[seliscan]

Hi,

I bought the camera about 1,5 years ago. In the beginning was fantastic, no problems what so ever, perhaps a little bit of banding.

It all started about a year ago, when the corners started to get a magenta cast from ISO 1600 and up. Now I have an elliptic structure of a magenta cast in all images from 1600 and up.

The problem can be seen in the images below. I tested the camera complete covered with the lens cap and visor cap, both in RAW and JPG at ISO 6400 (for the problem to be seen more clearly). The last image is a real life scene, an processed in any way image, just resided (once again the magenta cast is there, not as pronounced, because is at ISO 1600 but noticeable and disturbing for me). I get the elliptic effect in all pictures.

Is it normal, or is a sensor fault and should be repaired in warranty?

Please excuse my writing, English is not my native language

With respect, Alexandru

Attached Images

     

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Last edited by seliscan; 01-10-2011 at 03:39 AM.

[GlennG]

Sorry that you did not receive an answer yet, and I regret that I don't have a K20 or GX20 for comparison, but if you have a warranty on the camera, I would certainly get it checked out. I would not consider those items you showed as normal or acceptable. Glenn

[seliscan]

Thank you for the response GlennG.

Samsung representatives from Romania tried to convince me that the camera is OK, and the phenomena described by me is a due to the "sample variation", and they recommended me to shot lower than ISO 400 . This was the official response! I tried to reason with the store manager but he started to get angry and yell at me on the phone .

Anyway, I managed in the and to send the camera in warranty about a week ago but I got no answer yet, and I'm afraid they will make another excuse not to change the camera, or repair it.

[GlennG]

Hello again. If at all possible, please continue to insist on the repair or change. Those artifacts are extreme and cannot be sample variation. Thanks. Glenn

[seliscan]

Hi GlennG,

Thank you for the advice "please continue to insist on the repair or change". After almost one month they decided to change the sensor and circuit board from the camera. I hope they can put it back together again...

[GlennG]

I'm glad to hear of the good news. I hope the changes work out for you.

Glenn

[chhayanat]

This camera appears to be from the the series sold in Bucharest in early and mid-2009. I too bought a GX20 which developed a stabilisation (OIS) problem that is described in detail on another thread. Samsung Romania looked at it during the warranty period but refused to acknowledge that there was a problem . It is now past warranty and the OIS still switches off sporadically even though the OIS lever is in the 'On' position.
Hope Samsung Romania can fix this for you.

[seliscan]

Thanks guys for the support.

I received the camera yesterday and I did some tests at night. Now everything is as it shod be. The only drown back was that they did not changed the camera but the PCB + sensor structure and the body is the same. Nothing wrong here but as nonprofessionals as they are, I found A LOT of dust inside which was quite difficult to clean (but in the end, that was also resolved).

To be honest I've tried 11 months to convince them to resolve the problem and was not acknowledged by Samsung Romania. In the end I recorded the conversation with the boss there which started to yell at me in the middle of our conversation and in the end I remained him of that; I god a mail next day to send the camera in warranty and the rest I told you already.

On the papers, I received the same funny thing as usual: "we did not find any problem with the camera, the descried problem is due to sample variation, and to avoid it you should use the camera between ISO 100 and 400" LOL

I'm very satisfied with my camera now, but this will be my last Samsung product ever bought from Romania (I hate passing through the same circumstanced with the warranty, if there is a problem with the product).

Best regards to all of you

[octavmandru]

Tipic romanesc.

[seliscan]

Unfortunatly yes, typical romanian.

The good news is that now the front focus problem with all my lenses is gone, it seemed the sensor was not in the right place in the first time.

[chhayanat]

Since April 2011, the OIS does not work any more with any kind of lens and at any setting whether of the OIS lever or of the shooting mode dial. I shall approach Samsung Romania, write them a stinker, and see what they have to say. Given their goofy response during the warranty period, I am no optimistic.
Chhayanat

"This camera appears to be from the the series sold in Bucharest in early and mid-2009. I too bought a GX20 which developed a stabilisation (OIS) problem that is described in detail on another thread. Samsung Romania looked at it during the warranty period but refused to acknowledge that there was a problem . It is now past warranty and the OIS still switches off sporadically even though the OIS lever is in the 'On' position."

[chhayanat]

Samsung Romania agreed to have their authorised repair shop look at it again. Extracts from their reply explain themselves: " The defect wasn't the switch itself, but it was mechanically misaligned and lever was not action on switch's button...the switch was put in correct position... Regarding yours last year complain, I am sure (and service is) that this defect was there at that time but the switch was probably not so much displaced."

The OIS works properly now. Samsung Romania have shown rare sensitivity to a genuine complaint which is why I am posting this info. in separate but relevant threads for members to know.
Chhayanat