K7 busted sensor strikes production body

kittykat46 · 09-05-2009, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by jgredline

I have noticed some strange banding now at high ISO but as alow as ISO 640

I never did get the Green Line thing on my unit, but I noticed some banding before in dark areas of high-contrast shots. I thought they were some sort of JPEG artefact, and never paid much attention to it - made no noticeable difference to the photos - it wasn't visible in print or full screen.

Just taken about 100 photos with V1.01.00.09, didnt' notice anything, but I can't be sure whether its also gone.

falconeye · 09-05-2009, 02:51 AM

Originally posted by jgredline

I have noticed some strange banding now at high ISO but as alow as ISO 640

Javier, you cannot say this and not post the sample

cbaytan · 09-05-2009, 02:57 AM

Originally posted by kittykat46

I never did get the Green Line thing on my unit, but I noticed some banding before in dark areas of high-contrast shots. I thought they were some sort of JPEG artefact, and never paid much attention to it - made no noticeable difference to the photos - it wasn't visible in print or full screen.

Are the bands look like I've noticed and reported in the car picture asking to find green line posted in this thread ?

Jadran · 09-12-2009, 12:47 PM

I've installed 09 firmware, at first green line disappeared, but after a while it's back. Anyone experiencing the same? It shows at temperature between 30 and 37 C, and strange, at higher then 37 it almost disappears.

noVICE · 09-12-2009, 04:51 PM

I did some long exposure shooting last night, previously I had thoroughly tested my camera and I could not get the green line. Turns out some of my recent shots did have the line. But it was only a select few. I was not using live view and it was a relatively cool night so I found it a little odd that they appear on my system when the temperature is moderate.

edit: also I am running the lastest firmware.

I just hope that Pentax can fix this...

jgredline · 09-12-2009, 05:05 PM

Originally posted by falconeye

Javier, you cannot say this and not post the sample

Oh sorry. I re-installed the firmware upgrade and all problems fixed.

falconeye · 09-12-2009, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by Jadran

but after a while it's back

Originally posted by noVICE

Turns out some of my recent shots did have the line.

Are these cameras purchased with original firmware (prior to versions x.08 or x.09)?

If I understand Pentax correctly (I may be wrong), the firmware fix may not entirely cure the problem for a very small number of bodies which shipped before Pentax was aware of the problem. They have since tightened factory quality control to ensure that the problem is gone when applying the updated firmware.

In the rare case the firmware fix doesn't work satisfactorily, I suggest to contact Pentax support for having a look at it. I got the feeling that there shouldn't be more than a handful of bodies left in the world to encounter the problem.

@Jadran, noVICE, please provide shooting parameters (exposure time, ISO, RAW or JPG settings). Thank You.

Last edited by falconeye; 09-12-2009 at 05:20 PM.

Jadran · 09-14-2009, 09:57 AM

falconeye,

camera came with 1.0 firmware, according to exif it was made 5th of August 2009 (s/n 3401***). I see one green and one purple line starting to emerge at 30 C, and they slightly fade away after 36 C. I shoot RAW, lines can be seen on 400 ISO and above. If I push image exposure in Photoshop, it is slightly visible at 200.

They show at 30 C, no meter if I used live view or movie, but of course, in that case heating is much faster. So, lines are product of heating. And .09 firmware doesn't help.

Jadran · 09-14-2009, 10:05 AM

falconeye,

yes, camera came with 1.0 firmare (according to exif it was made 5. Aug 2009, s/n 3401***). I shoot RAW, and I see TWO lines starting to appear at 30C - one green and one purple, no meter of exposure time. They are visible at ISO 400 and higher, even slightly at 200 if I push exposure in Photoshop. No meter if I have been using live view or movie mode. Of course if I do, camera heats up faster. The lines start to fade away after 36C. And .09 firmware doesn't help.

Jadran · 09-14-2009, 10:16 AM

Here is crop from 1600 ISO 32 C, exposure pushed in Photoshop, so it could be more visible. As you can see, there is slight green cast between lines

falconeye · 09-14-2009, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by Jadran

Here is crop from 1600 ISO 32 C, exposure pushed in Photoshop, so it could be more visible. As you can see, there is slight green cast between lines

Please, contact Pentax for assistance.

