Olmpus omd em-1 foreign material inside EVF

<p>Hi I have a new Olympus em1. On my first outing, a trip to Phoenix, I discovered that there are what appears to be small yellowish splatters or globules in the upper right corner of the EVF with a couple of very small droplets in the center of the screen. These are not on the back display, are the same no matter which lens are mount and are not on the rear glass of the evf or on the sensor itself. They appear to be some kind of sealant or liquid which has dried. Very disconcerting and troubling for a manufacturer famed for optics. Otherwise very pleased with quality and performance. I will be phoning customer service this week. Has anyone had a similar experience or can they imagine what this can be. Frank </p>

Sounds to me like a defect in the EVF. While an inconvenience, I would think that the warranty should handle the repair.

<p>You sure it's something dried on the EVF? E-M1 have a common fault where bright sun shining into the EVF can (if your diopter is set to one of the extremes) get what looks like yellow blobs, it's caused by the diopter acting like a magnifying glass and burning into the EVF</p>

Might indeed be a burn problem seen on some cameras under certain conditions, Has been described for certain EM-1's finders as a sun burn in problem and needs factory attention, Must be known to company by now.. Not on mine so far. And not on many samples methinks.

 

Several discussions, not a whole lot, but some,on an Oly user web site Could indeed be relevant to what you observe in finder and a consideration while under warranty or reported just the same. Company no doubt on top of it we trust.

 

More info for you , Frank,available at this link w some speculation on conditions judged by to be causing these splotches. A bummer for sure.

 

http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/threads/76669-Solution-to-the-E-M1-EVF-burn-problem

<p>Thanks. I have removed the eyecup and carefully cleaned the finder window with a Zeiss wet cleaning pad. The tiny yellowish globules are still there. So, I will contact Olympus support. A nuisance to be sure, but even with the best manufacturers things slip through. I do not think it could be the alleged sun scorch problem on evf's, though I will be careful of how I leave my camera exposed to sun. Face down on a blanket at the beach for any time might indeed by ruinous. I think more than ever my problem is a liquid spatter during manufacture. Appreciate the responses. Frank</p>

<p>Were they always there or did they suddenly appear? Would like to know what Olympus says about it.</p>

<p>As to your question of when did the problem occur. I think likely when I was using the camera photographing hoop dancing at the Heard Museum in Phoenix (first real use of the camera). I had spent the first few weeks of ownership working through the menus and settings. Now, after seeing photographs of the apparently prevalent sun scorched evf issue, I realize that my blobs (actually yellowish green) are nearly the same. This is ominous. While I intend to send the camera in for repairs, I am putting aside my intention to buy pro grade lenses for the em1. Instead, I will hang onto my d300 and brilliant 70-200 lens. I am getting near 75, so I went for the em1 entirely because of the weight/size issues. However, a damaged evf (In a camera dependent on electronics) is a serious issue. My use of the em1 (it was outside and sunny on a hot day) was entirely within normal practice. I did not leave the camera front down and exposed to the sun for any length of time. I cannot of course remember exactly how I held the camera, but it was action shooting and I may well have exposed the evf to direct sunlight at times. Nothing though that I wouldn't do with any camera and I have owned many fine ones. Worried. Frank</p>

My guess is that this is an emerging and uncommon but serious defect in the electronic finder LCD (which as I recall is supplied by Epson.) I am thinking that this of course is a worry matter indeed and that Olympus ought rightfullly to extend its camera warranty re the EVF. . ( As ye oldtimers recall that the company did with the Sony CCD banding and glitches for its Camedia C 5050 cam sensor. Full replacement beyond the warranty.... When it happened it happened and was serious at that time, and resulted in a kind of recall alert as cameras go)

 

When you get it in for repair or replacement , Frank, I would say you are covered for this camera body, Which is a good camera IMO. My guess is that Epson is now working on a diagnosis and fix.

 

A shame to have any such problem at all with a flagship model at a top tier price. Do let us all know what happens with your return and the diagnosis, and how it works out, Thanks.

<p>I too have experienced a similar problem with an OM-D EM-1......<br>

I have sent my camera body for servicing following the occurrence of 2 instances on Tuesday last which has left the viewfinder screen barely useable.<br>

It has been said that in addition to the exposure of the cameras viewfinder to direct sunlight, users of this camera who use the dioptric correction at it's most extreme are more likely to encounter this problem because at this setting there is a tendency to increase magnification between the optical elements in the viewfinder and which in turn exaserpates the 'burning effect'.<br>

I am aware also of a type of glass that could easily shield and negate this problem, and if this is in fact the case, I would suggest that Olympus could make a filter that could be placed between the camera eyepiece and eyecup to counter this, in much the same way as Nikon, Canon and others deal with the problem of dioptric correction when the internal correction is insufficient.<br>

I find it difficult to understand why the handbook for the camera does not provide a precautionary note regarding this, in spite of which, the damage this has caused to my camera can be <em>in no way attributed to any mis-use on my part.</em><br>

I do not think that the apparent willingness by Olympus to repair cameras under warranty for this type of fault, as they clearly are doing at present, provides any solution whatsoever, which begs the question of what cost will be levelled if this situation should occur when the camera body is out of warranty?<br>

This is not a knock at Olympus, because clearly they are company who do offer extremely good service, but there is much that they could do to alert people the dangers of exposing the camera to direct sunlight, and also a little research into overcoming the problem completely. <em>Rog</em></p>

<p>I too have experienced a similar problem with an OM-D EM-1......<br>

I have sent my camera body for servicing following the occurrence of 2 instances on Tuesday last which has left the viewfinder screen barely useable.<br>

It has been said that in addition to the exposure of the cameras viewfinder to direct sunlight, users of this camera who use the dioptric correction at it's most extreme are more likely to encounter this problem because at this setting there is a tendency to increase magnification between the optical elements in the viewfinder and which in turn exaserpates the 'burning effect'.<br>

I am aware also of a type of glass that could easily shield and negate this problem, and if this is in fact the case, I would suggest that Olympus could make a filter that could be placed between the camera eyepiece and eyecup to counter this, in much the same way as Nikon, Canon and others deal with the problem of dioptric correction when the internal correction is insufficient.<br>

I find it difficult to understand why the handbook for the camera does not provide a precautionary note regarding this, in spite of which, the damage this has caused to my camera can be <em>in no way attributed to any mis-use on my part.</em><br>

I do not think that the apparent willingness by Olympus to repair cameras under warranty for this type of fault, as they clearly are doing at present, provides any solution whatsoever, which begs the question of what cost will be levelled if this situation should occur when the camera body is out of warranty?<br>

This is not a knock at Olympus, because clearly they are company who do offer extremely good service, but there is much that they could do to alert people the dangers of exposing the camera to direct sunlight, and also a little research into overcoming the problem completely. <em>Rog</em></p>

<p>Here is a link to an innovative 'fix' for the em1 evf burning problem. < <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3831431">http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3831431</a> > This clever person uses a piece of Rosco thermashield - an Infrared filter used primarily in the cinema lighting field. I have ordered a small sheet (alas 12x12 is the smallest size sold). Will see how it goes. Kudos to this fellow for coming up with an idea. Olympus please address this issue in some fashion. Yes it is real, happened to me. Great service from Olympus Canada in changing the evf. I'm still spooked so going to try this out. Frank</p>