Oh Darn a line

[Shootist]

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Well after sending in my black M8 twice for a rangefinder problem that Leica couldn't seem to fix they sent me brand new black M8.

Now this new one has the line problem. These images show it clearly at 1250 and 2500 but you can see it at 640 and 320 also.

 

1250

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2500

 

Funny thing is the line doesn't go all the way to the top of the images.

I noticed it because on the LCD screen there is a bright spec at one pixel in all the images that moves with the image when zoomed in but really isn't noticeable on my computer screen.

 

Maybe I'm just not supposed to have 2 M8's

This new one is SPOT on with the rangefinder and the shutter release is smooth.

Now I'll have to contact Leica again and see what can be done.

[andit]

Hi there Shootist,

 

You've got the vertical line problem on this body. It's one of the circuit boards that reads information from the sensor that goes faulty. Generally speaking, send it into to Leica, they replace the faulty board and everything should be ok again.

 

On my M8, the line also just ran about 1/3 of the length of the sensor, at the exact same location every time. You have been lucky so far in that the line is visible at ISO 1250 and 2500. On my one the line was clearly visible at ISO 160.

 

Good luck,

Andreas

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[larry]

Ed,

 

Are these 100-percent crops? Have you made prints to see if the line shows up? The line in the ISO 1250 shot is barely visible on my monitor (24-in. iMac). I know it's annoying, but it might be something that has no functional impact. Good luck.

 

Larry

[Shootist]

Thanks Andreas, yes it looks like another trip to NJ for a black M8 for me.

 

 

Ed,

 

Are these 100-percent crops? Have you made prints to see if the line shows up? The line in the ISO 1250 shot is barely visible on my monitor (24-in. iMac). I know it's annoying, but it might be something that has no functional impact. Good luck.

 

Larry

 

Larry not really sure what a 100% crop is but these are crops. I just printed out 2 images, one of the image I posted and another with it cropped even more. In the first printed crop, like the one I posted, it is visible but faintly in the second print which is cropped even more, both 8x10, the line is very visible. Not that I shoot at 1250 or 2500 much and not that they would be visible in normal size prints that I do, 8x10.5 on 8.5x 11 paper and 12x18 on 13x19 paper, but just knowing the line is there is going to bother me to no end.

My chrome M8 is perfect.

Like I said maybe I'm not supposed to have 2 M8's or maybe I'm not supposed to have a black M8.

I've had 2 chrome M8's, first one was replaced because cosmetic defects, and both of them haven't given me any real problems.

[geoff]

Well after sending in my black M8 twice for a rangefinder problem that Leica couldn't seem to fix they sent me brand new black M8.

Now this new one has the line problem. These images show it clearly at 1250 and 2500 but you can see it at 640 and 320 also.

 

Funny thing is the line doesn't go all the way to the top of the images.

I noticed it because on the LCD screen there is a bright spec at one pixel in all the images that moves with the image when zoomed in but really isn't noticeable on my computer screen....

 

 

Yep, this sounds all too familiar.

 

I bought two M8s during the first week of release. Of the two cameras, one exhibited this problem, most noticeable at higher ISO settings. The other M8 had a startup issue.

 

Leica sent my M8 with the line problem off to Germany to for repair and replaced the other camera that had the startup problem. The repaired camera has always work fine since return. However, the replacement camera has now started to exhibit the line problem.

 

It seems that this issue is only resident to some early M8 stock, from which my replacement M8 was pulled from, and maybe yours, and not later M8 shipments.

 

I’m off to Allendale in the next week to drop my replacement M8 off for repair. Perhaps I’ll bring Betty a boutique of flowers.

 

 

Geoff

myspace.com/geoffotos

[Shootist]

Not early stock. The serial # is 31998XX. The one I have before was 3195. My chrome M8 that doesn't have the problem is 3108. Oh and the other black M8 I had didn't have this line problem.

Oh Well. I still would rather have a M8 then a D(whatever).

Thanks for the reply.

 

 

Yep, this sounds all too familiar.

 

I bought two M8s during the first week of release. Of the two cameras, one exhibited this problem, most noticeable at higher ISO settings. The other M8 had a startup issue.

 

Leica sent my M8 with the line problem off to Germany to for repair and replaced the other camera that had the startup problem. The repaired camera has always work fine since return. However, the replacement camera has now started to exhibit the line problem.

 

It seems that this issue is only resident to some early M8 stock, from which my replacement M8 was pulled from, and maybe yours, and not later M8 shipments.

 

I’m off to Allendale in the next week to drop my replacement M8 off for repair.

 

 

Geoff

myspace.com/geoffotos

[Venkman]

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Funny enough, Ptomsu found one as well, only after installing the new firmware.

[Shootist]

Funny enough, Ptomsu found one as well, only after installing the new firmware.

 

Very funny you should say that. I took some shots yesterday before I updated the firmware to make some tests of the high ISO and looking at them now I don't see the line or it is becasue of the image itself. I really can't see the line in the second image, same subject and distance, after doing the FW update.

I'll take another shot like the one I did yesterday with the same lens and have a look.

[robertwright]

I've got it too. Funny that it does not show up in every shot. It goes away for a while, then comes back. Also the stuck pixel others have mentioned.

 

In 11x14 prints it does not show. Nor does it show in print. But it is hard to send files in with flaws like that.

