RX1 aperture leaf shutter blades - defective or within spec?

Maybe I've developed some paranoia from reading about other RX1 owner's non-circular leaf shutter blades, but I've taken some photos of mine at 5.6, 8 and 11.

Would appreciate some input/opinions into whether mine are defective or within reasonable spec?

Thanks!

F/5.6

F/8

F/11

zgeist wrote:

DFPanno wrote:

You might be right but on what basis would you suggest it is OK?

Curious.

Because anyone who has owned any camera equipment previous to the RX1 that allowed manual control of the aperture, would know that there are very very few lenses that have perfect aperture blades, and it has no noticeable or measurable effect on the photo. If it did, you would be able to see the edges of the blades on the bokeh halos.

I can see the misshaped aperture blades' shape in my bokeh halos starting at f/2.2 where the non circular shape starts. I posted in another thread today. I also took a macro shot of my X-Mas tree at f/2.8 and see every single bokeh halo having the same non circular misshaped appearance as the aperture blades.

jwocky wrote:

Maybe I've developed some paranoia from reading about other RX1 owner's non-circular leaf shutter blades, but I've taken some photos of mine at 5.6, 8 and 11.

Would appreciate some input/opinions into whether mine are defective or within reasonable spec?

Thanks!

I've been interested in this topic since it began. Based on my observations thus far, the shape of your aperture blades is about as good as it gets. I've seen worse examples already posted in this forum. Beyond f/11 mine (and others I've seen) gets worse and clearly are not "near perfect" circular, as Sony has stated. Have you noticed that in some RX1 photos posted in this forum that OOF lights do not appear as round as one would expect. Some here pooh-pooh this concern and perhaps had Sony not said that the aperture blades should be "near perfect circle f/2 - f/22" this concern may not have surfaced. However, for me, I'm stretching a bit financially to have this camera and I want it to be the best it can be, so ...

Anyway, this camera is the P&S I've so long desired for my kind of low light photography, so rather than return it or exchange it, hoping for a better copy, I am sending it to the Laredo service center for inspection and sensor cleaning. While it is there, I've also requested that they inspect the aperture blades to ensure they are as should be.

Here is what I've requested:

SHUTTER BLADES: as stated in the Sony marketing materials, the features for the Sony RX-1 Include:

Nine aperture blades

Nine aperture blades form a nearly perfect circle throughout the normally used aperture range of F2 to F22, resulting in background defocusing that is smooth and genuinely beautiful.

I question whether or not my aperture blades meet this description, so could you please verify that the blades on my RX-1 form a nearly perfect circle at every aperture – f/2 thru f/22. Thanks!

Sony's *marketing* materials have serious defects.

Maybe some have unusually deformed blades. Fuji had real problems with blades--stuck sometimes. For those of us with blades that are really strangely shaped only after f/11, those are apertures you should mostly only use in a pinch, this lens is at its most fabulous  at f/4. F/5.6, fantastic at f/2.8,f/8, and only terrific at f/2 and f/11 (in terms of micro contrast, not bokeh).

The only thing that prevents this camera's price being justified by the lens alone *with its blades* is the fact that it's permanently stuck on a very capable well-built FF camera. Let's all hope the total package gives years and years of trouble free service.

zgeist wrote:

Jeez, we need to have this topic as a sticky post in this forum.

I second your suggestion. This topic will keep coming up. If it is a problem, it will be revealed and hopefully dealt with. If it is not a problem, the chatter will dissipate. But we shouldn't get frustrated and call it a non-issue just yet.

This kind of dialogue is what uncovered and ultimately got Fuji to acknowledge and fix the sticky blade problem with the X100. I was a very-early adopter on that one and was involved in that process as well.

Also, as I stated earlier in this thread, I've sent my camera to the Laredo lab to have it cleaned and inspected. I want it to be up-to-spec (whatever that really means) and the best it can be before I'm satisfied.

Seems like every few days there's a new ostensible 'issue' with the RX1. AF, aperture blades, battery drain, etc. Maybe people are expecting perfection because of the price. I'm not sure. I do know that every time a new (esp groundbreaking) camera comes out, there's a lot of extra scrutiny and even paranoia. But this starting to get a little crazy. Get out and start shooting and stop worrying (and share your shots with those of us who still can't buy one of these beauties)....

To get to the bottom of the story I just sent a note to Zeiss North America to get their input on what is "nearly round". With the holidays and corporate relationships between Zeiss and Sony and the Lawyers I do not anticipate a response for several weeks or longer. I don't think the back-and-forths by forum members will drive any conclusions.

I know Sony determined my lens needed replaced after going to Laredo for spots and an aperture circle assessment. Not sure what caused the lens replacement determination (for all I know the technician broke the lens removing it from the body). Because the replacement lens is on back order I was just informed Sony will be over-nighting me a new replacement camera mid-next week (due to the holidays).

While it has taken me having to be persistent with calls to Sony, at this point I am ok with the outcome... God forbid my replacement camera has spots (I may not go to f22 to check). My aperture blades were not much different than OP, so I will not let that concern me if the new camera is similar until such time it is verified that it is some kind of recall (like) item, because clearly the result seen on these forums is widespread... and of the thousands of pictures taken by an RX1 posted on the web I have seen only 1 image where the out of round aperture circle was at all evident if the picture was looked at closely.

Docno wrote:

Seems like every few days there's a new ostensible 'issue' with the RX1. AF, aperture blades, battery drain, etc. Maybe people are expecting perfection because of the price. I'm not sure. I do know that every time a new (esp groundbreaking) camera comes out, there's a lot of extra scrutiny and even paranoia. But this starting to get a little crazy. Get out and start shooting and stop worrying (and share your shots with those of us who still can't buy one of these beauties)....

You may not realize that you are speaking in a condescending manner, but you are nevertheless doing so.

Your usage of the word "ostensible" implies that you think there are not issues worth noting and that anyone who does is pretending or looking for troubles that don't exist. At least, that's my understanding of the word and the context in which you used it. I'm not attempting to make you the subject, mind you, just getting around to explaining why I disagree with your opinion.

I cannot afford a closet full of expensive cameras, only one. I want to make sure it is what Sony says it is and I am not convinced that the camera that I purchased matches the description that Sony has given. I'm not inventing anything, only asking questions, as are other folks. Again, in my opinion, if a person wants to throw down $3000 and not question the results, then so be it. Many of us are not in that category. Is it crazy to be prudent, to be careful, to ask questions, to feel comfortable with our purchase? I don't think so.