Mysterious White Spot in pictures.

[freitz]

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Attached you will see some dust marks, Getting the sensor cleaned as we speak. However there was a very weird white spot that if you look closely has a line all the way to the top and bottom of the picture as well.

 

Any idea what that could be?

 

L1001792-1 by freitz1, on Flickr

[CheshireCat]

Is it present in other pictures ? If not, it is probably a flare of some sort.

 

I cannot see the line you are talking about.

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[John Black]

I had the same issue in my first M-240. Every image had the exact same white spot, in the same area and always the same regardless of aperture. It was at the top edge, close to the center. It's a defect in one of the sensor layers (coatings). Leica replaced the sensor - under warranty of course. Probably not the news you wanted to hear, sorry.

[indergaard]

That might be flare. A cloud. Smoke coming from a chimney... Who knows.

You need to do a controlled test to find out if this is a sensor flaw, where you control all the elements (light, background/subject, and use a tripod).

[freitz]

That might be flare. A cloud. Smoke coming from a chimney... Who knows.

You need to do a controlled test to find out if this is a sensor flaw, where you control all the elements (light, background/subject, and use a tripod).

 

It is in every picture I take of the sky. More visible on Fstops F5.6 and up.

 

It is also visible in most of my other pictures when I look for it I find it. I had it them test the sensor at the pro shop where they shoot a white all and its visible there as well you can also see the line more clearly. Having them clean the sensor but it got me thinking there is no way that is dust.

[indergaard]

It is in every picture I take of the sky. More visible on Fstops F5.6 and up.

 

It is also visible in most of my other pictures when I look for it I find it. I had it them test the sensor at the pro shop where they shoot a white all and its visible there as well you can also see the line more clearly. Having them clean the sensor but it got me thinking there is no way that is dust.

 

In that case it's not dust

[freitz]

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In that case it's not dust

 

Thats a shame because he does not have any used ones left and this one was pristine. Looks like I need to fork up for a new one then. It was hard to notice the first time but after I found it I noticed it in every other picture.

[CheshireCat]

It is in every picture I take of the sky. More visible on Fstops F5.6 and up.

 

Send it in for a replacement.

[indergaard]

Thats a shame because he does not have any used ones left and this one was pristine. Looks like I need to fork up for a new one then. It was hard to notice the first time but after I found it I noticed it in every other picture.

 

The camera is still covered by warranty. If your dealer sends it in to Leica they will replace the sensor, do a CLA and probably a rangefinder calibration at the same time if you ask for it (just say that the rangefinder is off). There is the waiting time though... But from my experience every new Leica camera needs a proper calibration anyway... (might sound pessimistic but that's happened both times I purchased a new Leica camera.. A MM and a M240).

[freitz]

I did not buy the camera new. However he did give me a 1year warranty through him. Still waiting for the pro shop to clean the sensor but they said the same thing could be a flaw in the sensor but won't know for sure until after cleaning.

[jaapv]

Which would not be a problem as Leica would replace it for you.

[CheshireCat]

from my experience every new Leica camera needs a proper calibration anyway... (might sound pessimistic but that's happened both times I purchased a new Leica camera

 

Not my experience. My M9 and M were spot on with all my lenses.

[250swb]

Not my experience. My M9 and M were spot on with all my lenses.

 

In the past fifteen years I have bought seven brand new Leica bodies, and not one has needed to be 'calibrated'. But people like to spread bad luck around and create issues out of random events.

 

Steve

[mfunnell]

In the past fifteen years I have bought seven brand new Leica bodies, and not one has needed to be 'calibrated'. But people like to spread bad luck around and create issues out of random events.

 

Steve

Our own experience is, of course, our own experience. I've had an M3 knocked right out of alignment but no problem with any other Leica RF. (And the M3 was fine until it was subjected to a rather drastic bump - so drastic that I was glad the camera survived with no damage aside from the mis-aligned RF.)

 

My M type 240, supposedly more difficult, was initially spot-on focusing all my lenses except my Summilux 75. I'd almost expected that: when I bought my 'lux (very 2nd-hand) it needed a lot of work (hey, it was the only way I could afford one). My M type 240 focused all my other lenses perfectly, but my 75 was way out. (I expected that: the 75 needed a fair bit of work when I bought it. Despite it focusing perfectly with film - M3 and Hexar RF - I guessed that the work done on it when I bought it might have left it not quite up to the rather rigorous requirements of focusing on digital rather than film. And I was right.)

 

Against the recommendation that lens and body be calibrated together, I asked that Camera Clinic (the local Leica service agent here in Oz) fix my 'lux so it focused well on a generic digital body rather than my specific body, figuring that if all my other lenses were spot-on then it was that particular lens that was out, and if it were calibrated correctly then it would be correct with my M. That was taking something of a chance (hey, I wanted to keep using it with all my other lenses) and fortunately that worked brilliantly well. My Summilux 75 now focuses perfectly on my M type 240 with just that generic digital calibration, and I've not had a peep of trouble from it since having it adjusted.

 

...Mike

 

P.S. Note I mean calibrated for the optical viewfinder/rangefinder. Despite reports from others, I've found my Summilux 75 harder to focus accurately, wide open or stopped down, with the EVF than with the optical RF. That's probably because I'm very familiar with RF focus and barely use the EVF for any reason. But I thought I should note it for the record.

Edited September 21, 2014 by mfunnell

[jaapv]

The rather common misunderstanding: Leica lenses are NEVER calibrated to a specific body, they are calibrated to a common standard, even if you send them in together with a camera. Since 1927.

The reason Leica asks customers to send in both is that it is hard for a user to determine which is off.

[jaapv]

The rather common misunderstanding: Leica lenses are NEVER calibrated to a specific body, they are calibrated to a common standard, even if you send them in together with a camera. Since 1927.

The reason Leica asks customers to send in both is that it is hard for a user to determine which is often guaranty:

 

Leica will do a courtesy repair of a stuck pixel like this anyway. Either a sensor remapping or a sensor replacement.