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Was just about to decide on the FZ18

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episodic

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Now I hear there is a problem with the sensor making blue bands. Is there a fix yet? What is the updated news? Can I safely buy one? I have to buy online, so my return options are limited.

Thanks for information. I don't want to buy a dud.
 
i think this problem affects only a few cams and is very limited to some unusal situations,
see: http://fz18.ruudabeln.nl/blueband.htm
--

Panasonic PV-DC100--> Olympus C-1--> Kodak cx6330--> Kodak z7590--> Lumix DMC-FZ18

 
if buying from a store, I would give it a 'maybe'.

if online, I would really wait a bit. personally..

pany has admitted the issue and says they have a handle on how to fix it. it will take time to trickle down to the region repair centers. it will take some time to also make its way into the assembly line (if ever).

even if its covered by warranty, it still means you will be out of the camera for a few weeks, minimum. if you have the blue band problem - not everyone does and some that do may not care or notice it or trigger it during normal use.

for this kind of thing, I would really go local and let the store know that you may have to swap and keep swapping IF you happen to notice it and if it bothers you.

--
Bryan
(pic stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux-works ) ~
 
It affects all cameras but on some cameras you will probably never see it before destroying the pictures in PP.
 
Is there any indication that the problem will get worse?

I'm trying to understand it - I can take shots at ISO200 and ISO400 all day long and as long as I don't go and make an extreme levels adjustment, I'll never see it?

Is that right?
 
episodic said:
Is there any indication that the problem will get worse?
Click to expand...
there's no data on that either way. it might get worse or might not. sony sensors had problems that didn't show for months and years.

pany knows about it and says they have a fix. I would be willing to bet that even outside the warranty period, if they can ID yours as a 'bluebander' I bet they'd cover it for you. the only issue is having to deal with photos that might come out with BB even though most of the time you won't see it or it won't trigger itself.

--
Bryan
(pic stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/linux-works ) ~
 
JortS29 said:
It affects all cameras but on some cameras you will probably never
see it before destroying the pictures in PP.
Click to expand...
That may be overstating the case.

By a HUGE factor.

I does NOT affect all cameras - mine being an example of one not affected: I have TRIED to make mine do a blue band, with no band showing.

Please, the problem does exist, but let's keep the discussion REAL.

-Erik

PS. I don't destroy pictures in PP, either. Sorry to hear that you do. You ought to avoid that.
--

 
Erik Ohlson said:
JortS29 said:
It affects all cameras but on some cameras you will probably never
see it before destroying the pictures in PP.
Click to expand...
That may be overstating the case.

By a HUGE factor.
Click to expand...
Not so sure, since I have yet to see a sample from the "test" method that doesn't show the blue band. Sure, in some cameras you have to really push the image to make it visible. In those cameras you will never run into it in normal use.
Erik Ohlson said:
I does NOT affect all cameras - mine being an example of one not
affected: I have TRIED to make mine do a blue band, with no band
showing.
Click to expand...
Congrats. You're the first I've heard that was totally free, even after PP of levels.
Erik Ohlson said:
Please, the problem does exist, but let's keep the discussion REAL.
Click to expand...
I was keeping it real. See above.
 
I believe the use of the word "display" should have been use in place of the word "destroy".
--

'It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into'.

Jonathan Swift
 
wrahn said:
I believe the use of the word "display" should have been use in place
of the word "destroy".
--
'It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never
reasoned into'.

Jonathan Swift
Click to expand...
No, I used the word "destroying" in reference to the postprocessing itself, not the result of the blueband. The cameras that do not show the blueband, will show it when you "destroy" the picture by for example raising the levels strongly.

Hence why you will probably never encounter it with these cameras.
 
While there are probably as many perspectives as there are people, these things always come down to an individual decision.

Mine was to buy the FZ18, and it buy it from a distant retailer (Vanns) I couldn't visit but who's well-regarded. My fundamental rationale was the belief that the FZ18 is far and away the best of the current crop of 18X superzooms. Moreover, I am completely underwhelmed the whole blue band issue -- which I haven't encountered nor expect to.
episodic said:
Now I hear there is a problem with the sensor making blue bands. Is
there a fix yet? What is the updated news? Can I safely buy one? I
have to buy online, so my return options are limited.

Thanks for information. I don't want to buy a dud.
Click to expand...
--
Tim, FZ18, F20, D50
 
I had it on order for $299, an offer from Amazon a couple of weeks ago. I decided not to take the risk with the blue band issue and canceled it. I'll wait for the replacement model hopefully in the next 2-3 months.
 
I have been "playing"with my FZ-18 for 2 month now and have seen nothing about so called "blue band problem..""For me it is a very good camera. I bought it in Riga,Latvia ,serialr nr.I 7 S P...
--
skrapcis
 
got mine from vanns a few weeks ago; no problems yet.
 
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