CFV16 needs pro repair

[michaelhcothran]

Just came back from a wonderful day in the Cumberland Plateau area of Tennessee - bluffs, waterfalls, light snow dusting - great winter photography opportunity. When I returned home this morning and loaded my CFV16 images, I was horrified to see multiple vertical streaks running down each one, like someone ran a paint brush down them. I checked the CFV back, and I can see the steaks INSIDE the outer glass cover. I've included an image taken yesterday - I've quickly converted it to b&w, and upped the contrast so you can better see the streaks.

Polypal or Paul (USA) or anyone - I presume I need to send it somewhere for inspection and repair, but where do I send it? Hopefully, since it is inside the cover I am not seeing scratches, but I am very confused as to what it is, and how this would have happened, and concerned as to what it might entail and cost to fix.
I'm not a happy camper this morning.
Thanks for any help and advice.

Michael H. Cothran

 

[polypal]

Hello Michael,

Sorry to read about this misfortune.

As far as I know all repairs for digital backs are carried out in Sweden.
The service manager in Sweden advises any items to be send to the local dealer or in your case HB USA.

Could be if the problem can be solved by cleaning this job is done in the US.


Paul

 

[wbulte]

Taking a guess here:

condensation of water? Did you expose the back to rapid temperature changes?

If it were CFV I would dry it first, before sending it of to HB.

Wilko

 

[michaelhcothran]

Thanks guys. According to the Hasselblad site, I'm to contact my regional sales manager first, who is Gina Connor. I've sent her an email, but since it is Sunday morning here in Tennessee, I doubt I'll hear back until tomorrow.

To make matters worse, after I posted before, I took one of the original E-wipes that came packaged with my back, and wiped off the sensor glass. All it did was badly smear the glass. So now I have streaks UNDER the glass, and smears on TOP of the glass. What a mess. I'm not touching this thing again.

Michael

 

[polypal]

This is not your lucky day.
It could be worse, if you had swiped the glass after the CFV came back from service........




Paul

 

[michaelhcothran]

This is not your lucky day.
It could be worse, if you had swiped the glass after the CFV came back from service........
Paul

O man, what a scary thought that is! I'm throwing away the other E-wipes.

All I've ever used in the past on the CFV back is one of those expensive Static-Wisk brushes from Kinetronics. It keeps off the dust, but those little spherical dust spots still appear, and are growing in numbers in smooth areas like the sky. What's a good solution for ridding myself of those?

On my lenses, I use the Static brush in addition to an old lens chamois I bought from Porter's Camera maybe 15 years ago. Between the brush and my chamois, I have perfectly clean lenses. I've never used the chamois on the CFV, and am afraid to try, even though it works well on my lenses.

Michael

 

[bensonga]

I've heard very good things about the sensor cleaning products from Visible Dust (Arctic Butterfly etc).

http://www.visibledust.com/

Gary

 

[keith_laban]

Michael

Sorry to hear about your troubles, do you think the problem was caused by condensation due to a rapid change in temperature?

I can't understand why the e-wipes have caused smears, I've never had a problem with them.

Rather sounds as though Hasselblad will need to clean the sensor and replace the IR filter.

Hope all goes well.

Keith

 

[bensonga]

I've often wondered how my CFV would fare in even moderately inclement weather (fog, cold temps, typical winter stuff). I'm sure you didn't have it out in a driving snowstorm, so you likely were out taking pictures in the kind of winter weather I would consider using my CFV also.

I think we would all appreciate your thoughts Michael on how, collectively, we can avoid a similar fate.

I hope Hasselblad service is able to sort this out for you soon.

Gary

 

[wbulte]

I've often wondered how my CFV would fare in even moderately inclement weather (fog, cold temps, typical winter stuff). I'm sure you didn't have it out in a driving snowstorm, so you likely were out taking pictures in the kind of winter weather I would consider using my CFV also.

I think we would all appreciate your thoughts Michael on how, collectively, we can avoid a similar fate.

I hope Hasselblad service is able to sort this out for you soon.

Gary

it would be good I think to ask HB for a detailed analysis of how they think this problem occured. It definitely does not gives one warm fuzzy feelings, so at least we can hopefully learn from it.