Class A · 09-14-2009, 01:56 PM

Originally posted by falconeye

If I understand Pentax correctly (I may be wrong), the firmware fix may not entirely cure the problem for a very small number of bodies which shipped before Pentax was aware of the problem.

Do you have any insight as to what is causing the problem for this very small number of bodies?

If the GLS was caused by a firmware bug, it should not depend on specific hardware copies. One could speculate that a very low numbers of sensors actually have broken pixels in the relevant (outer) area but that seems unlikely and would imply that QC now specifically monitors these pixels.

falconeye · 09-15-2009, 03:17 PM

Originally posted by Class A

Do you have any insight as to what is causing the problem for this very small number of bodies?

No, I do not.
All I know is that they have tighter QC now in order to ensure that the camera in conjunction with the new firmware delivers images free of pattern noise.

I speculate that the original routines handling pattern noise (as in the PRIME processor, and every dSLR has them!) had some limitations. And I further speculate that the fimware fix works fine as long as the unprocessed pattern noise (prior to PRIME processing) doesn't become too large. What QC now ensures. My speculation only!

knoxploration · 09-16-2009, 12:21 PM

Time to apply the upgrade... My brand new K-7 shows DSP and CPU firmware versions are both 1.00.00.04. Thanks to everybody who's paved the way before me and compiled all this info!

Ron720 · 09-19-2009, 06:25 PM

I just got my new K7 a couple of hours ago. Its a really nice camera I like it

I just did a check on my firmware on the camera.
Using PhotoME the exif data says this.

DSP firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08
CPU firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08

So do I need to update my firmware? I have only taken one photo with it so far. I wating for the battery to charge.
My serial number is 3402*** so maybe my K7 is newer and has the updates from the factory.
I havent went looking at my 1 photo yet to see if there was a green line.
Also my shutter count is 286 is that normal for brand new?

09-12-2009, 04:51 PM	#470
noVICE Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Brisbane Photos: Gallery Posts: 164	I did some long exposure shooting last night, previously I had thoroughly tested my camera and I could not get the green line. Turns out some of my recent shots did have the line. But it was only a select few. I was not using live view and it was a relatively cool night so I found it a little odd that they appear on my system when the temperature is moderate. edit: also I am running the lastest firmware. I just hope that Pentax can fix this... Last edited by noVICE; 09-12-2009 at 05:01 PM.

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09-05-2009, 12:43 AM	#466
kittykat46 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 923	Originally posted by jgredline I have noticed some strange banding now at high ISO but as alow as ISO 640 I never did get the Green Line thing on my unit, but I noticed some banding before in dark areas of high-contrast shots. I thought they were some sort of JPEG artefact, and never paid much attention to it - made no noticeable difference to the photos - it wasn't visible in print or full screen. Just taken about 100 photos with V1.01.00.09, didnt' notice anything, but I can't be sure whether its also gone.

09-05-2009, 02:51 AM	#467
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by jgredline I have noticed some strange banding now at high ISO but as alow as ISO 640 Javier, you cannot say this and not post the sample

09-05-2009, 02:57 AM	#468
cbaytan Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Trabzon/Turkey Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,010	Originally posted by kittykat46 I never did get the Green Line thing on my unit, but I noticed some banding before in dark areas of high-contrast shots. I thought they were some sort of JPEG artefact, and never paid much attention to it - made no noticeable difference to the photos - it wasn't visible in print or full screen. Are the bands look like I've noticed and reported in the car picture asking to find green line posted in this thread ?

09-12-2009, 12:47 PM	#469
Jadran Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zagreb Photos: Albums Posts: 105	I've installed 09 firmware, at first green line disappeared, but after a while it's back. Anyone experiencing the same? It shows at temperature between 30 and 37 C, and strange, at higher then 37 it almost disappears.

09-12-2009, 05:05 PM	#471
jgredline Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: LosAngeles, Ca. Photos: Albums Posts: 10,628	Originally posted by falconeye Javier, you cannot say this and not post the sample Oh sorry. I re-installed the firmware upgrade and all problems fixed.

