random GH13 problems

[tired]

I run 2 PAL GH1's 'lightly' hacked and 2 NTSC GH1's hacked to PAL. I use panasonic Class 10 (bought from B&H) and Panasonic batteries, ebay 3rd party batteries & PEARSTONE batteries (from B&H) I'm shooting mainly weddings and other live events - on average each camera will be shooting 5 hours of footage a week. this setup has been working well for 6-9 months but...

I'm starting to get random problems - these are live events so I haven't got time to jot down the card ID, Camera ID, battery ID etc. I just freak out and change everything till something works :-0

Problems:

card speed error
card format error
battery error
camera dies (have to pop the battery out and reinsert)
camera locks up with multicolour vertical stripes on LCD
camera dies when bumped

I can't seem to recreate these problems and I can't isolate them to 1 particular camera, card or battery. I'm going to have to set a day or so aside (god knows when) and try to isolate and solve this - what I'd like is suggestions for tests, things to try in solving this issue.


thanks

 

[Benjobe]

I have been having random problems with my GH2 too. I've been getting multicolored vertical stripes on my pictures (visible on the LCD screen and on my computer after offloading the pictures too). I've also been getting areas of extreme soft focus. These areas look like there's a bit of vasoline on my lens. These problems persist even after I change lenses. Sometimes these problems go away after I restart my camera. But sometimes they persist even after a restart. I've had my GH2 for only 1 month so I'm going to exchange it for a new one and hope that these problems do not reappear.

 

[ChipThome]

The first thing I would do is take regular pencil with an eraser on the end and use the eraser clean off every contact on every battery and then go into the battery compartment and do the same thing there. After doing the camera's contacts, make sure you blow it out thoroughly.

The last item on your list indicates "movement" causes it to fail. Electronics typically aren't affected by "movement" which is why we have OIS, so I am thinking it is a connection problem, most likely at the battery. The reason I am thinking this, this was a common problem on my cell phones years ago when the battery had to be pulled for charging. Between the charging and the lint etc in my pocket, the contacts would get "cruddy" over time and cause it to die, kinda like you are describing.

If it isn't that, you have impending failure I am afraid, with one of your cameras.

 

[stoneinapond]

Aside from the above excellent advice, try testing first without using ANY third party batteries. If the problem persists then I would suggest a new official battery. If the problem persists, then it is unlikely to be the batteries. At which point you will have to look to other causes.

But this where I would start.

 

[Benjobe]

My problems are not associated with movement. My batteries are brand new Panasonic Lumix DMW-BLC12PP. There is no crud on the battery metal connectors.

Here's a link to few photos that exemplify the problems with my GH2:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65610312@N05/sets/72157627346012437/


Here are a couple photos from that set that have been reduced to 50% size:





I've checked my lenses and they look fine. I've checked the imaging sensor and it looks fine too. I tried restarting the camera and the problems persist. Then suddenly they will go away for no apparent reason.

Does anyone have any troubleshooting ideas regarding these errors?

 

[htinla]

My problems are not associated with movement. My batteries are brand new Panasonic Lumix DMW-BLC12PP. There is no crud on the battery metal connectors.

Here's a link to few photos that exemplify the problems with my GH2:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65610312@N05/sets/72157627346012437/


Here are a couple photos from that set that have been reduced to 50% size:


View attachment 38689View attachment 38690


I've checked my lenses and they look fine. I've checked the imaging sensor and it looks fine too. I tried restarting the camera and the problems persist. Then suddenly they will go away for no apparent reason.

Does anyone have any troubleshooting ideas regarding these errors?

Judging from your photos, could cold weather condensation be the reason for your problems?

 

[ninetto]

My problems are not associated with movement. My batteries are brand new Panasonic Lumix DMW-BLC12PP. There is no crud on the battery metal connectors.

Dude, not to *****... but you are hijacking the original poster's thread. Why not start one of your own, with the factors that specifically involve your problem?:shocked:

That said, my intuition (for the ORIGINAL poster, "tired") also points to a battery/electrical problem that Chip Thome already diagnosed.

 

[ChipThome]

Ben from what you have said it looks like these are more electronic related, would be my guess. If those were frame grabs form video, the vaseline look people would refer to that as "mud" from the codec breaking up. To fix the "mud" in the video from GH1s, it took the hack to accomplish that. But the difference between those and yours, you could duplicate "mud" rather easily. It sounds as though your situation, from the way you describe it, is totally random, which to me indicates some form of internal failure. The missing lines of resolution in the images, can't say I have a clue there at all. Combined, I would say it's time to send it in to Panny for some warranty.

 

[Benjobe]

My apologies to the original poster. My intention was not to hijack your thread.

The problems are probably not temperature or altitude related since they have been happening randomly across a range of temperatures and altitudes.

Those pictures are not frame grabs from video but rather actual still photos taken with the highest quality setting (4608x3456 pixels). I don't think that there should be "mud" in these photos.

I will be exchanging the camera body with a new one. I hope that solves the problems.

I bought the GH2 body over the phone from Unique Photo and let me tell you, getting an exchange authorization has been a total frustration: 7 days of calling and leaving messages without getting any calls back, every person gave me the run-around, and their "returns department" voicemail has an invalid mailbox which disconnected my call every time. Finally, I had to express my extreme dissatisfaction to get transferred to someone capable of processing my exchange. IMO, avoid them at all costs. The only reason I bought from them was that B & H Photo Video was out of stock and I needed the camera as soon as possible.