What is going on with my DMR??

[LVSBB6]

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So I was excited to receive my DMR/R9 back from Leica NJ after a 2 months wait on sensor repair, but after a series of test shots and I found about every 1 of out 6 pictures have these problems after I uploaded and view on the computer. These are JPEG files and seem fine when viewed on the DMR LCD screen, but once you transferred to the computer its obviously not usable.

 

I have tried using different SD cards and battery, but it still gave me same result. I'm quite disappointed as they claimed to have tested and inspected before returning to me. This never happened before to my DMR before I sent back for service. Does anyone know what the issue is?

 

 

 

 

[Nicoleica]

Hi.

 

I believe that the normal cause for most DMR woes is dirty contacts. But if this has just come back from Leica, that should be unlikely.

 

If you put the card back into the DMR and view the pictures, do they still look OK? If so, then the problem could be with your card-reader. Are you able to try a different card-reader? If not, then you might try cleaning the contacts on the card reader and its connections.

[andybarton]

Have you tried shooting RAW?

 

This looks like a failed sensor to me, but as Nicole says, it could be a dodgy card.

 

Email the files to Leica CS in NJ and ask for a rapid response.

[LVSBB6]

Hi.

 

I believe that the normal cause for most DMR woes is dirty contacts. But if this has just come back from Leica, that should be unlikely.

 

If you put the card back into the DMR and view the pictures, do they still look OK? If so, then the problem could be with your card-reader. Are you able to try a different card-reader? If not, then you might try cleaning the contacts on the card reader and its connections.

 

The pictures appear to be okay when viewing on the DMR, but I have tried viewing the SD card on different computers and still have the same problem.

 

Have you tried shooting RAW?

 

This looks like a failed sensor to me, but as Nicole says, it could be a dodgy card.

 

Email the files to Leica CS in NJ and ask for a rapid response.

 

I tried shooting RAW and TIFF and the files seem to be fine. It only happens with JPEG files so far.

[Guest jarski]

turn off/on cycles possible while camera was writing to card ?

[LVSBB6]

I considered that too and definitely not the case, I waited for the camera to cycle long enough before ejecting the SD card.

 

I took over 200 shots, and this happened in almost every 8th photo.

 

turn off/on cycles possible while camera was writing to card ?

[jaapv]

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Unlikely as it is, I would take the camera apart, clean all contacts with alcohol and reassemble. maybe there is something on a contact, maybe it has jarred slightly loose during transport. An off-chance, but worth checking out before sending it in.

[jrehorek1]

Hi,

you may want to try formatting your sd card (in camera), reset the DMR to the factory settings and re-apply the latest firmware (1.3).

If this doesn't work. I'm afraid the only choice left is sending the camera back to Leica service.

regards

Jiri

[mgcd]

Yes definitely clean all contacts, it's likely to be the source of this issue. Seriously though, forget JPEG, just shoot raw with the DMR. I don't think I ever bothered to shoot anything but RAW with my DMR.

 

Cheers,

[LVSBB6]

Unlikely as it is, I would take the camera apart, clean all contacts with alcohol and reassemble. maybe there is something on a contact, maybe it has jarred slightly loose during transport. An off-chance, but worth checking out before sending it in.

 

I have already cleaned the contacts a few times but still doesn't solve the problem. It's frustrating as I just received it back from sensor repair but it mostly needs to be sent back again due to this problem. I'm awaiting response from Leica before doing so.

 

Hi,

you may want to try formatting your sd card (in camera), reset the DMR to the factory settings and re-apply the latest firmware (1.3).

If this doesn't work. I'm afraid the only choice left is sending the camera back to Leica service.

regards

Jiri

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have already tried that a number of times and didn't work either.

 

Yes definitely clean all contacts, it's likely to be the source of this issue. Seriously though, forget JPEG, just shoot raw with the DMR. I don't think I ever bothered to shoot anything but RAW with my DMR.

 

Cheers,

 

I would be surprised of Leica didn't clean the sensor prior to sending back to me. As much as I like shooting in RAW, I would not settle for the malfunction in JPEG mode especially just receiving the camera back from NJ.

[grduprey]

You said you tried several sd cards and different computers. Did you try another card reader?

[farnz]

Sorry to hear about your problem - a camera that only works intermittently is worse than one that doesn't work at all.

 

Point 1: It can't be a faulty sensor because you successfully checked the images on the DMR's LCD screen. If it was me I'd be going "Phew!":o

 

Point 2: For the same reason your DMR's buffer must be okay because (I presume) the review image is written from the buffer to the video memory address field for the LCD. (Otherwise it would have to be written from the SD card to the video memory address field, which would prove the SD card writing process, but the time to write in and write out again suggests that this is unlikely.)

 

Personally I would suspect the SD card writing process since you appear to have eliminated poor contacts.

 

I note that photos 1 and 2 show 'just' a line at roughly the same location, which indicates that the problem rectifies itself whereas in photo 3 it doesn't rectify itself. This may indicate a thermal cut-out that resumes after something cools and returns to operating temperature. Since the photos are of fireworks it suggests that the sensor was exposed and on for a lengthy period, which could contribute to unusual thermal effects. Do you see the same problems when shooting during the day with faster shutter speeds?

 

 

Incidentally, if you do have to return your DMR to Solms you might like to get them to sort out the hot pixels in the top left at the same time.

 

Pete

[LVSBB6]

You said you tried several sd cards and different computers. Did you try another card reader?

 

Yes I have tried on difference card readers on my PC and Mac, same result.

 

Sorry to hear about your problem - a camera that only works intermittently is worse than one that doesn't work at all.

 

Point 1: It can't be a faulty sensor because you successfully checked the images on the DMR's LCD screen. If it was me I'd be going "Phew!":o

 

Point 2: For the same reason your DMR's buffer must be okay because (I presume) the review image is written from the buffer to the video memory address field for the LCD. (Otherwise it would have to be written from the SD card to the video memory address field, which would prove the SD card writing process, but the time to write in and write out again suggests that this is unlikely.)

 

Personally I would suspect the SD card writing process since you appear to have eliminated poor contacts.

 

I note that photos 1 and 2 show 'just' a line at roughly the same location, which indicates that the problem rectifies itself whereas in photo 3 it doesn't rectify itself. This may indicate a thermal cut-out that resumes after something cools and returns to operating temperature. Since the photos are of fireworks it suggests that the sensor was exposed and on for a lengthy period, which could contribute to unusual thermal effects. Do you see the same problems when shooting during the day with faster shutter speeds?

 

 

Incidentally, if you do have to return your DMR to Solms you might like to get them to sort out the hot pixels in the top left at the same time.

 

Pete

 

I have tried shooting in broad daylight with fast shutter in sequence, it still has the same problem and in most cases the pictures are the similar as photo 3 with large greyed-out area.

 

My DMR is on its way back to Leica NJ to have this sort out, as well as the hot pxiel issue which it supposed to be fixed last time during repair, but apparently still hasn't completely resolved...

[Thomas Glasgow]

Hi , This happened to me early on in the first 3 months of having a brand new DMR, I took it apart and back together and it went away and only happend once again, both times it happened i was filling up the buffer with 9 shots in repeat mode and holding my finger on the shutter release for when the electronics could go again.so something has gone wrong maybe writing the data, i use sandisk extreme 3, i think they are good SD cards, maybe their are better cards out there.

 

Hope you get it resolved, let us know.

 

Thomas