09-12-2009, 05:15 PM	#472
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Jadran but after a while it's back Originally posted by noVICE Turns out some of my recent shots did have the line. Are these cameras purchased with original firmware (prior to versions x.08 or x.09)? If I understand Pentax correctly (I may be wrong), the firmware fix may not entirely cure the problem for a very small number of bodies which shipped before Pentax was aware of the problem. They have since tightened factory quality control to ensure that the problem is gone when applying the updated firmware. In the rare case the firmware fix doesn't work satisfactorily, I suggest to contact Pentax support for having a look at it. I got the feeling that there shouldn't be more than a handful of bodies left in the world to encounter the problem. @Jadran, noVICE, please provide shooting parameters (exposure time, ISO, RAW or JPG settings). Thank You. Last edited by falconeye; 09-12-2009 at 05:20 PM.

09-14-2009, 09:57 AM	#473
Jadran Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zagreb Photos: Albums Posts: 105	falconeye, camera came with 1.0 firmware, according to exif it was made 5th of August 2009 (s/n 3401***). I see one green and one purple line starting to emerge at 30 C, and they slightly fade away after 36 C. I shoot RAW, lines can be seen on 400 ISO and above. If I push image exposure in Photoshop, it is slightly visible at 200. They show at 30 C, no meter if I used live view or movie, but of course, in that case heating is much faster. So, lines are product of heating. And .09 firmware doesn't help.

09-14-2009, 10:05 AM	#474
Jadran Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zagreb Photos: Albums Posts: 105	falconeye, yes, camera came with 1.0 firmare (according to exif it was made 5. Aug 2009, s/n 3401***). I shoot RAW, and I see TWO lines starting to appear at 30C - one green and one purple, no meter of exposure time. They are visible at ISO 400 and higher, even slightly at 200 if I push exposure in Photoshop. No meter if I have been using live view or movie mode. Of course if I do, camera heats up faster. The lines start to fade away after 36C. And .09 firmware doesn't help.

09-14-2009, 10:16 AM	#475
Jadran Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Zagreb Photos: Albums Posts: 105	Here is crop from 1600 ISO 32 C, exposure pushed in Photoshop, so it could be more visible. As you can see, there is slight green cast between lines

09-14-2009, 10:42 AM	#476
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Jadran Here is crop from 1600 ISO 32 C, exposure pushed in Photoshop, so it could be more visible. As you can see, there is slight green cast between lines Please, contact Pentax for assistance.

09-14-2009, 01:56 PM	#477
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Originally posted by falconeye If I understand Pentax correctly (I may be wrong), the firmware fix may not entirely cure the problem for a very small number of bodies which shipped before Pentax was aware of the problem. Do you have any insight as to what is causing the problem for this very small number of bodies? If the GLS was caused by a firmware bug, it should not depend on specific hardware copies. One could speculate that a very low numbers of sensors actually have broken pixels in the relevant (outer) area but that seems unlikely and would imply that QC now specifically monitors these pixels.

09-15-2009, 03:17 PM	#478
falconeye Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Munich, Alps, Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,871	Originally posted by Class A Do you have any insight as to what is causing the problem for this very small number of bodies? No, I do not. All I know is that they have tighter QC now in order to ensure that the camera in conjunction with the new firmware delivers images free of pattern noise. I speculate that the original routines handling pattern noise (as in the PRIME processor, and every dSLR has them!) had some limitations. And I further speculate that the fimware fix works fine as long as the unprocessed pattern noise (prior to PRIME processing) doesn't become too large. What QC now ensures. My speculation only!

09-16-2009, 12:21 PM	#479
knoxploration Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 846	Time to apply the upgrade... My brand new K-7 shows DSP and CPU firmware versions are both 1.00.00.04. Thanks to everybody who's paved the way before me and compiled all this info!

09-19-2009, 06:25 PM	#480
Ron720 Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 8	I just got my new K7 a couple of hours ago. Its a really nice camera I like it I just did a check on my firmware on the camera. Using PhotoME the exif data says this. DSP firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08 CPU firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08 So do I need to update my firmware? I have only taken one photo with it so far. I wating for the battery to charge. My serial number is 3402*** so maybe my K7 is newer and has the updates from the factory. I havent went looking at my 1 photo yet to see if there was a green line. Also my shutter count is 286 is that normal for brand new?