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M8 Owner Banding Census


mitchell

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I think it would be helpful to us and to Leica for M8 owners to post on this thread whether you are able to induce "banding." Obviously, many have banding under specific conditions, but, at least one, Mark Andrew, has not been able to produce banding in his M8.

 

Please don't post unless you've specifically tested for banding by shooting into a small overexposed light source with a relatively dark background at 640 and higher ISO. It would also, probably, be helpful to Leica to post your serial number, and firmware version.

 

After there are enough responses we can send the results to Leica. Any suggestions for improving this census are welcome, but lets keep the banding discussion in existing threads.

 

Thanks,

 

Mitchell

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I haven't done any extensive tests but have tried to induce banding by shooting low light scenes with very bright light sources. I haven't yet been able to reproduce the banding problem at all - even at ISO 2500. However, I can easily replicate the unrelated 'green' ghosted image problem that I drew attention to in an earlier thread (and which is potentially as annoying).

 

Serial number is 31013xx and I'm using 1.06 firmware.

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I have been able to induce banding with ISO as low as 640. Switching to 320 reduces it to the point where it is not easily seen, but does not always completely eliminate it. I think that it also depends on the angle of the light source and just how much brighter it is than the surrounding area. Last night at a restuarant, I took several pictures which did not show it at all and one or two that did. This was a fairly dark restaurant with halogen lights. When pointed directly into the light, it gave slight banding.

 

I also got some very odd ghosting from the fireplay, sort of a big cyan blob in the middle of the photo.

 

Serial No. is 31033xx and the firmware is 1.06.

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Experienced banding while I was at the beach Saturday night. There was a bright full moon in the dark cloudy sky, so I figured see what happened at ISO 2500. There is a definite banding line runing the length of the frames.

 

Serial no. 3102162, firmware 1.06

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I can easily replicate the unrelated I haven't 'green' ghosted image problem that I drew attention to in an earlier thread (and which is potentially as annoying).

 

Serial number is 31013xx and I'm using 1.06 firmware.

 

Ian can you post an example of this or a link to the other thread where you might have posted an example. Thanks.

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Count me in on the camera banding.

 

3100289 and firmware 1.06 .

 

I also emailed my local Leica rep. who said that she would be following up with Leica USA this morning. In the same email, I reported the magenta tinting and the inaccurate WB problems.

 

Ray

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It is not difficult for me to produce banding. All I have to do is go out and take the sort of pictures I like to take, and voila, there it is.... Even at ISO320 and 640. This is a real show-stopper for me. The color profiles and all that other stuff is minor, since it can be dealt with through the raw processing workflow. This banding issue will kill this camera if they don't get it fixed.

 

Firmware Version 1.06

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I think it would be helpful to us and to Leica for M8 owners to post on this thread whether you are able to induce "banding." Obviously, many have banding under specific conditions, but, at least one, Mark Andrew, has not been able to produce banding in his M8.

 

Please don't post unless you've specifically tested for banding by shooting into a small overexposed light source with a relatively dark background at 640 and higher ISO. It would also, probably, be helpful to Leica to post your serial number, and firmware version.

 

After there are enough responses we can send the results to Leica. Any suggestions for improving this census are welcome, but lets keep the banding discussion in existing threads.

 

Thanks,

 

Mitchell

 

Just the $0.02 of a guy who has owned a Nikon D1x, two Nikon D2x, two Canon 1D Mark II, a Canon 1Ds, two 1Ds Mark II, and received his two DMRs when they were first available.

 

It is not a matter of having a bad sensor, it's the fact that this is a CCD sensor combined with the way the information is "downloaded" from the sensor and into the raw file. Everyone will have this issue. Leica will probably be able to reduce it via firmware update.

 

BTW, I would suggest not calling this issue "banding" because a lot of folks are doing Google searches on "banding" and are coming up with what is commonly referred to as "banding", which is low frequency bands [more visible in the shadows] at high ISO.

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hmmm. good to know about the serial number issue. But there doesn't seem to be a way for me to edit my post to adjust it.

I am missing an EDIT button on my post.

 

I would appreiciate it if some kind moderator would make the change on my previous post - blotting out the final digits of my serial number.

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JR,

 

I agree that "Banding" is not the proper name, but for lack of a better one so far it is being used for this issue in other threads on the forum so I followed suit.

 

Whether it appears in all the M8's out there is one of the things I'm trying to find out with this Thread. So far it seems two M8 users haven't been able to induce it. Possibly they haven't taken the right kind of shot, or their particular M8 doesn't do it.

 

Best,

 

Mitchell

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Well, I can produce some banding, but I have to work really hard for it, so I am content to wait for the improvement from Leica. I am more concerned about the magenta cast, which I can't get rid of in a couple of snaps I took today, even with C1LE and the R9 or R8 profiles...

 

Albert Bruce Knapp, what *exactly* is the security problem with posting a serial number?

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