Is this specific to the first batch ? What was the fix ? And indeed, I found a hot pixel on that line. I tried to use Pixel Fixer, but the line still appears on the pictures.

 

[back alley]

you didn't have this kind of hassle with your rd1...did you?

😉

 

[jaapv]

JSU, indeed the sensor is a bit dirty. But that's not much of a problem for now !

Ruslan, indeed the camera is 310xxx. I guess I'll just send it back to Leica NJ and see what they say. Is this specific to the first batch ? What was the fix ? And indeed, I found a hot pixel on that line. I tried to use Pixel Fixer, but the line still appears on the pictures.

No, it is not specific for the first batch. There is no difference between the first and last M8, any product development was minor. If you send a camera in for some reason, Leica will bring it up to the spec of the whole series, regardless of manufacturing date.

 

[angeloks]

you didn't have this kind of hassle with your rd1...did you?

😉

Hehe, nop ! It worked flawlessly. But I still felt that it could fail me at anytime... Anyway I think that I'll prefer the M8. I much prefer the 10mp files.