dkCambridgeshire Posted May 27, 2013 Share #1 Posted May 27, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) A friend has recently experienced an intermittent purple colour cast on approximately 20% of his X1 images. Camera is set to DNG + JPG with RGB colour space. Colour cast is visible in images viewed in camera and after download. Auto white balance was used but the same scene with same lighting produces images with both normal colour and the intermittent purple colour cast. Leica Mayfair have not had other reports of this problem and are thus arranging return of the camera to Solms for investigation. Camera was new in September 2012 when was a new Solms replacement for a previous X1 which had a persistent overexposure problem. The intermittent purple images have only been apparent in recent weeks. The camera has been fine for the first 7 months of ownership; camera has been subjected to regular use - probably several thousand actuations. Has anyone else experienced the purple colour cast problem? Or can anyone suggest a cause or remedy? This is not a purple fringing colour problem - it is an overall purple colour cast. Regret I do not have any sample pics - but might be able to post same later if sent some. Best wishes dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 27, 2013 Posted May 27, 2013 Hi dkCambridgeshire, Take a look here X1 - Intermittent purple colour cast problem. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
JOM51 Posted May 27, 2013 Share #2 Posted May 27, 2013 Were you using the camera for B&W? I found that when selecting B&W is better not to use auto white balance, because then the images have a purple cast. The RAW can be easily corrected. For B&W select daylight or other white balance. regards, J.M. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted May 27, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted May 27, 2013 Were you using the camera for B&W?I found that when selecting B&W is better not to use auto white balance, because then the images have a purple cast. The RAW can be easily corrected. For B&W select daylight or other white balance. regards, J.M. The camera was used for colour. The photographer sent me the following files to document the anomaly and stated: " ... A comparative result is attached. Both taken within a few moments of the other. Both reduced from the RAW files to jpeg via PS. What may be interesting here is that the purple one is twice the size of the other in file size. The histograms are quite clearly different in colour distribution." I have resized both the images to 960 pixels wide. The first resized file was 418Kb whereas the second file with the purple colour cast was 627Kb and required further reduction to comply with forum size rules. 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! Any comments regarding possible cause and remedy would be very much appreciated. Best wishes dunk Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Any comments regarding possible cause and remedy would be very much appreciated. Best wishes dunk ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205479-x1-intermittent-purple-colour-cast-problem/?do=findComment&comment=2332216'>More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted May 27, 2013 Share #4 Posted May 27, 2013 Sensor failure. The camera needs to go back to Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted May 27, 2013 Share #5 Posted May 27, 2013 Either you are shooting through an 092 filter or sensor failure. I bet on the latter - off to Solms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share #6 Posted May 28, 2013 My friend will be very interested to learn of your diagnoses - he is a forum member. Interesting to hear from him that Leica Mayfair had not come across this problem previously - which might be indicative of X1 sensor failures being rare occurrences? Thank you. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmetron Posted May 28, 2013 Share #7 Posted May 28, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Bad sensor. Same results when my D2 sensor started failing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share #8 Posted July 15, 2013 My friend's Leica X1 was sent to Solms and is now back after the sensor was replaced; the repair was completed under warranty within 10 days. Thank you for your correct diagnoses. Best wishes dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted July 16, 2013 Seems I was a bit premature in posting that all is well with the X1. My friend went to York last week where he and his wife attended a wedding. He had agreed to photograph the wedding day and produce an album for the bride and groom - his photos likely to be more candid than those of the official photographer. After just a few shots the purple demon struck again and the X1 was retired from the proceedings. My friend completed the shoot using his wife's Canon S1 compact camera. He now appears forlorn, depressed, and distressed - and has lost his former faith in Leica products. Was the X1 sensor replaced by Solms? Who can say for sure? If it was, why has it failed again? If it wasn't replaced, why not? This morning my friend has Emailed his UK Leica Premier dealer, Leica Solms and Amateur Photograher magazine expressing his dismay and lack of faith in the X1's reliability. He has been exceedingly unlucky with his two X1 cameras and their several unsatisfactory repairs. Next instalment will be posted after responses to his Emails. Best wishes dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wda Posted July 17, 2013 Share #10 Posted July 17, 2013 This is a very bad experience Dunk. Leica are responsible for resolving the matter. Looking forward to hearing the revised outcome. Is this the first example for the X1? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted July 17, 2013 This is a very bad experience Dunk. Leica are responsible for resolving the matter. Looking forward to hearing the revised outcome. Is this the first example for the X1? I have not heard of another instance of X1 sensor failure and cannot recall seeing anything similar reported via the forum for either the X1 or the X2. And I do not know if Leica X1 servicing/repairs are done 'in house' or contracted out. But it seems that as the camera has been returned with the same image purpling fault and the owner's previous X1 was returned with the overexposure fault not remedied, then something might be amiss with the fault diagnoses/checking. My friend did not receive any diagnostic report stating what was discovered or remedied. I have read on the forum of other Leica camera models being returned after repair with faults not remedied ... which seems to be 'un-Leica-like' - which is why I'm wondering if serving/repair might be contracted out. To the best of my knowledge the X1 uses the same Sony sensor as is used in the Nikon D300 and it does not have a reputation for unreliability. But, different cameras using the same sensor have different design/build characteristics. