S3 went black

[irenedp]

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My S3 went black, both visor and liveview. When switching between both, liveview shows electronic noise.  I am fearing some major issue like the motherboard, but wanted to ask if somebody has had a similar experience. Thanks in advance 

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[irenedp]

Apologies, after keeping it turned off for a few minutes it restarted normally. Weird…

[helged]

Not experienced and not heard about this issue. I presume the battery is (sufficiently) charge and otherwise ok?

If the problem reoccurs, I would describe the problem in n email to Customer.Care@leica-camera.com; my experience is that you will get a response after a few days.

[Hans-Dieter Gülicher]

After nearly 3 years with my S3 no problems.

[irenedp]

 

2 hours ago, helged said:

Not experienced and not heard about this issue. I presume the battery is (sufficiently) charge and otherwise ok?

If the problem reoccurs, I would describe the problem in n email to Customer.Care@leica-camera.com; my experience is that you will get a response after a few days.

I will do that. After that, it has behaved well. Fingers crossed. 

[davidmknoble]

@irenedp when you said your ‘visor’ went black, are you talking about the EVF?

I am wondering if it was a lens issue - stopped down all they way when mounted?

[djmay]

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On 12/30/2023 at 3:44 PM, irenedp said:

Apologies, after keeping it turned off for a few minutes it restarted normally. Weird…

Were you using live view at the time it went blank?

[irenedp]

1 hour ago, djmay said:

Were you using live view at the time it went blank?

yes, I switched to liveview just the second before that to improve focus. 

[djmay]

2 hours ago, irenedp said:

yes, I switched to liveview just the second before that to improve focus. 

Last night I was shooting in the mountains and it was very cold. I was working with mittens, had live view on and did a shot with my hand over the lens (to “mark” my spot). The screen went blank as you described. I thought I had pressed something with my mittens, but now I think it may have been the same quirk as yours. I think I turned the camera off, then on and everything worked normally. 

[irenedp]

38 minutes ago, djmay said:

Last night I was shooting in the mountains and it was very cold. I was working with mittens, had live view on and did a shot with my hand over the lens (to “mark” my spot). The screen went blank as you described. I thought I had pressed something with my mittens, but now I think it may have been the same quirk as yours. I think I turned the camera off, then on and everything worked normally. 

Yes, I think it was exactly the same quirk. 
Best 🙂

[irenedp]

it malfunctioned today again in the field. Only would reset when taking out the battery, and the dealer has sent it directly to Wetzlar. 

It will be a few months. 

[Guest]

I am sorry to hear about your predicament. S series cameras, when they get sent in for service, have a (strange) history of having their motherboards replaced, usually unasked and free of charge. I hope the turnaround time is quick.

[irenedp]

I think it is the motherboard. Usually either they fail early or last forever. So I am assuming they will change it. The camera has full guarantee coverage. Only concern is the potential waitlist. Thank you 🙂

 

 

Edited January 9, 2024 by irenedp

[Sarnian]

F.Y.I., I got the below from Leica the other day:-

Leica S2/S(006) spare parts are no longer available.

So, no more sensor replacements are possible. 😐

 

 

[Pieter12]

18 minutes ago, Sarnian said:

F.Y.I., I got the below from Leica the other day:-

Leica S2/S(006) spare parts are no longer available.

So, no more sensor replacements are possible. 😐

 

 

I believe the thinking is the motherboard that needs replacing, not the sensor. Plus it's an S3, not S2/006.

[Sarnian]

11 minutes ago, Pieter12 said:

I believe the thinking is the motherboard that needs replacing, not the sensor. Plus it's an S3, not S2/006.

I know. This was just an F.Y.I. re S2's & 006's without creating a new thread. Sorry for the confusion.

Edited January 9, 2024 by Sarnian

[irenedp]

When I showed the dealer the camera, he thought the problem was similar to the one he had seen with the M11s. We even checked if I had the latest firmware version installed -and I had-.  They are different, obviously. The sensor is larger, but  both have the same resolution, are stacked and back illuminated, and I imagine that the electronics may have a very similar architecture (the S3 has video whilst the M11 has not, though).  The camera would not go off unless you pulled off the battery.  Definitely it seems that whatever it is, it’s linked to the electronics. 

[Stuart Richardson]

As far as I am aware, it is the M10R that shares a sensor architecture with the S3, not the M11. If it shared it with the M11, it would have been a significantly higher pixel count. The M11 is a Sony sourced sensor, and I believe the one in the S3 and M10R is AMS/CMOSIS. The SL2 is TowerJazz (like Panasonic). I also don't think the S3 is back illuminated...

Edited January 10, 2024 by Stuart Richardson

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[irenedp]

7 minutes ago, Stuart Richardson said:

As far as I am aware, it is the M10R that shares a sensor architecture with the S3, not the M11. If it shared it with the M11, it would have been a significantly higher pixel count. The M11 is a Sony sourced sensor, and I believe the one in the S3 and M10R is AMS/CMOSIS. The SL2 is TowerJazz (like Panasonic). I also don't think the S3 is back illuminated...

apologies because I went to the Leica S system page and it does not say anything about the sensor being back illuminated. I have heard it somewhere but it is obviously wrong. Regarding the generation it makes more sense the match with the m10r

[Pieter12]

Did you end up sending the camera to Germany? I just experienced what I hope is a fluke with a new-to-me S3 that seems pretty much unused. I made an exposure and the little red activity light stayed on, the camera would not make another exposure, would not even turn off wit the switch. I had to remove the battery and put it back in and then everything seemed to be OK. I hope this is not an indication of more serious problems or that it will continue to randomly occur. I will be on location on the high desert in a few days, I might need to bring a back-up.