E-330 horizontal banding and lackadaisical Oly support

[Blu-By-U]

Uncle Tom..I was just quoting the email I got from the Oly service..He says CCD..but I usually use sensor most of the time.

So CJ, it's was not really confirmed that the sensor was changed in your case then. Let me send it in and see what happens. Will keep everyone informed.

 

[microcosm]

Uncle Tom..I was just quoting the email I got from the Oly service..He says CCD..but I usually use sensor most of the time.

So CJ, it's was not really confirmed that the sensor was changed in your case then. Let me send it in and see what happens. Will keep everyone informed.

Thanks for the info, and good luck.

 

[Blu-By-U]

Camera was sent in on the 9th April...My baby still in :cry:

 

[wind30]

9th of april....

you don't want to know when I sent my E330 in. It is STILL with olympus... Will post my story when I get back my E330....

 

[drewdam]

9th of april....

you don't want to know when I sent my E330 in. It is STILL with olympus... Will post my story when I get back my E330....

can u guys stop remind me about my hot pixel that i sent in since Nov06 but receive not even a phone from them:dunno:

 

[tomcat]

can u guys stop remind me about my hot pixel that i sent in since Nov06 but receive not even a phone from them:dunno:

You mean Olympus Singapore kept your camera for 6 months and you didn't even enquire about it ? :bigeyes: You obviously don't need it at all then.

 

[drewdam]

You mean Olympus Singapore kept your camera for 6 months and you didn't even enquire about it ? :bigeyes: You obviously don't need it at all then.

no, i mean i sent in a few pic of the issue with some email from jpn oly for them personally n ask them to cfm if my cam the only 1 having problem...but the ASM has not call me back since then to ack or update me on this...hey to me, i make a enquiry about my cam n i believe the least they can do is call me back to update me...

 

[Blu-By-U]

Guess what, Olympus Service called me yesterday. The cam is fitted up but the banding is still there. Ask me to come and collect..I said forget it. If the banding is there, why collect it? Fix it first. My warranty just expired, so taking it back may mean I am stuck with a banding camera. Olympus service may just refuse to entertain me later.

:cry: I am really contemplating of switching system.

 

[tomcat]

What do you mean by 'fitted up'?

It is bad luck that you are stuck with a camera with banding problem. But banding problem is not the sole copyright feature of the E-330 and you might not be able to escape the banding problem even if you change system... if you are unlucky. It is also present in some of the Canon and Nikon DSLRs for example. Of course, if your reason for changing system is because of dissatisfaction with the after sales service of Olympus Malaysia, that's another matter altogether.

Here's an article on the 'striping problem' observed on some Nikon D200 DSLRs which makes an interesting read.
http://www.naturfotograf.com/D200_rev03.html#top_page

Another article on banding problems in Canon 5D...
http://www.dslrphoto.com/2006/02/23/chuck-westfall-comments-on-5d-camera-banding-issues/

 

[Blu-By-U]

Uncle Tom...thanks for you concern. I am very sadden by the way Olympus is handling my case. Let me back track a bit.

I received an email from Olympus Japan stating that the banding problem is caused by the sensor. I was to send to the service center for them to change the sensor. Since it was during the week of the F1, I emailed that I would but after the F1.

In the course of shooting the F1, I notice all 3 pieces of the rubber grips are again coming off. and also the CF/xD card cover was loose.

So on the 9th, a day after the F1, I sent the camera in. I was informed that the service engineers are all on a 2 days course. That did not bother me but on Wednesday, I got a call from Olympus service.. the Memory cover is gonna cost me. He said mishandling. Ok small matter. Most important is the banding.He then continues saying I could get the camera back on Friday.

Friday, I called...Camera is still not ready. the engineer only managed to fit the sensor in. The other complains are not rectified yet. So it's delayed till Monday.

Monday, I called...Camera is fitted back together but banding is still there. The service engineer said I could collect back the camera. But why should I. I send it in to have the banding fixed. If it's not fixed, then sorry, I do not want to make any more trips to send, collect, then send, then collect....Get it fixed. I told the Service Engineer that. He said He will have it ready there for me to collect. I told him to send the camera to Japan. Ask the chap to fix it there if it cannot be done here. He did not answer me.

So now, should I collect the faulty camera or not?

BTW, the chap from Olympus Japan have asked that I contact Olympus Service Hong Kong in future.

Quote...

From now on, please contact directly to Olympus Malaysia.