[gravastar]

I also had this with a new camera bought about 9 mths ago. The shop immediately replaced it with one that had been specifically tested by Leica UK for the problem. Guess what, the second "tested" one also had a similar line but not nearly so noticeable. In use it can rarely be seen in the picture. It needs ISO 640 or above and a uniformly colored wall for it to be visible. In most instances it's disguised by the noise.

 

In both cases the line could be seen if you photographed a plain white card at high ISO. I'm curious as to why Leica's final test/QA doesn't find these. Possibly their test methodology is inadequate or the fault appears after the camera has left test or it's within the spec that Kodak supplies to and Leica only fixes them if a customer complains.

 

Bob.

[Shootist]

I also had this with a new camera bought about 9 mths ago. The shop immediately replaced it with one that had been specifically tested by Leica UK for the problem. Guess what, the second "tested" one also had a similar line but not nearly so noticeable. In use it can rarely be seen in the picture. It needs ISO 640 or above and a uniformly colored wall for it to be visible. In most instances it's disguised by the noise.

 

In both cases the line could be seen if you photographed a plain white card at high ISO. I'm curious as to why Leica's final test/QA doesn't find these. Possibly their test methodology is inadequate or the fault appears after the camera has left test or it's within the spec that Kodak supplies to and Leica only fixes them if a customer complains.

 

Bob.

 

Yeah that's what I'm seeing.

In this shot there is no blue line from just above the center of the image to the bottom but there is a black line from just above center to the top. It is in the same place as the blue line.

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Not sure what I'm going to do. I need both bodies for a wedding in about 3 weeks.

[gravastar]

.........................................Not sure what I'm going to do. I need both bodies for a wedding in about 3 weeks.

This is a long shot - but if you can't get it fixed in time I've seen somewhere an example of how to program the custom filter in Photoshop CS3 to take the pixel values either side of the line and replace the line with their average. That's assuming the line is only one or a few pixels wide. I think you may have to use a mask as well to select only the line and adjacent pixels. These methods work because the line is always in a fixed position within the frame.

 

Bob.

[delander †]

Also just noticed this as a result of checking the ISO performance after updating to FW2

 

This is on my first M8 bought April 2007 ser.no. 310xxxx at 2500 iso. It is less visible at 1250 but still there. It appears to originate from a pixel in the black square that I have added and goes all the way to the bottom of the frame.

 

I dont have it on my second M8 bought August 2007, also updated to FW2.

 

I dont think it is due to the FW2, but is becoming evident as we test for any high ISO improvements.

 

What to do now? will it get worse? contact Leica on Monday I suppose.

 

Jeff

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[Guest WPalank]

Ed,

I found the problem on my original camera body got worse and worse with time.

 

Also, if i took the Fill Light slider and Black slider and pushed them to the right, either in ACR or Lightroom, it showed up in every image regardless of ISO.

[Bigfeet]

Well after sending in my black M8 twice for a rangefinder problem that Leica couldn't seem to fix they sent me brand new black M8.

Now this new one has the line problem. These images show it clearly at 1250 and 2500 but you can see it at 640 and 320 also.

 

1250

[ATTACH]103931[/ATTACH]

 

2500

[ATTACH]103932[/ATTACH]

 

Funny thing is the line doesn't go all the way to the top of the images.

I noticed it because on the LCD screen there is a bright spec at one pixel in all the images that moves with the image when zoomed in but really isn't noticeable on my computer screen.

 

Maybe I'm just not supposed to have 2 M8's

This new one is SPOT on with the rangefinder and the shutter release is smooth.

Now I'll have to contact Leica again and see what can be done.

 

 

Stupid question, but where do you get that display? I would like to use that on my camera as well.

 

 

Thanks,

Bigfeet

[Mauribix]

Ed,

I found the problem on my original camera body got worse and worse with time.

 

Also, if i took the Fill Light slider and Black slider and pushed them to the right, either in ACR or Lightroom, it showed up in every image regardless of ISO.

 

Ed, William is right, I went to the same conclusion. My camera has been in Solms for this two times, but that's the only smart thing to do: send it there!

It's due to some kind of trouble with the electronic board or its circuits(I guess more related to some kind of "bad welding"rather than a defective component).

 

Ciao!

[Mauribix]

Stupid question, but where do you get that display? I would like to use that on my camera as well.

 

 

Thanks,

Bigfeet

 

I guess he was referring to a burnt pixel right in line with that band...

[Shootist]

Stupid question, but where do you get that display? I would like to use that on my camera as well.

 

 

Thanks,

Bigfeet

You mean the test chart? If so I made it. PM me with your email address and I'll send you a PDF file of it. It is printed on 13x19 satin photo paper, although you can print it on any type of paper.

[Shootist]

Ed, William is right, I went to the same conclusion. My camera has been in Solms for this two times, but that's the only smart thing to do: send it there!

It's due to some kind of trouble with the electronic board or its circuits(I guess more related to some kind of "bad welding"rather than a defective component).

 

Ciao!

Thanks Mauribix. I'm going to call Leica NJ on Monday and hope they can just exchange it one more time. If not then I'll send it in to be fixed after the wedding I'm doing.

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[Mauribix]

Thanks Mauribix. I'm going to call Leica NJ on Monday and hope they can just exchange it one more time. If not then I'll send it in to be fixed after the wedding I'm doing.

 

Good luck man!