Center split on M8 sensor

[marknorton]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I have a second generation M8, delivered in January with version 1.09 firmware, that exhibited a similar problem to this... only in low light situations and only sometimes. In my case, it appeared as if there was an overlap of sorts, causing it to appear like a vertical ghosted band just right of center. I put the lens cap on and made test shots at various ISO settings and shutter speeds and it appears consistently in those, but it doesn't appear in the vast majority of my shots made in normal shooting circumstances. I was told by Leica that the issue would be fixed with future firmware upgraded. I just upgraded to 1.092 yesterday but haven't tested this out yet.

 

Tim. I think this is the noise band which is 58% of the way across the sensor and could be aggravated by under exposing at high ISO and pushing the exposure in C1. I believe I have seen a comment from someone here to say it's fixed.

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[xerxes]

I just got my M8 back from repair in New Jersey after waiting about 5 interminable weeks. THe only notation said "adjusted and tested OK"

 

I upgraded to to the new 1.102 firmware and took the camera into the same dark room and did a 2 minute exposure at F8 using the same 35mm Summilux. The problem is still very evident.

 

I am begining to belive that the M8 simply cannot make acceptable images in low light that are beyond a 30 sec exposure. I would love to hear if anyone else has been able to do long exposure night shots?

 

Thanks,

 

-Mark Flaming

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[ho_co]

Mark--

If you want Allendale to check for a problem as specific as this, you should send them a couple examples (as you've posted here) and a request that they make a direct test for this effect.

 

I believe this mismatch in sensor-side output is something only Solms can correct.

 

--HC

[scott kirkpatrick]

I loaded the new firmware this morning, and took a 180 second exposure at F16 to test the firmware. The banding issue is completely gone, but the split on my sensor is as apparent as ever. You can clearly see that the left side has a green cast to it compared to the right.

 

 

180 sec exposures are quite rare, but this is the first 1/2 frame AWB flakiness demonstration I've seen. Is anyone else taking long exposures and finding strange behavior? These will stress the darkframe subtraction, which is apparently done for every exposure below 1/30 sec.

 

scott

[mtomalty]

Scott

 

If you look at the first post in this thread (my image) you can easily see the split.

This image was taken somewhere around 1/250 sec

It was easily visible on the original blue sky before the black and white conversion,

as well.

 

Mark

[ho_co]

Mark--

I think Scott was replying to another Mark's problem.

 

Yours is evident and as you mentioned, a recognized issue with some Kodak sensors.

 

Do you have a late-model camera? (A couple posters have hinted at that question.) This centerfold problem was one of the defects corrected by Solms' upgrade of the bodies shipped before December of 2006.

 

The problem isn't as bad in the image you posted as it was in the pre-update cameras, but it shouldn't be there at all.

 

Only Leica can correct the problem.

 

--HC