We cannot contact them directly.
Our communication to them must go through Olympus Hong Kong and China Limited
as they have jurisdiction over sales and after-sales services in your country.

end Quote.

What this?? A headquarters cannot contact a branch?? What sort of rubbish is this?

 

[tomcat]

Since the problem still exist after changing the sensor, it may not be a sensor problem then. For Canon DSLRs, there have been speculations that the banding problems observed might have been caused by electrical interference between the autofocus motor and the camera electronics when it is writing to the CF card and is especially bad when the camera is in continuous focus mode.
http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FjzN

This could be caused by poor contact in one or more of the electronic components in the camera. If so, unless they can identify which component(s) are at fault, the only solution might be to replace the camera body. :dunno:

 

[cjtune]

So basically Blu HAS to be satisfied because banding is 'common'?
It still doesn't exonerate Olympus. Basically it just means it's a common defect that needs fixing.

What do you mean by 'fitted up'?

It is bad luck that you are stuck with a camera with banding problem. But banding problem is not the sole copyright feature of the E-330 and you might not be able to escape the banding problem even if you change system... if you are unlucky. It is also present in some of the Canon and Nikon DSLRs for example. Of course, if your reason for changing system is because of dissatisfaction with the after sales service of Olympus Malaysia, that's another matter altogether.

Here's an article on the 'striping problem' observed on some Nikon D200 DSLRs which makes an interesting read.
http://www.naturfotograf.com/D200_rev03.html#top_page

Another article on banding problems in Canon 5D...
http://www.dslrphoto.com/2006/02/23/chuck-westfall-comments-on-5d-camera-banding-issues/

 

[cjtune]

I shiver to think that I was the one that was most likely to switch systems because of the horrendous banding from my first E-330. But I guess Oly S'pore did the smart thing and switched it with a mildly banding E-330 and then onwards I dug deeper into the E-system by having gotten the 14-54, 50-200, 30 macro, and FL-50. That's about S$3k's worth of revenue over a free S$1k body. I don't know if Oly M'sia sees the importance of addressing customer satisfaction in the same way.

 

[Blu-By-U]

Don't know if the Oly there and the Oly here falls under the same overlord. And if the Oly here see the same way as the Oly over the border.

Me already owns the 11-22, 35mm, 14-54, FL-50 and EC14. Not to mention the Kit lens and the Sigma 55-200.

Let me give them another week or so...Then I will decide if all the above will go up for sale...:sweat:

 

[drewdam]

Guess what, Olympus Service called me yesterday. The cam is fitted up but the banding is still there. Ask me to come and collect..I said forget it. If the banding is there, why collect it? Fix it first. My warranty just expired, so taking it back may mean I am stuck with a banding camera. Olympus service may just refuse to entertain me later.

:cry: I am really contemplating of switching system.

my issue was from cam under warranty till cam out of warranty...sigh....let them work on it and see how the outcome...

 

[microcosm]

Blu, have you tried to ask them to help you send the camera over to Hong Kong for you instead? Maybe this might mean you have to pay them a visit personally and show them the email.

 

[Blu-By-U]

No need to bring the email there. It was CC to the engineer at Oly service.

 

[VSonic06]

Don't know if the Oly there and the Oly here falls under the same overlord. And if the Oly here see the same way as the Oly over the border.

Me already owns the 11-22, 35mm, 14-54, FL-50 and EC14. Not to mention the Kit lens and the Sigma 55-200.

Let me give them another week or so...Then I will decide if all the above will go up for sale...:sweat:

The E-330 seem like a rather problematic model whereas the other models (E-1, 300, 500) are quite reliable in general. Maybe its because its got PANASONIC inside :bsmilie: A Japanese from Osaka told me around 2000-2001 Panasonic bought this really crummy outfit (based in Osaka) to get a foothold in the digital camera market. That 'crummy outfit' supposedly designed some pretty crappy products and many EE-types considered them the pariah of Osaka. All that coming from a Japanese can only mean...:thumbsd:

Maybe the same team was involved with the NMOS and circuitry in the 330 and L1?

I hope you keep the Oly glasses and switch body instead (cheaper that way). Wait for the next 330 replacement or maybe the 510 to see if theres any banding pattern issues or any Panasonic-designed stuff inside before making the move.

 

[Blu-By-U]

That NMOS. Think that is the problem. E-400, E-500,E-300 and E-1 do not use that sensor and so no problem.

 

[tomcat]

I guess Nikon must be secretly using NMOS in their D200 as well then ... and Canon too since their 5D and 20D etc are also known to have banding problems.