GH3 New GH3 problem :(

K

kopan

Well-known member
Hi everybody. Last week i received my GH3. I was so happy, but i noticed problem. I dont know what exactly it can be. When i record (doesnt matter in which mode) some light scene (snow) If i have my aperture very high (on kit 14-140 lens it is f/22, shutter 25) I noticed black spot on the picture. If i change exposure, for let's say aperture f/4 and shutter 500 it is going away, i mean it is going out of focus so it is not visible in my opinion) Do you have any ideas why is it happen? I was thinking about send it to the service, but I am worrying, that if it's not repairable they will send my camera, which will be refurbished. I don't want refurbished if I bought new one. I can still return it to the store, but they don't have any in stock so they will refund my money but i will have no camera.
It is not dead pixel, couse it is too big, i tried pixel refreshing, and sensor cleaning, but nothing helped.
 
Make sure your lens is clean, sound like a spec of dust, when your aperture is small it can see it better.
 
Lens is clean. It is also on my other lens exactly in the same place so It is no lens problem. I dont see any dust on the sensor as well. I am uploading file on vimeo so you can see it in the moment.
 
kopan said:
Lens is clean. It is also on my other lens exactly in the same place so It is no lens problem. I dont see any dust on the sensor as well. I am uploading file on vimeo so you can see it in the moment.
Click to expand...

here is video:
https://vimeo.com/56390435

sorry for using polish language. First one is f/22. shutter 30 and iso 800. Later on it's f/4 shutter500 iso800. You can see this black point in the left down quarter.
 
Yike, if not lens, and that doesn't look like dead pixels, got to be on your sensor, does GH3 had manual sensor clean feature? if not maybe you should return it for a refund and wait for another one.
 
PSA1 said:
Yike, if not lens, and that doesn't look like dead pixels, got to be on your sensor, does GH3 had manual sensor clean feature? if not maybe you should return it for a refund and wait for another one.
Click to expand...

it has sensor cleaning function in the menu, I run it couple times but didn't help. Censor seems to be clean when i look ot this so probably i will have return it. Do you think is it repairable in the service?
 
kopan said:
it has sensor cleaning function in the menu, I run it couple times but didn't help. Censor seems to be clean when i look ot this so probably i will have return it. Do you think is it repairable in the service?
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I don't know but why buy a brand new camera and have it repair, I would get my money back and wait for some new one.
 
Return it, get your money back. Let Panasonic work out the bugs. This particular case is simply bad luck, but in general any new camera is going to have teething problems, and the GH3 is no different. This is why it doesn't pay to be an early adopter on technology you need to rely on for work. I never jump on the first iteration of whatever product it is. Wait until they fix manufacturing problems, and if you are especially patient, maybe even the first firmware fix. Once the product is a bit more mature, you know exactly what to expect based on extensive experience of other users - that's the time to buy (and not have to pay an early adopter price premium either).

Bottom line: return it, wait until the coast is clear. You have other cameras, no?
 
OldCorpse said:
Return it, get your money back. Let Panasonic work out the bugs. This particular case is simply bad luck, but in general any new camera is going to have teething problems, and the GH3 is no different. This is why it doesn't pay to be an early adopter on technology you need to rely on for work. I never jump on the first iteration of whatever product it is. Wait until they fix manufacturing problems, and if you are especially patient, maybe even the first firmware fix. Once the product is a bit more mature, you know exactly what to expect based on extensive experience of other users - that's the time to buy (and not have to pay an early adopter price premium either).

Bottom line: return it, wait until the coast is clear. You have other cameras, no?
Click to expand...

I dont have any other but it is no big deal. I am going to return it.
 
I don't think the problem is with the sensor, but rather with your kit lens. If the dirt was on the sensor, or if it was a dead pixel, adjusting the aperture on the lens should make no difference. But since opening up the aperture makes it go away, this suggests that it is affected by the change in depth-of-field caused by adjusting the aperture. My guess is that the kit lens has a speck of dust on one of the elements. Maybe not on the outer lens, if you say the lens is clean, but maybe on the rear element or one of the elements inside.
Edit: I just noticed you said it exhibits the same problem even with your other lens. What is your other lens?
 
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Looks like dirt on the sensor. Remove your lens and very carefully remove the spec of dirt from the sensor.
 
kopan said:
I dont have any other (camera) but it is no big deal. I am going to return it (GH3).
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I know you sold (your) GH2 but B&H and amazon both have dropped the price on GH2 bodies to $499. I'd jump on one quick and plan on keeping it while you wait out a new/replacement GH3.

That way you'd have a camera to work with (assuming you have lenses).

Just my thoughts.
 
dvbrother said:
If the dirt was on the sensor, or if it was a dead pixel, adjusting the aperture on the lens should make no difference.
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Sorry but this is incorrect. The way to detect dust on your sensor is to close down the lens to f/16-f/22, push the ISO, and point it at an even bright light source. You don't see the dust shooting wide open at f/2.8 but it starts to become visible as you stop down.

To the OP, you can take it to your local Panasonic service centre and they will clean the sensor, normally there is a charge for this but if the sensor was dirty out of the box they should waive the charge. Alternatively you can buy some swabs and clean it yourself. The inbuilt sensor cleaner doesn't work on stubborn dirt like pollen which sticks to the sensor, a swab with cleaning fluid is the only way to remove it. The service centre uses the same kind of swab/fluid method. You can google for more detailed info on sensor cleaning.

The cheat for dealing with a dirty sensor is to use an ND filter so you can shoot with the lens wide open.
 
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squig said:
Sorry but this is incorrect. The way to detect dust on your sensor is to close down the lens to f/16-f/22, push the ISO, and point it at an even bright light source.
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I stand corrected. I would think if dust was directly over a pixel, it would block light and show up regardless of aperture setting. Anyway, I learned something new. Thanks.
 
Definitely sensor dust and I'm of the "Scotch Magic Tape" school when the sensor gets too dirty for the auto system.
We're constantly changing lenses in the field, the assistant's routine is always the same - remove cap upside down, use blower, blow inside camera upside down etc.
But it's just inevitable filming outdoor action rough conditions.

I had a sensor on one camera so bad that it looked like dirt was dumped in it <g>.

A quick blower and a pass with Magic Tape and it was perfectly clean and back on the tripod in a couple of minutes.
 
No doubt that they are sensor dusts. Any landscape photographers, who routinely shoot at f11-22, can tell you that dust is part of life. You can never get rid of the dust no matter how hard you try. The photographers who claim there is no sensor dust on their cameras are either shooting with their lenses almost wide open, or not paying enough attention to the dust spots.

I have cameras from Panasonic to Canon to Pentax 645. They all have sensor dust problem as you described. You really notice the sensor dust with a blue sky.

It is not a 'problem', and definitely not an unique 'problem' to GH3. Just a 'characteristic' of digital cameras.
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I used to use 99% alcohol to clean my dvx tape heads. Can I also use this to clean the sensor? I have now noticed some dust on my 7d sensor.
 
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