Wilko

 

[john_r_smith]

I think that if you check the specifications for the CFV back, you will find that the minimum operating temperature is 0 deg C. I wonder whether extreme cold could have had something to do with this?

 

[wbulte]

I think that if you check the specifications for the CFV back, you will find that the minimum operating temperature is 0 deg C. I wonder whether extreme cold could have had something to do with this?

Although this is speculation it could very well be that the battery used is the most limiting factor for the temperature restriction.

In most cases for electronics there are specifications for operating and non-operating temperatures. Where non-operating typically has a (much) wider range. Environmental specs typically also list moisture limits (condensing / non-condensing) etc

Wilko

 

[john_r_smith]

A strange affair. When David Summerfield, the Hasselblad rep for south west England, called on me to demonstrate the CFV-39 back, he gave me the impression that the CFV was environmentally pretty rugged. I questioned the number of ports and holes in the thing, but he said that light rain or drizzle should be no problem. And he seemed to have no qualms whatsoever about walking around the Cornish landscape on a cold frosty morning while I took test shots, or swapping the CFV on and off cameras back in a warm steamy kitchen later on. So it looks as if something a bit unusual (and unlucky) has happened here.

 

[keith_laban]

I realise that Michael has accentuated the problem by adjusting the file, but this does seem to be a particularly extreme aberration.

It looks as though a large amount of fluid has found its way between the glass and the sensor.

Please tell me this wasn't simply the result of temperature changes and condensation

 

[wbulte]

A strange affair. When David Summerfield, the Hasselblad rep for south west England, called on me to demonstrate the CFV-39 back, he gave me the impression that the CFV was environmentally pretty rugged. I questioned the number of ports and holes in the thing, but he said that light rain or drizzle should be no problem. And he seemed to have no qualms whatsoever about walking around the Cornish landscape on a cold frosty morning while I took test shots, or swapping the CFV on and off cameras back in a warm steamy kitchen later on. So it looks as if something a bit unusual (and unlucky) has happened here.

OK.. interesting information. And in all fairness: I would expect the ruggedness that David claimed from a pro-level piece of kit of this standing and price-tag!

Wilko

 

[john_r_smith]

As an aside to this discussion -

As far as working in freezing temperatures goes, because I shoot most of my landscape work handheld with the WLF, while I am walking around the battery on the CFV is tucked nicely in against my jumper and stays quite warm. So far I have had no problems at all, and I did quite a lot of snow scenes last month in about -5 deg C. Which, for Cornwall, is jolly cold.

John

 

[michaelhcothran]

Thanks for all the replies and support. The Regional USA office contacted me with a quote of US $410 to clean, replace the filter, and calibrate the back. I will send it to them, and they will forward it overseas. Approximate time is 3-4 weeks.
Well, what was I going to do with that $410 anyway, besides blow it on pizza! And this gives me a perfectly good chance for the next month to attach a film back, and clean out some of that film that's been residing in my fridge since Clinton was in office!

Gary & Wilko - I do plan to ask HB for their insights as to what happened, and will gladly post their findings/opinions.

Personally, I don't think the streaks look like condensation, and it hasn't gone away. For the record, I've had my CFV in worse weather conditions, both hot and cold, wet and dry, with no adverse affects. Since the streaks were on the first frame I shot that day, they were most likely there before I left the house.
For what it's worth - the temperature that day hovered around 30 degrees Farenheit.
Michael

 

[ulrik]

Regarding ruggedness of digital backs: there are some entertaining videos on the Phase One website.

Ulrik

 

[wbulte]

Regarding ruggedness of digital backs: there are some entertaining videos on the Phase One website.

Ulrik

Hm, yes, I think I have seen those. I am on one of their mailing lists. I hereby publicly volunteer to be on their fieldtest team

In general I think it is remarkable to see that cheap amateur DSLRs (like say a Pentax K10D) start to posses extensive weather sealing. Ruggedising digibacks to a reasonable extent would not feel illogical to me.

 

[polypal]

Hello Michael,

I am glad you found a better way to spend 410 $ than on pizzas.
That would have induced regular visits to a doctor whatever Italians say.
Pizzas in those quantities are not healthy.

Of course we would like to hear the explanation from Hasselblad about this incident.
Keep us posted.


Paul