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thybo Posted July 17, 2013 Share #12 Posted July 17, 2013 Try to have a look at the thread: "HELP My X1 is trying to be a Holga" Now after 18 months (after returning from Leica) the problem has relocated (no warrenty - sic.) Thybo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted July 17, 2013 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-x1-forum/176069-help-my-x1-trying-holga.html Thank you. I've passed the link on to my friend. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted July 17, 2013 Share #14 Posted July 17, 2013 It was a intermittent fault right? Sounds like when Leica checked the camera it worked OK so they basically checked and repacked it. It would be most unlikey for the same fault to occur again so soon. Back to Leica and ask for confirmation of what they do this time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share #15 Posted July 17, 2013 It was a intermittent fault right? Sounds like when Leica checked the camera it worked OK so they basically checked and repacked it. It would be most unlikey for the same fault to occur again so soon. Back to Leica and ask for confirmation of what they do this time. One point being emphasised is that with my friend's previous X1 which was eventually exchanged for a new camera, that previous 'intermittent' fault was not remedied either. They need to do more than just 'basically check and repack'. It's as if some overworked technician did not go through all procedures properly to try and replicate the fault. And this fact makes me suspicious as to whether the camera was examined by Leica ... it's as if a third party might have been contracted for the repair. And I recall several instances of other forum members' cameras being returned without the defects/faults being remedied. So it's not unprecedented for a faulty camera to be returned without the fault being remedied. However, I'm under the impression that Leica Solms' employees are conscientious and have the initiative and wherewithal to fully follow through ie perform proper diagnostic tests and report back to customers via a test report. No such test report was sent to my friend. I myself have experienced a camera being repaired but then returned in a worst state (damaged) than when first sent to Leica - that camera was also an X1 and it was replaced after being sent back to Solms again. And Leica could offer no explanation for the damage .. and said they would send me a new grey X1 replacement ... but when I opened the box it was a black model ... which surprised both me and the customer service contact who progressed my complaint. I prefer the black model so was and still am quite happy with it - but clearly the customer service manager's request for a grey model replacement was not met. Something appears to be not quite right with their repair/service/communication procedures. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted July 21, 2013 When the camera first malfunctioned, Leica Mayfair's techie did not recognise the problem and so arranged for it to be collected and sent on to Solms for repair. After receiving the X1 back from repair in Solms, my friend sent the following proof of the unresolved problem back to Leica Solms. 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! So far there has been no further response from Solms. My immediate thoughts are that unless there is something in the camera causing another sensor failure, the sensor was probably not replaced by Solms. Best wishes dunk Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! So far there has been no further response from Solms. My immediate thoughts are that unless there is something in the camera causing another sensor failure, the sensor was probably not replaced by Solms. Best wishes dunk ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205479-x1-intermittent-purple-colour-cast-problem/?do=findComment&comment=2379223'>More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted July 25, 2013 Leica Solms have suggested a solution ... I will advise ref same soonest. dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
satijntje Posted July 25, 2013 Share #18 Posted July 25, 2013 Replacement with a refurbished X2 or Vario? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkCambridgeshire Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted July 25, 2013 When the camera first malfunctioned, Leica Mayfair's techie did not recognise the problem and so arranged for it to be collected and sent on to Solms for repair. After receiving the X1 back from repair in Solms, my friend sent the following proof of the unresolved problem back to Leica Solms. So far there has been no further response from Solms. My immediate thoughts are that unless there is something in the camera causing another sensor failure, the sensor was probably not replaced by Solms. Best wishes dunk Leica Solms has requested that the purpling X1 is again returned to them. When repacking the camera my friend discovered a letter from Leica Solms in the bottom of the box which he did not see when the camera was returned to him after the previous repair i.e. following the first 'purpling' episode. The letter states that the sensor was replaced during the repair - so it appears that the new sensor has also failed. Sensors do not usually fail by themselves; there is a reason why they fail e.g. they overheat or suffer moisture ingress. Perhaps the actual camera (itself a new replacement a few months ago for my friend's original X1) developed a fault or was prone to developing a fault which compromised the sensor for a second time? The X1 which has experienced two sensor failures has gone back to Leica Solms today. Leica Solms' solution to my friend's problem X1 cameras should arrive soon - but because of the several previous X1 disappointments he does not wish to "count chickens" and reveal all at this stage dunk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrware Posted July 29, 2013 Share #20 Posted July 29, 2013 Interesting to hear from him that Leica Mayfair had not come across this problem previously - which might be indicative of X1 sensor failures being rare occurrences? Mayfair may have thought as I did from the description that you meant much slighter than the example. From the example, I'd agree with the others, back to Leica for repair or replacement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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